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Issue#58
A Service Network for Pastors and Ministers
this issueqTHE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING IN MINISTRY | RICK RENNER 3
qPROSPERITY 101 - FINANCIAL PLANING - PART 3 | JUNE BLUME 8qCORPORATE PRAYER - WHY DO IT?| DANA SHRADER 15
qA TRUE SIGN OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY | RICK RENNER 20 impartShared Vision for Excellence in Ministry | Mentoring | Synergy in Problem-Solving www.impartnow.com
June2012
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JUNE Issue2012
3 Importance ofTiming in Ministry
RICK RENNER
In our haste, we can miss the mark,
but our wavering can cause us to miss
it too. God wants us to be accurate
both in discovering Gods will for our
lives and in discerning the right timeto move into action concerning His
will. Rick Renner shares from his own
experiences how to fulfill the will of
God by knowing when to act and when
to be still.
8 Prosperity 101
JUNE BLUMEIn this article, entrepreneur June
Blume shares how to map where
you are and where you are going
(financially) so you can reach your
desired financial destination. She
shares seven easy-to-understand
steps that can steer you in the
direction of success. These steps cant
be accomplished overnight, but you
can begin taking them today.
15 CorporatePrayer Why Do It?DANA SHRADER
So many benefits await the pastor
who leads his congregation in times
of corporate, united prayer. So dont
delegate this task to someone else.
Follow this biblical model for prayer in
the local church and grow with yourcongregation to become the portrait
image of Christ and His Church.
20 True Sign ofSpiritual MaturityRICK RENNER
Truthfulness is the foundation of
trust. Rick Renner states: If we are
to have the kind of relationships
within the Body of Christ that
God desires, it must begin with
leadership. That doesnt mean
honesty is always the easiestcourse, but its always the right one.
And its the clearest, brightest, and
most blessed and noble path we
will ever take.
RickRennerMinistries2012|
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Most believers strongly desire to dothe perfect will of God and fulfill
His plan for their lives and
wisely so, for finding and doing the will of
God is the key to success, fulfillment, and
contentment as a Christian.
But equally important to discovering
the will of God for your life is discerning
His timing. How often has Gods will
been communicated to us, but because
we misunderstood or misinterpreted the
timingof His will, we acted too fast. And inour haste, we missed the mark. At other
times, we pondered and lingered over the
will of God so long that when the divine
opportunity came for us to step out and do
something big for Him, we faltered and lost
the opportunity altogether.
God wants us to be accurate both in
discovering Gods will for our individual
livesand in discerning the right time to
move into action concerning His will. I
have learned through the years that the
role of timing knowing when to actandwhen to be still is integrally linked with
fulfilling the perfect will of God.
Gods Timing Is as Importantas Gods Will in Our Ministry
In my own ministry, I have found timing
to be extremely important. Youve probably
heard the saying, You must strike while
the iron is hot.Of course, to strike
while the iron is hot means to act whilecircumstances and events are favorable to
your position. Certainly, circumstances and
events are no substitute for the leading of
the Holy Spirit in our lives as believers, but I have found it to be true that
we need to act when Gods favor is on our side.
But Jesus used a very strange and different kind of example to
emphasize our need to take action at just theright time.
Let me begin by saying that wonderful opportunities in life often come
packaged with difficult challenges. Knowing exactly which opportunities
to take and which ones should be allowed to pass us by has been one of
my personal challenges in the former Soviet Union. One day when I wasseeking the Lord about some of these wonderful opportunities in the
former USSR, the Lord said to me, If youre going to survive and do what
Ive called you to do, you have to learn to think like a snake.
RICK RENNERGEMS FOR MINISTERS
The Importance
of Timing inMinistry
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us. This example was not my idea Jesus is the One
who chose to use a serpent to make this point!
So lets consider the behavior of serpents and see how
this relates to timing in ministryor in any area of your life.
There Is a Time to Stay Quiet, Lay Low,and Blend Into the Environment.
Rather than announce their presence, serpents stay
quiet, lay low, and blend into the environment when they
move into new territory. In fact, you can walk right past
a snake and not even know youre walking past a snake!
They have the ability to be nearly invisible.
Most serpents are designed to be camouflaged. This
camouflage serves as a protective covering. The vilest
aggressor can walk right up to a serpent and not noticeit because it has blended so well into the landscape.
This ability to be camouflaged gives the serpent latitude
to move about freely as it finds its way around new
territory and takes time to evaluate its new situation.
As serpents evaluate their new environments, they
identify places of shelter and hiding places where they
can go to protect themselves against attack. They also
observe where to find the easiest food. When all these
observances are assimilated, a serpent is ready to act.
But this settling in time is key for the serpent.
Remember Jesus said theres wisdom in a serpentsbehavior that we as believers need to learn!
When God calls us to do something new for
example, to move to a new territory or to seize a divine
opportunity its His wisdom that we move slowly
and carefully into that new phase of our lives. A
common mistake is to act too fast. Acting hastily,
before all the facts are gathered and assimilated,
often leads to erroneous decisions and actions. It
would be better for us to stay quiet, lay low, and
blend into the environment for awhile and learn
from the facts we observe.
Let me give you an example of this from my own life.When Denise and I first moved to the former USSR, we
took time to learn the customs and culture of the new
territory. We knew it would take time to understand
everything we would see and experience, so we moved
slowly and very carefully. Although we immediately
saw opportunity for ministry, we decided to first
watch and gain as much knowledge of
our new environment as possible.
Acting too quickly would have
certainly meant making poor
and regretful decisions.In the first few months
we lived in Latvia, we made
little noise and were hardly
noticed. This allowed us
At first, these words caught me off-guard, but
then, a phrase from Matthew 10:16 came to my
mind.
Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and
harmless as doves.
In this verse, Jesus commanded His disciples
and us, too to be wise as serpents.To be
honest, this verse had always perplexed me, as
I had the idea of a serpent as being evil. But as I
meditated on this verse more deeply, I began to
gain new insight about what Jesus was actually
saying here.
Jesus said serpents were wise and that we
need to take a lesson from them! As I pondered
the behavior of serpents, I began to understand
exactly why Jesus used this example and howit applies to you and me for our families,
businesses, ministries, or any opportunity God
places in front of us.
If youre squeamish about serpents
and snakes, hang on and
stay with me for the
next few moments so
you can get the full
impact of what
Jesus is telling
Most serpents are designedto be camouflaged. Thiscamouflage serves as a
protective covering.
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the ability to move about freely and
without disruption. We visited churches
unannounced. We wandered in and out
of different parts of the city to observe
and ascertain the spiritual condition of
our new environment. Before I made
any grand announcement that we were
going to go on television, I first wanted to
know something about television in that
part of the world.
Unfortunately, I also observed many
American missionaries announcing great
plans that never developed. Their ideas
were great and perhaps those ideas
were from God but because these
missionaries acted before they understood the full picture,they ruined their testimony and lost a glorious opportunity.
They were trying to take ground for the Kingdom of God
that they knew nothing about. It was utter foolishness to
start such fantastic projects without first understanding
the challenges, risks, and dangers. Many were hurt because
of acting too fast and getting in a hurry.
Denise and I knew that moving slower may take more
time, but in the end it would produce more stable and
serious results. We made the choice to move slow and
steady, to gather all the facts we could gather, put them
all together, analyze the information, listen to how theLord would speak to us through those facts, and then
make an announcement about our plans. To make our
announcement any sooner than we did would have been
a grave mistake.
Most mistakes are avoidable if well use patience and
wisdom instead of acting hastily. Thats why I strongly
advise you to take your time and be sure of the actions
youre contemplating for your ministry or personal life.
Learnthegenerallandscapeofyournewenvironment.
Locateplacesofspiritualshelterforyouandyour
family.Seewhatkindofattackscouldpotentiallycome
against you.
Taketimetoreallyunderstandtheopportunities
around you as well as the challenges.
Takeadvantageofthemomenttobeinformedofall
the facts before you announce your plans.
Serpents Are Wise Enough To KnowWhen To Seize the Moment and Strike!
Knowing when to act is as important as knowingwhen to lay low. When prey passes before a serpent,
that serpent knows its time to strike! If it waits too
long, the opportunity will pass by and put the serpent
into an irretrievable position.
Similarly, when you know its time to act, youllhave to put your emotions and feelings of fear aside
and seize the moment!
Ive seen so many young ministers pray and pray
for divine opportunities to come to them. They
fasted, prayed, and waited for a golden moment
to come. Then, at long last, that moment came!
A great door of opportunity stood directly in front
of them. It was time to act, but rather than seize
the moment and walk through that door, they
hesitated because they wanted to pray about it
just a little bit more. God brought them exactlywhat theyd prayed for, but when they finally got
around to saying yes, it was too late. Because they
paused, they lost the opportunity.
Let me give you another personal example of
knowing just the right time to act. Back in the early
1990s, I earnestly prayed and sought God to open a
certain television opportunity to our ministry. One
day I received a phone call from the top directors
of the national television network in that country.
They asked me to fly to their city to talk about my
program Good News With Rick Renner. My associate
and I took the next available flight to meet withthese two powerful men in that city.
My heart was filled with anticipation as I
wondered, Was this the opportunity I had been
praying for? Was it really happening? Was God
answering my prayer?I had a sense that something
great and awesome was about to transpire, and I
could hardly wait to arrive at the meeting to hear
their proposal.
I had already done my homework. I had studied
the statistics about the full reach of the TV channel
that was about to be offered to us for my program. Ihad spoken with pastors and churches all over that
country to see what they thought of that particular
channel. My time of laying low and blending into
the environment gave me the knowledge I needed
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lost it. Just one week later, that door would have been
closed! But because we seized the opportunity at just
the right time, our program was locked into a contract
that the government had to honor! And our TV program
and ministry became one of the most power spiritual
forces in that nation!
I thank God that I had the spiritual guts and gumption
to act at the right moment. I had already prayed and
prayed. But then it became time to seize the moment
and act; it was time to strike!
The Lord has taught me over the years that there are
moments in life to lay low, and there are moments to
strike! Surely this is what Jesus meant when He toldus to be wise as serpents(Matthew 10:16).
You may be asking, But how do I know whether its
time to lay lowor time to take action and seize the
moment? The Holy Spirit will lead you in these areas if
youll be sensitive to follow His leading. And believe me,
if youll listen to Him and follow Him, He will guide you
past every obstacle, camouflage you from every attack,
and show you exactly when to take action in your family,
your home, your business, your church, or the ministry
God has given you.
Romans 8:14 says, For as many as are led by theSpirit of God, they are the sons of God. The word led
in this verse is translated from the Greek word ago,
and it means to gently lead about. Its the same word
that would be used to describe a man leading his cow
about on a rope. Using this depiction, the farmer would
wrap a rope around the cows neck and tug until the
animal began following him. When the cow cooperated
and followed that gentle tug, it could then be led where
its owner wanted it to go. The farmer was the leader
and the cow was merely the follower. The cow didnt
argue with the farmer; it simply trusted and followed.
This is how we are to follow the leading of the Holy
Spirit. He is the Leader!
However, it must also be pointed out that this word
agois also the root for the Greek word agon, which iswhere we get the word agony. Even in Greek, the word
agon describes an intense conflict, such as a struggle
in a wrestling match or a struggle of the human will.
This illustrates the fact that although the Holy Spirit
when I stepped into that meeting with those two
directors. I was thoroughly equipped to have this
long-awaited conversation.
Armed with information and supported by the
prayers of our partners, the meeting began. Almost
right away, they asked me, Would you like to
broadcast your TV program on our national channel
and penetrate every single home in the country?
This is exactly what Id for so long been praying
and waiting for! The opportunity of a lifetime was
sitting on the table in front of me in the form of a TV
contract. I held my composure, not wanting them
to know how excited I was at this chance to reach
every home in the entire country with my program.
Spiritual Discernment Helps UsDistinguish Natural ReasoningFrom Faith
I waited to hear how much this divine door
of opportunity was going to cost our ministry
each month. The cost was much more than wed
imagined, but I knew it was worth the money
because it would broadcast into every single home
in the entire nation. But when I heard the price ofthe broadcast time, I felt myself hesitate. A wave
of fear began to sweep over me that we wouldnt
be able to come up with the cash each month to
pay for the TV time. Yet I knew a door had just
opened before me that had never been opened to
anyone else before. Only God could open such an
incredible door for the Gospel. In fact, there was no
doubt in my heart that God was orchestrating the
entire event.
Calmly, I asked for a few minutes to speak to my
associate alone. When the two directors stepped
out of the room, I told my associate, I dont knowwhere the money is going to come from to pay for
this, but Im going to sign this contract right now
before we lose this opportunity for the Gospel.
My head said, Dont do it,but my spirit said, DO
IT NOW!In my heart, I knew it was the moment
to strike and seize this opportunity. Within a few
minutes, I picked up the pen and signed my name
on the dotted line! A divine opportunity had just
been placed before me, and Good News with Rick
Rennerwould now be broadcast into the homes of
52 million people each week!Within days of that contract signing, the
political climate rapidly changed in that country,
and I realized if I hadnt seized that television
opportunity at that exact moment, I would have
We are to follow the leadingof the Holy Spirit.He is the Leader!
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ReadingtheWord.
MeditatingontheWord.
PrayingintheSpirit.
All of these things help keep our spirits sensitive
to the leading of God in our lives. If we will do whats
necessary to stay sensitive, well discern His voice
as He tells us when we need to lay lowand when we
need to move into action.
I can tell you from personal experience that timing
has been a major key to the success of our ministry.
Denise and I are not smart enough to figure out
with our own reasoning powers the right timing
for everything the Lord has asked us to do! We
give God all the glory and honor for our success inministry because the timingof the many outreaches
weve stepped out to do over the years has been
directed by the Holy Spirit, not by us. Denise and
I have depended on the Spirits leading, and as a
result, we have walked through many strategic
doors at key moments. Weve learned that when He
prompts us to wait, He intends for us to wait. And
when He urges us to move now,He means exactly
what He says!
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus commanded us to be wise
as serpents.I pray that what Ive shared with youhas provided you with fresh insight about this verse.
May this truth benefit you tremendously as you
correctly discern Gods timing in every situation and
season of your ministry and your life.
wants to lead us, our human will doesnt always like the
idea of being led. You see, its the nature of the flesh to
want to go its own way, so when we choose to walk in theSpirit and let Him dictate our lives, His leadership over us
creates a struggle of our will with our flesh. This means
the Spirit will lead us, but we must extend our hearts to
Him first, in faith and submissive trust, for without our
cooperation, He cannot guide us anywhere.
Many people are afraid to obey what the Holy Spirit
puts in their hearts to do. Fearful that theyre being
misled by some other force or that theyll make a mistake,
they sit on the sidelines and watch other people achieve
success while they remain right where theyve always
been. But let me tell you that you can confidently trust
the leading of the Holy Spirit!In John chapters 14-16, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as
the Spirit of Truthon at three occasions. It seems that
Jesus thought this was a truth worth repeating! The Holy
Spirit the Spirit of Truth will not lead you in a wrong
or false direction. He is the Spirit of Truth and One on
whom you can rely!
If the Holy Spirit is prompting you to take action
about something now, its because He sees and knows
something you may not see. So let the Holy Spirit become
your eyes and ears so that you can discern and detect
key moments and divine opportunities for your life, family,business, or ministry.
To stay spiritually sensitive so that you can discern
the Holy Spirits gentle leading in your life, youll need to
spend time:
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Prosperity 101 Financial Planning
From theInside Out
That Anyone Can Do (Part 3)
Most people would never pack their suitcases
into their automobile and just start driving
aimlessly without having a desired or intended
destination. When we travel, we usually know
where were going, and we may even have a
route mapped out to guide us and keep us on course.
Yet many show little attention to their own future as they
travel through life without direction concerning their financial
destination. They either havent set financial goals, or theyhave dreams and desires concerning the future, but they
dontknowhowtofulfillthem.Perhapstheyrewaitingfor
some big break that will set them on a course of success.
But God requires us to be faithful in our stewardship of what we have
right now. He wants us to know where we are financially today and
where we desire to go tomorrow. And He wants us to develop a plan
for getting there. Some people refer to this as writing the vision
(Habakkuk 2:2). You cant run with a vision unless you have a vision
to begin with! And along with a vision, you need a clear route a
path that youve committed to God on which to travel toward your
desired station.
In Part Two of this article, we talked about creating a FinancialStatement to show you where you are right now in your finances. Then
we looked at writing a household budget and having a plan for tracking
spending. Having done those things, now youre ready to set out on
your path to financial prosperity and freedom.
The following are seven steps well look at that can help you
navigate that path successfully. (Well cover the first four steps in
this article and Steps Five through Seven in next months issue.) I
also recommend that you also study self-help materials on wealth-
building and wealth management by those who are proven in those
fields. I especially like Dave Ramseys materials. In fact, much of what I
share in this article can be found in one or more of his online courses.The important thing is to ask God to help you map out a plan toward
financial freedom for you and your family. And He will! God desires
that His children live free, and that includes living financially free.
JUNE BLUME | HEART ALIGNMENT
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Step 1:Build Up an Emergency Fund of $1,000
Seven Steps to FinancialFreedom
1. Save $1,000 to use strictly for
emergencies.
2. Pay off all debt (except your
mortgage).
3. Save three to six months worth of
living expenses in case you lose
your job or source of income.
4. Put 15 percent of your salary into
pre-tax retirement plans and a
Roth IRA, if eligible.
5. Set aside college funding for your
children.
6. Begin to pay off your home early.
7. Continue to invest and build wealth
for yourself and others.
Many people think they cant save
money,sotheydonteventry.Perhaps
theyre not starting small enough.
Maybe they want to save a larger
percent of their income than theyreable to save at the moment, so they
just give up, and they fail to save
anything at all.
But our first step to financial
prosperity and freedom is to save
$1,000 thats designated strictly asan emergency fund. This is money
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you might need for lifes inevitables that happen
to all of us at one time or another, such as to repair
a car or major appliance that breaks down.
An emergency fund is notfor vacations;
Christmas, birthday, and anniversary gifts; and
clothes for the kids. All of those things can be
anticipated therefore, theyre not emergency
situations. Gifts and clothing expenses can be
included in your budget, which can be revised as
often as necessary.
Youll need your emergency-fund money to be
accessible, but youll also want to earn as much
interest on it as possible. A good choice for this
kind of savings would be a money-market account
with limited check-writing privileges. I dont
recommend simply keeping the extra emergency-fund money in your regular checking account,
because it can be tempting to dip into that money
for non-emergencies when you know the money is
readily available.
Some people depend on their retirement
savings or investment accounts to double as their
emergency fund. When they have to use it, they
have the best intentions of paying this money
back, but since there usually isnt the urgency to
do so, most of the time, the funds withdrawn from
these accounts are never replaced. Therefore, Idont recommend that you use long-term savings
as your emergency fund. A separate account
designated strictly as an emergency fund may
seem like more trouble at first, but in the long run,
youll be protecting your retirement savings for a
time when youll need it most.
Ive heard financial counselors advise people to
pay off all their debt before attempting to save
money. They argue that the interest you pay on
your debt is greater than the interest youd earn
on most savings accounts. That sounds logical,
but please consider this: If you get sidetracked byan emergency while youre trying to reduce your
debt, youll probably have to use credit to take care
of the emergency, which can sidetrack you from
your goal of getting out of debt. In an emergency
situation, instead of paying off debt, youre taking
care of the immediate need and youre probably
doing it on credit. This can throw you right back
into your old cycle of spending.
Without an emergency fund to fall back on when
emergency situations arise, you simply set yourself
up for failure on this seven-step plan.Someone asked, What happens if I have an
emergency while Im reducing debt? If I have to
spend five-hundred dollars from my thousand-
dollar emergency fund, do I pay that back first, or
do I continue paying extra
money toward my debt?
If you experience a
situation that requires
you to withdraw money
from your emergency
fund, you should work
to replace that first
before continuing to
pay extra toward your
debt. Once youve built
your emergency fund
back up to $1,000,
you can resume your
debt-reduction plan.
Otherwise, anotheremergency could cause
you to spiral back
into your old habits of
borrowing money or
spending beyond your means.
As youre eliminating existing debt, incurring new
debt would be counterproductive to your short
and long-term goals. The key is to have money
on hand for emergencies so that you can focus
undistracted and unhindered on the next step in
your financial plan.
Step 2: Reduce andEliminateYour Debt
Once you have your $1,000 emergency fund in
place (most people find that with a little effort, they
can put this in place within a month or so), youre
ready to go to Step Two, which is to pay off any debt
you may have.
One controversial issue regarding getting out of
debt is over the use of credit cards. Some peoplejustify their use of credit cards in various ways,
including claiming that its a smart way to borrow
money for free by taking advantage of zero-interest
offers. But credit-card companies wouldnt make such
offers if those offers didnt work in their favor. Those
companies are in business to make money, and they
are counting on the customer having a balance at the
end of the trial period, at which time interest accrues,
and the customer ends up paying big bucks on what
was supposed to be a wise financial move.
But if you dont have a credit card or you useone only as a convenience and pay your balance
in full each month you dont even have to think
about maneuvering past one of those zero-
interest offers.
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I recommend not using credit cards or paying
the balance in full each month if you do use them.
But how do you stop using credit cards once youve
committed to getting out of debt and stayingout
of debt?
For most people, the quality decision to stop
using credit cards is enough. They can simply puttheir cards in a secure place and use them only as
a convenience, paying off the balance each month.
If you travel frequently, credit cards can provide a
convenient means of tracking your spending, but this
only works if you pay your balance in full at the end of
each billing cycle.
However, some people find that its too big a
challenge to stop using credit cards. For them, cutting
up their cards and using only cash or a debit card
for making purchases is a good option. One warning
about debit cards, though they require that you
diligently monitor purchases by recording everytransaction in your checkbook so you can keep the
balance current and prevent being overdrawn in
your account.
Tips for Cutting Your Budget
If youre currently in debt, the only way to get out
of debt is to increase the amount of money you apply
toward your debt. You can achieve that goal by doing
the following: (1) spending less money than youre
accustomed to and using the extra money to repaythe debt or (2) increasing your income. For example, if
you cant cut your budget sufficiently in order to apply
more money toward debt repayment, you may need
to take a second job.
When determining how you can cut your budget and
reduce your monthly expenditures, ask yourself:
Do I really need this?
Can I do this less expensively?
Obvious areas that could be reduced or eliminated in
a budget include:
Cable TV
Eating out
Entertainment
Trips or vacations
Magazine and other subscriptions
Nails and other luxury services
Allowances, gift-giving, etc.
More serious cuts in your budget might includeselling a car and buying one that you can afford
outright or with smaller monthly payments. You
can also look for items around your house that you
can sell using the proceeds to apply toward your
debt such as a boat, furniture, antiques, guns,
electronics, power tools, jewelry, etc. Lastly, if your
house payment is greater than 45 percent of your
income, you might consider selling it and buying one
that is less expensive.
If you want to cut your budget and reduce your
spending so you can reduce and eliminate your debt,youll have to change your lifestyle. I encourage
you to make this a family project and involve the
children. In asking them to be a part of the solution,
youre teaching them how to prosper financially
themselves one day when they become responsible
for managing money.
When my husband Wally and I were building our
business, we worked a lot of hours. We had a tight
budget at the time, and we determined that if our
business was going to be successful, we were going
to have to put in the hours necessary to make it
happen. At that time, we couldnt afford to hireanyone to help us, so there were many weeks that
we worked 60, 80, and even 100 hours. We did that
over a period of two or three years. Our son was in
college, and we both liked to work, so we made the
decision together to put in those long hours.
You may need to do that to get out of debt. Ask
God each step of the way to show you what He is
requiring you to do and then be obedient to that.
Only you can determine what plan of action you
will take to eliminate your debt, but regardless of the
exact method, you do need a plan! And that planshould include a Financial Statement, a budget, and
a system for tracking spending. Without some kind
of plan in place, youll continue your current spending
cycle, and you wont reach your financial goals.
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Tips for Staying Motivated andFocused
One of the best ways to jumpstart your debt
reduction is to list all your debts in order, from the
smallest to the largest balances, including loans from
relatives. One of the foremost financial experts in
the United States says that interest rates are not
the issue at first. He says, in effect, This is about
behavior modification more than just math. I agree.
Youll want to achieve some quick victories while at
the same time change the old patterns that landed
you in debt in the first place. After youve paid off
a debt or two very quickly, you will likely be very
motivated to continue executing your new plan.
Once you list your debts and start paying extra onthe smallest one, continue to make the minimum
payment on the others so that you stay current
on those. If you were paying more than what was
required, use that extra money as well as the
money you cut from your budget and the money
you made on the sale of selected household
items to apply to your smallest debt. Then
each time you pay off a debt, take what you were
spending each month on that debt and apply it to
the next one until it, too, is paid off.
By the time youve paid off the first three orfour of your smallest debts, you should have
a fairly substantial sum to apply to the next
debt. With each debt thats repaid, your
snowball effect increases with which
you can wipe out your remaining debt.
How long it takes you to pay off your
credit-card debt will depend on the
size of your debt and the
size of your income. For
most people who are
diligent, it can usually be
accomplished in 18-24months.
Its important to remain
completely focused on
reducing your debt until it
is finally eliminated. You
need to continually talk
about and reinforce in
your heart and mind the
fact that youre going to
be debt-free. Doing this
will strengthen your spiritand your resolve so that
after you pay off one debt,
you wont go out on a
spending spree!
What Im sharing with you will work if youll stay
with it. So continue doing whats right, and before
long, youll experience the rightness of living
debt-free! You will be tested along the way and be
tempted to spend money beyond the boundaries
that youve set in place for yourself. But choose
to trust God and stick with your plan. Make a
determination to never borrow again and then stay
with that determination and mindset.
Step 3: Fully Fund YourEmergency AccountWith Three to Six Months
of Living ExpensesAfter youve paid off all your debt except your
mortgage, youre ready to move on to Step Three
fully funding your emergency account with three to
six months worth of living expenses. So for a family
that lives on $5,000 per month, they would need
$15,000 to $30,000 in their
emergency savings.
This is important
to have in the
event yousuddenly
lose your
source
of
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income. Remember, all your debts are paid
except your mortgage, so this money can keep
a family afloat and cover their basic living
expenses during your transition into finding
other work or regular income.Just as you did with your initial $1,000
emergency fund, youll also have to make sure
you dont fall into the trap of rationalizing about
using your emergency money for something
other than a real emergency. A true emergency
might include:
Paying the deductible on a large medical bill
Loss of a job or a decrease in work hours
Replacing your automobiles transmission
Anything unforeseen that could have a major
impact on your family
Non-emergencies would include:
Repairing your boat (unless you live on it)
Starting a business
Buying furniture
Going on a vacation
How much you set aside in this fund
whether three or six months of your living
expenses might depend on your line of work.
For example, if youre in sales and work on
commission, you may want to have six monthsworth of expenses. Women tend to value
financial security more than men, so a wife
might simply choose to have six months worth
of expenses set aside while her husband might
think three months worth is just fine. If youre
married, youll need to decide together and come
into agreement concerning the amount youll save
for emergencies.
Step 4: Pay 15 Percent ofYour Gross Income Into aRetirement Plan
Now that youre debt-free except for your
mortgage, and you have three to six months worth
of living expenses tucked away in your emergency
savings account, youre ready to take the next step
and begin putting 15 percent of your gross income
into a pre-tax retirement plan.
At this point, you might be tempted to savemore than 15 percent for retirement, but keep in
mind the next three steps, which entail saving for
your childrens college expenses, paying off your
mortgage, and doing additional investing.
Some people are also tempted to set less than
15 percent aside toward a retirement plan, because
theyre counting on Social Security to help fund their
retirement years. But if our volatile economy has
taught us anything, its taught us not to depend on
federal programs, as some of them appear to be on
the verge of bankruptcy.I ask people to look at it this way. If Social Security
is still solvent when the time comes for you to
retire, youll have more than you planned for. But
if it isnt, you wont miss a beat, and you and your
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June Blume and her husband
Wally are the founders and
owners of Denali Ingredients
(www.denaliingredients.com)
and Denali Flavors, the makers of
Moose Tracks ice cream (www.
moosetracks.com). June has held
finance, business analysis, and
sales positions in the company
since 1994. Currently, she works with her husband inthe overall guidance and management of the Denali
companies as well as their newly formed company
Brandi Renee Designs (www.brandireneedesigns.
com). Highly successful in the realm of business, the
Blumes are also committed givers, who demonstrate
their hearts for the Kingdom of God by the way they
invest in Gods work worldwide. They also engage in
a full-time lifestyle of evangelizing and mentoring as
they yield their unique gifts to the Lord of the harvest
in the workplace, at home, and wherever life takes
them.
spouse wont suffer as you maintain the lifestyle
youve enjoyed in the past. Many who depend
solely on their Social Security benefits to sustain
them today can barely afford the necessities of
life, including the medications they need to stay
healthy. Theyre also forced to live very frugally
toward their children and grandchildren at a time
when they might want to be the most generous.
Which Plans Are Best forInvesting?
Many pre-tax retirement plans offer options
in terms of the types of long-term accounts
you can put your money in. Many experts
recommend that you use growth-stock mutual
funds for long-term investing. These same funds
are lousy short-term investments because they
go up and down in value. So keep in mind that
youll need to leave the money in this type offund longer than five years.
Another tip for investing is to always begin
where you have the promise of a match. In other
words, if your company 401k matches the first 3
percent you contribute, you should contribute 3
percent to that 401K. Then check into investing
the remaining 12 percent in Roth IRAs. With a
Roth IRA, youre allowed to invest approximately
$5,000 $6,000 per person per year. The interest
on this type of account grows tax-freeprovided
there are no withdrawals before the seasoningperiod, or within a specified amount of time.
This information about investing isnt
comprehensive, so I strongly counsel you to
research long-term investing for yourself. With
the continual changes and fluctuation in the
financial market, research is essential. There
are many financial advisors available who
can help you in this area. I also recommend
that you consider taking classes or that youfind information online on these topics. One
course I highly recommend is Dave Ramseys
FinancialPeaceUniversity(learnmoreat
daveramsey.com).
As youre doing your research, pray about
where to put your money that will bring you
the most benefit in your retirement years.
The important thing is to systematically and
consistently follow your plan over time so that
youll remain on target and reach your desired
destination of financial freedom.
Editors Note: In next months issue, Mrs.Blume covers the last three steps in the
financial-freedom plan and offers insightful
tips from her experiences that will inspire you
and help ensure your own success.
if your company 401kmatches the first 3percent you contribute,you should contribute 3percent to that 401K .
14 IMPART MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
http://www.denaliingredients.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.daveramsey.com/http://www.daveramsey.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.moosetracks.com/http://www.denaliingredients.com/ -
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Corporate prayer why do it?Why do Ias the pastor needto lead my church
in united prayer?Why not just havesomeone else lead itwhos more giventoprayer?
Have you ever asked yourself these
or similar questions regarding church-
wide prayer? You probably like to prayalone, anyway. You may not even feel
like you know howto lead corporate
prayer. And, God knows, you have
enough to do as it is!
by Dana Shrader | Prayer Principles
All these feelings and objections areunderstandable. However:
0So many benefits await you if youlltake the step to initiate and lead united,
corporate prayer with your church
members.
0There are so many answersandbreakthroughson the horizon if youll
simply launch out into the deep,
trusting God to help you as you lead your
church in prayer.
0Theres a unityand an intimate bondingwith your congregation that youve
perhaps never experienced before if
youll venture into this scriptural model
of prayer in the local church.
0And, oh, the safetyyoull afford yourpeople as their shepherd, guarding
them with the staff of prayer instead
of entrusting them to the oversight of
another.
Corporate Prayer Why Do It?
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Dear pastor, you can lead corporate prayer!
In fact, you were builtto lead it. Certainly, you
will delegate the oversight of various prayer
groups to others, especially if you pastor a large
church. But Ive observed over the years that
where a pastor oversees a church-wide prayer
meeting at least once per month, congregations
thrive, even in situations where strife and
discord existed previously.
In an upcoming article, Ill share with you a
simple format that can easily be implemented
to begin a corporate prayer meeting if you
dont already hold such prayer meetings in
your church. But in this article, well look at the
great benefits afforded in leading your people in
corporate prayer.
Examples and Benefits ofPraying With the Saints
As we look at the book of Acts, we see
multiple examples of leadership praying
together with the saints. Just the fact that
we see example after example is proof enough
that its a pastors scriptural responsibility to
lead his or her church in prayer.
But within the scriptural examplesthemselves, we see the exact blessing they
promise.
Acts 1 and 2
Jesus had told the disciples to go and tarry
in that upper room until they were endued
with power. We know that the disciples were
up there with more than 100 people. We then
see the Holy Ghost poured out and suddenly,
under this corporate anointing, the disciples
and the saints who were with them were
almost instantly changedand thrust forth
into the spiritual harvest. The saints and the
disciples themselves became the signs and
wonders. This was the first endowment of theHoly Ghost, but it was also a corporate prayer
meeting.
Andinthatmeeting,weseePeter
transformed from a timid onlooker a
wannabe to a bold leader, a fire-brand
representative who didnt mince words in the
preaching of the Gospel. For example, we see
PetergrabJoelchapter2anddaretopullit
into present-day fulfillment in front of a Jewish
crowd. We see him interpret it with heavenly
boldness and insight. Then we see 3,000 people
get saved as a result of his preaching!
We also see the ministers and the saints
leaders and laity receiving revelation and
being bonded together in unity by it and
portraying a true picture of the Head of the
Church and His Body.
Oh, the blessings untold of corporate prayer!
The corporate anointing is the strongest
anointing the Body of Christ will ever know.Lets get about learning how to understand it,
recognize and move with it, and utilizeit! And
just as a side note: After this time of united
prayer, there was a tremendous wave of
financial giving and further signs and wonders.
Acts 4
As soon as they were freed, Peter and
John returned to the other believers and
told them what the leading priests andelders had said. When they heard the
report, all the believers lifted their voices
together in prayer to God. And now, O
Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your
servants, great boldness in preaching
your word. Stretch out your hand with
healing power; may miraculous signs and
wonders be done through the name of
your holy servant Jesus. After this prayer,
the meeting place shook, and they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they
preached the word of God with boldness.Acts 4:23,24,29-31 NLT
We see here that in a world of increasing
persecution, leaders found it vital to pray with
their own company of believers. After a time
persecution, they returned to pray with the
saints. It was in this time of prayer that the
apostles were endued with power to preach.
Everyone present, both laity and leader
alike, were filled again with the power of the
Most High. The building physically, literallyshook because of this corporately manifested
power. Then the apostles went out with signs,
wonders, miracles, and bold preaching. (There
was also another wave of financial giving.)
The corporate anointing is thestrongest anointing the
Body of Christ will ever know.
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I want to call your attention to a precious
statement: ...They returned to their own
company (v. 23). As you begin to foster united
prayer in your church, you will see a company
of believers form. Your company. As you trustGod as to how to lead them in prayer, you will
find a spiritual oasis of love, faith, and unity. Like
receiving a cup of cool water in a thirsty land, you
will all be refreshed and ready to serve anew.
Acts 12
Peter was therefore kept in prison, but
constant prayer was offered to God for him
by the church. And when Herod was about
to bring him out, that night Peter was
sleeping, bound with two chains betweentwo soldiers; and the guards before the
door were keeping the prison.
Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by
him, and a light shone in the prison; and he
struck Peter on the side and raised him up,
saying, Arise quickly! And his chains fell
off his hands. Then the angel said to him,
Gird yourself and tie on your sandals;
and so he did. And he said to him, Put on
your garment and follow me.
So he went out and followed him, and did not
know that what was done by the angel was
real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
When they were past the first and the
second guard posts, they came to the iron
gate that leads to the city, which opened
to them of its own accord; and they
went out and went down one street, andimmediately the angel departed from him.
And when Peter had come to himself, he
said, Now I know for certain that the Lord
has sent His angel, and has delivered me
from the hand of Herod and from all the
expectation of the Jewish people.
So, when he had considered this, he came
to the house of Mary, the mother of John
whose surname was Mark, where many
were gathered together praying.
Acts 12:5-12 NKJV
This is a very powerful passage of truth!
Persecutionofchurchleaderswasflaring
greatly. Herod had taken James and killed him.
When Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he
tookPeterandwasreadytokillhimtoo.But
instantand constantprayer was made for
Peterbythesaints!
Whos Holding the Ropes?
You see, those dear saints were accustomed
to praying with and for their leader. They were
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not a renegade bunch under the leadership of
a prayer lady with her own agenda, separate
from the true shepherd of the fold. No, this
fellowship of saints was vitally linked with their
leader as they were continually with him in the
divine fellowship that only united prayer can
afford. To take him was like someone taking
their very father.
God desires the saints to learn that it is their
responsibility to uphold their leaders. They are
accountable to scripturally and lovingly hold their
leaders up in prayer. The saints are not to pray in
a manipulative way by yielding to machinations
or motivations of the soul. Rather, they are to
assist to make tremendous power available in
prayer that the shepherd not be struck andthus disperse the sheep.
Sometimes I wonder about leaders who fall.
Who was holding the ropes for those men and
women, and how were they holding them?
In Acts chapter 12, we see that instant,
earnest, and effectual prayer was made for
Peter,anddeliverancewaswroughtforhimas
a result. We can also learn that great peace was
made available to the man of God he was
sound asleep the night before his scheduled
execution! Through united prayer, visions and
revelations were granted. An angel appeared. A
prison door was opened. Saints received their
leader again.
My personal favorite is found in Acts 12:10
(NKJV), where it says, They came to the iron
gate that leads to the city, which opened to
them of its own accord.
There are massive doors to cities that await
pastors and ministers as they begin to praywith their people.
Acts 13
Now there were in the church that was
at Antioch certain prophets and teachers;
as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called
Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen,
which had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted,
the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas
and Saul for the work whereunto I have
called them. And when they had fasted and
prayed, and laid their hands on them, they
sent them away.
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,
departed unto Seleucia; and from thence
they sailed to Cyprus.
Acts 13:1-4
This chapter shows a different gathering
of saints ministers praying together.
However, the power element of a corporate
anointing is still in effect. We see that
these ministers received further revelation
concerning the call of God on their lives. We
see enduementas hands were laid upon those
to be sent out. We see the first missionary
journeys happening as a result, as laborers
were thrust forth.
In the midst of corporate prayer, we see theworld reached.
Our ministry is called to help churches
cultivate this glorious exercise and experience,
and weve seen so many things happen in
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Dana Shrader is a 1990 graduate
of RHEMA Bible Training Center
and was involved in the Prayer
and Healing Centers Prayer
Groups program at RHEMA
for six years. Dana moved to
Palermo, Italy, in 1994 to serve in a helps
capacity under RHEMA Italydirectors Tonyand Patsy Cameneti. She then returned
to Tulsa to become Prayer Coordinator for
Mark Brazee Ministries. During this time,
Dana managed all facets of corporate
prayer as well as pioneered the Prayer
Partner program, which consisted of 70
prayer groups. Dana entered full-time
itinerant ministry in January 2000. Since
that time, she has traveled and taught
on the subject of individual and united
prayer to churches and Bible schools
both nationally and internationally. Dana
is also the author of the books You Can
Prayand The Prayer Partner Groups
ManualA Guide To Raising Up Prayer
Groups in the Local Church. With simple
precepts, demonstration, and even humor,
Dana helps people instantly take a step
up in their prayer life. At the same time,
doctrine safely secures the congregation
under the office of the pastor. In 2005, Dana
and her husband, Lonnie Shrader, were
married. They both teach on the subjectof prayer, emphasizing the message that
biblical prayer unifies the church rather than
dividing it. The Shraders base their ministry
in Thousand Oaks, California.
united, corporate prayer among local-church
congregations.
Here are just a few testimonies of miraculous
occurrences weve personally seen over the
years.
0Ive personally seen a church that was almostdevoured by a divisive prayer-group leader in
the church. But as the pastor dared to begin
leading united prayer meetings in the church,
the church was gloriously healed and is now
a thriving, effectual work. And that work is
solely hooked up with the pastor and his
vision with not a hint of division!
0A woman was blind in one eye. Her eyeopened during a corporate prayer service.
0Ive witnessed a church congregation beginto pray for the finances of their church. As
they called in finances for that work, the Lord
caused many in that congregation to find
their places in business!
0In the late 1980s, I saw a church-sanctioned prayer group be consistently
led in corporate prayer to pray for thesame group of communist nations. Over
and over, they would continually pray for
that region of the world. In 1989, the Berlin
Wall came down, and the world watched in
subsequent months and years as the reign
of communism ceased in several nations
of the world.
0I saw a church congregation double in sizefrom 500 to 1,000 members in just a short
period of time after united prayer was set in
place by the pastor.
0In the church I attended years ago, I myselfknew I had a call on my life to preach. But
it was the power of united prayer that
caused light to shine in my heart and mind
until I began to see my steps and seasons
in great detail. Vision for my God-ordained
future began to burn deep within me in an
atmosphere of corporate prayer. That light
branded me and then it sent me, spring-
boarding me into ministry.
The benefits of corporate prayer to
your church congregation are truly rich
and vital. Theyre not optional, but, rather,
essential. And corporate prayer will affect your
own life as a pastor and minister of the Gospel.
In this setting of united prayer, more of the gifts
of God will be activated inside you. Answers
and confirmations will come more easily.
Revisions to your vision and a keen sense of
times and seasons will propel you forward in
your calling. Momentum will spring forth and
grow. Your people will become invigorated by
your vision as they begin to clearly see what
you see. And you and your church congregation
will become a living, portrait image of Christ and
His Church.
19IMPART MAGAZINE JUNE 2012
http://www.rhema.org/http://cameneti.net/site/http://cameneti.net/site/http://cameneti.net/site/http://www.prayerskool.com/http://www.prayerskool.com/http://cameneti.net/site/http://cameneti.net/site/http://www.rhema.org/ -
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A True Sign ofSpiritual Maturity
Being truthful with people is one
of the most important things God
has taught me through the years
in my spiritual walk. Truthfulness
in every situation is not always the
easiest route, but it is the rightroute. And,
let me tell you, the highest level of spiritualmaturity is required for you and me to walk in
truthfulness.
But speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ.
Ephesians 4:15
Ephesians 4:15 says, Speaking the truth
in love.This passage in Ephesians chapter 4
teaches that spiritual maturity is measured by
how truthfully and honestly we carry ourselvesinourrelationships.Prophesyingorgivinga
word from the Lord may sound like a mark
of spiritual maturity, but true spirituality is
measured in the way we connect with and
relate to other people. Being able to be direct
and honest is one of the greatest character
traits to attain in life and it is a trait that
MUST be attained.
Let me give you an example from an
experience that Denise once had with a dear
Rick RennerLast Word
friend in the ministry. Denise was invited to
sing at this womans meeting, and afterwardDenise and this minister had lunch together.
Denise wanted to do something special to bless
her friend because she loved her so much, so
she took her favorite earrings and intended to
give them as a gift at this lunch meeting.
When this minister opened her gift, she
said, Denise, I really appreciate your wanting
to show me your love, but I dont like these
earrings. I know how much you treasure them.
It would be better for you to keep them or give
them to someone else who will wear them. I
dont want to be dishonest and tell you I likethem when I know Ill never wear them.Denise
and I laughed and laughed at this womans
honesty. It was so refreshing!
Think for a moment about how were trained
to be politely dishonest when we receive a
gift we dont like. Even though we know well
never use it, were trained to say, Oh, thank
you so much. Its just beautiful I love it!
Certainly, its appropriate to say thank you
when someone thinks enough of you to give
you a gift. But its very inappropriate to say itsbeautiful and you love it when, in fact, you dont
think its beautiful and you dontlove it.
This is a very small example of how
dishonesty is a part of the fabric of our lives.
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Being direct and to the point is difficult for
most people to do and its equally difficultfor most people to receive. But if we want to
grow up into Christ in all things(Ephesians
4:15), we must not be afraid to tell the truth!
Silent Disagreement Can BeMisleading
Naturally speaking, human beings avoid the
truth, skirt the truth, and skate all around an
issue to keep from having to say what they
really think and believe. But agreeing just for
the sake of agreeing when you dont reallyagree is wrong and will come back on you
every time.
For example, how many wives have gone
along with their husband in some deal
appearing to be in agreement when, in
fact, they are in total disagreement. The
wife says something like, Youre the leader,
Honey. Whatever you say is okay with me.
Then when the deal doesnt come through
as planned, and it costs the family money
and hardship, she lets him know that shewas never in agreement from the start! But
thats notwhat her husband remembers. He
remembers her saying that it was all right for
him to make the deal.
A wife who does this sort of thing probably
doesnt intendto be dishonest. Most likely, shesimply wants to be in submission to her husband,
mistakenly thinking that silence is the way a godly
wife should respond. But being quiet about what
you think doesnt make anyone submissive. It
often just makes him or her quietly disagreeable!
In this hypothetical scenario, had the wife been
honest with her husband, it could have saved
him from a poor decision and the family from the
problems they faced as a result, especially if he
values his wifes insights. In a case like this, her
lack of honesty might be partially to blame for the
problem.
A Pastor Must Require HonestyFrom His or Her Leadership and Then Be Open to Their Honesty
As a leader of a ministry, I expect my fellow
team members to be honest with me. Even if I
dont agree what they say or think, their honesty
guarantees a clear and truthful relationship
between us. The day someone starts telling me
one thing and then turns around and tells a fellowemployee something else altogether is the day
distrust is created between me and that staff
member because I dont know if I can really count
on that person to be honest with me. This is
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precisely what the Bible is talking about when it
says that those chosen to be deacons cannot be
doubletongued(1 Timothy 3:8).
Likewise must the deacons be grave, not
doubletongued.
The Greek word for doubletongued is dilogos,and it means two-worded. This word depicts a
man or woman who says one thing to one person
but a different thing entirely to the next. In other
words, the person is inconsistentor just outright
dishonestin what he or she tells people.
Sometimes this indicates that the person is
a people-pleaser. He wants everyone to like
him, so he agrees with whomever he is with at
the moment. If he takes an opinion contrary to
those in his immediate company, he may fear
hell lose influence with them. So again and
again, this person finds himself violating his ownconscience because he knows his opinion
changes like the wind, depending on whom hes
with at the time.
You might feel compassion for a person like
this, but let me be very clear about it this is a
serious character flaw. In fact, the Bible is very
strong to tell us that this kind of person should
not be used in leadership. Anytime you have
church leaders telling the pastor, I agree with
you and then telling other church members,
The pastor is wrong; hes missing God, you haveconfusion and suspicion brewing. A leader who
does this is not a blessing to the pastor.
When I can always count on a person to tell me
exactly what he thinks, this kind of truthfulness
builds a foundation of trust between us
thats very important if were building a long-
term relationship together in the ministry.
Its a blessing to always know where you
stand with a person, and you never have to
wonder if he really means what he says.
Truthfulness Is the Foundationof Trust
The members of my pastoral staff are very
honest with me. Because they are honest
with me, I am incredibly confident in them. I
know I can depend on their straightforward,
truthful response to me. Denise and I are
tremendous idea people, but we sometimesneed the balance that comes from hearing
other peoples perspective. Those people help
us see all the detail that must go along with
a vision. They know what it will take to see
a vision come to fruition, and I desperately
need their input in my life. Thats why God
sent those people to Denise and me to
help us. So we encourage honesty among
our staff members. They cant help us if they
dont feel comfortable being straightforward
with us.Certainly our staff has many areas where
we need to grow in this area, but we are
sincerely attempting to walk in honesty and
openness with each other at all times. I need
what they have to impart to me, and they
need what I have to impart to them! And
isnt it true that we as the Body of Christ are
naturally dependent upon each others gifts,
insights, and input? I personally count these
things very valuable in my life and ministry,
and I know you do too.
It takes great maturity to confront someonewith the truth and in an attitude of love (see
Ephesians 4:25). In the same way, it takes
maturity to know how to receive confrontation
as well. Many leaders are unable to receive
the truth spoken in love to them by those
who are closest to them and who have their
best interests at heart. This attitude actually
sets a wrong example for the flock. If we are
to have the kind of relationships within the
Body of Christ that God desires, it must begin
with leadership.That doesnt mean honestywill always be the easiest course. In fact, its
often the most difficult. But its the clearest,
brightest, and most blessed and noble path
youll ever take.
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