Scott Cheatham’s Weblog

Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation–an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse. This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No–but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.
(2 Corinthians 2:15-17 MSG)

My heart has been troubled recently.  Even as I write this, I am praying for God to move in a way that satisfies my thirst for his wisdom.  What am I questioning?  I am not even sure but I think it has to do with attitudes in a day when people need Christ now more than ever.  Let me explain:

Recently, I was reading the thoughts of a person I very much respect in ministry circles.  He had decided after years of attendance at another church that it was time for his family to move on to a new challenge.  In short, he settled on the mega church that was running five services, thousands in attendance, and of course, had a children’s ministry layout to rival even the largest Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.  I read similar thoughts from another leader I know and his thoughts were almost identical.  Both spoke of how their kids were dragging them to church so they could play in the play area (and of course, get some God in there as well).   In neither case did I hear anything about what was being preached from the pulpit.  That bothered me.  Perhaps it was an oversight but more and more as I seek to reach out to families, I struggle with issues like “Do you have a dynamic children’s ministry?”  Of course we do but that’s my opinion.  What is your definition of “dynamic”.  This is just one area but it really bugs me how we have created a church culture of “me” instead of “we”.  Many parents will visit and see that our ministry is housed in a cafeteria and wonder what their kids are learning.  Do they get to play?  Do we have a play area?  The questions go on and on.

To be fair, I realize the value of a solid children’s program but maybe this is where I’m old fashioned.  I believe the kids should learn how to sit, how to read and interact with a lesson, and THEN perhaps have a time of play when all is done.  What is it parents want their kids to learn?  Is it “dynamic” babysitting or do they want “dynamic” bible teaching?  I’ll never have the money to duplicate what I see in so many church plants on line.  To be honest, I don’t want to either.  That sounds selfish but I can’t justify spending that amount of money so junior will drag his mom to church and we call that evangelism.  I guess I’m missing the boat here and will be considered “behind the times” by some.

The above scripture spoke to my heart in this area.  I realize that as a pastor, I get the very words I speak from God and my job is to take His wisdom and present it the best way I can.  I am to preach the word.  That’s why earlier this year, I struggled with the idea of video preaching.  My thoughts were well documented and I received a fair share of criticism for them but that’s okay.  Interaction is what blogging is all about and I learned a lot from others who benefit from the things I questioned.  I just can’t shake the words from this passage out of my head.  For some, the smell of who we are will be a welcome fragrance while for others, stench!  I want to be relevant.  I want my church to grow to healthy levels…not mega church levels, just healthy.  I love my people too much to go “CEO” on them and ignore them after they’ve given me so much to see a dream realized.  I will preach and present God’s wisdom as honestly as I can.

My back and forth struggle comes from others who question what we do, why we do it, and why we aren’t already running 200 in our services.  Only God knows these answers.  I know that church planting is a difficult endeavor in the best of times but with an economy that’s in trouble and gas still very expensive, people are questioning themselves when it comes to things like church.  Some will follow, others will stay for a season and leave while still others smell “stench” and leave after a visit.  I’ve spent some lonely nights on a mountaintop prayer spot I made my own when I first moved to Denver.  As I look out over the city and see the lights, I envision each as a lost soul that needs salvation.  God give me just a handful of lights!  Help me to better serve them.  When you can’t offer a McDonald’s playland for their kids, do you have a chance?  I still think so.

My friend I mentioned at the beginning of this piece is a talented speaker and writer.  He has great leadership qualities and yet, he chose to relocate to a “safe” zone in my opinion rather than bring his gifts to a church that could really have used them to make a difference in the community they serve.  It makes no difference who he is.  He is a representation of much of the population we reach out to.  So many people could benefit churches that need the qualities they possess and yet so many will choose a “safe” option because it’s already built.  I believe Jesus calls us to something more challenging.

My time in God’s word constantly breaks me.  I made a decision years ago to read scripture and allow myself to be shaped by it and not to see how it could fit into my life.  I’ve been tempted many times to go another route but I know it’s what God expects.  So many get angry when they pursue this path because God will challenge our very best thinking but still, HIS word shapes me.  I don’t shape the word to fit my desires anymore.  Sometimes it costs me.  Not anything near what it cost Jesus to redeem me so I’m even selfish for saying that.  I guess this post is more about searching than anything else.  It feels cathartic for me to write it even as I sit in the quiet and listen to peaceful music.

To my readers, I pray for you often.  Pray for me if you are so inclined.  I am so blessed here and have a wonderful church family.  My supervisors are excellent as well.  I just want to do my very best to reach others and build a life-changing church for the glory of our Lord.  I pray over the decisions we make all the time.  Being in this position means you will get criticized.  I just want to know that despite that, God is pleased and that’s all that matters to me.

Have a blessed day!

A Solid Resource

Do you have an intentional plan to grow as a leader in the coming year? As the summer winds down and fall comes upon us in a few weeks now is a great time to consider this question. A year ago, I purchased the “One Year Personal Growth Plan” resource from the Church Leader Insights website. For many in business and ministry, the fiscal calendar begins with back to school. My own personal planning runs from September 1-to-August 31 each year. I usually take the month of August to begin planning goals, ideas, big-days, and special events for our church family. Last year, I added the practices from this resource to my calendar. I listened to this resource again earlier this month and set in motion my plans to continue growing in the 2008-09 year.

This audio training, running about 70 minutes, features Nelson Searcy and Roy Mansfield from the “Journey” church in New York. In that time, they share with you a complete system of growth for the next 12 months. They do this in four areas: Annually, Monthly, Weekly, and Daily. All four areas are important and in each, Searcy and Mansfield give you tips for incorporating growth strategies into your year.

Personal growth may sound a bit egotistical but it’s not. I believe that as a leader, I must continue to grow each year if I expect God to grow our church. It’s no accident that healthy churches have excellent leaders and those leaders didn’t develop their skills by chance. They came as a result of a focused effort to improve. This resource gives you the tools to do just that.

You can download this training for $20 from the Church Leader Insights online store. I do not work for them nor do I benefit in any way if you purchase this. I do believe in passing along great tools and this is one of them. Get this now so you can listen and plan over the next few weeks to grow as a leader in the year ahead. I’d like to connect with anyone who has used this and find out how it’s helped them. As always, you can comment below.

Last week, I wrote about the need to have our church connect more with the 20-something generation. In doing so, I acknowledged that the problem of churches connecting with this age group lies not only with the church itself but also with the priorities of the 20-something generation. This group is largely new to their freedoms as more and more adults wait to move out of their parents’ homes into places of their own. Once out, the routine they were so used to is no longer there and priorities change. Staying up late, seeing no real reason to spend any weekend time in a church, and lack of ministry ownership are just a few of the many responses that are given by this age group when asked about their lack of participation in churches today.So what should we do? Many churches are just now beginning to take notice as their longtime members pass away. In a recent article in “One” magazine (The official magazine for the Free Will Baptist denomination), author Richard Atwood lamented this problem when he said: “Many congregations today are filled with older people, and a lot of pastors are conducting a great number of funerals.” You can read the entire article here. I would concur with his thoughts and appeciated the comments his daughter added at the very end. The problem is clear but the answer is still one that will be debated by countless others. The issue I have with this predicament is that as we discuss and consider ideas the generation gets older and further removed from the church. We must take action and do it quickly if we are to see another generation of people discipled and ready to serve in our churches.

The have never know television without the option of a VCR (now DVR) to record their favorite shows and basic cable was always on. Nickelodeon, MTV, and the Cartoon Network were always available. In my generation, I had to share a black and white TV set with my older sister and our choices were rationed since the local independent station aired the cartoons, Gilligan’s Island, and the Monkees reruns all in one place.

Cellphones and the internet have been common with them since they were old enough to care. When I was in high school, my friends and I used to joke about the very few people we knew who had “Car Phones” (Remember the big bricks those things used to be?). Now, not only can you make a call but you can text, surf the net, and play video games on a device that fits in your pocket. Computers are common too. My high school graduation gift was a Commodore 64 computer. I remember in my early 20’s thinking I had hit the jackpot when I finally added a modem to it so I could access bulletin boards! (For you younger folks, this was the precursor to the internet!) I remember monitoring my phone usage when calling the BBS’s (as they were called) since the best ones were always long distance calls. Now, I surf the internet for free in my local coffee shop (I am writing this over a cup).

None of them remember the Reagan years in our country and formed their opinions about politics growing up in the Clinton era. This is a biggie. The hate speech from both sides of the aisles (and there was plenty) led them to form a different worldview about politics than I did.

As for church, they grew up during the Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker scandals. Their parents were likely sickened by the transgressions of these well known televangelists and the child abuse of many young boys by Catholic priests and their thoughts about church leaders (of which I am one) were formed with much less trust than I was raised with. When I shook a preacher’s (or priest’s) hand, I felt I was shaking the hand of someone who could be trusted and who was to be respected greatly. If I didn’t, I’d find myself in the crying room getting a whipping if I didn’t stay quiet during the service.

One other thought and this is purely my own but I also see many in this generation who grew up with the megachurch and the decadence of such ministries soured many on where their money and time would be spent. I have nothing against the megachurch but many in this generation I talk to ask me about why such elaborate buildings are needed. Why do we need all of the stuff that makes up a church? Some things are certanly necessary but it can be argued that others are about satisfying someone within the church who has an itch for a certain ministry. I’ve been questioned about how the money is spent and if it really goes to those who need salvation and true life change.

There is no simple answer but as I ponder my thoughts about outreach in general I know this much to be true: People need the Lord in their lives today. It’s true of the 20-somethings just as it is true of my own generation. Finding ways to connect by involving and allowing this group to grow and take leadership (and be willing to let them make mistakes) will be paramount as we move forward. If we continue to stifle their own growth and not allow any change in our ministries to take place as this group makes suggestions, we will continue to lose them. We do not have to compromise to be successful here. We merely need to be willing to grow in our own spiritual life and leave the comfort of our own little ministry circle to reach out to someone in this group and invite them to church. Will you be that one? I hope so.

I’m 41 (as of this writing). I feel young and enjoy spending time with folks both older and younger than myself. However, as I talk to pastors and even survey my own congregation, I’m seeing a generation of people nearly removed from the church. The 20-somethings. More and more, I’m hearing that churches are seeing their lower demographic age rise to the early 30’s. Very few folks in their 20’s are connecting with the church. It’s probably a bit better in more rural family type areas but in Denver, where I’m located, the disconnect of this age group is alarming many pastors.

Now to be fair, each age group has issues and problems. The 20-somethings tend to plagued with the combination of new freedoms (they are no longer teens under parental guidance), a host of things to do, and staying out and up late on Saturday nights (even my friends who host Saturday evening churches say they are not coming there either preferring to stay out at night spots).

I realize others will state problems with other age groups but that’s merely finger pointing and does not address the issue. This week, a friend and fellow blogger, Jacob Riggs, wrote a two part series on this very subject that made me think long and hard about how I can increase our church’s outreach to this group. You’ll find part one here, and part two here.

One thing I appreciate about Jacob’s thoughts is that he is doing something about this. Jacob works for Randall House, a publication company that produces small group materials (or Sunday School curriculum if that is your preference) and is developing a resource for churches to use called “The Brink”. I plan on using “The Brink” when it becomes available later this year as part of our church’s outreach and discipleship plan.

I think Jacob’s on to something. I like his thoughts on his generation being more open to taking ownership of the church ministry and to challenge older folks to welcome and accept their thoughtful input. Ministry is challenging no matter the age. We owe it to ourselves to do all we can to reach all of humanity, not just our own age group.

I’ll have more to say on this next week.

Last night I spoke at length with a friend of mine who was planting a church in the same area I am in. “John” and I became good friends over the years. He started his church a year before Becky and I moved here. He had his share of struggles and his church experienced many of the same ups and downs that mine has.

John’s church closed a month ago.

Last night we talked about the hurt that led to the closure. A person in John’s church undermined his leadership by stirring up trouble with other families in the church. It appears this person felt his ministry was on par with that of the entire church and the plan was to eventually force John and his wife out and take over the church. What a horrible wreck Satan can make of things. This was not the only time this had happened. Shortly before the fall season last year, John and I met to enjoy some coffee and pray and he had informed me that several families had left the church over some other issues. This seems to happen a lot as more and more people refuse to yield to the admonition of scripture and obey. Instead, they find things to nitpick and then leave. In John’s case, he and his wife prayed long and hard and decided it was too much to start over. They gifted their location to another church and it’s pastor and have moved on. In a related note, the person who started all the trouble to begin with felt “betrayed” that the church would do such a thing and left. Apparently, the scripture about pride going before the fall never made it in his devotional notes.

Church planting is difficult. In the past year alone, several church plants in my area have either closed or are going through leadership changes due to the stress and pressure to establish a new work. The rough economy has made this tougher as people withhold their tithes and some refuse to drive to church because of high gas prices. We can preach the words of the bible but none of us have the power to force anyone to do anything. That’s where God says he’ll do the work. I take great comfort in that.

John needs prayer. His wife too. She is taking it harder than him. You don’t invest nearly a decade of your life in something only to watch it die. John really tried. His heart was right. His mission true. Satan is at work in our world to destroy the work of the kingdom. We must never forget that. Yes God is more powerful but he calls us to prepare ourselves for the battle and we had best be getting ready and always growing in our walk with Christ.

I know you don’t know John but if you would, remember him and his family in your prayers this week.

No, that’s not a typo in the headline. I just wanted to add that I was surprised and honored to see Michael Quicke mention this blog in his post about “Video Sermons”. I had asked him for some input on the issue since his books have helped me a great deal in my preaching and ministry here.

Since launching this new site for my writing, the posts about “Video in Church” and “The Death of local Preaching” have generated the most views, pings, and comments. To be honest, I was surprised at how passionate many were about this topic. I thought Quicke’s response to the issue was spot on and thoughtful. Thanks for dropping by Michael!

Earlier this week, Ben Arment asked for some insight on video preaching in churches. The question essentially was why not allow for well-known communicators to preach via video in your church? He asked this within the context of the small church and the pastor that preaches too long, bumbles his way through a sermon, etc. The context for Ben’s thoughts stem from the launch of the “One Prayer” outreach headed by LifeChurch.tv which is bringing several well-known preachers together to preach a series of messages on a single topic over the span of a few weeks. Many churches have signed up for this video feed and I’m sure the pastors are using it as a time for vacation without having to worry about filling the pulpit.

As I sat down to write about this topic, I noticed this morning that Michael McKinley has written about this on the opposite end of the spectrum for the “Church Matters” collaborative blog. Funny thing is, Ben booked Mark Dever to speak at his “Whiteboard Sessions” church conference a few weeks back. Dever is the head of the “9 Marks Ministry” program which promotes the “Church Matters” blog.

Personally, I’ve used video a few times in my preaching. I may use it a bit more in the future. As an aide to illustration, I think it has its place but as a replacement for the local church pastor, I think that’s stretching it a bit. I like the concept of “One Prayer” and would have no problem using a video feed once in a while as a change of pace for preaching. I think variety can be helpful and in this case, using it at the beginning of the summer season was wise because several church pastors can put a high quality message on the screen while they take a week off to be with their families. It also allows them the chance to be a part of something bigger which is also nice. Believe me, the folks at LifeChurch.tv knew this as well. They have marketing professionals working in their church that had this figured out.

That being said, replacing the local church pastor with a video teacher each week would likely bring about attendance apathy. It wouldn’t be long before the church family would want to skip church and catch the message online. I mean, what is the difference? Other than tithing (which would be available via internet), you get the same message at a time that works better for your busy lifestyle. I doubt small group connections would take place too since many would hit and miss due to the availability of the message through other means. Using this idea as the next natural outgrowth of the video venue church is flawed in this way. Video venues still use the church’s own speakers and at least, the pastors seem to be available. Using a well-known speaker in another part of the country wouldn’t afford that same convenience. I’m still not sold on the video venue concept but I will not condemn it until I have a chance to see it play out on a local level.

I’m still a believer that the local church needs it’s shepherd. I’m not perfect and never will be but I’m a servant to my people and I love them. My preaching is crafted with their needs in mind and I don’t believe you can ever replicate that with a permanent video preacher. I don’t think you can separate the “teaching” and “ministering” aspect of ministry. As author Michael Quicke comments in his book “360 Degree Leadership”, “Preaching IS Leadership.” I agree with him.

What are your thoughts?

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV)

Earlier this month, this passage was one I came across in my devotions. A simple list of traits but in them is found fruitful living for our Lord. In my work as a church planter and pastor, I come across so many books, kits, conferences, and DVD programs designed to give me the information I “need” to grow the church. None of these are necessarily bad but I think sometimes, we can get caught up in the authority of the author or speaker and forget about the one who inspires them. It’s refreshing when God takes a simple passage like this one and implants it in my heart. This week, I’ll divide this passage up into two parts. Today, I’ll look at the first four traits on the list and Wednesday, I’ll discuss the last three. Lists like these are found throughout scripture and form a good basis for spiritual disciplines and growth. So let’s look at the first four as Peter writes about how we are to supplement our faith…

1. Am I supplementing my faith with virtue? By virtue, Peter is writing about excellence. An excellence in valor. Do I make a conscious choice each day to live as a Christian man? Do I model this to my family and, man to man, to my teen age son? It’s easy to let little things slide and get caught up in the busyness that is life but to do so robs us of a wonderful life with God. Excellence is something we should always strive for but how much more important is this when following Jesus?

2. Knowledge comes next. Knowledge of what is good and what is evil. Knowledge of God’s will for my life. This is something we must pursue daily and discernment is knowing how to filter the junk out of our lives as it arrives. If we have that kind of knowledge, our hearts will stay pure and our focus will be razor sharp. What steps will I take today to learn something that will aid me in living out God’s purpose for my life?

3. Self-Control. This one was an issue when I was a twenty-something back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I remember thinking back to a time when I thought others were simply not moving quick enough or that they didn’t say what needed to be said. As a young Christian, I battled self-control in my life wanting to be wise but realizing very quickly that this life with God would be one that would take years to develop. Now in my early 40’s, I thank God for those lessons and for my pastor who was able to channel those emotions into something productive while God prepared me for what I’m doing now. If makes sense that in pursuing virtue and knowledge that self-control would follow on Peter’s list. I think once you have some knowledge of the Lord’s work in your life and you are pursuing excellence in serving Him, learning the fine art of self-control becomes easier. Not easy, but easier.

4. Steadfastness. Patient endurance. Again, Peter puts his list together in a logical manner. The fruit of self-control, developed with the first two traits, brings about the patient endurance needed to serve God over the long haul. We live in an imperfect world and if you are a pastor, you lead imperfect people. Imperfect people will do things to harm the church and your family and if you are not mature enough to practice self-control, amidst other things on this list, you will surely fail because you will react in a way that dishonors God even if you feel you were justified. James builds on this thought when he says:

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
(James 1:4 ESV)

In other words, our character is strengthened and our preparation for service is improved having learned to deal with issues that test our self-control. Our human nature is to retreat when we see something that we know is going to hurt us and we’d rather just avoid it. The bible tells us to let steadfastness have “its full effect” and not seek to remove ourselves prematurely. When we do, we stunt our spiritual growth. Better to go through the trials and endure the hardship and pain, then to remove ourselves and not be hardened for the battle that we are called to be in. So I ask myself, am I avoiding anything? If so, what should I do to face any crisis head on? Am I practicing solid morals and self-control to aid in my patience? How will this help me to grow in the future?

On Wednesday, I’ll flesh out the final three traits as outlined by the apostle Peter. For me, this list was a challenge. I’ve outlined all seven traits and put them in my day planner. My challenge to myself is to look for ways to strengthen them all in my day to day life so that I can be a fruitful servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Until Wednesday, be blessed!

Last week, I reviewed a book by Peter Senge titled “The Fifth Discipline”. In the book, Senge outlines his method of “systems” thinking in organizations. The book is written for business but clearly has applications in the church world. As a church pastor, systems thinking is a part of what we do whether or not we view it as such. If the church leadership makes a decision about a particular program or ministry, it clearly has impacts that will be felt in other areas of the church. A change in youth ministry philosophy may mean an influx of teens that need leadership. Do we have someone prepared and properly trained? Will this influx of teens mean more volunteers to help with other areas of ministry on Sunday? Who organizes that? Who executes? You see what I mean? Systems thinking truly is something that deserves careful consideration as you grow as a leader.

Senge’s book was originally published in the mid-90’s and was updated just a few years ago. The information presented in this work is still just as fresh now as it was then. That’s because systems thinking is ever changing and growing. the organization (or church for this post) will constantly be looking for ways to effectively reach others and introduce new ideas on one end of the spectrum while influencing systems throughout the entire congregation.

Does this all sound like it’s too much? How do you change your thinking and begin to plan as a true systems thinker while maintaining biblical principles in your ministry? I have links to a few resources to get you started. The first is a podcast that you can download from the “Church Leader Insights” web site. In this 30-minute podcast, Church Pastor Nelson Searcy outlines his thoughts on church systems using an eight system model that he developed. Recently, Searcy released a report you can download that mirrors this podcast. The report is a bit top heavy with advertisements for resources that Searcy links to his model. That is expected when something is free though. Many of Searcy’s offerings through Church Leader Insights are very good and worth the money you spend for them. I’ll be reviewing one of my personal favorites in the weeks ahead.

For me, beginning to think about a systems model for my own church began with a restating of our purpose for existing. From there, I began to think about the “front door” to my church and how I wanted to develop the people as our church purpose indicates. The various systems such as outreach and evangelism, worship planning, biblical discipleship, leadership development, program expansion, and service teams all began to take shape. Comparing these with the rubric of our purpose clarified goals for each area and provided the “teeth” to put these systems together like cogs in a machine. I realize this is a pretty simplistic way to state my own personal model but to discuss it fully would likely require a book. Perhaps one day, I’ll release it as a download but for now, it’s enough to say that I believe the best systems in your church are the ones you develop organically. Take what I’ve given you as a model, read Senge’s book, listen to the podcast, but make your systems very specific to you otherwise you are destined to fail.

Feel free to email me if you’d like to ask questions. I’d love to share ideas and brainstorm with others on what they develop on their own. Whether you develop these for a church or your own business, I’d like to see what you come up with. Regardless, let’s not forget to honor God in all that we plan so his richest blessings will rain down upon us as we move forward in new and exciting ways of thinking.