Leading Forward
Have We Forgotten How to Wait?
The increasing speed of technology has created a false sense of time. My current laptop computer is only a few months old. It boots up so rapidly in the mornings. There are occasions when I honestly believe that it becomes bored waiting on me to decide what data or information I will enter. My previous computer operated at a slower pace, more tolerant of my speed. However, it was that slower pace that became one of the deciding factors in replacing the older model with the new shiny one. Now, if I work on a slower computer, I become irritable that some processes seemingly take forever to complete.
This time issue is not limited to the computers we use. Our cell phones with their multiple capabilities have also contributed to a false sense of time. We call someone and leave a voicemail message. If we don’t get a return call in a matter of minutes, we wonder what the problem is. Likewise, when we text someone, we expect an instant reply. We continually find ways to believe that we can compress time to this very moment – right now!
So, is this really all that big a deal? My answer would be a definite YES! Here is why I believe that this is an issue with which we must come to terms. Because we have an increasing expectation of instant communication, instant answers, and instant solutions, we are losing our ability to wait – to exercise patience – to the point that we begin to expect people to respond and decide as quickly as technology operates.
While we could list many areas and examples of our growing impatience, let’s focus just on some of the implications for a church and her leaders. First, let’s remember that the scriptures call upon us to wait and that patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. In Psalm 27:14, David wrote: “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” In our hurry for answers and action, we can forget that God is the one who leads; we are to be His followers.
Second, by requiring the instant answer or the instant decision, we can fail to give others all of the information they need to make a God-honoring decision or the time they need to adequately pray and seek the Lord’s guidance. It is often this pushing a person into a proverbial corner that results in conflict within the church and between church leaders.
Finally, our rush for immediate answers
and quick action leaves even the best of ideas and plans with potentially fatal flaws. We have all been caught by someone’s penetrating question about our hastily prepared plan. Our only truthful response to those questions has been “I didn’t think of that!”
In our increasingly rapid paced world, let me suggest a few things to help us incorporate waiting and patience into perspective in our 21st Century environment.
1.Follow the scriptural admonition to wait upon the Lord.
2.Pray about decisions individually and corporately.
3.Where others are involved, give them as much time as possible to come to a decision or answer.
4.Realize that technology is inanimate. We work with God-created people, not digital parts.
5.Take a deep breath – maybe two or three.
6.No one needs to be connected every minute by phone, email, computer, or iPad.
7.Very few things really are a matter of life or death. Patience may help extend your life expectancy.
8.After three years of full-time ministry with Jesus, the disciples still didn’t get it.
There is a time for action. There is a time to move forward. There are some things that are a matter of urgency. But for the sake of the church, allow patience its proper place in your life and in your church. Who knows, it might just give us the time to see what great things God will do instead of having to settle for the mediocre things we may do in haste.
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Gary's Blog
Making a Move
The main topic of the past month around our house has been moving. No, we didn’t move, but both of our adult children did. One family moved from a smaller, older house to a larger, new house in the same community. It will certainly be a major help to their family to have the extra space. The other family moved from another country back to the States. While still waiting on a major shipment of their belongings from across the Pond, they are getting settled into their home for the next four years.
On the other hand, because of some difficulties with posting and the like, I began a move this morning from one blog site to this one. I didn’t realize that it would take as long as it did or tax my brain as much as it has. Of course, somewhere in the move I decided that it would be good to change the name of the blog from “A Thought in Time” to “Influenced and Influencing.” So not only did I change locations with a whole new set of buttons and features, but I also changed the direction and flow of ideas and future posts.
The question perplexing for aging mind right now is “What was I thinking?” Today is another extremely hot day in Texas so it is way too warm for me to figure out the answer to that question for now. However, I am excited about not only relfecting on people and ideas that have influenced me, but also to share some thoughts that might have an influence on any readers.
To keep this upfront, I don’t understand politics well enough to ever make this a political forum although I think that you should both register to vote and then vote. Also, I am a Christian and have been in vocational ministry for over forty years. While I don’t intend for this to become a location for posting theological treatises or preaching sermons, I am sure that my faith will be reflected in some of the postings from time to time. And finally, I like many things and many people. So if you are wanting to read the same key ideas posting after posting, you are probably at the wrong site.
A move always involves a great amount of change. I pray that I can carry through with all the change that this move will require of me. My children and grandchildren survived their moves just fine. Of course, there is that age difference thing that comes into play!
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DBA Update
A quarterly reminder of ways that associational mission gifts to Denton Baptist Association are being used to enlarge and strengthen the Kingdom.
Our Work Together:
Future planning, summer fun, and accountability combine to describe some of the ways that Denton Baptist Association was responsive to churches during the April – June 2011 quarter. A survey was sent to all church staff members along with some lay leaders to gather insight into how the association can be the greatest help to the churches. The second phase of this data gathering will consist of 25 face-to-face interviews with some key leaders. These two components, along with demographic studies of the county, will serve as the main ingredients in determining the future direction of Denton Baptist Association. In this process, we are taking very seriously what church leaders are saying about and to the association.
Summer fun in church life is often characterized by Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, music weeks, weeks of summer camp for various ages, and a variety of mission trips. With six snow cone machines, two popcorn poppers, and three video projectors, the association can provide a great deal of support to a church during these special weeks of summer activities and ministries. The association compiles information on VBS dates and curriculum for many churches. This enables churches to share materials with each other resulting in not only summer fun, but also less expensive fun.
Accountability can be defined as the outside audit that was just completed of our 2010 financials. The association, under the leadership of the Finance Committee, brings in an outside auditor every two years to verify that our financial procedures and accounting are accurate in all aspects. We want every church that gives financially to the association to rest assured that the association is being a good steward of all resources entrusted to it. The audit report completed in June will be presented to the Executive Board in August.
One last word, as reported in April, we are still ahead of 2010 receipts as we complete the first half of 2011. Thank you to all the churches who faithfully give that we might reach a county and touch a world together.
Concluding Thoughts for this Quarter:
We encourage every church to give regularly as the Lord has blessed you with a goal of moving to giving 3% of your undesignated offerings through the association each month. We are able to serve together because of the faithfulness of all the churches.
January-June 2011 Giving Report