You Gotta Be Kidding Me - How Bi-vocational Ministry can surprise you and others when done well

            I’ve had many ministry opportunities in my life. I’ve served as a youth pastor, Sunday School Director, Assistant Pastor, Pastor of Christian Education, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor. Each opportunity had its own challenges but I shared one common challenge in all each time … here it is … I had (have) a job. Some reading may say here goes the excuses …. NOPE! Wrong …. AGAIN! Here goes an exhortation…..

Let me be extremely honest, nothing in life is without challenges. It’s how you navigate during the challenges that can bring out the best or worst in you. I admit I’ve experienced both, the best and worst of me over the years in dual duty of the secular and sacred of my life. In the beginning stages of my ministry, I had no idea what I was in for serving the church and working a job. Because of that, some good relationships were ruined with pastors, preachers, family, and friends due to my misguided understanding of dual duty. I would hear others say to me; “If it were me blah, blah, blah….” Some of those; “if it were me” worked but most failed. Unfortunately, there is no blueprint, GPS, or step by step guide for a person to handling dual duty ministry. No one writes about it to offer assistance. I have one book by Dennis Bickers entitled “The Tentmaking Pastor – The Joy of Bi-vocational Ministry” that I keep next to my bible on my desk. There is no convention, conference, or class to assist someone in this vital position that seems to be growing every day. The only training is on the job training which births many trials and errors.

So, Did I have some failures? Absolutely! Did I have some successes? Absolutely! Success and failure is like salt and pepper, use both to bring great taste to a bland meal. Here’s how I’ve learned(-ing) to navigate in my calling…

• Prayer: I have to lay face down before God each day because there is a new challenge to test every fiber of my being. The only way for me to maintain is through prayer. Before, I was a hot-head and would just go off in church meetings and on my job. Not good, and it didn’t work out well for me either. I missed some good opportunities due to my hot-headness. However, my hot-headness was the direct result of me not spending time in prayer. I’ve learned that consistent constant prayer helps keep me stay mentally fit in the secular and sacred which is weaved into my life that cannot be separated. When I don’t pray I fall into defense mode and unleash the dragon on everyone. This is not a good testimony as a leader in church nor is it a good testimony as a Christian on my job. Don’t allow that to happen, stay before the Lord and He will keep you focused.
   
• Process: James 1:19 says; “Know this, my beloved brothers; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”. It’s not by accident that the first step to preventing anger is “be quick to hear”. In other words, process what’s being said before you react to what has been said. I intentionally keep quite regarding many things, whether I understand it or not, because I want to respond to what’s being said and not react. It may seem I’m slow, don’t care, impersonal, or stupid. It’s not either one of those, it’s being strategic. I can’t fight every battle because time doesn’t allow me to fight every battle. I have to provide strategic leadership towards a positive outcome and it requires listening and processing. Unfortunately, there are times when you can’t place a timetable on a strategic direction. I have to work it out in my head and with wise counsel before moving forward.  That takes time!
   
• Practicality: I live by the saying: “K.I.S.S. = “Keep It Simple Stupid” which I’ve changed to “Keep It Simple Smith”. Less is best! Simple is success! Jesus’ commission to the disciples in Matthew 28:19-2 is powerfully simple in making disciples for Christ. Here are the instructions for making disciples…”Go” … “Baptize” …. “Teach”. If Jesus can keep it simple for the disciples, I can keep it simple for the saints. One of the biggest challenges to dual duty is time constraints. Think about this: 8-10hrs a day is spent at work + 2hrs travel time (national average) + 7hrs sleep (national average and/or if you’re lucky) = 17hrs of our day is accounted for as a necessity to maintain a living to live. 8-10hrs of our day is controlled by our employer. I have to process practicality for survival in life and service in the church. Stewardship principle in Ephesians says chapter 6:5-8 says; Slaves (employees), obey your earthly masters (employers) with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free”. My work ethic at work is directly tied to my work ethic to Christ. Good stewardship requires a good work ethic with my employer as well as a good testimony to my co-workers for Christ. I’ve been very blessed to have employers with a team of co-workers that allows me to do what I need to do for the church. Being a good steward says I can’t take advantage of that. Keeping it simple helps to stay employed and serve the church at the same time.
   
• Personnel:  Can you say TEAMWORK? In Bible Study recently, I taught a lesson entitled “Let’s Work Together” tied to 1 Corinthians 15:58 as a spring board text. I have many quotes relating to teamwork building that I use with my team at work past. I have 9 in total but one is posted on my work station as a daily reminder: “Good teams become great ones, when the members trust each other enough and humble enough to surrender the “ME” for “WE”!” Being successful in Bi-vocational ministry requires trust on both parts but trust building starts with the leader. Building trust requires being open, honest, and understanding. In my first pastorate, it took me at least 1-2years before the members really started trusting me and we started working as a team. I had to teach the members on the life of a Bi-vocational pastor so they would understand my challenges and what I needed to be at my best every week. Remember this, rather in full-time or part-time ministry people come to church to hear a Word from God. This requires the pastor to spend time in Word and Prayer. It is impossible for a Bi-vocational pastor to micro-manage everything. Therefore, leadership personnel must be strong and processes simple and TRUST is a must!
   
• Personal: I have one piece of advice here: “DON’T TAKE IT PERSONAL!” We did not choose this life, God choose this life for us and you just need to accept the fact full-time ministry may not be God’s will for your ministry. It would be nice to get there but only God can determine that for you not you. Also, you need to have thick skin for the attack of the enemy on your ministry. Satan will use people to attack you to discourage you with seeds of inadequacy, inferiority, and insecurity. He (Satan) will do whatever he can to stop the church of Jesus Christ any way he can. Before you go on attack with people especially those in your members for whom serve as a senior pastor or staff pastor remember this… “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12. Know who you’re fighting before you fight.

The success of Bi-vocational ministry depends on the leader. Not by trying to do everything but through building a winning team for which you are the captain. There’s joy in ministry when everyone is working together towards a common goal.

Next time on My life, my learning, my laughter, my legacy….  “My time is your and your time is my time – How to manage your study life with the time you have”.

SUNDAY - 2/26/17

Sunday was a long good day as the church continued to celebrate 34years of pastor and people partnership between Bishop Richard D Sanders and the Mt Pilgrim Baptist Church. The day started out rough with the news of a falling soldier in our preaching and pastor community in the Los Angeles area that took everyone by surprise. Truly unexpected! Yet, in the midst of it all God was praised, the gospel preached, and seed of the gospel planted for a salvation response.

I had the privilege of sharing a message I believe would help our church see a bright tomorrow with a promise from God in Joshua chapter 3, sermon entitled, “Lord, Do It for Us One More Time”. The thesis of my message centered on God’s conversation with Joshua in verse 7; “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today, I will begin to exult you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you!” Here it is, “Tomorrow is bright church because God is still with us!” I couldn’t grind it out the way I wanted because of we were pressed for time. So, I gave the skeleton and sat down. I pray the church was helped with the message.

The fellas and I spent the rest of the afternoon with Bishop having lunch before 3:30pm service. Our time together is always a blessing. We talk about everything, not just preaching and pastoring, which I appreciate. So, we discussed basketball most of our time together, mainly about the Fakers aka Lakers….lol. Now that Magic is in the front office there is hope….I think.

The afternoon service was so much fun with Comedian Cizzle C and the anointing was in the building from start to finish. I love laughter so it was right up my alley and the service did not take all night. Great time!

The only challenge for me is that I don’t get a chance to relax and reflect much on great days like these. I have to come home and prepare for work the next day. Each week I have to transition from the sacred to secular and secular to the sacred (I will explain what this means in a later blog). Boy, oh boy, it took a pair pliers to get me out of bed Monday morning.

Entering into the last month of the 1^st Quarter in my professional life has some good promises and promotions coming my way. I thank God for the opportunity to extend my professional expertise without spreading myself too thin. I have a wonderful team that takes much of the pressure off so I can focus on stabilizing another area of our business which fattens my resume greatly if successful. Keep me in prayer because to whom much is given much is required.

Until next time, Have a God blessing day!

Overcoming Betrayal

Celebrating Valentine's Day is difficult for many people. Often it's not because of being single but because of the past betrayal experienced in a relationship. Explainable (or not), purposed (or not), the result is betrayal hurts creating a long lasting pain that affects the ability to love again.

However, betrayal is forgivable. You don't have to live in the pain of that betrayal but become free from it allowing yourself to love and give yourself again, either to the person who betrayed you or someone new by releasing the one who betrayed who.

Betrayal is a gross violation of trust and can be one of the most devastating forms of pain inflicted upon a human being. The suffering of betrayal is often magnified by a sense of vulnerability and exposure. For many, the pain of betrayal is worse than physical violence, deceit, or prejudice. Betrayal destroys the foundation of trust.

David was no stranger to betrayal: “If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God” (Psalm 55:12-14). The closer the relationship, the greater the pain of betrayal.

Jesus knew the pain of betrayal firsthand. The worst, most treacherous betrayal of all time was Judas’s betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9, NKJV; cf. John 13:18). But Jesus did not become vindictive, bitter, or angry. Just the opposite. After receiving the traitor’s kiss, Jesus addressed Judas as “friend” (Matthew 26:50).

Despite the pain, there is a way we can overcome betrayal. The power comes directly from God and the strength of forgiveness.

After David laments a broken trust in Psalm 55, he provides a clue to how to overcome the pain. He says, “But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17).

The first key is to cry out to God. Though we may want to strike out at the betrayer, we need to take our cause to the Lord. “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

Another key in overcoming the pain of betrayal is to remember Jesus’ example. Our sinful nature impels us to “repay evil with evil,” but Jesus taught us otherwise: “Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. . . . Pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:39, 44). When Jesus “was abused, he did not return abuse” (1 Peter 2:23). We should conform to His example by not repaying abuse for abuse, including the abuse of betrayal. Believers are to do good even to those who harm them.

Another powerful key in overcoming the bitterness of betrayal is our God-given ability to forgive the betrayer. The word forgiveness includes the word give. When we choose to forgive someone, we actually give that person a gift—the freedom from personal retaliation. But you are also giving yourself a gift—a “grudge-free life.” Trading our bitterness and anger for the love of God is a wonderful, life-giving exchange.

Jesus taught that “loving our neighbor as ourselves” should be proactive: “But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Without question, it is enormously difficult to forgive a person who’s betrayed our trust. It is only possible with God (see Luke 18:27).

Those who have experienced God’s love understand what it means to be loved unconditionally and undeservedly. Only with the help of God’s Spirit can we love and pray for those who seek to do us harm (Romans 12:14-21).

Enjoying The Privileges

Every year when The Martin Luther King Holiday comes around I get a normal response when asked: "Do you work tomorrow?" For the past 20+ years my response is the same, "Yes, I work tomorrow". And they respond as usual..."Really, man you should take off! Don't you know what this day means?"

I respond I know what this day means..."It means I have to go to work!"

My response is not neglecting the rich heritage of African Americans but it is to enjoy what they've fought and died for over the years. If you have the privilege of taking off on this day then take off. And if you have the privilege of going to work on this day then go to work. Either way, it's a privilege we can enjoy because of what those before have given of themselves to bring to pass privileges that many of parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and so on have not been able to enjoy because time would not permit.

My grandfather said to me once in one of many conversations we shared together, "Boy, the best way to make me happy alive or dead is to make sure you enjoy the privileges that Doc King(that's how my grandfather referred to Martin Luther King), and so many others have fought for in this world...equality".

It is my sincere hope and prayer that my grandfather is smiling down on me as I enjoy the privilege of going to work with equality.

Enjoy the privilege of working or at home as a reminder that these privileges came with a cost!

Blessing of Uncertainty

For the past 1 year or so, I've been living in a shadow of uncertainty. What is a shadow of uncertainty you ask? My answer, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. This is the worse place to be in. But, I made it my aim and my goal to live as if my tomorrow was today which is to say I see myself in my tomorrow while living today. That's what faith is...the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

The world I live in was turned upside down for many and various reasons for which I take blame for some and others I cannot control. The uncertainty had me feeling lost, abandoned, frustrated, stressed, and lonely. However, I couldn't sit there die (so to speak). So I made up in mind to change my response to the situation by living the best way I know how despite of the uncertainty. Much like those in biblical times...

Noah kept building an ark for a flood he only heard was coming.

Abraham moved from his country to go where he didn't know where he was going

Ezekiel preached to dead dry bones uncertain if life would be restored

I think you get it now...

There are times in life when you're uncertain of tomorrow. Uncertainty is not a reason to quit but a reason to live. It's not a reason to sit down but a reason to get up. It's not a reason to say no but a reason to say yes. Uncertainty is not a friend of failure but friend of success.

There are so many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand. But one thing I do know about tomorrow. I know God is holding my hand.

Don't trip about the uncertainty of life's tomorrow. Live in your tomorrow today.

Be blessed!

Don't leave, Church Isn't over

As a teenager before leaving the house my mother would give me a pep talk. She would say stuff like: "Clint, don't be in those streets acting a nut." Or, my grandfather would say to me; "Clint, you got Smith blood in you don't do nothing that will bring shame to the Smith name". It always bugged me because I thought to myself (and sometimes said it openly), I'm not a kid, I don't need these pep talks before leaving the house.

Now that I'm older with teenagers, I see Tracy doing the same thing. Before Aysia or Myles leave the house she will give them a pep talk and their reaction was my reaction when I was growing up, 'I'm no kid, I don't need these pep talks before leaving the house".

There is a similar reaction among Christians in worship services. The preacher can't say the word "Amen" quick enough before people start walking out of the worship service. However, the worse thing a believer can do is to leave before the "Benediction".

A benediction is a declaration of blessings from God upon His loved ones. In laymen terms, it's a spiritual pep talk from God to us saying, when you leave this house don't be out in those streets acting like you don't know who Jesus is.

Benedictions are sometimes found at the close of some New Testament epistles (e.g., 2 Corinthians 13:14 and Ephesians 5:23-24). Benedictions, though brief, offer words of assurance or precepts designed to bring joy, peace, comfort, and security to those who place their trust in God.

Benediction is the final blessing on God's people before they enter back into a lost world filled with many temptations and challenges.

There are many benedictions recorded in Scripture. Here are a few examples, starting with one of the most well-known:

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

“The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (Psalm 121:7-8).

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

“Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13).

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

I want to encourage you to please don't leave a worship service before you receive the final blessing ( or covering) over your life as you enter back into a lost world.

Get yo final blessing first!

Don't Look Back

One Christmas year as a child, my brothers and I longed to have bikes for Christmas. So we made our list for Santa with the #1 item on the list being a bike. It seemed like it took years for Christmas to come. We waited and waited and waited for Christmas. Well the time had come, we set out cookies and milk for Santa hoping he would bring our bikes through the chimney (well the front door cause we didn't have a chimney).

We went to bed early on Christmas Eve with hopes of waking up seeing our bikes under the tree. We sprung up at 5 am, ran to the tree and there they were our bikes. We didn't care about anything else under the tree at the time just the bikes. We opened the rest of our presents quickly so we could put on clothes to go outside and ride.

We were having a blast riding up and down the street. Then we heard our names being called to come in for breakfast. We kept riding like we didn't hear anything. Then our names were called again and again. The last time our names were called came from Pop so I looked back and right when I turned my head my brother stopped in front of me and I crashed the back of his bike, bent frame, and bent the wheel. We had to carry the bike home. I wrecked my brothers bike because I looked back rather than looking forward.

As we've come to 2013, I want to encourage you to not look back at those things that can cause you crash the destiny that's in front of you. Your tomorrow looks much brighter than your yesterday. Your past may explain you but it doesn't excuse you.

Move forward in Jesus name!