Transitions IV: Cast a Clear, Unified Vision

I’ve been thinking about how to lead people in casting vision or even new vision and I found this interesting article from the NC Baptist State Convention’s Worship Team. I found it very helpful and thought I would share it with you.

Transitions IV – Cast a Clear, Unified Vision.

“If it’s broke….”

If you went out and bought a brand new TV and it wouldn’t display a picture for you, what would you do with it? If you bought a car and it wouldn’t start, what would you do with it? If you bought a computer that only came up to the blue screen and go no further…. After a period of disappointment and maybe anger, you would return all of these things and get your money back, right? Well, let me ask you this what should we expect of God when the very thing He made, does not do what it was designed to do? In fact, it tends to do the very opposite of it’s intended purpose. What, you may ask, am I talking about? It’s us. God made us to worship Him. Over and over in scripture it is very clear that our purpose for being created was to worship God. I like the way the Westminster Catechism states it, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” So often, we fail at that. We all worship something or someone. If we made a list of our favorite things that we think about and long for, I would say many of us would have to say God is way down on the list, if He’s even on it.

So I ask you again, how should God react toward something that He made that does not do what it is supposed to do? Most of the instances of God expressing His anger in the Bible are for this very reason: His people were not worshipping Him. Today, God has extended grace to us through the gospel. I for one am very thankful for that because when I find that I am longing for something more intently than I long for Him, I can recognize it and ask for forgiveness and He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

FAILURE!?

What would you say about a man that was given charge of thousands, given a specific task to lead these people to accomplish, given plenty of time to finish, but was unable to get the job done?  I think it would be safe to say that most of us would agree that this man failed.

The above description could easily be a description of a CEO of a major company, a commander of an army, the pastor of a church, or anyone in a leadership position.  I’ve been reading in Deuteronomy and this is a short non-detailed description of Moses.  Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the promised land, but he never made it.  They did reach the promised land, but under someone else’s leadership.

To see Moses success as a leader, you have to look deeper.  You have to look at the relationships he forged and the influence he had.  First, his relationship with God was unmatched.  You can’t get any better than speaking with God face to face.  The Israelites saw how God worked through Moses time and again which I believe led to his relationship with them to be that of a respected leader.  The Israelites respect, gave him influence.  They believed that He was a man of God and they followed (sometimes begrudgingly).

Far too often today we judge the success of people by numbers, but I say dig a little deeper.  Leaders with influence are the ones that people will return to in times of crisis or will seek out for advice.  Sometimes that is not seen up front.  I’ve seen it over and over in ministry.  It leads me to the conclusion that success in ministry is not measured in numbers or accomplishments alone, but by the influence that God gives a leader in the lives of those he leads.

A Catalyst

You know how sometimes you re-read something and all of the sudden there is something there that you have never seen before? You find some nugget of truth that just makes you stop and think for awhile. I recently read Deuteronomy 31 and came across a portion of a verse that just stopped me in my tracks and made me think for a long while.

This passage is in chapter 31:7. It deals with the leadership change from Moses to Joshua. I’ve always known that Moses passed the leadership to Joshua and blessed him, commissioned him, did all that he was supposed to do to make sure Israel knew that he was their new leader. Joshua was the man that God had chosen to lead his people to the promised land. That part is not what made me think. It’s the words that Moses used to commission him. He tells him to be strong and courageous and that he will go with this people to the land that God promised them, but here was the kicker for me…”You will cause them to inherit the land.” From a leadership stand point, that is huge! Their inheriting the land was based on what Joshua would do. What decisions he would make. What battles he would lead them into. All of these decisions were given to him. The weight of the completion of the exodus was given to him by God through Moses.

Now obviously God would win the battles for them and guide Joshua in his decision making process, but it just further emphasized to me the importance of good, strong leadership. God is looking for leaders to lead his people. Leaders that will follow Him and be willing to take a chance. Leading is not for the wishy, washy nor is it for the bull headed know-it-all. It is for the person who is committed to God and His calling in their lives. It is for the man or woman that has the faith to follow God even in the toughest of circumstances. Leadership requires a boldness that is anchored in a growing, vibrant relationship with God that will stand the test of time. Are you up for it?

Appalled!

Mark 10:35  “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”  These are the words of James and John, the sons of Zebedee speaking to Jesus on their way to Jerusalem right before His “Triumphal Entry.”  I was kind of appalled when I first read these words from James and John, but then I realized these words could just as well be mine.  How many times do I come to God because I want Him to do something for me?  I’m afraid to admit that it is too often.  I usually receive the same rebuke and realize that I just need to trust God.  I remember to rest in his promise to provide for me even more so than the “sparrows of the air” or “the lilies of the field.”

My role at this point is found in Mark 10: 43-45  “Yet it shall not be so among you: but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”   Be a slave to all and trust God to take care of me.  And if I really want to follow my Lord’s example, what does it mean for me to be a “ransom for many”?  Hmm…. thoughts to ponder….

Why jazzrevival?

Why “Jazzrevival”?  The name comes from two things dear to my heart.  The second first, “revival.”  Revival is nothing more than a fresh touch by God in our lives that changes us to be more like Him.  We need this fresh touch of God to sweep into our lives and awaken our souls to what He is doing all across the globe.  “Jazz”… other than being my favorite style of music, jazz represents life.  It is creativity, language, and emotion.  Jazz represents creativity because it includes improvisation.  Improvisation is the art of playing music spontaneously…or so it seems.  Jazz also represents language because once you understand the art of jazz improvisation, you begin to comprehend it as a language.  Those who can speak/play the language well can improvise very well.  Thirdly, jazz represents emotion because so much of jazz is composed out of life experience.  Whether planned or spontaneous the jazz artist plays from his or her experience and current mood.  So when you put all of this together… jazzrevival can be interpreted as our lives being freshly touched by God.

That’s the way I want to live my life.  I desire to have a fresh touch from Him daily.  Hopefully I will experience this fresh touch and be able to share it here in this blog once a week.  Until next time…I encourage you to seek God’s fresh touch in your own life and when you experience it.  Share with someone, share it on facebook, twitter, or share it as a comment here.