Tag: failure

Do You Really See the Fields?

Hey everyone,

Today I want to talk about a verse that always gets me thinking, John 4:35:

“Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months till harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.“

Now, on the surface, this is a pretty straightforward instruction from Jesus. He’s basically saying, “Don’t get caught up in the ‘how’ and the ‘when.’ Just look around you and see the opportunity for connection, for love, for the transformation that comes from experiencing God.”

But here’s the thing: what if “the fields” aren’t just about people? What if they’re also about our own lives? What if Jesus is saying, “Look at your own life – your dreams, your passions, your relationships. Are you seeing the potential for harvest? Are you seeing the seeds of joy, of creativity, of love that are ready to bloom?”

We often get so caught up in the “four months” – the timeline, the expectations, the fear of failure – that we miss the abundance right in front of us. We miss the ripe fruit waiting to be gathered. We miss all of the opportunities when we overanalyze or allow fear to hold us captive.

Jesus wasn’t afraid of the harvest. He saw the potential, the beauty, the abundance. He saw the divine in the ordinary.

So, I invite you today to open your eyes and really look at “the fields.” Look at your life. Look at the people around you. Where do you see the potential for harvest? Where do you see the seeds of joy, of love, of transformation ready to burst forth? The fields and the harvest aren’t always “out there” somewhere in some sort of ambiguous place, it’s right here in front of you. So today, look at the harvest. Really see it.

And then, let’s not just see it. Let’s cultivate it. Let’s nurture it. Let’s bring in the harvest.

Grace & Peace,

-Scott.

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Keys to Failure ‘We Can’t Do that, We’ve never done it that way before!’

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They say that Apple Innovator and Pixar founder Steve Jobs would only become more emboldened when people told him that something couldn’t be done.  This excuse is very common in churches and in church leadership today.  I’ve mentioned it before and I will mention it again but churches are dying at an unprecedented rate.  Why are people leaving the church?  Could it be that church is no longer meeting the needs of people they serve?

I understand that church is what you make of it, but there is also a mentality within denominations and within leadership of these denominations that needs to change.  This mentality is this:  ‘We can’t do that‘.  Why?  What happened to the early church when they had nothing to lose but to be faithful to God and display His love to all they met?  They grew!  What has happened to the Church today?  We’ve settled.  We’ve stopped risking.  We’ve resorted to excuses like “We can’t do that” or “we’ve never done it that way before”.

Our churches have played it safe for far too long!  It is understood that no one likes to change but what are we risking if we don’t modernize and if we don’t adapt and change?  We risk a slow agonizing death in the pews.  Time and time again we’ve heard the same spiel from leadership…our stats are down, it’s your fault, it’s your job to get those stats up.  I agree we need to increase our church attendances and our biblical instructional programs for adults and youth…but what if it’s not necessarily that our stats are down but rather the programs that we’re employing that are to blame?  Many churches have specific mandated programs that the local chapters are required to do.  But no one is asking the right question.  So let me risk something here and ask it anyway.

THE QUESTION:  

Are the programs we are required to do still relevant or are they the same tired revamped programs we’ve been doing for nearly eighty years?

These programs get dressed up from time to time but it’s the same thing…the cover or design may have changed but IT’S THE SAME OLD TIRED THING!

Don’t get me wrong I’m not railing against doing what we’re told  and especially not about ministering to adults and youth, these are vital to our survival.  What I am saying is that if we want to see statistical and numerical growth in our churches then we ought to have the flexibility to try new innovative ministries without being labeled ‘the rebels’ or called obstinate.  If we are truly interested in getting people saved and into our churches then we have got to stop focusing so much on indicators and start focusing on the people and their needs and the needs of their families.  When we can serve the needs of the families in our communities and connected with them with relevant programs and ministries then we will have succeeded in both the cause and the indicator.

If we are to finally crest that hill of “we can’t do that” and see the other side of “we can do that”  we have to take risks on the journey up the hill.  It won’t be easy, it never is.  But if we continue only to look at  the indicators to guide us instead of tackling the causes;  and if we keep using the same antiquated recycled program ideas we will not stave off the terminal prognosis for our churches.  I don’t know about you but I would rather risk much, fail often, face criticism from leadership than watch the continued dwindling of church goers to the point where we simply die and fade away.  I would rather not be responsible for the continued death of the church.  I don’t want this to happen on my watch.  Better yet I won’t let it happen on my watch!!!

We cannot settle any longer.   We cannot do ‘programs’ simply because that’s the way they’ve always been done.  It is simply not working.  If we are to find life again, stop transposing blue prints from other churches.   Discover the needs of your own community.  Explore the demographics.  Do the research and get to know your community…then pray.  Pray for the right leaders, the right ministries, and the right opportunities.  God will provide us what we need if we are serving Him and loving His people!  Then get to work and stop worrying what the nay sayers are telling you!

If we are to serve and love the generations in our communities and save our church it’s time to reconsider how we minister and serve them!

-Just a thought.

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Patience…not just for Doctors

Patience is a virtue they say, forgive me because i seem to have missed that day when they were handing patience out. Patience has always been a struggle for me and I always jokingly say that I once prayed for patience and got four children. Interestingly enough though I consider myself to be blessed by not only my children but by this family that God has blessed me with. They put up with me and sometimes that’s saying a lot!

How are you in the patience department? Do you get bent out of shape when your food you ordered at a restaurant takes longer than expected? Do you huff and puff at the minor inconveniences of life?

One of my biggest areas of discontent and struggle in the patience department is being on time. For me I have been taught that you don’t ever show up late, you arrive early but with four kids arriving early to anything would be a miracle. I really struggle with this and find it hard to have patience in the midst of those moments.

Whatever your struggle today, patience or otherwise, it is always healthy to take a step back from time to time and look honestly at yourself. Ask yourself “Am I proud of those moment when I huff and puff at things beyond my control? Am I really proud of my behavior when I lash out or am irritable?” Of course the answer is no, so what are we going to do about our poor behavior? Do you want to change, improve your life and physical/spiritual well being? Then we have to dismantle our impatience and stop fueling the fire of our tempers. If you are at all like me, I want to change I honestly don’t want my impatience and poor handle of my emotions to rule me.

Take a hard look at your life today, don’t sugar coat it or bury it but look closely at your life and begin today to make those changes…small steps at a time! Pray to the Lord for guidance and strength to be an overcomer in your struggles. He will guide you and remain at your side through it all. What have you got to lose but to try?!

-Just a thought.

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