Here is my top characteristic of effective leadership as a pastor: Prayerful Persistence.

Here is why …

1. Leadership is tough. If you are a pastor, you would say this is an understatement. Leadership is tough in any organization, but Satan is especially concerned that we fail. He will pull no punches to try to get our churches to fail.

2. Barbs of public opinion. Everyone has an opinion. That’s not a bad thing. It’s a fact. The challenge that creates as a pastor is that on almost any issue and on any decision you will find opposing opinions. That is true in any organization but most organizations are not voluntary in terms of membership. When opinions are opposed enough in a church feelings get hurt and some will leave.

3. Tough decisions. As a pastor you will have to make tough decisions. If you are not willing to make them, your church cannot move forward with courage to accomplish the mission. I suggest you make sure you have a few friends who can walk along side you for encouragement as well as objective feedback even when that is difficult to hear.

For more information visit the Redemption City website.

Not long after coming across the site, a church member of ClearView came by my office one day to share with me her connection and involvement with this site. As it turns out, it is much more than a website. It is a tool. It is a conversation starter. It is a movement. She asked if I would consider helping connect other pastors in the area with this movement at the appropriate time.

A team has been busy raising funds to fund a media blitz for iam2 coming to Nashville. About mid February you will see I Am Second billboards and posters all over middle TN. You will hear radio ads and see social media focused on middle TN with the I Am Second brand. The media blitz will run (this time) for about 6 weeks.

This will create opportunities for us as Christ followers to have conversations as people begin to talk about what they are seeing. They will (hopefully) visit the site and watch some of the videos. I encourage you to use these opportunities to step in and share Christ. We are second in our lives because Jesus is first.

There will be I Am Second groups formed all around Nashville. Maybe you would like to lead one of these groups. There will be a training coming soon. We need as many churches as possible willing to be a part of this movement in middle TN. You can respond on this site, or dm me on twitter at @mxmarsh, or private message me on Facebook if you think your church would like to be involved.

There will be more to come … stay tuned.

Click here for a copy of the Reader’s Guide for reading the Bible through in a year. Your participation is important. Since we’re doing this all of 2013, reading along will help you stay up with each Sunday’s sermon. I think you’re going to enjoy this.

This Sunday I was baptized at my church http://www.idcraleigh.com. It was such an evidence of God’s grace to get to share that moment with my church family. There were seven of us altogether to that went through the waters of baptism, and we each read a one page testimony to the congregation. Here is mine:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:3-7

I feel like that’s a great summary statement of my testimony. Despite my persistent rebellion against Him, by His grace, He’s chosen me to be His daughter through the redemption of His blood. Though my testimony really begins before the foundations of the world, the part I remember begins at age 7. I went to a Vacation Bible School where there was a time of response at the end of the week. My friend and I dared each other to “raise our hands.” I repeated a prayer after a VBS counselor and was soon baptized. I know even at age 7 there was no change of affections and no life change. I was not a believer in Christ when I was baptized.

Growing up I had a lot of “re-dedication” moments at youth retreats and revivals, but I’m not really sure when a point of conversion was for me. I know that my understanding of the gospel was very surface. Though I truly desired to please God and believed He died on the cross for my sins, I didn’t apply the gospel to my everyday life. Instead I worked harder out of guilt and a desire to be the “good Christian kid.” This led to a defeated life.

In college, this defeated life led to a rebellious life. Instead of finding satisfaction in Christ, I pursued pleasure and popularity. This left me dry and empty. In my senior year of college, God yanked me out of the sin I had wallowed in for so long. He showed me through His Word the glorious riches of His grace and the beauty of the gospel :: this gospel that Jesus lived a perfect life that I could not live, died a death I should have died so when I repent and put my faith in Him, I can accept His perfect life as my own. This news was even sweeter to me at this time in college. I had intentionally rebelled for so long, but His grace was deeper than my sin and still is. He both forgave me of my sin and freed me from my sin. By His grace, He is continuing to conform me more and more into His image. I am confident that I am in Christ, not because of my own good deeds (I would be without hope) but only out of His love and grace towards me. I desire baptism today as a way of identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and only because of His grace I am a new creation.

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:3-11

As you move into the New Testament we see the people of God gather as a group. The term “church” refers to a group that came together. Even in Revelation the picture of what is happening in heaven is a picture of a group together to worship.

I know this: I worship among a group unlike I worship alone. I am encouraged when I sense and hear and see those around me worshiping with great passion.

I cannot imagine those on the pages of Scripture being nonchalant about their worship. But we seem to be so casual. I have preached in hundreds of churches over the years and it seems to be a pattern in most churches. It manifests itself in our casualness to arrive … on time … for worship of the Almighty … the King of Kings. I do wonder if the President of the United States were going to speak if we would be late. Or if our favorite entertainer were going to entertain, would we even think about coming in late (especially if it were open seating)? We know that would not happen.

I really don’t want to begin a sniping contest here. So please don’t make any responses accusatory or harsh toward anyone. I am really curious. Why? Why can’t we make the same effort for each other (I need you to encourage me) and certainly out of a feverish desire to worship our Father that we would make for our favorite entertainer? Do you think it is a matter of the heart? Is it that we really don’t understand what we are there to do?

It’s just a question…

David Campbell via Compfight

I then asked him to tell me about his ministry. For the next hour, I was reminded how easy I have it where I serve (on my worst days). He spoke of the persecution (REAL persecution) of the Christians back home. Some who have been shot in front of family members for their faith. Some who have had their throats slit open by those who oppose their faith. The stories go on.

Through it all, the church in Nigeria continues to grow and to strengthen. I could go on and on. But one of the things he mentioned that stuck with me is how those that had been marginal Christians had become more committed and serious about their faith. Basically, it’s a matter of life and death for them. You choose to either get out or completely sell out. There is no room for the lukewarm in his country.

I asked him how that could happen in the church of America without persecution. He told me to preach the Word and the Word would do the work in people’s lives. Those of you who know me should know my heart raced when he said that. What a word of encouragement God sent through this man I had just met!

Enough already with losing our lives to save them. Surely Jesus didn’t really mean lose my life.

Enough with the tough passages like the ones that say those who want to follow Christ must hate their mother, father, brother, etc. That’s just crazy talk.

Enough with sacrifice. As a matter of fact, I think we should all just give when it feels good and when it is convenient. While I’m at it, let’s just quit giving at all. I don’t see that it is all that important.

Enough with laying down my life for the sake others. I want what I want the way I want it, when I want it.

Enough with risking telling someone else about how they might come to know Christ. I’m glad someone told me, but if I tell someone else I could get laughed at and it’s just not worth it. But I really do hope they can figure that out on their own.

Enough with praying for my enemies. After all, we barely have enough time in the 5 minutes a day we set aside for prayer to get in all the stuff about the people I really care about (especially me).

Enough with accountability. It is much easier and less painful if we each just do our own thing without having to answer to anyone for it.

Enough with serving. We are so busy with real life things we have to do. We have to get our kids to ball practice and school club events. We don’t have time for service.

Enough with church. It’s just hard to get up EVERY Sunday. Surely Jesus will understand if we put His Bride off a week or two a month. In fact, as a pastor, I am thinking we should maybe just cut back to a couple of Sundays a month. It’s just way too legalistic to expect people to make an every week commitment. Besides, those people who attend church are mostly hypocrites anyway and a couple of them hurt my feelings.

Enough with the Bible. I don’t want to take the time and effort to dig in to its truths. And while I’m at it, I would really rather talk about something else when I’m around other Christians. No more boring Bible studies. And let’s stop already with the sermon stuff. Maybe a good “talk” about how we could all just get along and be better citizens. And as a pastor I think if we just focus making people feel good every week, it sure would help with attendance and offerings. I think I will just work up some really good talks that will help people feel better about where they are.

That pretty much does it. I say let’s all just run with our own brand of what we call Christianity. Seems like it will be so much easier. I know for sure my life as a pastor would be. And I feel certain yours will be as well.

I guess the only question I have about all of this is what will that mean for eternity. Surely God will just give us a pass on all this. Surely, He wasn’t serious about our faith completely changing the way we live.

Or was He?