Tag: Pastors

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The “L” in Leadership is Not for “Liar”

There are several things that would disqualify a person from being a leader or at least from being considered a leader, but there are two particular reasons I want to discuss which happen to fall under the same category.

The “L” in Leadership is Not for “Liar”

Lying and/or Deception (which is essentially lying) is one of the top actions to disqualify a person from being a leader. Sure, they may posses a leadership position, but that doesn’t mean they are a leader; no more than my putting a golf ball in an egg carton makes it an egg.

Leadership is the ability to influence people towards a specific vision or goal. When an individual resorts to the art of lying or the use of deception, they are no longer considered a leader, but rather a manipulator (and that’s only if they are able to successfully maneuver people as a result of the lies).

Leadership is the ability to influence people towards a specific vision or goal. The use of lies and deception eliminates the key verb, “influence” in that definition. Lying is not influencing; its the attempt to appease another person (telling them what they want to hear) or its an effort to try and avoid difficult conversations or issues. A leader does not hide from confrontation, he addresses it head on (see Saul vs. Jonathan in 1 Samuel 13-14). A person will also be found resorting to lies and deception when they’re attempting to reach their own goal in a dishonest manner.

  • It could be a supervisor saying what they think an employee wants to hear in order to deceive them into believing they have an opportunity to retain employment when the supervisor’s goal is to keep them employed until the person they really want to work with is available.  Even if the supervisor is able to keep that employee in place until the perfect timing to replace them, the supervisor did not reach this goal through influence, rather by deceiving the current employee that they had an opportunity.
  • It could be a sales manger who promises a salesperson specific rewards or bonuses if they reach a specific sales number and then backtracks on that promise with some type of petty excuse once the salesperson reaches their goal. The sales manager reached their goal of higher sales from their salesperson, but they didn’t use influence, they used lies.
  • It could be a pastor with a specific vision or goal for his church and when facing opposition and friction from his leadership team and/or elders, he pushes harder, lies and deceives to paint a picture of horrible consequences if they do not go along with his idea. Even if the pastor gets his way, he will not have done it through any influence of his own, rather through manipulation.
  • Ditto point #2, just change the person in question with a politician and change the vision for the church to an idea for the country. I think you can figure it out.

Join the conversation: Are you a leader that’s resorted to lying and deception to get your way? Why?

Have you been in an organization where the “leader” above you used lies and deception versus influence to obtain what they wanted? What was the results?

 

 

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Watch Out for the Devour

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:8-9 [Full Context]

I admit, I’ve been on a personal journey to confirm that what I was taught at a younger age is correct and to affirm what I believe Scripture teaches for myself, so I still have ‘Aha!’ moments…a lot! I had a pastor who used to push down people’s throats that the “man of God deserved double honor,” so we were never allowed to question him. Later in life I learned that this statement was pulled out of context. 1 Timothy 5:17 says that an elder who directs the affairs of the church WELL deserves double honor in his compensation, especially those who preach and teach…key word…well, this has nothing to do with questioning an Elder when they have fallen off the reservation!

Anyway, all of that to say, my eyes were opened tonight at 1 Peter 5:8-9. I find it interesting that it is written to “Elders” and “Young Men.” The warning is to “Stay Alert!” that our enemy, the devil, prowls around seeking who he may devour. Sure, this is applicable to all Christians, but it is specifically written to Elders and young men. A friend contacted me this week. She found out that her former pastor has been involved in a sexual affair. I was heartbroken for that man, his family, the church, their people and their leaders. It seems to be coming to the surface more and more. What greater victory could we as pastors and church leaders give Satan than to dishonor God in our calling? To abuse our office? To open ourselves up to devour?

Notice, the verse says, seeking who he may devour…I went through a marriage course by Bruce Wilkerson with my wife. He used the analogy of a traffic light. We all give off a signal. Red light, I’m not available. Green light, I’m looking…I’m open & available! Satan is prowling to see if your light is lit up green, and if it is, you’re open to attack! Pastor, Elder, young man…if you are married, you better be putting off the right signals. It goes beyond sexually too. It’s applicable to any moral and ethical standard that the Bible calls us to.

Pastors are highly competitive people. I wonder what would happen if we stopped looking at each others’ ministries to see what one another is doing and how many we are running, and started devoting ourselves to prayer for one another?

…Stay Alert!

Thought?

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UNLEASH 2010: Session 2 Perry Noble

perry-noble1Unleash 2010 Main Session 2

Session Notes

Acts 14:8-

The best thing a church can do is make sure their senior pastor is healthy

Be careful for the crowd….those who deify will crucify. (My Note: Wow!!!)

The problem with a lot of pastors is that we will not admit our humanity

vs 19 – The people stoned Paul…not Barnabas or anyone else. Paul, the Leader. The main guy…that’s it.

3 Words:

1. Awareness –

Many times we make mistakes because we are unaware.

  • Some people’s thoughts is that they do as much as the Senior Pastor and they carry the same load.
    (Its not that they are trying to be mean…they are just UNAWARE)
    (When Satan wants to stop a movement he always goes after the leader)
  • 3 Rocks Pastors Need to Be Aware Of –
  1. Rock of Distractions – Distractions will come our way.
    Pastor, do not get distracted with things outside of Jesus

    • Don’t get distracted by false agendas
    • Don’t get distracted by yourself
    • Don’t get distracted by Pride

    If God is using us, its because we were barren, and God changed our lives, we did nothing ourselves.

  2. Rock of Deception –
    • The deception that the Pastor has to do everything
    • The Bible calls those who do not work, lazy; It calls the one who will not rest, disobedient
    • Pastor – Do you have a date night with your wife? Without the kids? Without the cell phone?
    • Pastor, if this world can’t live without you for an hour…it’s in trouble!
    • Pastor, your kids need you!
    • Pastor, your marriage is the most important marriage in the church. It’s got to remain strong.
  3. The Rock of Discouragement –

    • Listen to your coaches, not your critics

2. Unity –

  • Pastor – Be a man worth rallying around
    How to be a man worth rallying around:

    • Lead with Integrity (Be real – Be Sexually Pure – ETC.)
    • Get Big Vision from God (You want great leaders? Have a great vision)
    • Listen to your staff (Ask your staff: What do you think?)
      Your leaders will have a solution, your robots will wait until they are told what to do.
      Pastor, make sure your leaders are resourced, and get out of their way.
    • Keep short accounts – Don’t be bitter at people.
    • Make expectations clear – You can’t keep people accountable to an unspoken rule or expectation.
    • Honor your leader’s time

3. Passion –

  • The average pastor is the SBC is 22 months.
  • Churches are unhealthy because there are men of God who are unwilling to stand when the rocks are thrown.
  • If you can’t support the vision of the pastor, get off his team. If he is disobeying God…God will cut him down, not you.
  • When a man of God has a supportive team or staff gathered around him, he can get back up when the stones are thrown.
  • If a staff will rally around the pastor, no rock thrower is a match for them.
  • Pastor, who do you have standing around you?

…updating

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UNLEASH 2010: Breakout Session 1

perry-noble1stevenfurtick-buttonUnleash 2010 Breakout Session 1: Senior  Pastors Only

Perry Noble &
Steven Furtick

Breakout Session Notes

God can speak through people who are equivalent to Balaam’s donkey – Steven Furtick (They’re pretty much jackasses…Don’t tithe, don’t get involved, etc. But God can speak through them)

  • The parameters of the overall vision gives the leadership freedom to lead & think Big – The overall vision comes from the pastor – Steve Furtick

(I was reminded about this quote from Church Planters Conference) “You can’t have a strategy without first having a philosophy” – Pete Wilson

  • When you hear from God and your leaders know you hear from God, you can lead them to do some stupid stuff 🙂 However, you have to REALLY hear from God, you cannot front like you hear from God.
  • Leaders have to choose the path of humility – “God cannot lift an unbowed head” – Steven Furtick
  • The unspoken lid to our leadership is the fear of being burned – Steven Furtick
  • The Great players play hurt. Preach hurt, don’t preach bitter! – Perry Noble
  • God’s promise is bigger than your perhaps – Steven Furtick
  • A pastor cannot choose his successor – Perry Noble quoting Rick Warren
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No I am Not Pedophile Pastor Nicholas Carnes

nicholascarnespedophileThe image you are looking at on the left is a picture of Pedophile Pastor Nicholas Carnes. Just for clarification, he is a pedophile, not a pastor.

If you have come to this site because you are searching for him or his church, this is not it. I apologize. I used to be a youth pastor, but am now the lead pastor of New Passion Church in Grovetown, Georgia. (About Me Page)

Pedophile Nicholas Carnes, was the youth director at several local churches in Port Huron, Michigan. I am not sure which church specifically.

I understand that this pedophile is a sinner and loved by God just like everyone else, however, Jesus said the following, “It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.” Luke 17:2

What I know is that police have enough evidence to arrest him, however, I do not know that he harmed any students in his care, however, parents have come forward and reported that they were uncomfortable with his actions with their children and they  reported their concerns to the church and the church did nothing. I pray he did not harm one of the young teens in his care.

Although I am upset that Nicholas has hurt the name we share and the name of a real life hero, in addition to pastors and youth pastors. This is a sober reminder that we as the church must be aware of who we put into leadership, do background checks for all of our ministry environments that care for minors, and keep our eyes open at all times.