GETTING THE ADMIN RIGHT

This is the second half of the seminar on Time management and Admin. Administration is utterly vital to Christian ministry. Done well, it honours Christ and advances the work of the Gospel. Done badly, and the opposite things happen. Our advice to anyone new in ministry (or old in it for that matter) is to urgently desire this spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:28). Jackie Moralee led this brilliantly

Two good reasons to work at admin:

• God's a planner - he brings order out of chaos and we reflect him when we impose order on the areas for which we are responsible (Proverbs 21:5)
• Jesus set us an example - John 13 - how we do our ministry impacts on those around us - we need a servant-hearted attitude in all areas

Good admin enhances ministry, bad admin gets in the way of ministry.

Practicalities

• Paperwork: make a home for everything, set up a system and use it (invest in storage)
• Computer: file strategically and regularly/designate specific times for checking email/mind your language
• Communication: clear, detailed, appropriate, gracious
• Meetings: organise well in advance, keep to time, clear action points, email summary after
• Events: thorough planning, delegation and reviewing
• Admin as encouragement: handwritten cards

TIME TO MANAGE YOUR TIME

Main points about time management from the seminar at the conference from Carl Laferton. And just to note - it over-ran! Will post the admin part of this separately.

Know why you’re here

Mark 1 v 38-45 – Jesus was being asked to heal people. But more important to him was to pray alone, and to preach to others. So he didn’t heal that day. It’s not that he never healed, but he knew that his priorities were his own relationship with his Father, and to preach throughout Galilee. So that’s where the bulk of his time went.

It's the same for us: it’s good to have a specific statement about why you’re in your ministry. It needs to be narrower that “I’m here to tell people about Jesus.”

This helps us to know whether to concentrate on our own Bible talks and studies, or helping others with theirs; on new ministries or maintaining existing ministry; on those on the periphery or those who are keenest; on taking evangelistic opportunities or training others in evangelism.

Know who you are
Psalm 127 v 1-2 – God is the one who builds, and he builds as his people labour. We mustn’t think that it all depends on us (which causes self-reliance, stress and overwork) or that God will “just do it” (which causes laziness and complacency).

If we remember who we are and what our part is (to labour) and who God is and what His part is (to build), we’ll be able to sleep (v 2) rather than lie awake worrying!

A useful summary of what we’re about is: “I am here to use the energy God gives me, with the gifts God has given me, in the time God has given me — and then look to him to do his work.”

Know your character

How we order our days, what we need to work on in terms of managing our time, will depend to some extent on who we are:

• Perfectionist, or last minute blagger?
• Extrovert, or introvert?
• Fixated (have to finish job before doing anything else) v flighty (constantly chopping and changing)

All of these characteristics have aspects that will help your ministry and the ministry of those around you; but they all have aspects that can hinder, too. It’s worth thinking through how your character is a great help and a potential hindrance.

Some tips

• Split your day into three parts – morning, afternoon, evening. Aim to work two, rest one.
• Split day into hours – plan what you’ll do in each hour (good for perfectionists – only give a job the time you allocated it. Good for job-avoiders – stops you putting things off)
• Daily to-do list. Write down and prioritise. And write down a not-to-do list, so you don’t panic about whether you need to do more!
• Don’t carry your diary – gives you chance to pray about things, and say “no” if you need to.
• Learn to say “no”. Remember to ask why you’re here, and know who you are!

A note on the door

Got this email from Dean who was on the conference. Thought I'd share it for your thoughts and prayers.

Good evening my dear fellow labourers in the gospel,

I’m writing to you mostly to ask you to pray, we all heard Phil Moon talk about the ‘note stuck to his door’ (but how many of us really expected to actually get one ourselves!)

Well mine came in the form of finding out that a parent of one of the kids from our 7’s-11’s group has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and has been given a couple of years (all going well) to live.

She is a mother of 4 (ages 21, 17, 9, 4) and dad proposed to her last Sunday morning (she’s said she’s been waiting 20 odd years!)

Please pray that she would put her faith in the ‘ Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne,’ and that we would have opportunities to support her and her family through this time.

Pray for a miracle of grace please – that this shocking reminder of the fragility of life would be Gods shout to the whole family and the whole family would come through the cross to the throne.

With love and tears

Dean Dryden

The gospel for gamers

Alan Witchall pointed me towards this video, and said he had used it to great effect with teenage boys who were into gaming in a big way. You can download a high res version for free from the website link below.

This is downloadable in high res from a website called www.max7.org which is trying to distribute free bible-based resources throughout the world. Quality varies, but there's a load of good stuff for free here.

What Vicky thought

Cracking quote from Phil Moon's final morning session on Revelation 5. Queen Victoria wrote this about Jesus:

"I cannot wait for Him to come, so that I can cast my crown before Him"


Would love to find the reference for this if anyone knows it!

More youthwork lightbulb jokes

Mark Walley again - creative juices clearly flowing into the small hours with every conceivable Youthwork/lightbulb joke imaginable here.

My favourite (OK - the only one that made me LOL):


Q) How many youth leaders does it take to change a lightbulb?
A) You know, sometimes change is hard, but the person who had to deal with change the most was Jesus, when he came down to earth in human form. And Jesus wants you to do your quiet time and stop smoking. I mean trust and obey him.

Models of youth ministry

Mark Walley has posted his notes on Mel Lacey's seminar at the Bible Centered Youth Ministry Conference here.

This is Mel Lacy, not Mark Walley

Revelation 4: what's the point?

Phil Moon's points from his morning talk on Heaven:

1. Heaven is a place with a throne - which is occupied! God is in control.
2. Heaven is a place for Christians - the 24 elders are the 12 tribes of Israel (OT) and the 12 apostles of the new, symbolising all God's people for all eternity. We will be there. It is our destiny
3. Heaven is a place for God's creation - redeemed, recreated, made perfect. Our world is astonishing wonderful now - it's not half what it is going to be!
4. Heaven is a place of worship. Not just singing (although there is singing). Worship is largely spoken - we are saying to God and each other how great He is.

Slightly strange picture of the scene in Revelation 4. Do you think we're meant to draw this?

How do we read Revelation

From this morning's talk on Revelation 4 by Phil Moon:





Revelation is a bit like looking at the big map boards that were used in the second world war. The models on the table might represent ships, friendly fighters, or hostile bombers. But what does the scene represent? Partly the past - what has happened. Partly the present - what is happening now. And sometimes the future, as the controllers make decisions about where to move their forces.

Found in the desk of a murdered pastor

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made - I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low-living, sight-walking, colourless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don't have to be right, to be first, to be recognized, to be praised, to be regarded, or to be rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labour with power.

My life is set, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, or wander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus.

I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till he stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.

My banner will be clear.

This statement was found in the desk drawer of a young Zimbabwean pastor who had been brutally executed. Phil Moon used it as an illustration in his talk on Revelation 4 this morning.

The inescapable equation

Trevor Archer in tonight's session talked about the inescapable equation of Christian Ministry.

So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 

2 Corinthians 4 v 12

As we give ourselves in sacrificial service, then God brings life to others.

It seems that this is why Christian Ministry is so hard, wearing and draining. We are giving our very lives in His service. But it is only as we do this that God's work will progress in the lives of others.

Trevor's talk from 1 Thessalonians 2 focussed on the remarkable image that Paul uses to describe the method of his ministry, where he compares it to a mother giving herself to her children. These are the characteristics of a mother, and of those in Christian ministry:

• Gentle (v7) 
• Loving (v7-8) 
• Self Giving (v8) 
• Hard Working  (v9) 
• A Blessing not a Burden (v9) 

What kind of book is revelation?

Reflecting on Phil Moon's Bible reading this morning:

Lots of us are scared by the book of Revelation - it's complex, confusing, and uses pungent powerful imagery to make big scary statements. But the answer is (of course, you dimbo) in the text. revelation 1 tells us it's a whole mixture of things:

1. A revelation (v 1): a description of the world as it really is now.
2. A prophesy (v 3): A light from the future to illuminate our path for today
3. A letter (v 4): written to specific churches (seven of them in chapters 2 and 3) to apply specific things, but the rest of the book is to teach all churches what they need to know.

People have mistaken it for:

• A timetable - to look up when the train will arrive (or when Jesus will return)
• A Novel - something made up and fictional to entertain or frighten us
• A Textbook of dry academic facts to learn head knowledge from.

It's none of these things - it's a picture book, with lots of moving images which all focus on the Lordship of Jesus, over the church, over everything, over today, over me. It's a picture book about who Jesus is now, and how we should live and hope and endure as a result.

Denominational light bulb jokes

From Phil's talk on Revelation 1.

How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb?
Calvinists do not change light bulbs. They simply read out the instructions and pray the light bulb will decide to change itself.

How many Pentecostals does it take to change a light bulb?
Ten. One to change the bulb and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

How many fundamentalists or independent Baptists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one because any more would be compromise and ecumenical standards of light would slip.

How many Anglicans does it take to change a light bulb?
At least ten, as they need to hold a debate on whether or not the light bulb exists. Even if they can agree upon the existence of the light bulb, they still may not change it to keep from alienating those who might use other forms of light.

How many Catholics does it take to change a light bulb?
None. They always use candles.

How many Baptists does it take to change a light bulb?
CHANGE???????

How many Amish does it take to change a light bulb?
What's a light bulb?

How many Methodists does it take to change a light bulb?
We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey, you have found that a light bulb works for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your personal relationship to your light bulb and present it next month at our annual light bulb Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-lived, and tinted; all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence through Jesus Christ.

And here's the big point...

How many youth pastors does it take to change a light bulb?
We don't know - none of them have ever been around long enough for one of them to blow.


More of these tired sad jokes can be found here

Phil Moon on Revelation 1

Here's a video of the speech that Phil mentioned in his talk on Revelation 1 this morning. Awesome!

A sinner who found grace

In his first evening talk, Trevor Archer mentioned the dark side of John Newton's conversion story.

After he became a Christian, Newton returned to what he knew best - the slave trade, and worked on slave ships for 3 years. During this time, he records that for the space of a month, he went below decks every night to to rape one of the slave women being held captive on the ship. This was a man who was a professing Christian!

Trevor pointed out that Newton's amazement at grace sprang from his realisation that he had so wounded the love of God in how he lived, both before and after he became a Christian. Our Christian lives are far from neat. I know that my experience has been very up and down as a believer, and that I have betrayed my Lord many times in a deliberate and wilful way since I was "converted".

Although he was converted, Newton also needed to be humbled before God. This is often a separate experience in our lives. Praying that the Lord would use this conference to humble me again, and also to show many others here how we need to humble ourselves before God.

A shocking statistic

Trevor Archer is leading our evening ministry, and encouraging us from 1 Thessalonians 2 about the motives, method and message of our ministry.

He started by quoting from Steve Farrar's book Finishing Strong, which makes the shocking suggestion that 9 out of 10 people who start in ministry will end up crashing out, through moral failure, liberal theology, doubt or discouragement. I can believe it's true.

Farrar's book is quoting the US experience of a previous generation, and while there are many examples of this happening in my own experience (Trevor quoted three horrendous cases just from this last year), the figure seems to high. So are we doing something better?

Maybe it's that we are better at working in teams, or in taking accountability seriously. Or maybe we are just better at spotting things earlier or helping our brothers and sisters in ministry to be more real about things. But there is a job of work to do at this conference to help those here to deal with things that are lurking unresolved in their lives. And to paint a realistic picture of the realities of ministry, so that the chances of disappointment are lower. Feel free to comment on what we can do together that will reduce the chances of this awful fallout in ministry

The Gospel is God's truth

Trevor Pearce spoke at the first session at the conference. The opening address is usually a talk to just set the basics of what we do here - encourage youth and children's work where the Bible is heard clearly.

Trev spoke from Romans 1, and highlighted the fact that the children and young people we are seeking to influence live in a very hostile environment for the gospel. Their world is happy for them to have their christian faith in a bubble, but not for them to bring their beliefs out of their 'privacy bubble' into the real world. If they do, the will be persecuted for it.

But what gives us confidence is that the Gospel message is a message from God, not a message from men. It is true historically. And therefore we are obligated to others to share the truth with them (1 v 15).

A great talk that set us off in the right direction. Thanks Trev.

The calm before the storm

It's always a strange time, just before a conference begins. We're rattling round in a great big building. There is an AWFUL STENCH outside - because they are clearing out the sewers, and the few early people who have already arrived are just hanging about, waiting for the rooms to become available, or for other stuff to happen.

The calm before the storm

The office is set up. I'm getting the powerpoints together for the first session (that's Keynote really, but I have to say that to be properly PC), and praying like mad that God would do all the things we are hoping  for this conference to achieve:

• Encourage people in ministry who are struggling
• Train people to think more clearly about how to do Bible-centred youth and childrens' work
• Help people who have personal difficulties of any sort
• Feed hungry people with God's word
• Nurture people both young and old for gospel ministry that will last a lifetime.

Check back or more updates as they happen.

Tim

Stardate: 2:14 24 1 2011

Welcome to the blog

Hi everyone,



just to let you know that I will be using this blog to record stuff that happens, stories I hear and things of note from the conference.

Call in at the office and find me to add something more, or email me: tim.thornborough@thegoodbook.co.uk with your blog pieces

Have a great conference

Tim