Hey Friends,

We can’t turn on any medium today without hearing about power and its high cost.  Coal, oil, wind, solar, and renewable power are the talk of the day.  The Bible is clear that we have a renewable source of energy and it is the Wind – the Spirit of God – the Breath of God – the Presence of God. And it is renewable and it will never run out.

As leaders in the Kingdom of God we are called on day and night and we are to run “from can to can’t.”  E-mails, phone calls, and everyone and everything are emergencies that must be handled right now! You know what I am talking about. We are called to take care of the sheep, but we are also called to take care of ourselves.  We must stay plugged into the Source. If we forget the God of the work we will be no good to the work of God. He said: “It is not by power or might but by My Spirit says the Lord.”  He is the power. It is not cool lighting, message titles, or great contemporary music, but by the power of God.  We must not forget!

1. Get with God daily.  Set a time and keep it.

2. Have a Personal Growth Plan.

3. Engage in warfare prayer. “The Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force.”

4. Fasting will keep us  plugged in.

5. Praise and worship, which the enemy hates. Spend time in praise. I watch most pastors  and they don’t participate in worship during the service. Puzzling?

6. Die to self daily. Satan can’t tempt a dead person.

7. Be accountable.

8. Confess our impotence without Him.

9. Have a Sabbath, probably not on Sunday.

10. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:31 says, ”And the place where they had prayed was shaken and they all were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness.”  Remember this was the same group in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.  How full are you right now? Is the Holy Spirit in control?

Remember God owns all the power and authority and ability. He still can rock the world and your heart.

You are not alone!

Pastor

Hey Friends,

Monday night Michele, Emily, and I went up to spend the evening at our Kidz Kamp X-isle. It was great. Our new Family Pastor, Chuck Carringer, is going to be awesome.  As we walked up I was mobbed by kids hugging me.  They came running from every direction. About the time I thought it was over another group heard I was there.  It was so cool, I must say.  Most of those kids participate in our Kid K’nex Ministry and are not in the sanctuary on the weekends.  But they knew who I was and they loved me.  I love to be loved, especially by the kids.

We hung around and talked and went to the evening service with them.  It was super to watch them worship, even the 2nd graders got into it. That was not available when I was a kid. Later in the evening I was helping our Exec. Pastor, Josh Whitehead, build a fire.  He has been overseeing our kids ministry for quite  a while.  He is amazing.  As the kids were still hugging me, Josh looked at me and said, “Look how these kids look up to you – DON’T DO ANYTHING STUPID!”

Before you try to take up for me, I appreciate the comment more that you know.   I love doing ministry with Josh and appreciate his accountability and care.  He was at a church where the pastor fell into immorality and it devastated the church, but even more the kids. Some children even asked if they needed to be baptized again since the fallen pastor had baptized them. How sad.

As leaders, many people look up to us - DON’T DO ANYTHING STUPID!  The cost of sin is severe for the leader and their ministry.  I hope you have a Josh in your life, he is a gift from God to me and FPC.

There is a high cost to low living and we never see the price tag until it is too late.

Just a thought.

Yours to count on,

Pastor

Hey Friends,

I hope you read Monday’s post and you know I’m not discouraged. Today let us think together about a great perk of leadership! We get to see it first.  Leaders are carriers of  the vision. As such we see it before everybody else. We get to walk around in a building not yet built. We see sanctuaries filled that do not yet exist.  We see lives changed and renewed. We see how good it can be before it is ever reality. We are visionaries and we get to climb the mountain and enjoy where God is leading us to bring the Church or organization.  How thrilling is that?

After we come down from the mountain where we have met God and heard His voice, we get to tell the others.  We paint the picture of how good it will be when we arrive in the “promised land.” This is why we must be good communicators. We must help everyone else GET IT! Vision casting is huge in leadership. Why?

1. A great vision will require sacrifice of time, money and effort.

2. A great vision will require a lot of people.

3. A great vision honors our Great God.

4. A great vision will be attacked, mocked and ridiculed. Ask Nehemiah.

So paint the picture with great clarity. Paint the picture with vivid colors. Paint the picture with everybody else in it. Show how the vision will change lives and the world. Paint the picture with the sacrifice that will be required. Jesus said: “Count the cost if you are to follow me.”

Leader, where are you taking the others? Is it a journey worth taking?

Yours to count on,

Pastor

Hey Friends,

It is easy to bemoan the sins and potential evil of the Internet. I will confess their are plenty of ways to sin electronically! But, instead of cursing the darkness let’s use the tool for the greater good. I HATE how Christians are always blaming, hating, and pointing the finger at everything and everybody: why not  use all we have to accomplish the will of our Father?

Last Saturday was my birthday and I received more cards than ever before. (Thanks for the prayers and birthday wishes!) Not because more people love me, but because I have tried to be more open to technology and the Internet. This has opened up a whole new world for me – and a good one. I can’t count the cards and prayers that came to my facebook (won’t you be my friend?). I now blog and twitter. We at FPC now have two internet campuses and people are connecting to Christ and His Church.  The list is huge. 

I believe if the Apostle Paul was doing ministry today he would be on the Internet daily. Wonder how many friends he would have? Let’s use every tool available to advance the cause and Kingdom of our Lord.

Here are some ways we can reach out together via E-Ministry:

1. Follow me on Twitter. I don’t understand it either…..

2. Check my blog daily for a spiritual vitamin. You could also link to my blog and let others know about it.

3. You could link to my website http://drchrisstephens.com where my book is available. I would ask you to let people know about it. I believe it can help many.

4. Download the daily devotional on my web-site. It is a 90-second biblical thought for the day. You can podcast it also.

5. You can Twitter, facebook, and connect to all of the above tools.  I would ask you to do so to help get the word out. 

6. Link your website to FPC’s site.

The Devil has used everything at his fingertips to hinder and hurt us – time to strike back and expose the darkness.

Yours to count on, can I count on you?

Pastor

P.S. As I start a ministry to encourage and empower church leaders across the country I ask for your prayers and participation. Together we can make a huge difference. Someone has to do it; it might as well be us!

Hey Friends,

Last week I wrote on the more harsh or difficult side of leadership. Many who read the posts thought I was bummed out, but by no means am I! I spent a few days in Sydney a little bummed as I watched an awesome church. I saw some areas where we could get better and where I could get better. I was a little bummed then but I got over it before I came home. We can not act like the difficult side of leadership does not exist. It does. We must see it and be ready for it, or we will fall by the wayside and be another statistic.

Just in case you were wondering, I’ve never been more excited:

1. At the growth and excitement of Faith Promise.

2. At the level of our current staff.

3. At the future and vision for the church.

4. With the new ministry I am launching for church leaders.

5. With my walk with Jesus.

6. With the upcoming sermon series for the rest of the the year.

7. About decisions that face Faith Promise and the opportunity to walk in faith and honor our Lord.

I could go on all day.  I am so grateful to our Lord and for His favor and anointing HE has given me and FPC.  The future has never looked brighter. I believe we have yet to really get started in winning people to Jesus. We will make Him famous. We will lift Him up. We will walk by faith into His vision for His Church. We will see miracles.  We will see lives changed by the thousands. We will see marriages saved, captives freed, and God worshipped with passion and love. I am so thrilled at the future and then heaven! What’s not to be excited about?

Yours to count on,

Pastor

Hey Friends,

We are still looking at some serious issues in Kingdom Leadership and I just thought of another one – Mistrust! I am fully aware of trust being earned. After 13 years as the Senior Pastor don’t you think people would begin to trust your heart? Maybe give you the benefit of the doubt if they aren’t sure why you are doing something? For many, NOPE!

I have loved, served, given, led, and poured my guts out for, to, and with people here in Knoxville; yet still some never come to the point of trusting. Motives are maligned, methods are mocked, and the list goes on. I guess some people will never trust – just another lesson for leaders.  We can do all we can and they will never want to follow or trust. It is the lot in life for the leader. If we can’t take the heat…you know the rest.

I long for the day when the Church is able to trust the pastor and leaders. I’m not talking about no accountability, just trusting of heart and motives.  Let the leaders lead and if they are NOT trustworthy, fire them or go to another church. If you are a leader reading this – just know this is a part of the journey.

Thank God for the ones that trust and make leading enjoyable!

God said in Hebrews 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” Lots of church members will face an unhappy Lord for disobeying this verse.

Yours to count on.

Pastor

Hey Friends and Leaders,

For the last week I have shared thoughts on leadership, which is one of my favorite topics. Because everything rises and falls on leadership! I have decided to make a large leap in my leadership which will be very difficult for me.  I love our staff and all the people I get to lead.  Obviously we treat staff differently than volunteers.  In my 27 years of ministry I have tried to lead by, and with, love. But what do I do when the staff doesn’t do what I want? My past M.O. has been to let it go and hope they will want to do it.

This month I celebrated my 13th year as the Senior Pastor of FPC. I made a pretty big decision while I was in Sydney: I have decided that if a staff member asks me if they can do something and I don’t want them to, I will now say NO. In the past I would say, “That is probably not a good idea, but go ahead if you feel led.”  Not any more. Now it will be, “NO.”  I have let ministries go in directions that I thought was wrong, but I would let it go and let them try. Not any more.  All ministries of FPC will line up with the vision, values, and goals of the church or they will not do it.

I thought many of the staff would see I loved them and follow out of love and respect.  It did not happen!  We have a great staff, without question. The best we have ever had!!! But together, going in the same direction we can go even farther in glorifying God, winning souls and building the greatest church since the day of Pentecost. I can already tell you most of the Pastors and staff will be thrilled. For others, change is hard.  One day I will stand before the Bema Seat of Judgement. I will be responsible for the direction of this church and so I have to keep growing and improving as a leader for us to achieve our redemptive potential.

How do you see it?

Yours to count on,

Pastor

Hey Gang,

As Christ-followers we all have burdens. Some are brief and some last for a lifetime.  My burden for the Church is a lifetime deal. I love the two churches I have served as Senior Pastor.  God has placed me in a very unique place. Being the pastor of two church plants and seeing the mighty hand of the Lord move, He has taught me some great lessons.  I have a burden to help the Church become all it can be.  I want to help raise up leaders for the Church and wake up the sleeping giant (The Church) in America.

I have wrestled with the Lord about this for years. I have waited for a door to open and it has not. So I believe He wants me to make one. I am not leaving Faith Promise – don’t worry or wonder. I am going to build a team of leaders to do some conferences and produce some resources and training to help churches and leaders become all they can be.

Watching two churches (the first went form 25 to over 500 in attendance and the second from 250 to over 3000 in average attendance) gives me a different vantage point to see how God moves. I want to help. Pray for me and Roy McKinnon as we build this team and look for revival to break out in churches all over America.

Big deal? Not for God! Remember so many ministers and leaders feel like they are doing it all by themselves. We can walk beside them and lift up their hands and be there for them. I think the Lord is in it - would you pray for us and help? How can you help? So glad you asked!

1. You can let everyone you know, know about this blog.

2. You can link your web site to this one. 

3. You can post my first book on your facebook and Twitter and link to this web site.

4. You can pray for wisdom and anointing.

5. You can let people know about the daily devotion.

More information to come. What do you think? For years we have kept everything we have created just for Faith Promise and now we want others to have the opportunity to benefit.

Yours to count on,

Pastor

Hey Gang,

I posted previously about a leader and his constant companion of pain. Most people have been able to feel the pain of leadership and know what I’m talking about. One of the pains I listed was constant criticism and real rejection. I have been on the receiving end of this kind of pain so many times it is mind-boggling.

How do we cope with something none of us want to endure or experience?

1. Know it is coming. We must be forewarned and prepared. As I read of one missionary: “It is not the elephants that get you, it is the termites.”   It is not one big deal, but the daily deal of dealing with the pain. Jesus experienced it and so must we. This is not a negative confession, it is the Bible.

2. Choose now to be a God-pleaser. If you want to please people you will not be able to honor God, and you will never please them anyway. We must make hard decisions and lead down difficult roads, so be ready for the fall-out. It will come. Decide you will attempt to honor and please God in each and every action and attitude.

3. Be gracious to people when they disagree. People will criticize and reject you, but it does not need to be because you have a bad attitude. If you love those who disagree and listen to them, most will follow you.

4. Let people leave that want to.  I think most church members have a life-span at one church. People will leave and that is O.K., so let it be good with you.  You can’t take it personally.  Remember they crucified the Lord and killed most of the prophets. You will experience some of the same. Be ready!

5. Realize and recognize that if you are the leader you will be out front and you become an easy target. So expect some “friendly fire.” We prepare for attacks from the devil not the disciples.

To be forewarned is to be prepared. You are not alone. “You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.” Jesus is with you. The Holy Spirit fills you. We love you. This blog is for you; you are not alone.

Yours to count on,

Pastor

Hey Gang,

We live in a world of comfort, insurance, and hopefully no pain or problems. In this culture of “take it easy,” moving into a position which promises pain is not popular. Some ignore the warning in the Word and are shocked when pain occurs. The Scripture is sure that pain is the constant companion of leaders in the Kingdom of God. Read 1 Corinthians 11:23-28 and see some of the pain Paul felt in his leadership. In verse 28 he said: “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure (or burden) on me of concern for all the churches.”  If you read the whole passage, Paul paints the picture of pain that is external and pain internal. He lived with pain.

Lets look as some of the pain we each face:

1. Pain of making decisions.  As leaders the Lord gives us His vision for His Church.  We have the responsibility of leading the Church to follow and achieve this goal. Paul had started several churches and he cared for each one. You may lead only one church or small group or ministry, but you have a vision and you want to  see it happen.  It is a constant pain you live with.  We must do it with passion.  Remember the definition I gave last week: “Passion is what we are willing to endure to accomplish the goal.”  We must have great passion to see His will accomplished.

2. The pain of rejection and criticism. Every leader has felt this sting in his or her ministry. I can’t count the number of people that have walked out the door, never to return. It is a painful part of leadership. There is no way around this.  Remember we have the commission of leading to the vision that God has given; we have no choice but to please Him and not people.

3. The changes we have to make.  As we grow and are used as leaders, the Lord will prune us.  Jesus speaks of it in John chapter 15. Many times the pruning or changes the Lord makes in us is painful, but it is essential to achieving our potential.

Remember the Disciples after they had been beaten by the religious leaders: “They went away rejoicing because they were considered worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus.” To become a leader you will experience pain - it will be your constant companion.

What do you think? Have you felt it?

Yours to count on,

Pastor