Has anyone seen my last nerve?

As a pastor who is knee-deep in the disciple making process, I can guarantee that you will at times find yourself frustrated. Making disciples is an intimate process, a challenging process and in the end, a very fulfilling and rewarding process.

Making disciples is completely different from that of evangelism or even focusing on church growth.

The art of making disciples calls for pouring of yourself, teaching and imparting, and empowering those the Father has sent to you.

Jesus had 12 of them. He ate with them, traveled with them, worked ministry with them, taught them and encouraged them.

Twelve men hand-picked by the Father, who would then eventually turn the world upside down for the cause of Christ.

But the road getting them there was bumpy and at times frustrating.

Jesus even had His moments.

There are several occasions throughout the gospels where Jesus asked them, "Are you so dull?" Translated, you're still not getting this? You still don't understand? Jesus even asked them, "How long do you think I'm going to be with you?" (see Mark 9:19)

Then, a few were concerned about positions of power and prestige (see Mark 10:35-41). This is highly frustrating to a leader! Here you are trying to impart wisdom and they are worried about who gets to be seen.

Even on the cusp of Jesus betrayal and death He asked them, could you not watch and pray one hour with me (see Mark 14:37-38)?

So even Jesus experienced moments of frustration with those He was teaching.

And I can assure you, you will have yours too.

I remember asking my husband once, "Is this thing on?" I was tapping my pretend microphone to dramatically inquire, "Is anybody really getting this?"

Jesus taught and poured for three years.

Three years.

So that should clue you in that the process is lengthy, but worthwhile.

At the end of those three years, the apostles went on to do marvelous things for the Kingdom. You and I are Christians today because of their work; because of the foundation they laid. Not too bad for a group Jesus once considered slow in understanding.

The key thing to remember is that the disciples eventually got it. It all came together and made sense and then they were able to run.

So those of you deep in the disciple-making process take heart. You're in good company; Jesus got frustrated. But in the end you discover, all the time and labor pays off and you have people who are strong in their faith, committed to the things of God and will in turn repeat the process themselves.

Be encouraged beloved.

Keep making disciples.

Pastor Lisa

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Now Available

This is one of those projects truly birthed by the Holy Spirit.

I remember one morning under His inspiration, He said to write. So I began to write. That day I wrote for four hours straight. What had just been created was for the Kingdom. I submitted it to a good friend of mine who is also an author and asked her what she thought. My thoughts were it was too long for a blog or magazine article and not quite long enough for a book.

That's when she pushed me.

She said, "Lisa I know there's more in you."

So I went back and began to write and more poured out.

After I finished writing I put it away and really did not think about it much.

One day Holy Spirit said to get it done NOW.

So here you have it. A book birthed for the Kingdom. It is for those who are married and work in ministry together. Think of it as an extension of this blog. If one of you is just serving, I know you will still be blessed.

There's even a chapter on how to rear the un-stereotypical preacher's kid.

My beloved and I are preparing to host a teleconference on the subject and will keep all of you informed. You will be able to ask questions and even share your testimony and comments.

Know that we appreciate your support of this project! And be sure to pass this link along to others who you think may benefit.

God bless,

Pastor Lisa

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Excerpt from Marriage and Minstry

Divide and Conquer

When we first started the ministry people were bold enough to tell me that I was more anointed than my husband. That it was me that should hold the title of senior pastor. It amazed me that someone would try to pit me against my husband.

"Are you serious?" is the thought that always ran through my head when confronted with this ideology. They had no idea what worked in my husband but I did.

You have to know and believe in the gift and calling in your spouse because this type of false flattery is dangerous to the marriage and the ministry. People will have you think it's you and all you. They will fill your head with how wonderful you are and have you discount the anointing and power that resides in your spouse. That opens up a door for the enemy to come in and attempt a hostile takeover.

If the flesh is not put to death daily it will gladly entertain lies in the form of flattery. A flattering tongue will praise you and discount your spouse. If you entertain this foolishness it is an easy leap into believing that your charisma and gift are holding the ministry together. These thoughts must be annihilated quickly, if not it will destroy both the marriage and the ministry.

Take God's perspective on the issue. When you get married the word says the two become one flesh. God sees you as one. There is no my calling and your calling. It all works together.

If one of you walks in the office a prophet, and God uses the other to give prophetic word in a particular setting; it simply means that you are gifted differently to advance the Kingdom. If one partner is an extrovert and the other an introvert, it all works together to benefit those you lead.

Know and celebrate the gifts within the two of you.

Don't let the enemy throw emphasis on the differences.

It all works together for the building of the Kingdom.

______________________________________

Purchase your copy of Marriage and Ministry today.

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How come mine doesn't look like that?

If we're honest with ourselves, every once in awhile we do it.

We compare our ministry to another ministry.

In our hearts we know this is futile. And we may never publicly acknowledge but those thoughts do run across our mind. Sometimes we'll quickly dismiss them or depending on what's going on with us and/or the ministry, we'll entertain them.

Dear friends of ours planted a ministry close to the same time we did nearly four years ago. And let me tell you their ministry has grown and God has blessed them. They were able to build out an office warehouse in nine weeks with 15 people. They have everything we would say makes church, church: praise and worship singers, praise dancers, musicians, padded church chairs, a beautifully decorated sanctuary, classrooms, offices, a fellowship hall -- it's all there. And the power of God moves, the worship is insane and the Word of God flows! I love going to visit!

And as much as I love my friend there were times I would ask God, "So what's like going on God?"

"How come it worked like that over there and not over here?"

One sure way to annoy God is to question how He is running his business. It's like the backseat driver telling the driver which way he should have gone.

I remember God asking, "Can I do something you've never seen before?"

"Well, OK God," was my response.

Then sometime later God reminded me once again that my husband and I gave Him permission to do what He wanted to do in His house. So when it started shaping up into something that I didn't recognize as "church" that's when He said think more "First Church."

But part of me wanted to be like my friend's church. Where was our building? When were the musicians coming? When were the singers coming? Because to me that equaled success. And I wanted to use that same measure for our ministry and it would frustrate me that in my eyes we did not measure up.

But that's not what God was saying about us.

We have to be careful on how we're measuring success because it is not based on what you see; but on the leaders obedience. Success is going to be different for each leader and each ministry.

And for a short season we tried to do church as usual . . . all kinds of programs and events; it didn't work.

How silly was I for questioning His design plan for the ministry He had entrusted to us?

When I came to grips that this was going to be something different, I abandoned my ideas of what made a church successful and chose to be obedient. A Kingdom mentality really settled within me and I realized that this was much bigger than me. It was bigger than the ministry. We were functioning parts of the body and we needed to do what we were called to do.

Today the ministry is successful because my husband and I are obedient to what God says regarding this house. The people of God benefit because we're not trying to do church like anybody else.

So beloved whether you are overseeing 10 or ten thousand, having worship in your home, in a store front, in a hotel or beautifully decorated sanctuary; be obedient to what God has said to you and your success is guaranteed.

And know that success will look different for each; and that's OK.

To continue to compare yourself to another and use a measure not designed for you will only frustrate you and keep you from your purpose.

The sheep God has entrusted to you need you to be obedient. They need the unique thing God has placed in you.

Keep pressing beloved!

You're in my prayers,

Pastor Lisa

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Oh, that's just Pastor _________.

Man and woman of God; what works in you is awesome!

The gifts and calling imparted to you by Holy Spirit allows God's will to be done on earth!

But something happens inside a ministry that will slow down a move of God and leave the essence of your gifts dormant. It will have you leave a service scratching your head and wondering what happened.

It's called familiarity and it happens to most of us.

I remember hearing a pastor say that she enjoyed going out to minister because she was able to minister on a completely different level. That there was a level of expectation in the house for God to move and this released the gift of God in her. She said this was not the case "at home" because there she was just the pastor.

A year ago we visited a friend's church and the first lady introduced her husband. She recalled a similar incident in their home church. She explained that one Sunday she admonished the people to raise their expectations...to unwrap the gift that was in their pastor and receive from God through him. The gift was there to bless them but they had to want it. They had to want a move of God. There had to be expectation. Needless to say that Sunday morning God moved in such a wonderful way.

So many times church becomes routine, parishioners become familiar and levels of expectation drop and the gift of God inside the man and woman of God go untapped. Sure you minister, you lay hands and pray but you find yourself in the same situation as our Lord.

But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. - Mark 6:4

So how do you encourage expectancy?

Other than prayer, fasting and preaching sound doctrine; I have no other solution. It's certainly not through flashy, fleshy, gimmicky marketing promotions either. Not if you're looking for a real move of God.

I encourage you to continue if you find yourself in this place.

Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Know that God blesses and rewards your faithfulness and your obedience.

The gifts Holy Spirit placed in you work and bless those who'll tap into it.

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Who is Qualified to Minister Who?

As a minister and pastor I find myself ministering to those who have experienced things in their lives that I have never encountered. They live through x, y, and z daily while I have no clue what it is to live in that way.

But God sees fit for our paths to cross, He'll pour out of me and they walk away healed and delivered.

I gave this some thought because of some things I've heard from behind the pulpit and even on TV. And that is, how can "you" effectively minister to me the x, y, and z when you've never experienced or been through x, y, and z?

Let's look at Jesus our elder brother and perfect example.

Jesus was never a fornicator, but was able to minister to the woman at the well.

Jesus was never blind, but opened blinded eyes.

Jesus was never possessed by a demon, but was able to cast out devils.

Jesus never had leprosy, but healed the leprous.

So you have to ask, how was Jesus able to minister to people who were so unlike himself? The scriptures teach that he was tempted as we are but without sin. He was very much acquainted with our sorrows and griefs...yet without sin. And he was still able to heal and deliver.

Jesus said he came to do the will of his father. He had no agenda other than the one his father laid out for him. He worked the works of him who sent him.

If Jesus who knew no sin was able to minister to the sinner, surely I can minister to the drunk even though I've never been drunk.

Why?

Because I'm not ministering out of myself.

As ministers we have to realize it's not about us.

We're not supposed to minister out of ourselves in the first place. Flesh will fail you every time.

We must depend on something much greater than ourselves. We must solely depend on Holy Spirit to do what needs to be done. The spirit of God knows all things and it's Holy Spirit who should be in operation when we minister. It's the word of the Lord speaking to that person through us. It's the Spirit discerning the hearts of men and tells you exactly what needs to be done for that person to receive what God has for them.

When we depend on ourselves, when we depend on our education, when we depend on anything or anyone else but the Spirit of God to minister we dismiss the possibility for the miraculous. We fore go true deliverance and repentance when we do it ourselves.

So who is qualified to minister to who?

The minister who is devoted and dependent on God, who is led and operates by the Spirit of God is qualified to get the job done. Holy Spirit is very effective regardless of a man's past.

So be encouraged man and woman of God. When God sends people so unlike yourself for you to minister too...take heart...it's the Spirit of God who will minister through you and bring about God's desired results. You don't have to do anything but remain yielded to the Spirit and that should be comforting!

God Bless!

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They Come with the Building

Who are the they you ask?

The cons.

The homeless.

The mentally ill.

The abused.

After you've had your last service in your home or hotel and you're in your building you can expect these souls to show up at your church's doorstep.

The Cons
Some of the stories are so over the top you know immediately that there's not a shred of truth to what they're saying. But they will press you hard for your cash and say whatever they need too to get you to part with it. We found more times than not drug use was at the root of these elaborate stories.

We encountered one woman who claimed to have run from an abusive situation with her children from another state. We never saw the children. They were always with someone else which we found odd since she was new to the city. We called the shelter where she was supposedly moved to by police escort just to validate her story. Someone at the shelter confirmed her story but it still didn't sit right. We used a bit of wisdom and only parted with some household items and a few groceries. She came a few times and again never with the kids and then we never heard from her again. We tried to followup but to no avail.

The lesson here is to use wisdom. Validate and confirm stories if you can and follow the Holy Spirit's leading. I know some churches and pastors never give out cash. Having a stash of gift cards for gas, groceries, fast food restaurants, etc. may be a far better option.


The Homeless and the Mentally Ill
At our first Hallelujah Night celebration, I'll never forget the lady who was told by the maintenance crew to stay in the bushes in front of the church for the night since she had no where to go. Apparently she had just gotten off a Greyhound bus and was trying to find family here in Houston. Her mental health wasn't stable and after the service we started calling around to different shelters to see if they could take her in.

That's when I learned the important lesson of keeping a list of nearby shelters handy. That day I also discovered that all the shelters in the area had a 5 p.m. check in time and if you weren't in by then you were forced to sleep on the street. So we paid for her to stay in a nearby motel for the night, bought her a meal and for that she was extremely grateful.

After that experience we introduced ourselves to assistance ministries and shelters in the area. We also mapped out all the motels within a five-mile radius of the church too. We didn't have the capacity to take these people in and needed to know where to direct them when they showed up at our doorstep.

The Abused
This is a very real issue in the church today. Women who are battered by their husbands, boyfriends will call on you for help. You'll need to direct them to a safe place. And know that even if you lead them to a safe place, sometimes they go back to their abusers or they enter new relationships with the same type of man. Sometimes they do the hard work of looking inward and allow Holy Spirit to change them and heal them.

In all these instances it's important to show the love of Christ and exercise wisdom and discernment.

I highly suggest you compile your own list of motels, homeless shelters and women shelters when you do finally crossover into your own building. Because the hurting in your community come with the building.

Be blessed,

Pastor Lisa

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