Why Am I Here?

Please forgive me as I begin this blog with a rundown of my credentials on the subject at hand.  It is not intended to be self-serving, but merely a means of demonstrating some expertise in the arguments I will make here.  I admit, there was a time in my recent past where that would not have been the case – a time when I was hard at work building a kingdom for myself.  Today, the Lord has given me work that is worthy of His calling and the grace to live it out the words of Jeremiah 9:24.

“But let the one who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me [and acknowledges Me and honors Me as God and recognizes without any doubt], that I am the Lord who practices lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for in these things I delight,” says the Lord.” AMP

So, I offer - as background only - the gifts and experiences He has given me to do His work, both in the church and in the culture.  Whatever I have contributed to the world, I assure you it was only made possible by his grace and it is merely a fraction of the many failures His grace has overcome.     

That being said, I will say I am an educated and experienced expert in organizational leadership.  That is a factual, though not-so-humble-sounding, way of saying I know a lot about how organizations tick, how to turn them around when they are failing and how to help them grow when they are not.  I started in this line of work as a business troubleshooter for a large corporation when I was thirty, helping revive struggling divisions across the company.  That work evolved into a long and rewarding career as an organizational turn-around specialist.

This field in which I have practiced for more than 35 years, is where we get organizational concepts like mission, vision, core values, and strategy – words you may have recently heard around here at NUMC.  Like most every organization in the world, we are implementing a formal approach to planning and growth, and I am very grateful for and proud of the work of our brother, Brad Williams, and the Strategic Planning Team he has been leading for about a year.  In case you didn’t know, it was this team working with our amazing staff that codified the need for the renovation of Hildreth Hall as the new home of our children and youth ministries.  If you haven’t been over there to see it, please stop by for a tour.  It is quite spectacular.      

As we venture into this process, however, I am given to pause and reflect on the question at the top of this blog – why am I here?  I have done this work across the spectrum of organization types – mom and pop companies, small non-profits, Fortune 500 companies, state and federal government, private sector, and churches. Most of the projects were successful, but not all of them.  I do not have any empirical data to prove my claim, but – in my experience – the group that has benefited the least from rigorous strategic planning is churches and the sharp decline in the church’s influence on our culture has been the result. It’s not because churches don’t try it. They do. Try to find a church in this area without a published mission and vision statement. So, why does it often not help?

I’ve heard many arguments, most of which attempt to draw sharp distinctions between spiritual and secular experiences and attack the folly of trying to use natural processes to effect supernatural change (which is NOT what strategic planning attempts to do).  I don’t buy these arguments. I believe the answer is much simpler than all that.  My theory is this – the success of any strategic plan is dependent upon the way leaders and working level members of any organization answer the critical question before us today – why am I here?

When I assess an organization, I ask participants to answer the question, “Why are you here?” I grade the answers in a range from Level 1 to Level 5 (a concept of leadership I learned in Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great.)  Level 1 leaders and workers will always give answers like, “great pay and benefits,” “good working hours,” “nice people,” “close to home”, etc.  As good as they might be at their jobs, these people are not truly “all-in” and will quickly change their viewpoints when the execution of strategic plans inconvenience them.

Level 5 leaders and workers will answer more like this - “I believe in the mission,” “I have found a sense of purpose here,” “I can contribute something good to the world,” “I make a difference,” and “I am called to this work in this place.”  These folks are all-in.

Ask the average church member on any given Sunday why they come to any particular church and you are bound to get answers like, “I feel loved here,” “The people are so friendly and welcoming,” “The music is amazing,” “My kids love it,” or “My family feels safe and supported here.” All great answers and exactly what we want to hear from newer people - who Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians are here to be fed - but not from longer-term members who should not only be self-feeding, but feeding others, as well.   

From them, we should expect to hear “This is where I have grown close to the Lord,” or “I found a place here where God can use my gifts, talents, and passions to bring the love and grace of Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting world.” If you ever hear anyone say something like that, get that person on a leadership track right away!

My theory postulates that the success of any church plan is based on the ratio of Level 5 to Level 1 participants who have been regular attenders for more than one year.  That is why I have such great hope for the future of NUMC.  I believe our ratio is very good!  This is partially shown to me by our general response to the changes we have seen just in the past two months – and a lot has changed in that short time. Yet, with few exceptions, we have been able to set aside our individual parochial interests to accommodate the redemptive work we do - and wish to do - all across our community.

God has blessed us with people who are here for the mission. If you aren’t convinced, pay a visit to our Thrift Store, or sit down with our children and youth leaders.  These people are all-in, Level 5 leaders and workers.

Thank you for being a church that is willing to take risks and break new ground for the sake of the Gospel.  As we go forward, we will need everyone on the team.  More changes are around the corner, I’m sure.  I’m also sure our commitment to Christ’s ongoing mission here in Navarre and everywhere else will be tested again and again.        

Why am I here? The short answer is to glorify God.  God created us for His glory; our purpose is to glorify Him and, in this fallen world, to make Him known to others (Isaiah 43:7; Matthew 28:18–19).  Of course, this is the answer that should always be in the hearts of Level 5 believers.  So, our question today is one each of us should ask and pray about regularly.  If you don’t want to do that, you can just wait for the inevitable day when our ever-evolving church plan brings some change that will affect you.  Your response will tell you – and maybe others – exactly where you stand.

Grace and Peace!

It's Kinda Like Christmas

You just never know what is going to be inside that box.....

When items come to the thrift store to be donated, they come in a myriad of containers. Some donations come in trash bags, some in diaper boxes, some in plastic bins with lids, others items stuffed into old luggage. The great team at the donation door receives all these donations, and then takes them to the areas of the store to then be sorted, cleaned and priced. But the packaging is frequently deceiving. Neatly folded clothing in a spotless bin can be covered in stains and really stink. A trash bag full of linens can contain sheets still packaged from the store. A beat up box can hold crystal bowls. You just never know what is coming through the donation door, and judgement can not be made based on the container that it comes in.

 Aren't people like that too? The customer that doesn't look like they have 2 nickels to rub together gives a $5 donation to the store. A  neatly dressed lady asks for food for her children, as she has just used her last paycheck to pay the utility bill. We just never know where someone has come from, and what challenge they are up against. We are not asked to judge or jump to assumptions based on what we see on the outside. As the saying goes, we should not judge a book by its cover. We are just asked to love thy neighbor as ourselves. Sometimes that means not saying what we are thinking, or simply  giving the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes it means saying something when we are shy or just want to walk away. We are not called to offer judgement, but to offer kindness. You will never regret being kind. 

Now, go ahead, offer the smile you would like to recieve, let that driver in on 98, no matter what kind of care they are driving. Remember it is not the outer packaging, it is the contents that really matter. 

Beyond the Fish Gate

One of the things that always brightens my day is listening to people read the Bible out loud. You suddenly get to names like Bezalel and Oholiab and one of two things happen. Either the person reading speeds through it hoping no one else is going to question their pronunciation, or there’s a pause where you can see the wheels turning in their head. I’ll let you all in on a secret… Nobody is comfortable saying those names and the rest of us are just glad we weren’t the ones having to attempt pronouncing them in front of anyone else.

One of the reasons I love this so much is that it triggers a thought process of who is that person and what did they do to make it into the Bible. Bezalel and Oholiab? They were the primary builders of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. They enabled generations of Israelites to worship God and the created the quintessential symbol for early Israel, yet nobody remembers them, let alone feels comfortable trying to pronounce their name. But they have one major thing going for them, they are immortalized in the Bible. People hundreds of years from now will still read their names, even if it is mispronounced, and will discover and rediscover that these two guys helped change the course of history.

You’ll find countless names in the Bible of people who helped do something that seems trivial. I mean, basically half the book of Nehemiah is just listing names of people and families and telling you what they did. But when you take just a moment to think about what their work actually means, you will never be disappointed. Take the sons of Hassenaah who built the fish gate. This passage really does get lost in the midst of all the other repairs and lists of people working, but this gate was the main way into the city from the sea of Galilee. The majority of the protein people ate was fish, and so this one gate allowed an entire city to be fed safely. It’s a huge deal, even if it sounds ridiculous and forgettable.

These people probably had no idea that their names would be attached to their work for millennia through holy scriptures. They certainly didn’t do it for that purpose. They did it because it needed to be done and it was something either God asked them to do or their religious leader.

I have great news, you have the same opportunity! There is stuff that needs to be done and your religious leaders are asking you to do it. We need more volunteers in just about every area of our church. From nursery workers, to greeters, cooks, coffee fellowship, small group leaders, ushers, kids ministry volunteers, youth workers, sound techs, camera operators, singers, counters, gardeners, data entry, and so much more. We need you. And while some of these things might almost sound like they’d fit right in with the fish gate, they are all just as important as the fish gate actually was.

When we talk about greeters, the gist of that job is just to say hi to people and to be a friendly face. Seriously, that’s like 90% of the job once you count opening doors for people. But what you don’t see from the outside is that almost every guest will determine if they are coming back to a church int he first 5 minutes of being on campus. That clock starts from the time they turn off of HWY 98, not when the service starts. So by the time they find a parking spot, figure out where they are going and walk to the sanctuary, our greeters are the last line of convincing them that we are a church family that they can belong to. A greeter by themselves can make a family feel welcomed, loved, and safe. And when you think about the hundreds of guests we have a year, all of them are met at the door by a greeter, and the ones who come back are because our greeters did a good job. It’s such a vital part of the church life and yet we often dismiss it as just saying hi to folks.

Every aspect of our church and volunteer opportunity’s matter. It might not be immediately apparent why they matter that much, but without any single one of those things I listed above our church would fail to be an obedient church.

I can’t promise you that by serving your name will be immortalized. But what I can promise you is that serving God will never return void. You will be a blessing to so many others, and as a selfish return, your own life will be blessed, even if not in the ways you expect.

If you want more information about our volunteer opportunities, please stop one of the staff, call the church office, or talk to guest services. You can even fill out a connect card or talk to anyone wearing a blue Navarre polo shirt. We’d all love to help you get connected.

Thank God

One of the most popular quotes ever, “Thank God”. Thinking back when I was a kid, “thank God “came out of my mouth quite a bit. Whether it was over a test I was struggling on and passed, or just making it through another hard day according to the mind of this teenager. As I became an adult the words still poured out of my mouth. Bills paid, I found a job, she still likes me, or just making it through another tough day. Thank God! The crazy thing is, I really didn’t believe in God back then, or I was the one to say, “I’ll know when I get there”. “There”, hmmm. Somewhere deep inside of me was a little hint of knowing that there is a heaven, thus meaning there is a God. I gave myself to God 7 years ago and it has been the greatest decision I’ve ever made. I know there is a heaven and I know he is listening and watching over me. Watching over all of us! Now, I see a bunch of Jamel’s out there say that popular phrase and don’t believe in God. Crazy but all I can do is just smile and say to myself, “they’ll come around”. The spirit is within them, they just don’t know it yet. Some might but are too stubborn to except it. That’s ok because I know they will come around. And when they do, yes!!! I can’t say what all the great things will be instore for them now that they have given themselves to Christ because it will be up to them. And I’m not saying that every day is going to be like The Sound of Music, and they’ll be dancing and sing in fields of beauty. That’ll happen in heaven. But it is safe to say that they will feel better than they were before. God will throw challenges at you through life. Challenges that will make you wonder if he even likes you or not. God doesn’t like you; he loves you more than you will ever know. God does not throw challenges at you that you cannot overcome. He has the tools and the weapons for you to prevail. You just need to look and listen, and the solution will present itself. Folks, we need to pray every day, not just for you and your family, but the whole world. For the ones who don’t believe, we especially need to pray for them because when we pray for folks like them, we are putting Christ into their hearts, whether they know it or not. I love the feeling I get after praying for someone. I can almost hear God say, “Thank You”. No, thank you God for being patient with me on coming around. I am a disciple, a fisherman and a true believer! My life has changed for the good. Wow!! I love this! THANK GOD!

Tales from the Thrift

The thrift store and We Care ministry serves a diverse population. We are in the business of helping people. And we do it alot, every day. Sometimes the volunteers here do not see who we are helping. What is seen is Candace quietly giving food to someone outside the door, or just hearing me yelling and seeing me run around asking for a particular size of shorts or shoes for someone at the door. 

One day a young man came to our mission, asking for help. He shared that he is currently going through a difficult time, and wanted to get back home to his family in Washington. That would be the state, not DC, just about as far away from Florida as one can get. He had been employed, lost his job, and was currently making do living out of a tent not too far away. We gave him some food, and asked him to return the next day, so we could look into how we could help. He returned, and we set out to help the best we could. The cost of getting him home was surprisingly quite reasonable, and for us, very doable.  We purchased him a bus ticket to Washington, and an Uber ride to the bus station. He was very appreciative, and we wished him well. Candace and I thought that was the end of the story. This was one of many bus tickets we have bought to help others in tough spots get to where they need to be.  A couple weeks later, when the phone rang in the office at We Care, a young man was on the other end. He identified himself as being the same young man that we had helped earlier, and stated that he was calling from Washington state. To say thank you. He did not need to do this, but wanted to express his appreciation for our help. Amazing. What came to mind was the Bible story from the book of Luke, in which the man with leprosy was healed, and returned to say thank you. Here at We Care, do not expect a thank you.  We do what we do because it is what is asked of us. And yet, this young man went out of his way to call us and express his gratitude. We never know who will need help, or when we will need help. What we do know is that faith and gratitude will carry us through both the good and tough times.