I have been out of the office this past week at the Spiritual Leadership Conference in Lancaster, Ca.  The LORD used the preaching to speak to my heart and challenge me. I am very excite about putting into practice what I have learned.

Here is a new outline:

I.  Why Should We Forgive?  Because of the:
1. Grace factor-you were forgiven - If you don't forgive it disgraces you
2. Guilt factor-you still need forgiveness day by day - If you don't forgive you will be discouraged
3. Grief factor-you will fill yourself with bitterness - Unforgivness drives away the lost
4. Gain factor-reconciled Mat 18:15 - The Devil delights in the division unforgiveness causes

Jesus is the model for forgiveness, He forgives:
1. Freely-spontaneous & quick
2. Fully-completely
3. Finally-don't bring it up again
4. Forcefully-it is not natural you must force yourself to forgive

Results of forgiveness
1. Personal emancipation
2. Reconciliation
3. Spiritual jubilation

SUCCESSFUL PASTOR.

I The 2:8-12

Paul gives us a description of a successful pastor. 

The sussessful pastor:

I.      Loves. vs 8

A.   Invest in your people. 

1.     Accept the risks.  (People invest in the stock market.)  There will be losses and gains.

2.     Impart implies a giving without restraint.

C.    Invest in yourself.  You cannot give what you do not possess.

D.   Successful pastors learns to invest in his people and himself.

II.   Labors. vs 9

A.   “Labour” here refers to hard work.  It is more than just toil.

B.    “Travail” implies a difficult birth.

C.    “Night and day” pictures a before sunrise start with an after sunset end.

D.   A pastor must be willing to work and work hard.

E.    He must work for the Lord and for his people.

III. Learns.  vs 10  Paul suggests three areas we need to Learn in.

A.       To Be Holy.  Leadership must lead you to holy ground.

B.        To Be Just.  Leadership must be righteous or proper in behavior.

C.        To Be Unblameabe.  Leadership must live so there is no cause for censure.

IV. Leans.  vs11. Sometimes as Pastors we must Lean on folks

A.   Exhort.

1.  This is a term of encouragement and strengthening.

2.     Successful pastors must be able to encourage his people.

3.     Successful pastors must be a source of strength for his people.

B.    Comfort.

1.     Dual term that deals simultaneously with admonition and consolation.

2.     Successful pastors must be able to provide comfort and give strength.

C.    Charge.

1.     This provides the idea of presenting commands, orders, or directives.

2.     Successful pastors must continually remind his people of what is right.             

How Effective Leaders Plan

The Old adage says, "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail." It may be trite but it still is true. Every hour you spend in planning, you're likely to save five times that in the execution.

One of the great leader-planners in ancient times was a guy named Nehemiah. You can read his fascinating biography in a book of the Bible with his name - "Nehemiah". Space won't allow me to tell his whole story, but to summarize: Nehemiah took a group of discouraged, defeated people and managed to pull off an impossible building project in just 52 days. In the second chapter of his book he illustrates…

The Six Steps of Successful Planning

1. THINK IT THROUGH (Neh 2:1) The difference between leaders and followers begins with this: Leaders take the time to think about the future before it arrives. Followers just let the future happen to them. "Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly." Pro 13:16

2. PREPARE FOR OPPORTUNITIES (Neh 2: 1-3) When opportunity knocks, will your church be ready for growth or business be ready to open the door? We miss so many great opportunities by not being prepared. Often, I hear people say "Some people have all the luck!" I might reply, "Yes, the more I plan the luckier I get!"

3. ESTABLISH A GOAL (Neh 2:5) Most people tend to make two major mistakes in goal-setting: (1) They set their goals too low, and (2) They attempt to achieve them too quickly. Make your goals large and long-term. Then, break them down into short-term components.

4. SET A DEADLINE (Neh 2:6)
Without a deadline - you don't have a goal - it's just wishful thinking. Deadlines turn dreams into goals. This is the calendering and scheduling phase of planning.

5. ANTICIPATE THE PROBLEMS (Neh 5:7) Leaders anticipate problems before they happen and seek solutions before problems occur. Leaders focus on solving tomorrow's problems. Managers focus on today's problems. Of course, both are necessary in any healthy organization.

6. CALCULATE THE COSTS (Neh 5:8) Every goal has a price tag attached to it. This is the budgeting part of planning. Ask two questions: (1) What will it cost? (2) Is it worth it?

IDENTIFYING A WISE MAN

Proverbs 1:1-5. 

Pro 1:5  "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:"  

The definition for wisdom is – “the ability and desire to make choices that honor God.”  

The purpose of Proverbs is to produce wise men and to give them instructions of wisdom and understanding. Pro 1:2  To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

1. A Wise Man Will Always Be Increasing His Knowledge And Intellect -  Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 

2. A Wise Man Will Love One That Rebukes Him - Pro 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 

3. A Wise Man Will Accept Instruction As Learning Input - Pro 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

4. A Wise Man Knows When To Speak - Pro 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.  

5. A Wise Man Listens To Counsel - Pro 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. 

6. A Wise Man’s Wisdom Will Rub Off On Others - Pro 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. 

7. A Wise Man Will Not Associate With Evil - Pro 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. 

8. A Wise Man Will Obey The Law - Pro 28:7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father. 

9. A Wise Man Thinks Before He Speaks - Pro 29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. 

10. A Wise Man Will Win Souls - Pro 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

SOUL WINNING (Personal & Churchwide) 

The Importance of Soul Winning in the Local Church:

·        It is the gasoline -- adding the influence, excitement and power that keeps a ministry on track.

·        A successful church must have a balance between soul winning and discipling new converts.

·        Without the foundation of personal soul winning as the driving influence of a ministry, it is very easy for a church to lose its vision, its purpose, its drive, its excitement, and its forward growth thrust.

Our Church Should Maintain a Weekly Soul Winning, Visitation, and Door Knocking Time:

·        Monday or Thursday night and Saturday mornings seems to work well for most churches.

·        The weekly visitation time should be organized thoroughly.

·        It should start on time, with prayer, and with all prospect cards pre-grouped to specific sec­tions of the area, etc.

·        Teams of two are to be sent out all over the area to follow up on church visitors, regardless of the need.

·        It is important to have a staffed church nursery available so that mothers will be able to go soul winning.

Records / Prospects

·        A good record system, which includes a correct flow of in­formation between different ministries of the church, is needed for establishing an outreach program.

·        The procedure should not only lead to someone accepting Christ, but also to involving him with the total ministry of the church.

·        The church should stock and use the following forms:

1.     Visitors' Cards

2.     Sunday School Enrollment Forms

3.     Visitation Prospect Cards

4.     Membership Forms

5.     Sunday School Visitors' Cards

·        No one should ever visit any function of the church with­out having his/her name and address taken — a prospect for soul winning and church membership should never be taken lightly.

·        There are many software programs available that will handle all of the church's visitors and prospects.

Training (Two Areas of Training are Needed in Soul Winning):

·        It is good for the pastor himself to teach a two-hour soul winning lecture or seminar a couple of times per year. This allows every church mem­ber to have the opportunity of  learning "how to" win his friends and loved ones to Christ.

·        The church should also establish an ongoing soul win­ning teams which is built on a trainer/trainee relationship. People who are involved in a training program of this type will not only know how to win others to Christ, but will also learn the discipline of being a great soul winner in an environment of responsi­bility and accountability.

Dangers  (There are Two Dangers to Consider):

·        A church that founds itself on real soul winning zeal, uses it to build towards financial stability, then drops the soul winning thrust after certain numerical goals have been reached WILL BE STALE. People sit in amazement and wonder why things are not as exciting  and growing as they used to be.

·        A second danger is for a church to look for "quick methods" and try to use them to reach other people to Christ. It is always hoped that something new will come along which will replace Book of Acts, New Testament evangelism. This, of course, never happens. . . , . ...»

A church that will maintain a good soulwinning foundation in its ministry, will be rewarded with enthusiasm, excitement, fulfillment, growth, and most of all, the assurance of knowing that it is working on that which is closest to the heart of our God.

Preaching of the Cross

1.    Separates Societies 1 Cor 1:17-24

          Unbelievers           -  Believers

a)      Foolishness           -  Faith

b)      Drives                   -  Draws

c)      Damns                  -  Delivers

d)     Stumbling Block  -  Stepping Stone

2.    Saves Sinners 1 Cor 15:1-4

a)      Preaching of the Gospel vs 1a

b)      Plan of the Gospel vs 1b

c)      Power of the Gospel vs 2

d)     Principles of the Gospel vs 3-4

3.    Satisfies Saints 1 Cor 15:12-24

a)      Our Regeneration vs 12-16

b)      Our Reunion vs 18-19

c)      Our Resurrection vs 20-24

Sayings About and For Pastors

Dr. Harold Sightler

My pastor, Dr Harold Sightler said,

"You feed sheep every day, you shear sheep once or twice a year, but you only skin sheep once."

·       The most interesting point some preachers make is the stopping point.

·       Preachers who used to preach on women's clothes have been compelled to turn to other topics. There just wasn't enough material.

·       The preacher who cannot broaden or deepen his sermons usually lengthens them.

·       If you need some kind of excuse, see your preacher; he has heard more than anyone else.

·       Far too many men in the pulpit deal in dry goods and notions.

·       The preacher's business is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

·       Second wind is what some preachers get when they say, "And now in conclusion..."

·       The preacher's prayer ought to be, "O Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff and nudge me when I've said enough."

·        A preacher was fired for two reasons: he had a poor delivery, and he never had much to deliver.

·       Sermons, like biscuits, are improved by shortening.

·       The eternal Gospel does not require an everlasting sermon.

·       The great preachers are not the men who master their messages but the men who are mastered by their messages.

·       It takes more religion to preach to one person than to a multitude.

·       The best theology is the fruit of "kneeology."

·       There is no pulpit so vacant as the one without the message of the love of God.

·       There is a vast difference between having something to say and having to say something.

·       If people sleep during the sermon, the minister needs to be awakened.

·       The best education possible is essential, but there are ministers who are dying by "degrees."

·       Some ministers with doctoral degrees do not seem to have learned the alphabet in the school of Christ.

·       There are two fools in the pulpit: one -who will take nothing from anybody, the other who will take everything from everybody.

·       There are ministers who will not heed the snap of a man's finger but will give complete attention to the snap of his pocketbook.

·       Some ministers lambaste their people because they do not pay more, when the people feel they are paying more than they are getting.

·       Some ministers have a wealth of thought; others have a thought for wealth.

·       When a person enters Christian work for money, there is the Devil to pay.

·       Sermons are like bread - delicious when fresh, but when a month old, hard to cut, harder to eat, and hardest to digest.

·       Ministers should not only have a smooth train of thought but also a terminal.