Several ministers shared testimonials of how difficult times strengthened their ministries, during the fourth annual Alabama Baptist Leadership/ Church Growth Conference, held April 17-18 at First Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Addressing ministers during a morning session April 18, retired Alabama pastor Hayden Center shared how his church was thrust into a state of chaos when Jimmy Carter sought the presidency in 1976.
Center said he had been a minister 19 years when he assumed pastoral duties at First Baptist Church, Americus, Ga., 25 years ago. The church was in a state of turmoil, and Center worked to bring it together again.
He said it was soon after that Carter decided to run for president. Almost immediately, he said the media descended on the church and some of the old conflicts were brought out again.
It was then Center said he realized the conflicts had never really been resolved, but only glossed over.
Sharing how he prayed, Center said he realized he was trying to do things through his own strength and not God’s.
His ministry was forever changed, Center said, after he began praying for strength. “And I’ve never had a day of depression in 25 years,” he said.
Wallace Russell, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Dothan, also recounted difficult times and offered incites he learned from his struggles.
Growing churches are vital but not at the cost of one’s family, he said.
Sharing from his experiences as a minister for the past 18 years, Russell said he has had many struggles and his family has suffered through all of them.
“(But) through the struggles, I’ve learned more than I would have without the struggles,” he said.
One particularly challenging struggle the Russells dealt with was a teenage son who rebelled but was later led to Christ by Russell.
“[Rebellious children] can happen to a preacher,” Russell noted.
Church growth was another struggle Russell wrestled with time and time again. Now, however, he believes “the greatest thing is my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Another testimonial came from John Porter, pastor of Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, Birmingham, who is nearing the end of active ministry after 42 years.
Porter said ministers should remember not to become big-headed.
“Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought to,” he said.
It is also important, Porter said, that ministers remember it is not their church, but God’s.
Offering a second tip, Porter said preachers should stay focused. “The church is going through tremendous changes, but may you seek out the truth,” he said.
The conference also included a testimonial by Roger Willmore, pastor of First Baptist Church, Weaver.
Willmore shared of his initial reluctance to relocate in Weaver before eventually answering to God’s call. He stressed ministers should keep themselves open to serving where God wants them, regardless of the size of the church or community.
Baptists launch leadership center during Birmingham conference
The Alabama Baptist Center for Leadership Development had its formal launch during the fourth annual Alabama Baptist Leadership/Church Growth Conference, held April 17-18 at First Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Some 172 people from across the state attended the conference. In addition, Edwin Jenkins, director of the office of leadership/church growth with the State Board of Missions, said there were 45 program personalities participating in the conference.
“I feel the conference, overall, was outstanding,” Jenkins said. “We had tremendous reviews from the people attending.”
Jenkins said the conference’s speakers offered “applicable lessons” he believes will prove invaluable to Alabama’s ministers. But Jenkins stressed the launch of the new Center for Leadership Development — described in the conference’s agenda as a special emphasis — will allow the State Board of Missions to equip ministers year-round.
“We want to provide the very best in leadership skills development as an ongoing effort,” Jenkins said.
Prior to the conference Jenkins described the center as a “principled approach to leadership skill development.”
Jenkins said the center’s leadership will come from associations across the state.
“Although the address will be in Montgomery, it will be a partnership throughout our state,” he said.
The center’s mission statement defines its goals as “…to encourage and assist Christian leaders in the development and practice of leadership skills in order to fulfill the Great Commission.”
The launch of the leadership center may also signal a transition from larger meetings like the one in Birmingham to smaller, regional gatherings, according to Jenkins.
Bob Reccord, president of the North American Mission Board, said everything rises and falls on leadership. He said new leaders are needed for the new millennium.
“And those are leaders you find described in the Word of God,” Reccord said.
America is in desperate need of leaders, but he said those leaders should not abandon their call to individuality. Reccord said ministers should be unique and individual, pointing out everyone is born an original but many people live as carbon copies.
“God’s not calling you to fill anybody’s shoes,” he said. “Quit trying to be somebody that you’re not.”
Reccord said ministers also need to avoid comparing notes to determine who is more successful.
“We are not trying to outrun each other,” he said. “We are to be walking across the finish line together.”
Discussing integrity, Reccord said it is also essential ministers live lives they call their congregations to. “That’s what makes leaders for the 21st century,” he said.
Featured speaker Calvin Miller said one way ministers can assure they remain strong leaders is to be on guard not only against demons in the world, but those set on destroying their ministries.
“You either take a stand against them, or they get you in the end,” said Miller, a professor at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School.
Miller added that ministers must pull together imperative balances to help them succeed. “You gotta know who you are,” he said.
Miller said there will be many days when there is no good news, but ministers must keep the giants outside.
“Any time you take your worst fears into your heart, the enemy is unbeatable,” he warned.
One of the ways Miller said ministers can defeat the enemy is to let their aggression balance their anxiety.
“I can’t tell you how many preachers I’ve met who are defeated and the joy has been choked out of their lives,” he said. “You somehow have to charge into life with a lot of confidence.”
Miller said ministers must also have a vision.
“Vision can be evident,” Miller said. “If you can’t sit in a church for 15 minutes and see its vision, they probably don’t have one.
“People will forgive us for changing a vision. They will not forgive us for not having a vision,” he continued.
Miller made a definite distinction between image and vision. He defined vision as “a picture that makes us seem acceptable to us.”
The difference between vision and image is vision always hold vitality,” Miller said, noting “People will put up with anything in religion but the absence of vitality.
“(Image) really doesn’t get a lot done,” he said.
“Vision is a grand unity between God and us,” Miller concluded. (Jennifer Goode contributed)
Regimen crucial for healthy ministries
Just as in their lives, pastors can keep their ministries healthy if they follow a disciplined regimen.
That diagnosis was offered by two speakers at the fourth annual Alabama Baptist Leadership/Church Growth Conference April 17-18 at First Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Speaking on “Dealing With the Demands of Ministry in the New Millennium,” Dale Huff, director of leadercare/church administration with the State Board of Missions, said a survey by the Church Ministers Association Group, offered the opinion that there are five main causes for termination of pastors.
Huff identified the first as the issue of control, stressing control is not the same as power.
“When we have power, there is the tendency to let it corrupt us,” he said.
But Huff warned anyone who tries to control what a Southern Baptist church does will create conflict every time.
Poor people skills on the part of ministers was identified as the second reason.
“Ministry is people intensive. It’s a people intensive occupation,” he said. “When you work with people, there’s no end to the demands.”
Pastors should listen to people, Huff said. In doing so, he said they affirm their value.
Another reason he said pastors fail is because of resistance to change. While some can’t get enough change, he said others fight it — focusing instead on what they’re losing, before thinking about the gain.
“Your responsibility is to take the church from where it is, to where it ought to be,” he said.
A rigid leadership style and existing conflict were cited as the other two reasons ministers often fail. Huff said ministers should tap leadership in their churches to guard against being seen as too authoritarian.
Commenting on churches embroiled in past conflicts, he said leading them is possible, “but it’s tough.”
Huff said he is even more concerned with ministers who are terminated because of the survey’s No. 9 reason — sexual immorality. He told ministers it is often hard to please everyone, but they should receive a grade of 100 when it comes to their personal conduct and behavior.
He said sexual immorality is the last reason a pastor should ever be terminated. “Go down in flames, but don’t go down in shame,” Huff said.
Mike Miller, director of leadership services division for LifeWay Christian Resources, complimented Huff’s information with his session on “Leader, Save Yourself” — telling ministers maintaining a healthy ministry is up to them.
“It’s your ministry. It’s your life. You can save it if you want to,” he said, suggesting three steps in “watching yourself” and saving a ministry: spiritual exercise, living an exemplary life and using spiritual gifts.
“How are you doing in your own spiritual life?” Miller asked.
Miller shared a list compiled by a friend of his pointing out the seven sins of young, ambitious leaders:
–They don’t accept people for who they are.
–They believe preaching will change people.
–They believe everybody wants to change.
–They believe the few represent the many.
–They believe worship will accelerate change.
–They believe an expert will convince (the naysayers).
–They imitate other preachers.
Miller recognized Timothy was even prompted by Paul to use his spiritual gifts.
“You cannot do the work God’s given you to do in your own power,” Miller said. “We follow, as leaders, the Holy Spirit.” (Jennifer Goode contributed)
Breakout sessions tackle cultural issues in ministry
Ministers must work harder to reach people in the 21st century because of changes in beliefs and less loyalty to churches, says an Alabama pastor.
“We’re living in a different day, in a different world,” said Roger Willmore, during a workshop at the Alabama Baptist Leadership/Church Growth Conference held April 17-18 at First Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Willmore, pastor of First Baptist Church, Weaver, said there are more and more gray areas these days concerning biblical teachings.
Willmore made his observations during one of 14 “breakout workshops” held during the conference. Participants had the opportunity of attending three workshops during the conference, many of which were presented each time.
In addition to Willmore’s workshop on “Ministering Ministerial Success in the 21st Century,” workshop topics included “Small Group Ministry Models in the New Millennium,” “Conflict Management — Now and Future,” “Men’s Ministry in the New Millennium” and “How to Create and Cultivate a Healthy Women’s Ministry in Your Church.”
Willmore said statistics by researcher George Barna indicate 66 percent of Americans in general no longer believe in absolute truth. He said even more alarming is that 73 percent of church members no longer believe in absolute truth.
Because of the move from absolute truths, he said the church is ministering to an element that no longer has a frame of reference. “We’re battling some significant cultural issues in ministry,” he said.
Culture today, according to Willmore, is sending out a message that there are many ways to God, and that message is making its way into the church.
Willmore said another factor that will continue to hurt churches in the 21st century is the mobility of communities. He also said people tend to shop for churches more now, instead of remaining loyal to one church.
Leading another workshop on “Lead Into the Future as a Kingdom Builder,” Mike Miller, director of leadership services division for LifeWay Christian Resources, said the church often fails because it is not focused on the big picture.
“We tend to focus so narrowly on church that we forget our work is part of the church worldwide,” he said.
Outlining three aspects of leadership ministers have to work on, he said the first is a call to ministry. Miller told those assembled that the church doesn’t need leaders who cannot articulate their call to lead.
He said the second aspect is character, pointing out it is refined during difficult times. “The only way you get character is to have trouble,” Miller said.
People can lead in sports, politics, business and many other occupations without character, according to Miller, but not in ministry. “It can’t happen as a Kingdom leader,” he said.
Miller defined character as “the development of what nobody sees but us and God.”
Discussing the third aspect — competency — Miller said he doesn’t believe in categorizing people in terms of best or worst. He said God gives people talent based on their call and character.
“Do you know your giftedness and are you using your giftedness in your leadership work?” Miller asked.
He said ministers have to know their talents and be in touch with who they are.
Leading a workshop on “Worship in the New Millennium,” Ray Burdeshaw, director of worship leadership/church music with the State Board of Missions, said churches need to meet needs of “everyone who meets in our churches to worship.”
To accomplish that, he said churches should focus more on what worship is, rather than style.
Leadership requires ‘four imperatives’ for success
There are four imperatives for leadership ministers should remember, according to a speaker at the fourth annual Alabama Baptist Leadership/Church Growth Conference.
Mike Miller, director of leadership services division for LifeWay Christian Resources, made his observations during the conference, April 17-18 at First Baptist Church, Birmingham.
Miller told pastors the first imperative is to be watchful in their ministries. “That’s one of the most important principles of leadership that we have,” he said.
Miller said some pastors have shipwrecked their ministry because they did not watch their lives and ministries.
He further warned ministers must watch their people and their conduct, along with the “evil one.”
The second imperative, he said, is to be durable in their ministries.
“The Bible tells us that leadership has to do with enduring affliction,” he said. “Many of the situations we face are difficult.”
Miller added ministers grow by enduring affliction, telling them calm seas do not produce a strong preacher.
Doing the work of an evangelist was the third imperative cited by Miller. “We have a responsibility to lead our people to be personal soul winners,” he said.
Defining the fourth imperative, he said it is important for preachers to be finishers in their ministries. Miller said of the men he admires most are not flashy — just steady in their ministry.
“We have a responsibility to God, not just to start well, but finish well,” he said. “The way we finish is as important as the way we begin.”
Miller said there is always at least one pastor at conferences like the one on leadership growth who is ready to quit.
But he said the key to success is staying the course.
“I hope you won’t quit, I hope you won’t give up,” he said.
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