Friday, May 31, 2013

Psalm 72

In this Psalm, verses 18 and 19, we find the key to the favor that Solomon found with God.  "Praise the Lord...praise His glorious Name...let the whole earth be filled with His glory!"

Last week we were in Lima, NY for the annual Elim Conference, the fellowship that City Life has joined.  Mark Batterson was one of the keynote speakers there, amazing author, church planter, pastor, and champion of The Kingdom!  On his opening night, he shared many profound insights, very Solomonesque!  But one that was especially poignant was this.  Even if you are doing exactly what God has called you to do...  Even if you are walking squarely down the center of the road God has called you to journey...  Even if you are pouring your life out for the purpose you were created to champion... God still may be resisting your efforts.  Why?  Because of James 4:6, that God will always oppose the proud.  If in our Kingdom calling, our divine purpose, our project of existence...we are motivated by self-exaltation, we will be striving against God.

It is not enough to be given to the right purpose.  We must be given to that purpose with a Psalm 72:18-19 heart...all for His glory!

Pastor Fred

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Psalm 119:1-88

Psalm 119 is most commonly known for being the longest chapter in the Bible...but it is also one of the most creatively poetic.  The psalm is an alphabetical acrostic, consisting of twenty two stanzas, eight verses each (The Expositor's Bible Commentary).  Each of the twenty two stanzas correlate to one of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet.  And within each stanza, there are eight lines with each line beginning with the corresponding letter.  Simply, there are 22 divisions of this psalm, each division has eight lines.  If we were using the English alphabet, all eight lines of the first stanza would begin with "A" and each of the remaining stanza's eight lines would follow this pattern with the next letter in the alphabet.  This pattern escapes us obviously because we are reading an English translation.

I would like to suggest however that the psalm's structure is not just to be creative.  I believe it is instructive.  There is supposed to be an order to life, a living symmetry.  In fact, the poetic structure of the psalm is in keeping with its theme...a life structured around the wisdom of God found in His Word.  There are eight different words used for God's law in this psalm:  law, word, laws, statues, commands, decrees, precepts, and promise.  This is a great study, digging around in the meaning of each!  This is not redundancy but rather emphasis.  Symmetry is defined as the quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.  Every part of my life is supposed to be facing, centered around the wisdom of God's instruction, my eternal axis!

In reading the first 88 verses today, I am fixated on one verse, 35.  "Make we walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found."  If your orientation to Christianity is trying to do the right things so you avoid punishment, you miss the heart of God.  We pursue righteousness not to avoid punishment but rather to reach hard for the depth of fulfillment in life that can only come from embracing "the way" of God (sounds like a great idea for a blog title!).  His every yes and every no is motivated by having our best interest at heart...can you trust Him?

Pastor Fred

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Psalm 37

These are a few excerpts from Psalm 37...be encouraged in His way today!

Trust in the Lord and do good.
    Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord,
    and He will give you your heart’s desires...


Commit everything you do to the Lord.
    Trust Him, and He will help you...


Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for Him to act...


Stop being angry!
    Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
    it only leads to harm...


It is better to be godly and have little
    than to be evil and rich...


The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
    for the Lord holds them by the hand...


Put your hope in the Lord.
    Travel steadily along His path...


Be well today!!

Pastor Fred

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

1 Chronicles 26

I want to refer back to yesterday's reading because in 1 Chronicles 26:6-8 we find a leadership principle that has been a part of my philosophy of leadership for many years.

I remember being in an orientation for newly licensed ministers with the Assemblies of God in 2002.  We were at the Potomac District Headquarters in Gainesville, VA and the Pastor Bob Rhoden, who was at that time the district superintendent, made the following statement, "Your gifts make room for themselves."  He went on to say that the piece of paper we would soon receive declaring us to be credentialed ministers was in no way a permission for entitlement to ministry, title, or office in our respective church homes...our gifts had to make room for our ministry.

That has been a part of my approach to leadership ever since, for myself and for others.  People who say they just need a title, an opportunity, authority...fail to understand how the Kingdom of God works.  Here in 1 Chronicles 26:8 we find this principle in action!  Verse six could not be more clear, "...sons with great ability who earned positions of great authority..."

Lazy leaders want to show up and take advantage of a crowd that others have sacrificed and labored to gather.  They don't have the work-ethic or character to build a community of people so they invade someone else's.  We see this happening all the time in local churches.  Another sign of lazy leaders is that they have STRONG opinions about how things should be done but they don't want the responsibility that comes with being a leader.  Healthy leaders understand the importance of deference, working with teams, loving people more than their own opinions, serving others at the expense of their own preferences, long meetings, much prayer, and great sacrifice.  Lazy leaders bristle a the thought of such commitments but expect their opinions and perspectives to be heard and acted upon nonetheless.

I love City Life for many reasons but one of the lead causes of my deep affection for this precious community of faith is that we believe in 1 Chronicles 26:6-8...that one's gifts make room for themselves, that authority is earned, never granted...learn how to capture someone's heart before you expect to have their ear!

Pastor Fred

Monday, May 27, 2013

Memorial Day

The timing of today's reading is wonderful!  As I read 1 Chronicles 27, the heading in my translation (New Living Translation) is "Military Commanders and Divisions."

I was talking with a pastor friend recently who lives out of state and he asked about City Life and what about this church where Vannessa and I are privileged to serve is so special to us.  One of the first things I shared was the profound sense of gratitude I have for those who serve our country through the military.

The Newport News campus is easily 25% active military and the Williamsburg campus breaks 50%.  They are patriots, setting the greatest of examples for citizenship, simply stellar, each and every one! On this day of honoring, we applaud you, celebrate you, acknowledge you...with as much respect as a human heart can feel, ours overflow for each of you!

Pastor Fred

Friday, May 24, 2013

Commend, part 2

She said to her husband, “I am sure this man who stops in from time to time is a holy man of God...

This is 2 Kings 4:9, part of a story I hope you take the time to read today (2 Kings 4:9-37).  Continuing from yesterday, we are weighing the meaning of Jesus' last eight words on the cross, "Father, into thy hands I commend My spirit" which is part of a series 47 Words, all 7 of His last saying during the last six hours of His earthly bodily existence.  Admittedly, as with all Scripture, there is a vast body of truth that flows from every line of text!  One of the profound principles I believe we find here is that our destiny is desperate for us to know how to trust the right people with the right things at the right time.

If that stirs your iterest, you can find our most recent sermon that connects that statement to the text on our church site (www.thecitylifechurch.com).  Already, between the sermon and yesterday's blog, we have introduced three thoughts that flow from that statement:  recognizing culminating moments, a dream too big for two hands, and having the courage to trust again.

This morning I want to suggest the importance of the right people.  The story in 2 Kings in verse four is an example of a moment we too must find...certainty about people.  As you read the story, you find that this family had a destiny that was dependent upon the help of someone esle, a powerful metaphor for each of us...our destiny is desperate for us to know how to trust the right people with the right things at the right time!  Here are four questions you should be asking before you step into a trusting relationship with someone:

  • How long have you know them?
  • What is their reputation amongh others?
  • What is the fruit of their lives?
  • What do others you trust say about them?
I am leaving New York today after having been here for the annual Elim Fellowship conferance.  When our church was searching for a movement to join, the answers to these four questions were critical in our search.  So too they have been for me personally...and are equally prominent in our leadership team's discussions about inviting new people into new places of leadership.  Even Jesus in His final, culminating moments had a dream too big for two hands and He knew exactly who to trust...do you?

Pastor Fred

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Commend

We finished our series 47 Words this past weekend, listening to Jesus' last words, His last 7 sayings, His last 47 words in His last 6 hours.  Luke 23:44:49 gives us the final 8, "Father, into thy hands I commend My spirit."

This moment wasn't Jesus being melodramatic, theatrical, broadwayish...He was speaking volumes of truth through every one of the 7 sayings and this last one is certainly no exception.  I believe one of the Kingdom principles Jesus was teaching in His final moments was this, "Your destiny is desperate for you to know how to trust the right people with the right things at the right time!"  In our weekend services (you can catch the podcast at www.thecitylifechurch.com) we introduced this principle by talking about culminating moments and a dream for your life that is too big for two hands.  We did not quite make it to the last two points at both campuses.

The third point was having the courage to trust again (we hit this one briefly in NN but not in WMB).  You might be saying, "Don't talk to me about trust...you don't know what I've been through."  That is true, but we are told what Jesus has been through and if His life is a study of anything, it is most certainly a study of betrayal!  We have Lucifer's betrayal in the Heavens, there is Israel's betrayal of rejecting their own Messiah, of course there is Judas, and also Peter.  He knows what it is like to have His trust betrayed.  And yet, at the very end, He trusts.  That is what this word that is translated "commend" in the text means...trust.  Without trust, we will never fulfill our destiny because the dream God has dreamed for us is too big for two hands!

Deuteronomy 32:30 reminds us that while one can put one thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand to flight!  Can you hear Him today?  I can hear Him saying, "Your destiny is desperate for you to know how to trust the right people with the right things at the right time!"

We'll cover the last point tomorrow...

Pastor Fred

Friday, May 17, 2013

Mahanaim

In 2 Samuel 17:24 we have a passing mention of the place where David chose to set up camp as he and his forces prepared to defend themselves against his son Absalom and the army of Israel, who were making a play for the throne, a coup.

The place is Mahanaim.  I love the story of the geography of the Bible, in fact, I believe we find much truth not just in the story of the people in Scripture but also the story of the places.  We are introduced to this place in Genesis 32.  Jacob is on his way back from Padan-Aram where he has lived as a fugitive from his brother's wrath, Esau.  On his return journey he comes across a camp of angels...that may be why I have never seen an angel because I am always at the Marriott, never camping!  Jacob declares that he has  discovered the camp of God.  Now remember, when Jacob years prior was leaving for Padan-Aram he had a dream where he saw angels ascending and descending between Heaven and earth...he named that place Bethel which translates "house of God."  Mahanaim translates roughly "two camps."  At two of Jacob's most desperate moments in life, God affirmed His care of Jacob in amazingly dramatic fashion!  He named this new place Mahanaim "two camps" because he decided to make his camp next to God's camp, two camps.

Now travel forward in time...here is David, on the run, desperate, clinging to the memory of God's many promises over his life yet his circumstances were a mounting witness against God's Word.  Where does he go?  Is it a coincidence?  Was Mahanaim just a place that David found out of convenience?  I think David knew that this could be his last stand, and he knew exactly where he wanted to be...next to God's camp.

Where do you camp?  Where are you most easily awakened to His presence?  Where are you the most inclined to believe that over you is an open Heaven?  I'll tell you where that is with me...every Saturday night and every Sunday with the people in this world, besides my family, that I love the most!  Friday for me is the day I wake up the most excited...the weekend is coming...not for the same reasons that many long for the weekend...I can't wait to return to Mahanaim...I love our church and I long for every opportunity I have to get my camp next to that camp!

Pastor Fred


Thursday, May 16, 2013

Psalm 3-4, 12-13, 28, 55

Have you ever wanted to slap someone?  No?  Just live a little while longer!  There is that moment when you come to the conclusion that if you just stood up, drew back your hand, let loose with all the velocity that your anger and frustration could bring forth...yeah, you can feel it already...sweet relief!  But alas, we know that giving in to our humanity in moments such as this are not relief but a dangerous trap that sinks us deeper and deeper into the grip of our own anger.

In Psalm 4:4 we read "Don't sin by letting anger control you!"  So what do we do with all these feeling?  The verse continues and then picks up in verse 5, "...Think about it overnight and remain silent.  Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust in the Lord."

Now this word silent doesn't mean "don't talk about it."  We know because Psalm 3 comes before Psalm 4.  There in verse 7 we read, "Arise, O Lord!  Rescue me, my God!  Slap ALL my enemies in the face!  Shatter the teeth of the wicked!"  Our silence is being self-controlled enough to not take our anger out into the world, not in public but rather work it out on our knees in prayer, the sacrifice of prayer.  In the right spirit here, I believe, means knowing to whom to take our complaint.

If they need slapping, if they need their teeth knocked out, let's trust that to God.  If we take matters into our own hands, we insult the sovereignty of God.  What we are really saying is, "God I can't trust You with this."  This comforts me because if they are going to get slapped, His hand is much, MUCH bigger than mine!

Psalm 55 really brings home the reality of life sometimes by reminding us that often, the enemy of whom we speak was a friend.  Nothing cuts deeper than the betrayal of someone you trusted...look at your hand.  It wasn't made to strike.  It was made to be joined together with your other hand on bended knee.

"But I trust in Your unfailing love.  I will rejoice because You have rescued me.  I will sing to the Lord because He is good to me."  (Psalm 13:5-6)

Pastor Fred

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Psalm 32

One of my favorite childhood memories was in elementary school.  I had a friend whose family owned horses and while spending weekends there we had the most wonderful adventures!  John Wayne was my hero, watching every western that came on television (that's right, black and white tv, 4 channels...getting up to turn a knob to change the station and adjust the antenna!) so riding trails in the woods, galloping through fields on a horse...I was John Wayne!  We would build a maze out of bails of hay, have horse manure fights, build forts...a child's world before Wii and iPods!

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.
Do not be like a senseless horse or mule    that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

That's verse 8 and 9 out of Psalm 32.  Funny thing about those horses, never rode one that didn't need a bit and bridle.  Actually, the most trained horse benefited from the bit and bridle, using those devices to understand and communicate with the rider.  I find this Psalm interesting.  I imagine it should have said, "Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that resists..."  But that's not the text.  It actually reads "need."

I want to be a child of God who knows His heart for me...riding every trail, galloping ever field, making every turn, embracing whatever pace, yielding to my Master because of a mind that discerns His will and heart that longs to follow.

Pastor Fred

Thursday, May 9, 2013

2 Samuel 7:29, part3

This is the final part of a series of blogs picking up from yesterday.  We are discussing the prayer we invited people to declare over their own lives.  Many people are accustomed to the idea of praying for others but not themselves.  Then, a step farther, ministering to yourself.  So much of David's writings in the Psalms are examples of him dealing with himself spiritually.  Take for example the beginning of Psalm 103.  He opens with, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!"  He is giving commands to himself...ministering to himself...yes, talking to yourself is Biblical!

The next component of the prayer is breaking.  I was a wrestler in middle school and high school, albeit not a very good one but in looking back to those years, we find a meaningful illustration here.  When you are trying to break free from an opponent, it begins with an act of your will.  You have to resolve in your heart and mind that you will NOT be bound by this person.  That is the step of renouncing from yesterday's blog.  Now however, you must get free.  There is a moment when you separate, when you divide, when you are free.  I believe this is true with us spiritually.  So we prayed, "Father, I break any power this temptation has over me, all control this temptation has in my life!"  In a room where this is happening, you can literally see a change in the countenance of people in the room, beautiful!

Finally, there is a moment of declaration.  Just as in wrestling, once you are free, you have to be committed to not being entangled again in your former patterns of sin, patterns of yielding to certain kinds of temptation.  We won't always succeed but through this prayer and the wisdom of Scripture about accountability, confession, counseling, etc...we find a path forward to continue to battle...even returning to these sorts of prayer encounters when needed.  We prayed, "And I declare, that I am a child of the living God and that Holy Spirit living within me will be the loudest, most dominant influence in my life, living a life that is pleasing to my God!"  Have you ever helped someone move?  What if the friend that rents the fifth floor apartment...and you get the heaviest piece of furniture they own!  You finally get to the place where it is supposed to be placed and the feeling you have when you let go...you literally feel lighter.  So too with the entanglements of temptation and sin.  Freedom is His promise!

In Jesus' Name!

Pastor Fred

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

2 Samuel 7:29, part 2

Before we continue from yesterday, just a word about today's reading because I LOVE Psalm 29!  Too many people treat Elijah's post Mount Carmel encounter with God as the only text that speaks to the nature of God's voice...it can be still and small but from my study of Scripture, that is the exception!  Check out Psalm 29, but you might want to get some ear plugs...God is noisy!

Okay, back to part 2...here is the prayer we prayed last weekend with people.  Learn this.  Practice this.  Pray this.  I learned it from our involvement with a ministry Cleansing Stream.  I don't fully endorse all their doctrinal positions but the fruit of their ministry is undeniable...even in my own life personally!

First, there is revelation.  Even in today's reading, Psalm 36:9 talks about God being a light.  The nature of God is to reveal.  We used three parables last weekend in Luke 15, formerly known as the lost parables now renamed by City Life as the extravagance parables to bring revelation to our lives about the extravagance of God...and that we have a God given capacity for extravagance but we pervert that ability to serve ourselves selfishly.  The younger son was extravagant (incidentally, that is the meaning of prodigal...it means extravagant) in his pursuit of pleasure and possession.  The older son was extravagant in his pursuit of judgment and punishment.  The father demonstrated extravagance in four virtues which are the opposite of the four excesses of his sons.  The father was extravagant in these ways:  affection, generosity, patience, and mercy.  Revelation exposes the sin in our lives that need attention.

Second, we repent.  1 John 1:9 talks about God's faithfulness in forgiving when we are diligent in confessing.  We challenged people during the sermon at various times to stand and pray with us.  It was a powerful weekend at both campuses!  The repentance part:  "Father, forgive me for feeding this appetite, for feeding my desire for (pleasure, possessions, judgment, punishment)."  You can take that simple prayer, build on it, add you own words, make it your own, pour your heart out to Him!  Taking responsibility is vitally important!  God tell us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that every temptation we face is resistible!

Third, we renounce.  I like this word.  It means to abandon.  I want to abandon any agreements I have made with certain temptations.  Every time I step across a threshold of enjoyment with a moment of temptation, I have given that temptation permission to influence me.  I need to renounce, abandon that agreement.  In James 1:13-15 we read about how the death of sin begins with desire!  I heard an analogy once that illustrates what we do with temptation.  If I were fasting but chose to hold a bite of a donut in my mouth every day just to taste it but never swallow it, I have still enjoyed something I wasn't supposed to enjoy...and eventually, I'm going to swallow!  "Father, I renounce any and all permission that I have given the temptation of (pleasure, possessions, judgment, punishment) to influence my life!"

More tomorrow!

Pastor Fred

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

2 Samuel 7:29

And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign, Lord, it is an eternal blessing!

But while the eternal blessing of Heaven is only mine through the grace of God once I make a vow of devotion to Jesus, many of the blessings in this life are conditional...just ask Solomon!  The juxtaposition of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes speaks volumes.  Conditional does not negate eternal.  Conditional blessings are "eternally" available to everyone in this earthly life who walks in obedience to "O Sovereign, Lord."  I'm not suggesting that every earthly blessing is conditional.  Grace still lavishes us in this life.  Both exist.

This past weekend we had amazing times of prayer inter-woven during the teaching time to walk people through declarative prayers that set people free from unGodly spiritual influences and entanglements so that they could resume their pursuit of every good and perfect gift from God in this life!  Here's a link (47 Words, part 5)...because you can experience the same break throughs right where you are...you can participate as you listen just as if you had been there!

Tomorrow I'll write about the steps we take to spiritually re-position ourselves:  revelation, repentance, renounce/break, and restoration (this is what you heard and hopefully experienced as you listened to the above link).

Pastor Fred

Friday, May 3, 2013

Psalm 106

In this morning's reading, Chronological Plan (www.biblegatway.com), we open with this Psalm.  A great exercise is to write down every person's name mentioned in the text...let't do that now.

Moses
Aaron
Dathan
Abiram
Phinehas

If you are not familiar with these stories, do some research, find them in the texts being referenced by this Psalm.  Now, here is the questions of reflection, "If God were to insert my name into this Psalm, who would I be?"  It's a pressing questions isn't it!  This is a great way to make sure that when we are reading Scripture that we keep it personal...it's supposed to be personal!

Are you the inconsistent leader like Moses?  Do you have great compassion for the people God has entrusted to you one day and despise their very existence the next?  Do you have moments of standing in great faith one day only to be swallowed up in doubt the next?  Do you act righteously one day and foolishly the next?

How about Aaron?  Are you a crowd pleaser?  Do you follow when you are supposed to lead?  Do you just go along when you know you are supposed to be a voice that says, "No, this is wrong!"  Do you fail to see the importance and the value of your calling because you can only see it in the shadow of someone else?

What about Dathan and Abiram?  Are you a continual voice of contention?  The challenge is that I'm sure they thought they were right!  I'm certain they were certain!  That's the vulnerability of cynicism, never seeing itself...I think Jesus had something to say about that..planks and specs maybe?  Are you the person in the Psalm that just can't stop pointing your finger, disrespectful, dishonoring, angry, looking for people to commiserate with you, always the person drawing people into complaining conversations about others?

Phinehas?  We find his name in sentences sharing space with words like courage and righteous.  If you take the time to find the account involving Phinehas (I'm not going to give it to you because I want you to enjoy the work of the search!) you will find that when no one seemed to know what to do or worse, weren't willing to act...Phinehas is there!

Who are you in the song today?

Pastor Fred

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Psalm 133

How wonderful and pleasant it is
    when brothers live together in harmony!
For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil
    that was poured over Aaron’s head,
    that ran down his beard
    and onto the border of his robe.
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
    that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
    even life everlasting.

The key line to this Psalm is in the last line... "And there..." as I believe this designation of "there" is not only about geography.  Is God talking about His promised blessing to Israel?  Most certainly!

But I believe there is more to this Psalm.  I believe "there" is pointing back to the first line... "live together in harmony!"  God is reminding us that when we work for unity, He pronounces blessing, even life everlasting!

I like Robert Morris' definition of blessing and curse.  He simply says that blessing is having supernatural forces at work in your favor.  Curse is having supernatural forces at work against you.  As long as I have God's power, His blessing, at work in my favor, I need not be concerned about anything that is working against me (Romans 8:31)!

However, all throughout Scripture, we are reminded that while there is blessing that comes through divine favor, pure grace, there is also blessing that is positional.  Meaning, that I have to position myself through my choices, my actions, my attitudes, my thoughts, my inaction...if I am going to be in the right place for His blessing.  Psalm 133.  Harmony doesn't happen without great effort...and here God clearly says that there is a blessing that we will not have if we are not unified.

Being unified is a long, long conversation.  But I will share one key to having unity among a group of people.  People must value relationship more than they value being right.  If you are married, you know what I am talking about.  Every argument moves toward reconciliation when both husband and wife come to a place emotionally where their hearts ache to be restored more than their minds demands to be right.  Unity is when a group of people rest in the confidence of knowing that when disagreements come, and they come, that everyone in the room cherishes the relationship of the heart more than the task at hand or the idea in play.

Pastor Fred

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

2 Samuel 5:3

I love this verse!  "So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel..."

There is no leadership that is healthy, Godly, rightly motivated, and in the favor of God unless there is first a covenant relationship among those at the center.  Here are a few factors that I believe make such relationships possible, elements present in the Governance Team at City Life.

When husbands and wives serve together on the core leadership team...deeper, more meaningful relationships are possible.  Otherwise, the leadership team finds itself competing for time and emotional energy with the family of the leaders.  Volitional intimacy or the intimacy that comes through making decisions together is an important part of any marriage.  By serving together as couples, not only does the team's relationship go deeper, it actually becomes another tether of emotional connection for the married couples.

Meaningful convenant relationships are more concerned about the heart of the team than being individually right.  A healthy team believes and is committed to the idea that as an individual, they need the wisdom, input, insight, and challenge that the team brings.  I like the phrase mutual dependency.  Every team member must be sold out to the idea that the other people in the room are NOT an impediment to their ideas and preferences but rather make their ideas and preference better with alternatively unique perspectives.

One more...voting is divisive, consensus is unifying.  A healthy team gives everyone the right to put the foot on the brake until they feel comfortable moving forward.  In order for everyone to fulfill the mandate of presenting a united front outside of the "meeting room" requires giving people time to get comfortable with decisions.  This also requires every individual to be willing to trust the majority voice of the room at times.  Having a break pedal for every person in a car could make for difficult drive in real life!  Patience, grace, lots of listening, prayer, not being in a hurry, and respect win the day!

What does your church's core team look like...I hope it is one of true covenant relationship!

Pastor Fred