Rather than blog my thoughts about James’ talk, I am editing and posting his notes about the “Love Drawer” concept.

In the words of James Starr, here’s what we all should do to prepare for death from a financial perspective…

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The Love Drawer is basically a drawer that houses all of the important information your family needs in case something happens to you. Preparing for death is not a fun task, but it’s crucial to do this for your family.

Every household needs a Love Drawer. It doesn’t matter if you’re single with no kids or 76 and have 12 grandkids—you need a Love Drawer. It’s the last gift you will give your family, so make it a good one. If you truly care about your loved ones, you will take the time to create a Love Drawer.

The drawer should be somewhere in your home and contain everything your spouse or family needs to know when you aren’t around—anything that has to do with your financial life should be in that drawer. You must organize it in a way that anyone can find a specific document in 30 seconds. All files should be clearly marked, in order, and easy for a grieving family member to find. There’s no need to go into extreme detail when creating your Love Drawer. Simply include the appropriate documents in an easy-to-understand format, and you’re good to go!

Your Love Drawer should contain 10 things. Although it may seem daunting to gather all of this material, you will be happy you did once the Love Drawer is created.

1. Cover Letter – This is simply a letter stating the purpose of the Love Drawer. Nothing fancy, just a way to introduce your loved ones to the contents of the drawer.

2. Financial Account – Anything that has money in it and your name on it should be listed in the Love Drawer. This includes account names, amount and account numbers.

3. Funeral Instructions – All details and specifications for funeral plans should be listed so the family can fulfill your wishes. If you are married, you need one for you and one for your spouse.

4. Insurance Policies – All insurance information, including health, car, disability, term life, etc., should be combined into one single document for easy reference. List the type of insurance, who the policy is for, contact information and policy numbers.

5. Important Documents – Any legal or other important documents you have should be noted in the file. This includes deeds, birth certificates, Social Security cards and titles.

6. Love Letters – Since the intention behind the Love Drawer is to keep your legacy going after you’ve passed away, it’s a great idea to include letters to your loved ones.

7. Monthly Budget – Add a copy of your written budget, so your spouse or loved ones know how to operate your household once you’re gone. This will help your family keep track of bills and focus on more important things.

8. Passwords – Write down all passwords, combinations, usernames and PIN numbers. This information allows your loved ones access to any documents, money or information that is left when you are gone.

9. Tax Returns – Keeping tax returns in your Love Drawer is like an insurance policy for yourself in the event that you get audited. Hopefully you never have to pull them out, but if you do, at least you are prepared.

10. Will and Estate Plans – All information pertaining to your will and estate, including names of the executor and Power of Attorney should be located in one file.

If you put your mind to it, you can create your Love Drawer in 30 days! It’s tedious to gather all of the documents and paperwork that goes into the drawer, but it’s a necessary task in order to protect you and your family.

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Thanks, James, for the wisdom. Deborah and I are working on all of the above. How about you?

As great as the conference was, I had a troubling conversation with a pastor and his wife. I have had similar conversations with pastors on other continents. Here’s the all-too-familiar story.

Some church members recently attended a “prophetic signs and wonders” conference led by foreigners. After the conference, they returned to their local church passionate, excited, arrogant, judgmental, and weird. Since they now believe that their home church is not sufficiently led by the Spirit, they are determined to change their local church culture to reflect the “moving of the Spirit” they experienced at the conference.

First of all, I am not suggesting that the Spirit was not moving at the conference. I am sure there was a real sense of His presence and power. But, there is a huge difference in how a local church is led and how a revival conference is led.

Second, I should point out that the pastoral couple who brought up this concern are both deeply spiritual prophetic leaders. They are not spiritually dull leaders with no appreciation for spiritual gifts. Yet, they were bothered by the obsession with strange religious experiences that these people are trying to import into their church.

One of the primary reasons these conference attendees felt that Victory pastors are not led by the Spirit is because we schedule and post an ending time for our worship services. Guilty. They also mentioned the absence of gold dust and angel feathers. Guilty again. But does that mean we are not led by the Spirit?

Is it possible that the Spirit could have led us to schedule ending times at all our weekend worship services? What if the Holy Spirit actually gave us the wisdom to know that when you do six worship services every Sunday, and two on Saturday, and you want your volunteers to return next week to minister in kids church, that you must stick with a schedule? Wisdom is not incompatible with being led by the Spirit. And weirdness is not necessarily spiritual.

I’m all about the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our meetings, and especially in our homes and neighborhoods. But I have little tolerance for arrogant and judgmental attitudes that well-meaning spiritual novices bring back from these conferences.

I pray that our churches and our church members will experience a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit that will empower us to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.”

In other words, I pray we will respond to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit by becoming more missional, not more mystical.

The first job he arranged for me was digging ditches. That’s right, my dad secured my brother and I summer jobs as ditch-diggers, installing underground telephone cables ten hours a day in the 100 degree Mississippi heat for $1.65 an hour.

Since I complained so much about the heat, the next summer he got me an indoor job. So I spent that summer inside an UN-airconditioned warehouse loading fifty pound fertilizer bags onto pallets. During our breaks we would go outside to cool off. The inside of that warehouse was hotter than outside.

The aforementioned fond summer memories flashed into my head this morning as I read Proverbs 12:11.

He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

Here are a couple of quick observations about that verse.

1. Abundance and work are connected. People don’t seem to get the concept of hard work any more. They want instant success, promotion, prosperity, church growth, whatever – without actually working. I watch fresh college grads who don’t understand why the CEO has perks that are not available to them. Aren’t we all created equal? Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way. In the real world, there are no participation trophies, the score is kept, and some teams actually lose.

2. Fantasies and work are not connected. It is a simple choice: work or chase fantasies. You can’t do both. How many business people chase get-rich-quick fantasies, while refusing to do the hard work required to succeed? I’ve lost count of kids with athletic “potential” who never make it because they are simply too lazy to succeed. And, I’ve watched too many church-planters chase fantasy strategies that produce nothing but phantom disciples, while refusing to put in the hard work required to make actual disciples.

I am thankful that my dad taught me to love and value hard work.

PS: Lest you think that God’s grace exempts us from hard work, consider what Paul said about both in 1 Corinthians 15:10.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

I’ll never forget taking my young sons on a tour of Corregidor Island. We toured the caves and the Malinta Tunnel that served as General MacArthur’s headquarters. We climbed on the massive cannons, Battery Way, Battery Hearn, and Battery Geary. After that trip, we watched some classic WWII movies.

To understand why today is a non-working holiday in the Philippines we have to go back to Corregidor Island on April 9, 1942. Not many people ignored direct orders from General Douglas MacArthur, but that’s exactly what Major General Edward King did when he surrendered more than 76,000 Filipino, Chinese, and American soldiers to the Japanese.

That surrender was followed by the infamous 140 kilometer (90 mile) Bataan Death March to Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. For days the road was littered with the bodies of the dead, as thousands of starving, dehydrated, wounded, disease-racked soldiers could not keep the pace and were left to die. Thousands more were brutally and randomly executed along the way.

Only 54,000 of the 76,000 who surrendered actually made it to Camp O’Donnell in Tarlac where conditions were deplorable. Some escaped along the way, but about 10,000 died on the Death March.

This, like many events in world history, confirms the doctrine of “total depravity” and makes one wonder what atrocities we would commit every day if not for the restraining power of “common grace.”

So, what will you do on Araw ng Kagitingan? If nothing else, why not thank a veteran for their sacrificial service?

If you are interested in a good MacArthur movie, check out Tommy Lee Jones as General Mac in Emperor.

While sipping hot Earl Grey tea and reading my Bible in what used to be my son’s bedroom, Deborah walked in, hugged me, pointed to the clock, and said, “It’s 6:18, April 5th. William was born 27 years ago. Remember fighting in Makati Med over who would hold him.”

I remember like it was yesterday. One of our best fights ever.

Twenty-seven years ago. Wow! (Technically it is still the 4th where he is in Nashville, but since he was born here, we are already celebrating.)

I serendipitously ran into one of William’s t-ball coaches yesterday. Hadn’t seen him in years. We chatted briefly about our sons. My mind was flooded with good memories the rest of the day.

Twenty-seven years ago. Really?

Every parent knows that the birth of the first child marks the end of life as we know it. Marriage changed my life, but the birth of our first child ended the life I lived up to that moment, and gave me a new one. A better one. A life filled with adventure. And joy. And a lot of other stuff.

William was born 5 weeks after a revolution, the EDSA Revolution (aka the original People Power revolution) that ousted President Marcos. The third week of February 1986, it seemed that all Americans, except us, were fleeing the Philippines. We stayed because there was no way they would allow a passenger as pregnant as Deborah on a plane. And, we had no money to purchase a ticket anyway.

Those were exciting times to be in Manila. Hard to believe that one of the key players in the revolution, Senator Gringo Honasan, is now a friend who is growing in his walk with the Lord.

Twenty-seven years. Can William really be that old?

Looking back, there is one decision Deborah and I made that we will never regret. There are certainly plenty to regret, but we got the big one right. Here is it: We decided that family would be first. Not ministry. Family. We decided that we would do family and ministry in a way that our kids would know that they are more important to us than ministry. Not sure where we got an idea like that, but I am glad we did.

If you are starting out in ministry and have a young family, I hope you will make the same decision we made twenty-seven years ago. I hope your kids grow up knowing that they are more important than your ministry.

Twenty-seven years ago. Happy birthday, William Stephen Murrell, jr.

Here are a couple of family/ministry blogs from deep in the archives.

The Problem with Preacher’s Kids

Is It Possible to Balance Family and Ministry?

Nicodemus only shows up three times in the Bible. But those three appearances paint a beautiful picture of three phases most of us experience in our faith journey.

1. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS. John 3:1-16. Nicodemus seemed to be fearful and skeptical yet sincere in his first encounter with Jesus. He asked questions and got answers. The answers included two of the most famous statements Jesus ever made: “You must be born again” and John 3:16. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, presumably so his peers would not know he was talking to Jesus. It’s OK if your faith journey is filled with questions and mixed with a little fear.

2. DEFENDING BUT NOT FOLLOWING. John 7:45-52. Some of the Jewish religious leaders want to kill Jesus, but Nicodemus defends Him by siting a legal loophole. At this point Nicodemus is still not following Jesus, but He is not against Him either. He’s in the middle. Some of you reading this might be defending Him, but are you following Him? Nicodemus is on a journey that will eventually take him to the cross. So are you, if you are really following Jesus.

3. RISKING ALL TO IDENTIFY WITH THE CROSS. John 19:38-42. Finally we find Nicodemus at the cross.That’s where all genuine faith journeys always end. If your faith is leading you away from the cross, you are on the wrong path. Peter and the big twelve are running and hiding, but Nicodemus is at the cross. By identifying with the cross, Nicodemus risked much more than his reputation. His job and his life were on the line. The cross is the point of no return.

Is your faith journey leading you to the cross? Are you willing to risk all and identify with the cross of Christ?

Sure, there have been a few inaccuracies. In the Bible Series a lamb shows up on Mt Moriah, but in the Bible it was a ram. In the Bible Series King Cyrus fed Daniel to the lions, but in the Bible it was King Darius. And, of course, the Jesus in the real Bible probably looked more like an olive skinned Middle Eastern laborer than a white Midwestern alternative rocker.

So what?

I’m sure it was far less dangerous to work with a lamb than with a ram, and there probably was not enough time to introduce two kings during Daniel’s life so they merged events from the reigns of Cyrus and Darius. I have no idea why the Jesus actor is European. But, the point of God providing for Abraham and God protecting Daniel was loud and clear. And, so far, the New Testament scenes have clearly communicated the message of Jesus without compromise.

So, I’m not complaining or criticizing. Here are six reasons I’m glad The Bible Series is being shown, even though it (the TV series) is neither infallible nor inerrant.

1. People who don’t read the Bible are watching The Bible Series.

2. People who watch The Bible Series are starting to read the Bible.

3. Producers and entertainment power brokers who see the success of The Bible Series will be open to producing more of the same in the future.

4. People are talking about, tweeting about, and blogging about The Bible Series and Bible stories more than ever.

5. Families are watching The Bible Series together, and are discussing Bible stories.

6. It’s sure better than watching Swamp People, Celebrity Wife Swap, or 60 Minutes.

7. Because Samson and John the Baptizer have awesome dreads. (Number 7 is from my friend Neli Atiga in Singapore.)

Thank you Mark Burnett and Roma Downey for taking a risk and giving us The Bible Series.

Eli, “James, if you keep working so much you will never find a wife.”

Ethan, “Eli, he’s got money, he’s got chocolate, he owns a candy store. Why would he want a wife? He’s got it made!”

Yep, when my sons go to work, they are like the proverbial kids in a candy store. Literally. Check out this video of the Candy Galaxy experts creating a candy buffet.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

Two paths. Robert Frost wrote about them, and Kid President pep talked about them. (“Not cool Robert Frost!”) But what are the two paths?

All leaders have two options, two paths, two choices: faith or fear.

While reading the Book of Joshua recently, I noticed those two paths, and I prayed that I would never do what ten of the twelve leaders (spies) did to the people they were called to lead.

Caleb and his friend chose faith. The other ten chose fear.

Here’s Caleb’s summary. “My brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.” (Joshua 14:8)

Two leadership options:

1. FEAR. If we choose fear, we will cause “the hearts of the people to melt with fear.” As leaders we have the power to strengthen or to crush the hearts of those they lead.

2. FAITH. If we choose to “follow God wholeheartedly” then the people will follow our example and respond with faith.

Are you choosing the path of faith or fear? Are you following God wholeheartedly?

Today’s reading was about a young orphan from a despised ethnic minority who became one of the most influential leaders in ancient Iran. This leader was a female in a male-dominated society. The deck was stacked against her. But that didn’t stop God from changing a nation through Esther.

Here’s the story. Evil King Xerxes (more like a dirty old man than Prince Charming) throws a party to show off his trophy wife, Vashti. But Queen V refuses to play the game, so King X-man sets up the 1st ever Miss Persia contest to find a replacement queen. Esther, a beautiful young Jewish orphan being raised by Uncle Mordecai wins the crown.

Evil Haman, the “assistant to the national security adviser” is angry because Mordecai the Jew will not bow to him. So, Haman tricks the king into signing a law making it legal to kill and rob Jews for one day.

Uncle Mo convinces new Queen E to ask the king to spare the Jews. Esther explains the problem, that anyone entering the king’s presence without an invitation is usually killed, and Esther has not been summoned by the king in a month.

Uncle Mo’s response is the key verse of the whole book:
If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?

Esther overcomes her fears and convinces the king to help the Jews. The Jews survive, Esther becomes a hero, the king promotes Uncle Mo, Haman is killed, and they all live happily ever after – except Haman’s ten sons who are promptly executed (but we won’t see that on the Disney version).

Five leadership lessons from Esther’s story:

1. We don’t have to stick a fish on it. Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God, the temple, or worship. But God is obviously right in the center.

2. We don’t have to take the credit. Mordecai is the real hero, but Esther got the book deal. Being an invisible leader did not bother Mordecai. He was OK with Esther getting the credit.

3. We don’t have to have a righteous leader. The Jews were saved not because Xerxes was righteous, but because of a young orphan’s boldness, an old man’s wisdom, and a lot of prayer. Generations earlier, God blessed Egypt because of a slave named Joseph, and God blessed Babylon because of an exile named Daniel. Neither Egypt nor Babylon had righteous leaders, but that didn’t hinder God from blessing and protecting His people.

4. We have to defend life. God placed Esther in her position to stop the genocide. Standing up for life could have cost Esther her life. Like Esther, we must stand up for life – the life of the widow & orphan, those dying of AIDS in Africa, those starving in our inner cities, and the life of thousands of unborn who are slaughtered daily through violent abortions.

5. We have to keep listening. Esther listened to Uncle Mo even though she did not want to hear what he said and even though she was now powerful, rich, and famous. Unfortunately, many who get to the top stop listening to those whose advise got them there.

Fifteen hundred years ago Ireland was an idol-worshiping, slave-trading nation of savage pagans. In just one generation Ireland was transformed into a godly nation known for its scholars and missionaries. In his best-selling book, How the Irish Saved Civilization, Thomas Cahill writes that this national transformation was primarily the work of one man—Patrick.

When Patrick was a teenager in Britain, he was captured by pirates and forced into slavery in Ireland. During this time he had a life-changing encounter with the Lord.

After six years of cruel slavery, he escaped and returned home, but he soon received a divine call to return to minister to those who had enslaved him. In a vision, he heard one of his captors say, “We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and walk again among us.” Can you imagine being called to minister the love of Jesus to the very people who had enslaved you for six years? Patrick responded to that vision and returned to Ireland to preach the gospel.

Shouldn’t disciples make a positive impact on their communities? Is it actually possible to disciple a nation?

During his 30 years of missionary work in Ireland, Patrick helped establish more than 700 churches and schools and trained more than 3000 ministers, many of whom went as missionaries to Scotland, England, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. Patrick’s schools became some of the most important learning institutions in Europe during the Middle Ages, but his ministry went beyond just church work. He also helped transform government and reform laws that brought the end of slavery in Ireland.

The real St Patrick did more than wear green hats, drink green beer, and sponsor parades. So, instead of merely wearing green, why not celebrate St Patrick’s Day the way Patrick would, by MAKING DISCIPLES?

Happy St Patrick’s Day.

Exerted and edited from WikiChurch.

After reading 1 Peter3:15, I thanked Rice for living the 4 R’s and for writing a book that will help prepare the evangelistically challenged among us to live the 4 R’s.

What are these 4 R’s I speak of?

“But in your hearts REVERE Christ as Lord. Always be prepared (READY) to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the REASON for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and RESPECT” (1 Peter 3:15)

1. REVERE. The starting point of evangelism is to have our own hearts right with God, in other words, to revere Christ as Lord.

2. READY. Once we get our hearts right, then we need to get our heads right. We need to be prepared. Trained. Equipped.

3. REASON. To get our heads right and ready, we need to understand the reasons for our hope. The God’s Not Dead subtitle explains the contents of the book: “Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty.” The 10 chapters explain 10 reasons a rational person should believe in God.

4. RESPECT. A right heart and a right head should result in treating people with respect as we engage them with the gospel.

Heartfelt thanks to Rice Broocks for providing such a great equipping tool.

To purchase your copy of God’s Not Dead, click HERE.

Along with millions of Americans, I watched the first two episodes of The Bible on History Channel. As much as I’m enjoying the TV series, the book is way better.

Highlights from Part 2 last night included: the crumbling walls of Jericho, Sampson doing major damage with a jawbone, Saul and David’s dysfunctional relationship, and Nathan calling out David.

I can’t stop thinking about the sad story of David, Bathsheba, Uriah and Nathan, especially that last scene when Nathan confronts David. Because of a faithful and fearless friend like Nathan, and a forgiving and gracious God, David repented and ended strong.

It is always tragic when leaders fail. Here are some of my thoughts as I ponder last night’s show about Samson, Saul, and David – three leaders who failed.

Irresponsible Delegation. It was the season when all good kings go off to war, but David got lazy, delegated his duty to General Joab and took the month off. (2 Samuel 11:1) While hanging out on his roof deck, David spotted Bathsheba taking a bath and acted on his lustful impulse. We all know the rest of the story. David got in trouble because he was not where a leader should have been during that season of life. When leaders stop doing what they are called to do, they invite trouble. There are certain things that can’t be delegated – certain battles that we must personally fight. If we refuse to lead and fight we will make a mess of our lives and the lives of those around us.

The Faithful and Fearless Friend. One of the most powerful scenes in The Bible series so far, was Nathan confronting King David. Every leader needs a friend like Nathan who will speak uncomfortable truth. The higher one climbs the leadership ladder, the less people are willing to speak truth. That’s why so many fall from great heights. God give us modern Nathans who will tell the truth!

Forgiveness and the Consequences of Sin. To his credit, David confessed and repented as soon as Nathan rebuked him. Nathan’s reply to David’s repentance is both comforting and terrifying: “The Lord has taken your sin away. You are not going to die.” (2 Samuel 12:13) I am sure David was comforted knowing that God was not going to kill him. However, while forgiven, David’s sin was not quite forgotten. Nathan spells out the consequences of David’s sin: that Bathsheba’s child will die and that innocent family members will suffer horribly (vs. 11,14). Sin is quickly forgiven, but the sowing and reaping process is rarely suspended. Lest we reason that because God is forgiving we can sin and repent at will, we better remember that sin hurts, and sometimes destroys, innocent bystanders.

I can’t wait to see Part 3 next Sunday night. In the mean time I will do my best to read, study, believe, preach, and obey the Bible. I hope you will too.

First of all I want to make it clear that I will not vote for any of the candidates running in the upcoming Philippine election.  It is not because none of the candidates are qualified.  It is because I am not qualified.  Being a US citizen with a Philippine permanent resident visa, I am not allowed to vote in the Philippines.

Now to the point.  Since my friend, Bro. Eddie announced his candidacy (remember, this was originally written in 2004) I have heard many opinions about whether or not he should run.  The most passionate negative opinions have usually been built on the shifting sand of the “separation of church and state” doctrine.  I do not presume to know God’s will for Bro. Eddie, but I do know something about the separation of church and state.

Here’s a sample conversation I have had too many times recently:  “Pastor, what do you think about Bro. Eddie running for president?”

My response is usually something like: “Since I can’t vote, why don’t you tell me what you think.”

“Well, I just don’t think it’s right.”

“Why?”

“Because preachers belong behind the pulpit, not in the palace.”

“And why is that?”  I ask.

“You know, separation of church and state, and stuff.”

I have found that if the conversation goes on long enough “separation of church and state” always comes up.  I have heard many church members, even pastors, quote the separation doctrine like it was a Bible verse.  Separation of church and state sounds so spiritual it must be in the Bible.  Right?  Wrong.

If it is not in the Bible, then it must be in the US Constitution since American media mentions it so much.  Right?  Wrong again.

Separation of church and state was actually first mentioned by the author of the “Jefferson Bible,” an edition of the New Testament that removed all references to the supernatural including the virgin birth, the resurrection, and all miracles. Who was this blasphemer who created the separation of church and state doctrine that is so popular in Evangelical circles today?

The separation idea first appeared in 1802 in a letter US President Thomas Jefferson wrote to a group of concerned Baptist pastors in Danbury, Connecticut.  In the letter Jefferson assured the pastors he would not allow his non-Christian beliefs to influence public policy because he held the opinion that there should be a “wall of separation between the church and the state.”  Note that this was Jefferson’s personal opinion, not US Constitution and certainly not the Bible.

Jefferson’s separation idea actually did appear in a constitution 150 years after his letter.  The Soviets believed separation of church and state to be essential in building a godless government, so they wrote Jefferson’s separation clause into their constitution. In other words, if we want to build an atheist society, then the separation of church and state makes sense.

However, if we want to build a godly society, then it may be a good idea for Christians to get involved in every level of society, including civil government.

As an American, I cannot vote in Philippine elections, but as a Filipino you must.  As a foreigner I will not get involved in Philippine politics, but as a Christian citizen you must.  It is time for Filipino Christians to come out from behind the non-Christian idea of the wall of separation between church and state and get involved in all levels of the political process.

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Here’s the 2013 edition of Victory’s policy on church and politics:

1. We encourage everyone in Victory, including pastors and staff, to get as involved in the political process as their schedule permits. We cannot be salt and light from the sidelines. We must get in the game and get involved.

2. We will not allow any Victory leader or member to use the pulpit, small group, prayer meeting or Victory name to promote or endorse a specific candidate or a political party. We will use the pulpit, small group and prayer meeting to give a biblical perspective to specific issues without reference to personalities and parties, including educating our members on how to choose their candidates wisely. We will also use the pulpit, small group and prayer meeting to inspire, train and disciple future leaders who will one day run for office.

3. We recognize that because of the advent of social media, pastors now have a platform to influence people beyond the pulpit . As such, pastors are expected to exercise discretion with regards to supporting specific candidates, qualifying that it is a personal support and not representing the church. Social media posts from the pastor should include a qualifying statement that the political opinions presented are in no way reflective of the view and position of Victory.

4. In our desire to see more Christians involved in nation-building, we will take the initiative to pray for and inform our people about and long-time, active members of our church who are running for political office, regardless of their political party, and whose platform generally promotes a biblical worldview. Just as we pray for the success of our members who are in different spheres of society, such as business, media, education, arts and entertainment, military, and sport, we believe that God has called certain people to serve in government, and we will pray for their success as well.

5. At a local church leadership’s discretion, we will provide a forum separate from our regular church activities for candidates running for local or national office to present their respective individual platforms to any of our members who are interested to listen. Ultimately, every citizen will vote for who they want to be in office, and we respect that right. At the same time, however, we believe that providing this forum is consistent with our vision of encouraging our members to be involved in the political process as well as helping promote the Commission on Elections’ drive for voters’ education.

We hope that one day there will be many Victory members serving God and country in all levels of civil government.

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. -Proverbs 14:34

Over a decade ago, Victory pastor Dr Joey Castro, quietly paid the tuition of numerous poor Filipinos students so they could stay in school and stay off the streets. Doc Joey had walked away from his medical career to plant a Victory congregation among disadvantaged Filipinos. The fact that he did not have deep pockets did not stop him from paying tuition out of his own pocket.

In time, Doc Joey’s lifestyle of generosity became the Real Life Foundation,  a Christian non-profit NGO that is passionate about “transforming lives, families, and communities through hope and education.” The primary Real Life programs include Life Scholarships, Life Coaching, and Life Line. For info about helping a Real Life Scholar, click here.

Several years ago Doc Joey and his family moved to a restricted nation to serve as cross-cultural church-planters. Since then Real Life has expanded its programs under the leadership of executive director, Lynn Nawata, who has mobilized an amazing team of volunteers and staff. For me, serving on the Real Life board is a one of life’s great privileges.

One of the highlights of every year is the Race For Life that helps fund scholarships for disadvantaged but deserving Filipino students. Here’s a video summary of our recent Fun Run that included 6000 runners and walkers.

My topic was the “why” of kids ministry. I told some stories, read some Bible verses, and asked four questions. Here are the Bible verses and questions.

Question 1: Are we bringing kids to church or to Jesus? Getting kids to church is a good start, but it is only a start. The goal is to get them to Jesus. Let’s not be like the disciples in Mark 10:13 who completely missed the point: “People were BRINGING LITTLE CHILDREN TO JESUS to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.”

Question 2: Jesus valued kids ministry, do we? Jesus thought it was pretty important that the kids were getting close to him. The disciples saw no value in ministering to kids, so they tried to stop it with a rebuke. “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant…” (Mark 10:14) “Indignant” is a Bible word for “really ticked off.”

Question 3: What are we doing that hinders children from coming to Jesus? After rebuking the disciples, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and DO NOT HINDER THEM, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14) I’m afraid we inadvertently do much that hinders children from coming to Christ.

Question 4: What can we learn from children? Jesus not only allowed children to come to him, he honored them by making them the example for all to follow. “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15)

If we seriously ask and answer these four questions, the result will be verse 16. “And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”

Jesus desires to take our children in his arms and bless them. Often the only thing preventing this is our sorry attitude towards kids ministry.

Any way, three days ago, I left the Every Nation North America office for a quick lunch. I returned to a strange video production site.

Here’s the proof that Every Nation people work hard while the boss is out, the official Every Nation World Conference Harlem Shake video.

Consider Old Testament writer, Amos who wrote: “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (Amos 7:14,15)

We know him as the Prophet Amos, but he says he was not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet. Here’s the lesson: Amos did not let what he was NOT stop him from becoming what God called him to be.

He was a shepherd and a fruit-picker. But God wanted him to be a prophet. So he became a prophet. Case closed.

What has God called you to be? Are you letting your past, your parents, or your problems stop you from becoming what God has called you to be? Don’t! Be all you can be.

Pastors and missionaries are leaders, or at least they are supposed to be. Some are good leaders. Others are not. Some have intentionally upgraded their leadership skills. Others have not.

It is one thing to be an effective minister; it is another thing entirely to be an effective leader.

A person who is an effective pastor or missionary will eventually attract a crowd that will become an organization that will require leadership skills. If we grow in ministry skills, but fail to develop leadership skills, we will create chaos and unwittingly destroy what we build.

Here are three leadership skills that pastors and ministers must develop and constantly upgrade:

1. Organizational leadership. If we are effective ministers, what we lead will grow. And, growing churches and ministries will require organizational leadership skills including management, strategic planning, budgeting, communications, and others. The larger the ministry grows, the more important it is to develop organizational leadership structures and skills.

2. Spiritual leadership. Organization charts, strategic plans, and management principles are important, but inadequate. We must also be spiritual leaders. Prayer, preaching, Bible study, discernment, and deliverance are just a few of the skills necessary to lead healthy growing churches and ministries.

3. Relational leadership. My good friend Joey Bonifacio always says, “discipleship is relationship.” So is leadership. Our influence in the lives of those we hope to lead will be directionally proportional to the depth of our relationship with them.

Are you intentionally and strategically developing leadership skills in all three areas to complement your ministry skills?

(Wrote this in Manila, posting from Tokyo airport on the way to Nashville.)

Here’s how our Jade Cabbage encounter came to be. We were told that if we want to see the architecture of ancient China, then we should visit the Forbidden City in Mainland China. But if we want to see the art and treasures of ancient China, then we should visit the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Since we are in Taipei, we chose the art and treasure tour.

Oddly enough, the National Palace Museum in Taipei is the national museum of the Republic of China (Mainland China). It houses over 650,000 pieces of ancient Chinese art and artifacts covering over 8000 years of Chinese history.

We were surprised and somewhat puzzled to discover that the most revered artifact in the whole museum was the famous Jade Cabbage. A close second is the Jade Pork. The Chinese do love their food.

Compared to all the amazing artifacts, I could not understand the fascination with a piece of jade carved to look like a cabbage. I had to ask. Here’s the story.

The piece of jade chosen by the artist was a second class grade of jade with many visible imperfections. Despite the numerous flaws, the artist saw the potential and started carving what would become a famous and priceless stone vegetable.

I’m still not sure why thousands line up to view the Jade Cabbage, but an important discipleship lesson was reinforced. Even if we are working with people who have visible flaws, discipleship always focuses on the potential, not on the problems. The discipleship process helps carve away the imperfections so the human version of the Jade Cabbage can emerge, for the honor of God.

In Deuteronomy 17 God is giving his people guidelines for picking good leaders. Here’s my summary of those guidelines.

1. CALLING. “Be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses.” (Verse 15) We should not appoint a person to a leadership position unless and until God appoints and anoints them. In other words, divine calling is essential for good leadership.

2. VISION. “He must not make the people return to Egypt… you are not to go back that way.” (Verse 16) Leaders must be looking forward and leading forward, not backwards. Good leaders focus on where they are going, not on where they came from. They have a vision for the future, not just memories of the good ole days.

3. INTEGRITY. “He must not take many wives… he must not accumulate large amounts of gold and silver.” (Verse 17) Leaders must not use their position to pad their pockets or to seduce women. Sounds like a no-brainer, but sadly, many leaders seem to have no brain. When looking for a good leader, integrity trumps intellect and character trumps charisma.

4. WORD. “He is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of the law… he is to read it all the days of his life.” (verses 18,19) Good leaders become great leaders when they make writing and reading God’s word a part of their daily routine.

5. HUMILITY. “He should not consider himself better than his brothers.” (Verse 20) Good leaders are usually not aware that they are good leaders. They do not think they are better than others. They give credit to God and to the team.

God, help us all be this kind of leader. Thanks.

Note: This is an important blog for all who do ministry, whether you are lifers or volunteers.

But, first a familiar story. Young Joseph had a couple of dreams. The dreams were from God. Like many dreamers, in his youthful enthusiasm, Joseph offended friends and family as he arrogantly promoted his dream.

Because of the dream, Joseph’s brothers hated him. They threatened to kill him. But, in an act of brotherly compassion, they decided to spare his life and sell him into slavery instead. His Egyptian slave-master unjustly threw him in prison.

Joseph’s dream had officially become a nightmare.

What do you do when The Dream feels like a nightmare? Here’s what Joseph did: he helped others live their dreams, while he waited on his.

The story continues. While in prison, Joseph’s cellmates had dreams. He interpreted their dreams, with one request: “when all goes well with you, REMEMBER ME and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.” (Gen 40:14) Sounds like a reasonable request to me.

The last verse in Genesis 40 is all too familiar for those of us in ministry. “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.” (Gen 40:23) Have you ever been forgotten by those you serve? If you have been in ministry more than two weeks, you have.

Two years later, Pharaoh has a couple of dreams (the third set of double dreams that mark Joseph’s life). Pharaoh is distraught and seeks an interpretation. Chief Cupbearer suddenly remembers his former cellmate who helped his dream become reality. Chief finally puts in a good word for Joseph. Pharaoh summons Joseph and the rest is history. But Joseph had to endure two extra years of prison because he was forgotten by the man he had helped.

What should we do when we help people in their time of need, and they forget us in our time of need? GET OVER IT, GET YOUR EYES ON JESUS, AND KEEP MINISTERING!

Powerful prayer meetings yesterday at the Every Nation Churches North American office (9am & 4pm), at Bethel Brentwood (noon), and at Bethel Franklin (7pm). Special thanks to my friends John Rohrer and Bruce Fidler for ministering at Bethel Franklin last night.

Here’s another vintage fasting blog I dug from deep in the archives…

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“I’ve been set free! This book has set me free!”

This was the first sign of life Roberto had shown since our pastor had encouraged our church to join the multi-denominational nation-wide three days of prayer and fasting for the upcoming 1980 elections. He enthusiastically waved a small book above his head: “Steve, you have to read this book! It set me free!”

The book was about fasting, written by a well-known faith teacher. “How could a book about fasting invoke such an enthusiastic response, especially from Roberto?” I silently muttered. “At least he’ll stop acting like he’s going to starve to death during our fast.”

“Look, man.” He opened the book and held it right in my face. I wondered what was in it that had “set him free.”

“I used to think fasting was important,” he explained to me, “until I read this book. Now I’m free!”

Now I got it. He was freed from fasting. The premise of the book was that fasting was an Old Testament way of getting God’s attention. That was law. This is grace. All we do now is “speak the word of faith.” No need to travail. No need to persevere. Forget Luke 11 and the principle of asking, seeking, and knocking. Forget Luke 18 and the parable of the persistent widow. No need for extended times of intercession. “Just use your faith and confess the word, brother, and all your mountains will move.”

Well, I’ve been set free, too. Not by Roberto’s book, but by the truth of God’s Word. Not free from fasting, but free to fast. Set free from the “stomach god” that Paul mentioned in Philippians 3:19.

Here’s what Jesus said about fasting:

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Notice the word in this passage: when. Jesus seems to assume His followers would fast. He didn’t say: “If you guys ever happen to fast…” He said: “When you fast…”

Thousands of Every Nation people start each year with a week of prayer, fasting, and consecration. During the fast, many churches have morning, noon, and nightly prayer meetings each day. God’s Word promises a reward to those who fast. The following are a few of the rewards people reported during a recent week of fasting.

“Today, I received the largest purchase order in the history of my business.”

“Before, I couldn’t open my mouth all the way. Now my jaw is completely healed!”

“Someone called my wife and said that God had spoken to them to pay the whole amount of our Couple’s Retreat registration. Then, the next morning another person said God told them to give my wife some cash.”

“All my life I’ve been afraid of small, dark, enclosed places. Tonight, I was the last one to leave the library on my campus. Normally, I would be terrified in that situation. No more! I’ve been delivered from claustrophobia.”

“I’m in the process of raising my support to be a missionary overseas, and last night, someone I didn’t even know approached me after the prayer meeting and said he would pay for my whole airfare.”

These are just a few of the tangible rewards people received during our fast. There were many more physical healings and financial provisions. More than that, there were countless spiritual breakthroughs. May we all declare war on the “stomach god” and, unlike Roberto, be set free to fast.

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FINE PRINT BELOW:

1. This is an edited version of an Evangelicals Today article written fifteen years ago and  posted as a blog in 2004.

2. We encourage only healthy adults to fast. If you are pregnant or nursing, you should not fast. If you have any medical condition, you should check with your doctor before fasting. If you are a minor, you should only fast with parental permission. 

3. I am having visions of Five Guys fries visiting me at night.

Those who know me know that I hate fasting, but I do it anyway.

For as long as I can remember, our church in Manila has started the year with a week of prayer, fasting, and consecration. For me, that week is always the best of times and the worst of times. Looking back, I have to admit that I probably instituted a church-wide week of fasting because that is the only way I could force myself to participate in that spiritual discipline. Left to myself, I would rather visit Five Guys three times a day than skip meals and pray three times a day. But, my church community makes me a better Christian.

Today is day III of our 2013 week of prayer, fasting, and consecration. Many Every Nation churches around the world are having morning, noon, and evening prayer meetings this week. I am already hearing twitter reports of answered prayer and breakthrough, as Every Nation people from London to Manila to Nashville are humbling themselves and getting hungry (for God!).

I am also hearing some questions. Rather than attempting to make up answers myself, I will simply refer you to one of the best fasting cites available, which includes the following info:

• Why fast
• How to fast safely
• How long
• How to prepare 
• How to make your spiritual experience the best it can be
• What physical benefits to expect
• How to finish your fast

I hope that helps as you seek God during this week of fasting, prayer, and consecration.

Whether you are called to a grass hut or to a glass tower, the call of God always involves sacrifice. But, we are not called to sacrifice family for ministry. Consider Noah.

“The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY.” Genesis 7:1

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark TO SAVE HIS FAMILY.” Hebrews 11:7

Noah fully obeyed God’s call. His sacrificial obedience saved his family, and the world. Too many leaders today lose their family in the process of saving the world. It should not be that way.

You want to save the world? Saving your family is step one.

1. Best event: William & Rachel’s wedding! Definately the event of the year. One down, two to go.

2. Best milestone: Our 30th wedding anniversary. And it keeps getting better.

3. Best tweeting toddler: The @HonestToddler. The kid also writes a hilarious blog. I admit it, I’m reading his tweets and blog to get mentally prepared for grandkids.

4. Best TV show:Duck Dynasty. Everyone has been talking about Willie, Uncle Si, and the bearded boys. I finally watched an episode last week, and got addicted. Faith, family, ducks. Plus camo, guns, and ZZ Top beards. What’s not to love!

5. Best song: Unforgiven by Joe Cocker. While in Brisbane my Aussie friend, Wayne Alcorn, reintroduced me to Joe. I returned the favor by introducing Wayne to country music and country culture on his trip to Music City. Dragged him to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. Also bought him an Eric Church CD and a Roy D Mercer CD. He almost admitted that country music is actually legit music. Almost.

6. Best book: The Lego Principle by Joey Bonifacio. I watched Joey live the Lego principle for many years before I read the book. My 2012 top ten books here.

7. Best conference: Asia Pastors Equipping Conference (aka APEC) in Manila. My day job takes me to lots of conferences all over the world every year, and APEC is always our favorite. Nothing compares with reconnecting with pastors and leaders friends from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Mongolia, Myanmar, and two dozen other Asian nations. This year the Middle East Strategic Summit (aka MESS) in Dubai was a close second.

8. Best movie: Les Miserables. Lincoln was good, but Les Mis is a classic. Watching the epic battle between mercy and judgment, between law and grace never gets old. It is good to remember that we all have an inner 24601 running from past sins, until we encounter grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

9. Best trip: Safari in South Africa with Deborah and our son, James. Lions, elephants, rhinos, cape buffalo, zebras, giraffes, hippos, leopards, hyenas. We saw them all, up close and personal. One of our best trips ever!

10. Worst millisecond in a sports event: Marquez no-look right to Congressman Pacquiao’s jaw. I’m still trying to forget.

What were your best and worst of 2012?

I love books, digital books and dead tree books. Here are some of the best I read in 2012.

10. The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony. A gift from my South African friends, Roger and Nicola Pearce, I read the whole book on a Joburg to Nashville flight. Couldn’t put it down. The Last Rhino by Lawrence was just as good. Both books made me want to get on the next flight to Africa!

9. The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. This book could revolutionize the way you think about church and ministry. Highly recommended for pastors, church planters, missionaries, and everyone who works in ministry.

8. Faith to Live By: A Practical Guide to the Life of Faith by Paul Barker. Historical, biblical, theological, practical. This might be the best book on faith you will ever read.

7. The Mormonizing of America by Stephen Mansfield. Learned a lot of interesting and scary stuff. Also enjoyed Lincoln’s Battle with God. Stephen is a great writer and a better friend.

6. No Man is an Island by Thomas Merton. Devotional classic. Not a wasted word. For best results, read slowly with a humble heart.

5. Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. Long and tedious, but worth the time. I suggest the digital version, unless you want to carry around a ten pound book.

4. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. I did not read all of the 10,000 plus pages of the thirteen volumes, but I have enjoyed every page I’ve read. In don’t know if my sermons are better because of these books, but I’m pretty sure I am better because of them.

3. The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal by Vinson Synan. This thick book has been on my Nashville bedside table for a year. It’s the last thing I read as I fall asleep. It informed my mind, stretched my faith, convicted my heart, and inspired my dreams. If you love church history, you gotta read this book.

2. The Lego Principle by Joey Bonifacio. Might be the most important book about doing ministry that you’ll ever read. Discipleship really is relationship! Great book, Joey! Can’t wait to read the sequel.

1. The Bible. I’ve read it a few times before, but this was my first full reading using YouVersion‘s “Blended” plan, with daily OT and NT selections. I am now officially hooked to YouVersion and plan to use it in 2013 and beyond.

Honorable mention, but not quite top ten:

Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud. My first Henry Cloud book. Made me want to fire someone. But I resisted. All leaders should read this one. Also recommended for people stuck in dysfunctinal relationships and horrible jobs.

Calico Joe by John Grisham. Fatherhood. Family. Forgiveness. Baseball. Great themes woven together in classic Grisham fashion, minus the ubiquitous lawyer and tired courtroom.

Drop Dead Healthy by AJ Jacobs. A hilarious look at America’s health obsession/hypocrisy.

What did you read in 2012?

Here’s my 2011 list, and here’s my 2010 list.