Saturday, January 27, 2007

 

Mid-South Men's Rally

Preachers Need Encouragement Too
Last night I had the opportunity to attend the Mid-South Men's Rally in Jackson, Miss. I was invited to go by Pastor Paul Lipe of the Delhi Presbyterian Church. As happens so many times, as the time approached to meet them at the church all kinds of excuses crept up within me not to go. "I had other things to do;" "I really don't feel like it;" "Will this really be beneficial to me;" and of course, "I really don't want to." Thank the Lord that virtue won out over laziness and I took the plunge.

How often we don't realize how we need encouragemnt and edification. We think that we are doing just fine by ourselves. After all, "I'm the preacher. I don't need encouragement; I don't need to learn anything. I'm supposed to be doing that for others." I have found out so many times that you can't keep giving and giving and not receive something for yourself. Or sure, I study, mostfly for sermon preparation and not nearly enough time for personal devotion - that means just time spent with God for no other reason than to spend time with Him.

I am so glad I was able to go!
What a blessing it was to go. The fellowship was wonderful. Along with the 8 or 9 from Delhi Presbyterian, there were 1000 or so men at the rally. I did feel a little outnumbered as a Southern Baptist among all those Presbyterians.... lol.... but it was still a very enjoyable time. After all, they are brothers in Christ. I appreciate our Presbyterian brothers very much, especially those of the PCA, of which Delhi Prebyterian is a member. Actually, last year Al Mohler who is the president of Southern (Baptist) Seminary was to be the speaker and next year he will be the speaker. I'm already looking forward to that. I pray that some of the men of our church will be able to go. I'll let all of them know when this wonderful event occurs next year.

The speaker was Dr. Harry Reeder who is the senior pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL. He was a wonderful preacher and brought a message on leadership, particularly male leadership. It was very interesting that his illustrations from leadership were Christian men who served in leadership positions during the American Civil War. General Robert E. Lee was his prime example. I learned so very much not only about General Lee, but about leadership in general.

Here are six principles about leadership that I learned last night:

A. Three Non-negotiable tasks of Leaders
1. Leaders must know their mission and relentlessly be committed to achieving it.
2. Leaders must always take care of their people.
3. Leaders will intentionally replace themselves with more leaders.

B. Three Non-negotiable Traits of a Leader
1. Competancy - Leaders develope their skills
2. Content - Good leaders know their stuff
3. Character - Leaders are men of character. "Circumstances do not define character, they reveal character and become the opportunity to refine it."

A little self-evaluation
As I listen and continue to apply what I heard last night, I am both humbled and just a little humiliated by the truths I either learned or of which I was reminded. May God help to become the man of God and the leader that He wants me to be. At the same time I confess to those to whom God has given me a charge that I have not been the leader that I should be. I feel so very inadequte for the task. But I know that God is the enabler. As I have heard before, God always provides the resources for the taskt to which He has called us.

Church, please pray for me as I grow in our Lord Jesus and as I grow to be the leader that He wants me to be.

Thank you heavenly Father for you call to salvation and to service. Thank you for the life I have in You, for the hope that is within, for the gifts you have given, for Your presence during every moment of my life. Help me to live the life to which You have called me and to use the gifts which you have given me all to Your glory and for the good of the people to whom You have given me charge. I love you Lord Jesus.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

 

I'm Back!!

I'm Back. After a long time away from my blog page, I'm back. I want to thank those of you who have encouraged me to get back to blogging. I will try to do better from now on. All of this writing taxes my brain!! But, just like those spiritual disciplines, I know this is really good for me. So, come back every day or so and check to see if I have anything new to say. Not that it will be new, but at least let you know I'm still on the planet.

So, until then, everyone have a great day. Be sure and check back tomorrow. May God bless you with His greatest blessings!

Bro. Bernard

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