TimSpivey.com

Introducing NewVintageLeadership.Com!

Click here to access NewVintageLeadership.Com. After receiving feedback from you and taking a long, hard look at how to improve the blog...the result is the beta version of New Vintage Leadership .

Here are a few things I'd ask before you click over:

• If you link to my blog, please change the link. If you don't yet, please consider adding the new blog to your blogroll and/or following the feed. TimSpivey.com will automatically forward to the new blog in a week or so. But, it will help the new blog get going for you to link to it rather than TimSpivey.com. If you want people to know what it is... just label it Tim Spivey - New Vintage Leadership - or something like that :)
• Consider giving to New Vintage Church or advertising on the blog. The blog is indirectly a ministry of New Vintage Church--a fledgling church plant that could use your support. The initial ad rates are as low as allowed--but will increase as hit counts increase. There are four small ads you can purchase by clicking on their respective icon. To give to New Vintage, click over. There's an ad you can't miss. Just click on it to proceed.

The blog is a great deal of fun for me. As always...thanks soooo much for reading. 

Click here to access New Vintage Leadership at newvintageleadership.com.

Geoff Surratt on The Secret Life of Pastors

Geoff Surratt wrote a simple but great post, entitled, "The Secret Life of Pastors," I'd like to share with you. 

What is your goal as a pastor? What would bring real satisfaction? I know pastors who have 100 people who are convinced that if they could just get to 200 then things would be right in the world. I know pastors who have 1000 people who secretly believe that 3000 is the magic number. There are pastors who are just trying to get over the 10,000 hump, and pastors of 20,000 who think 40,000 feels about right. No one really talks like this, but deep down many pastors live this way. Having been on staff of churches at every level I can assure you that at the end of the rainbow is always another rainbow. No matter how "succesful" your church plant is, you will never arrive.

So let me give you four targets you can hit. I believe that if you hit these goals you will find the fulfillment you are looking for as you lead a church.

1. Love Jesus

I know, we all love Jesus. But is that what motivates us? Let me be honest about what I love; I love success, I love strategy, I love excellence, I love technology, I love a well-executed plan, I love crowds, I love speaking, I love compliments, I love new buildings, I love recognition, I love seeing a team come together. Oh, and I love Jesus too. What do you love?

We have to find a way to move Jesus to the center. We have to fall in love with Jesus. We have to do it every day. We have to acknowledge that all the other stuff of ministry is often a smokescreen getting in the way of our love for Jesus and we have to strip it all away. 

2. Love your family

Don't just prioritize your family, take time for your family, and protect your family. Love your family. Become the kind of person your family loves. Be the dad that your kids love to tell their friends about. Be the husband your wife dreams about. Pastor your church but love your family.

3. Love your people

People are great volunteers, amazing leaders, and wonderful teachers. They are butts in seats. They are building blocks of a ministry. They are the tools in our hands we use to build the monument to us that we believe our church will one day be. To Jesus people were broken hearts to be loved; a grieving widow, a scorned woman, a desperate dad. Take off your rancher's hat, pick up your shepherd's crook and love your people.

4. Love your community

Loving you community isn't just giving away water bottles to get more people to come to your church. Loving your community means letting the pain and the brokeness around your church break your heart. Loving your community means bringing freedom to the prisoners, water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, shelter to the homeless. Loving your community means finding the people lost in the cracks and caring for them when no one else does.

The sad secret of ministry is that many pastor wouldn't wish their lives on anyone. Their prayer life, if it exists at all, is dry, their families feel abandoned, and the pastor is empty. There is a constant drive for more that will never be satisfied. In contrast; a life of loving Jesus, loving your family, loving your people and loving your community is a life you can invite people into. That is a goal worth pursuing. 

Don't get in caught in the trap of more. There is no there, there.

For more of Geoff's posts, you can check his blog out at GeoffSurratt.Com.

What Avocados Taught Me About Leadership

Yesterday, I spent some time with a long-time mentor. I was describing some leadership issues and asked for his advice. He cited a Latino farming proverb. I won't try to say it in Spanish, I'll just offer it's meaning: "the avocados sort themselves out in the walking." Or, something like that.

I don't like avocadoes. I really don't know how that happened growing up in Southern California, with it's bountiful avocado groves. Because I don't like avocados, unfortunately, I also know little about them.

My friend and mentor told me that avocados are extremely easy to bruise (I did know that part). So, farmers used to try to arrange them just the right way in the box after picking. However, they experienced great difficulty keeping them from bruising.

Over time the farmers noticed that if avocados were simply set in the box, they would settle themselves in just the right formation as the farmer simply left them alone and walked on. It was his way of saying...there's a time to plan and to act strategically. There's also a time to just let things settle in as we walk on. Sometimes we bruise things up in our efforts fit things in rather than letting them fit. After thinking about his words, I'm pretty sure he's right.

Who knows, maybe I'll give avocados another shot. If nothing else, whenever I see one, I'll look at remember that there's a time to arrange things...and a time to walk on...and let things settle themselves in.

Misunderstimations of Leadership - Preaching

Preaching these days "misunderestimated." These days I read fairly regularly that preaching is too long, or is nice but unnecessary. Others, like Albert Mohler makes so much of preaching, they almost go too far:

"...preaching is the central component of Christian worship. But how could it be otherwise? For it is primarily through the preaching of Scripture that we come to a true vision of the living God, recognize our own sinfulness, hear the declaration of redemption, and are called to a response of faith, repentance, and service."

Mohler makes quite clear that preaching's authority and importance lies in the power of God's Word, not simply the act of preaching--which is why it's so important. I, like Mohler, would agree that much preaching today is in need of renewal. Much of what is called "preaching" today isn't actually preaching, either because it has little biblical foundation or Gospel content. Mohler writes:

"...we should define exactly what we mean when we say “preach.” What we mean is, very simply, reading the text and explaining it—reproving, rebuking, exhorting, and patiently teaching directly from the text of Scripture. If you are not doing that, then you are not preaching."

If that's what we're doing (and I agree that we are), then we need to pay attention to it. Some preaching has these components but makes little effort to insure people can understand what's being said in a way that captivates and convicts the heart.

At a practical level, preaching is vital to the long-term spiritual welfare of the church. Preaching provides nourishment, exhortation and biblical instruction that shapes people spiritually over time. It's also quite important in reaching those who are searching for God and find their way into the church for that Sunday.

Preachers should work hard to improve as exegetes, theologians and communicators. They should stay anchored to the God of the Scriptures, and avoid some of today's pitfalls:

• Techno-preaching: preaching that overdoses on the use of technology, and starves for lack of clarity.
• MySpace-preaching: preaching that tries to be relevant so hard that it's irrelevant. It's so "timely," it's irrelevant by the time it's finished.
• Politi-preaching: preaching that is a political speech with some Scriptures thrown in, rather than a biblical sermon with occasional political applications. This one is huge today.
• Seminary-preaching: Preaching communicated in a way that makes the preacher sound smart but is at an "intellectual level" that leaves everyone wondering what in the world the preacher is talking about. By all means, stretch people intellectually, but know the limits and check your motives as you do.
• Narcissi-preaching: preaching that focuses exclusively on what God wants for "your" life, rather than "our lives," the Church, or the Kingdom.

All of these and more have the effect of shaping people in a particular way over time. It also, for better or worse, shapes the view of what God and the Church are about in the minds and hearts of searchers. It's really, really important.

No one is perfect in the pulpit. I'm certainly not. However, it's vital that we strive to be all God wants us to be in this area. Much of today's critique of preaching has less to do with the insufficiency of biblical preaching and much to do with the insufficiency of preachers. Preachers will always be insufficient, which is why we need to stay anchored to the Scriptures first. Then, let's work on communicating it's altogether beautiful content in a way that captivates and convicts the minds and hearts of the hearers.

If preaching in your church is anemic or thin...it matters. If preaching is both meaty and delicious--your church will be blessed.

"I Believe in You"

"I really believe in you...I really, really do," one of my spiritual heroes said to me sincerely this past week with his hand on my shoulder. It was a simple grace, but most well-timed and warming. After thinking about the blessing it was to me, I wondered when I last offered such grace to someone else. Sure, I encourage others from time to time. Yet, I need to offer more of genuinely convicted encouragement. "Convicted encouragement" is encouragment one really, really believes as opposed to the more common or generic variety.

Most of us offer common and generic encouragement to people as a way of helping people "keep their head up" or to express gratitude for someone's service. It's the kind most of us offer most frequently. Such encouragement is far better than no encouragement. It's still a blessing, but it's a thinner one.

Well-meaning people traffic in thin encouragement, but wouldn't it be something if we all trafficked in the real stuff--"convicted encouragement." The kind we really, really mean. The kind that keeps people from despairing at a key moment in their life or ministry. The kind we offer when we know the person cannot repay us or they are looking for it. The kind that nourishes life and discipleship in by simply reminding someone that God is for them by hearing it on the lips of one of His people.

Real encouragement in a difficult time is like a warm meal to famished. Someone said a word of encouragment during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success. True enough, but I've also found it to be worth a lot no matter what the times. It's no wonder that in Scripture God urges us to encourage one another. We are to encourage each other in Christ so the Discourager doesn't win the battle for the heart's joy or convince people to quit on things that really matter--marriages, churches, ministry, life.

So, let's make today, "I believe in you," day. Or, "thank you," day. Tell someone at your church, one of your kids, or a church leader that you believe in them...you really, really do--and mean it when you say it. Thank them for who they are and what they do. Help them understand they matter. As you do:

Be specific.

Mean it.

And, you'll bless them in ways untold.

Question: Describe a time when someone encouraged you in a way that made a significant difference in your life or ministry.

After Cincinnati - Reflections on NACC 2011

This past week I took a trip to the North American Christian Convention--the largest annual gathering of the Independent Christian Churches. I've written before, even recently, about my belief that the sectarianism that still separates Churches of Christ and Christian Churches is a sin we need to repent of. Thus, I won't reiterate this conviction here other than to say it's time more church leaders and congregations step forward and say so...then take some concrete steps in unity's direction. I was glad to see a number of people from acappella Churches of Christ present. Next year's NACC is in Orlando, Florida. I hope you'll consider attending.

Here are some reflections on the week:

• Dudley Rutherford did an outstanding job organizing the week. There weren't a lot of visible hiccups anywhere, and the quality of the week in nearly every aspect was exceptional.
• The praise portions of the sessions were ridiculously awesome and powerful. I loved seeing ethnic and age diversity on stage. The musical and spiritual giftedness of those leading worship was an immense blessing to me.
• I thought this year's preaching was stronger than in year's past. In particular, I enjoyed hearing Dave Stone, Jeff Vines. Francis Chan and Jeff Walling are always great to hear.
• There was a clear emphasis on increasing ethnic diversity in churches. As many of you know, this is a passion of mine, and the call at the convention was given with both grace and conviction.

Apart from those observations on the convention, I love attending the NACC because it's a great glimpse into the differences between Christian Churches and Churches of Christ that go beyond the simple issue of instrumental worship.

In particular, there are three emphases that I believe have led to the Christian Churches' renewal and rapid growth over the past several years: 

1. Reverence for growth. Christian Churches are much less suspicious of large and growing churches and view growth as something to aspire to. Even right now, some of my brethren are immediately thinking their growth must be shallow or at the cost of depth or doctrine. Not so, and, my point exactly. Churches suspicious of growth will not aspire to it and won't achieve it.
2. Emphasis on Planting Churches that will Grow. Christian Churches are church-planting machines. They also plant with an emphasis on evangelistic growth. Domestic church planting is now in their DNA the way foreign missions has historically beeis in the DNA of Churches of Christ.
3. Culture of Collaboration. Churches and organizations tend not to view one another as competitors, but as partners. They collaborate, help one another accomplish one another's goals, and share knowledge openly. Churches and colleges, for instance, have a more symbiotic relationship than in Churches of Christ. This is because of a palpable mentality of abundance, rather than scarcity.

There remain areas in which Churches of Christ are stronger than Christian Churches--and these are observable at our gatherings. This is just one more reason greater unity would be a blessing. The strength found in partnership is really powerful. Strength in isolation isn't very strong.

An Opportunity for Generosity

Periodically, I'll make an appeal for support for New Vintage Church through this blog. I do so unapologetically because Jesus says it's more blessed to give than to receive, and because I believe in New Vintage and it's future reaching people for Christ in San Diego county and around the world. Also, this blog is, in some ways, also a ministry of New Vintage Church. 

Your willingness to offer financial support would go a long ways toward helping New Vintage become all God wants it to be and seeing this humble blog continue. NVC is still quite a ways from self-supporting. So, I'm asking for your help. New Vintage needs the financial support of visionary people and visionary churches who have a passion for God’s work in Southern California and/or who wish to support the ministries of NVC missionaries—myself, Peter Wilson, DJ Iverson and Randy Armstrong.

I’m asking you and/or your congregation to partner with us.

Our website is still very much a work in progress, however, you can find out more about NVC there. If your congregation is interested in helping sponsor NVC and you would like a ministry plan, you can ask for one at connect@newvintagesd.org.

We believe God is in the process of doing something big in Southern California. We are looking for visionary people and visionary churches to support a new church start in an area that desperately needs one.

When you support NVC, you will also help support other churches indirectly. Each of us plans to continue to serve churches beyond our own by as we have for years through writings, podcasts, consulting, conference/lectureship leadership, arts, etc. If you enjoy this blog, if you have been blessed by my ministry or that of Peter Wilson, DJ Iverson, and Randy Armstrong, please give to New Vintage. We now offer secure giving online in two ways. One is through the PayPal button at the bottom of the post. Or, you may click here to access New Vintage's online giving page.

For those of you old-school givers, you can also write a check to:

New Vintage Church

243 S. Escondido Blvd., Suite 531

Escondido, CA 92026

If you want to support a particular NVC missionary, please put their name in the memo line. If you wish to support the church generally, simply leave the memo line blank.

To keep up with what’s going on at New Vintage Church, Check out the New Vintage Church – San Diego, website, Facebook page, or follow @newvintagesd on Twitter 

Southern California needs vibrant churches committed to bringing people to Christ. NVC is one such church, and we thank you for your generosity and prayers. Every offering matters and will be received with gratitude.

5 Years Later - Are we More Unified?

5 years ago tonight (June 29, 2006) Jeff Walling and Dave Stone exchanged bibles at the North American Christian Convention in an expression of acceptance between Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. Jeff was clear that he couldn't speak for everyone in Churches of Christ, but could speak for himself and many others in regretting past divisions and desiring deeper unity and fellowship in the days ahead. I said, "Amen," from the 5th row. I still say "Amen," from San Diego.

I have been blessed beyond belief by my fellowship and increased partnership with Christian Churches over the last several years. I have learned a truckload about leadership, cooperation between churches, vision and passion for God from Christian Churches--those who I had been wrongly separated from spiritually for things that pale in importance to Christian unity.

In 2006, I was preaching at Highland Oaks in Dallas and joined the unity efforts to make 2006 a year of intentional reunion. Not mergers. Reunions. Acceptance. That year, against some fairly strong headwinds, we accelerated support of common mission efforts, planting churches together, writing books together. I joined the Continuation Committee of the North American Christian Convention and began attending and supporting events on both "sides of the keyboard." Many others did the same. Though it meant taking a few shots, it was so worth it. God was pleased.

That was 2006.

This is 2011.

Here's the question: 5 years later, are we more unified? I don't think we are any less unified. However, I think we are only slightly more unified. Christian Churches and Churches of Christ are reaching across the keyboard more and more in mostly inconspicuous ways because they know they should, but stay inconspicuous about it for fear of reprisal. I'm thankful for this. Inconspicuous is better than non-existent. 

However, 5 years later, I do believe our fervor for the endeavor has waned a bit. I don't believe passion for unity has ebbed in the heart of Jesus--the One who prayed for it. So, I would like to call everyone within shouting distance of this humble blog to reconsider concrete ways to stand up for Christian unity.

New Vintage Church (the new church plant where I serve) is staffed by CofC lifers, incorporated as a Church of Christ and has partnered with Kairos Church Planting Support (affiliated with Churches of Christ). Simultaneously, we worship in the evenings at the facility of an Independent Christian Church, have received financial support from both Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, and make use of instruments in worship. We will support events, ministries and institutions affiliated with both Churches of Christ and Christian Churches.

I have said numerous times on this blog that Churches of Christ would do well to see what they can learn from Christian Churches--who continue to grow rapidly and exhibit greater church health than Churches of Christ on the whole. We have much to learn from one another if we are willing to do the difficult work of committing ourselves to Christian unity. Here I'm referring to real unity--the kind that embraces estranged Sisters and Brothers as true, equal family--born out in practice. As an aside, this work needs to be done racially, as well.

Though we've made huge strides, sectarianism remains one of the banes of Churches of Christ. This has been highlighted for me in the experience of starting New Vintage. For some, New Vintage Church's willingness to embrace Christian Churches and employ ministry methods uncommon within Churches of Christ means we are no longer part of Churches of Christ. In fact, this decision was made by some quite quickly and without discussion. Here's my question:

Who gets to make that decision?

In the end, it doesn't matter.

Actually, I realize it does matter to some. Just not to God. If anything, what matters to God is that His people continue to divide and exclude rather than loving one another as He would have them to. I love my heritage and it's traditions deeply...always will. However, where there is a fork in the road between those traditions and Christ's teachings on unity, the choice of which direction one should take is clear.

New Vintage Church is a non-denominational Church of Christ rooted theologically in the Christ revealed in Scripture and rooted ancestrally in the Restoration Movement. Thus, we stand united fully with both Churches of Christ and Christian Churches in loving God, loving others, and reaching the lost. Why? Because God cares less about labels or whether worship music is instrumental/acappella than He does about Christian unity, love for others, and witness to His Son. In fact, I'm quite sure we are not authorized by Jesus to divide over the matters we have--and we will be held to account for our division. 

Let me offer again: Unity is a really, really big deal to Jesus. Whether a Church of Christ or Christian Church, all who claim the name of Christ must make much of unity as well. If we do, Jesus will be pleased, and our witness will impactful. If we remain more committed to our tribes than His Cause, we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for God to bless our efforts.

Let's love one another with the genuine love of Christ--for God's glory and the sake of the world. As the Lord Himself said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). 

Question: What strides, forward or backward, have you observed between Christian Churches and Churches of Christ? Why do you think Churches of Christ continue to stay distant from Christian Churches? How do we overcome those barriers?

What Makes a Great Preacher?

What makes a great Preacher? I'm not speaking here of traits all preachers should have (character, etc.). I would love to hear what you think makes a great preacher? Are there traits, practices or fabrics that separate those who excel at the preaching from those who are "adequate" or "poor."

I'll name one I've noticed as a starter. Consistency. Great preachers are nearly always good. There isn't a lot of variety in the quality of substance or delivery week-to-week. They don't hit a "home run" one week and "strike out" the next. This is usually because they are consistent in preparation. That consistency shows up in consistenly, quality preaching.

Think about those you would label as "a great preacher." What else do you see?

Is Spanking Children OK?

Is spanking children OK for Christians? I believe so, under certain circumstances. But, I'd like to hear what you have to say.

From the San Francisco Chronicle "Mommy Files" blog:

A Texas woman was sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to the charge of Injury of a Child. What did this Corpus Christi mother of three do? She spanked her then nearly 2-year-old daughter.

"You don't spank children today," said Judge Jose Longoria. "In the old days, maybe we got spanked, but there was a different quarrel. You don't spank children."

Prosecutors are requiring Rosalina Gonzales to take parenting classes, follow Child Protection Services (CPS) guidelines, and pay $50 to the Children's Advocacy Center in addition to being on probation.

Gonzales spanked her daughter in December 2010. Her daughter's paternal grandmother noticed red marks on the child's bottom and took her to a hospital to be checkied out, according to KZTV-10, Corpus Christi.

The state has put Gonzales's three children in the hands of the grandmother. The mother is working with CPS to regain custody.

Now, I've read a proposal for an anti-spanking law for California. What do you think? Is spanking OK for Christians? If so, under what circumstances? I know godly people on both sides of this one.

By the way, I'm going to go out on a limb and say Thanksgiving is going to be awkward between the mom and grandmother.