Category: Challenges and Opposition

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

Mountaintop Moments

Most leaders, even long-time executives, generally have a handful of accomplishments that stand out as their greatest triumphs. Resolving a major crisis, averting a disaster, building a great team, negotiating an incredible deal, turning around a demoralized organization, or delivering an unforgettable speech represent major triumphs. Much of the work of leadership can be mundane, but there are usually a handful of moments that define a leader’s legacy.

Such was the case with arguably the greatest of Old Testament prophets: Elijah. When you consider Elijah, you inevitably think of Mount Carmel. How can you not? Sure, he did numerous miracles, many of the spectacular variety, but Mount Carmel stands out as the crown jewel of his ministry.

1 Kings Chapter 18 relates the story. It was a showdown that, in comparison, makes the shootout at the O. K. Corral look like a playground tussle. 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah against one lone prophet of God. Evil queen Jezebel actively supporting the idol worshippers and doing everything in her power to exterminate God’s servants while no one stood with Elijah. An entire nation watched. The challenge? Call fire down from heaven and determine whose God is real and whose is fake. The stakes? Your life. If fire doesn’t fall after you pray, you’re dead. An epic showdown if ever there was one! And of course, as every Sunday School child knows, Elijah prevailed. He became the prophet of fire.

Who of us does not wish that we might not experience such a glorious triumph at least once during our leadership? Who would not want to see the fire fall after they preached a sermon or savor a mighty victory for God’s kingdom as a result of their efforts? Most leaders long for a Mount Carmel experience, at least once, in their life. But the question is: how do you have one? What is the prerequisite for God to affirm your leadership and ministry to such a degree?

God doesn’t arbitrarily choose to assign us a Mount Carmel in our leadership. He always prepares us first. The story of Elijah facing the evil prophets occurs in 1 Kings chapter 18. But Elijah’s story begins in chapter 17. It is well worth the time to see what God took Elijah through first, before dispatching him to the mountaintop.

1.       Believing God for a sermon.

Our introduction to Elijah comes in 1 Kings 17:1: “And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.’” We are given scarce information on Elijah. He simply appears. We’re told he’s a Tishbite, which sounds like an insect attack. Scholars are unsure where Tish was. We are given no pedigree, no educational or professional credentials. Elijah’s only qualification was this: “before whom I stand.” Elijah stood before the Lord. His message came directly from God. Clearly, that was enough. When a preacher knows with confidence that his message comes directly from God, he can preach it boldly, to any audience, under any circumstance.

Eijah’s sermon was a difficult one. He announced: “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Elijah’s entire ministry can be summed up in the phrase: “As the Lord lives.” The people of Israel were behaving as if God did not live. Elijah’s life would become his message. After examining the way the prophet lived, observers would conclude that he served a mighty God. After people examine your life, how big do they conclude your God is?

The Israelites had begun to worship Baal, the god of the storm. The people were farmers. They depended upon rain for their survival. They had been seduced into worshipping the god of the storm, who made few demands but promised to make them prosperous by sending rain on schedule. It’s no surprise that God responded to this affront by sending a drought. If Baal was real, he would send rain. If God was real, there would be drought. The people valued wealth and material possessions more than their relationship with God. So God removed from them the very thing that hindered their relationship with Him. Whatever becomes an idol to God’s people immediately becomes an enemy of God.

To make matters worse, Elijah had to preach his sermon to Ahab, the most evil king in Israel’s history. Scripture declares: “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33). Ahab’s wicked wife Jezebel was actively hunting down and killing God’s prophets (1 Kings 18:4). This was a most difficult sermon to deliver. Elijah had to tell the wicked king that the basis for his economy, prosperity, and power was being removed. It would be suicide to preach this sermon to such an audience. Yet Elijah trusted God, and delivered the message.

2.       Believing God in a wilderness.

We might assume that since Elijah placed his trust in God and obeyed a difficult assignment, God would bless his effort. We might presume that God would grant Elijah a comfortable professorship, lecturing at the school of the prophets and writing a book of sermons. But such was not the case.

Elijah obeyed God’s word to the letter. The result? He ended up in a wilderness. God instructed His faithful servant to flee into the desert (1 Kings 17:3). One moment Elijah was fearlessly preaching, the next moment he found himself in a wilderness. Yet his wilderness dwelling was not a result of sin. Elijah had been wholly obedient. Clearly there are some things God teaches best while in a wilderness.

Scripture declares: “Then the word of the Lord came to him . . .” (1 Kings 17:2). When did Elijah receive a word from God? After he obeyed the previous word! If we do not obey the last word God gave us, we may listen in vain for the next one.

Later in Elijah’s ministry, he would call fire down upon the heads of his enemies (2 Kings 1:10, 12). Nevertheless, in this circumstance, God counseled Elijah to flee. Could God have protected Elijah with fire on this occasion? Certainly. Yet this time God commanded His servant to run and hide. Clearly it is not always God’s will to stand and fight. At times, God’s wisdom leads us to avoid a confrontation until a more opportune time.

God sent Elijah to the Brook Cherith. It was a place so insignificant that modern scholars are uncertain of its location. Ravens were dispensed twice daily to bring the prophet bread and meat. Could God have sent enough food just once per day? Of course. But instead, God put His servant into a position in which he had to watch for his daily bread twice daily. Ravens are scavengers. They are not philanthropists. God had asked His servant to preach a difficult sermon to a murderous congregation. Now He instructed His servant to trust his life to the generosity of scavenging creatures. Only a miracle of nature could preserve Elijah’s life.

3. Believing God in poverty.

Ironically, the Brook Cherith eventually dried up as a result of the word Elijah had preached. It’s a sobering truth that when God brings judgment on a land, the righteous suffer along with the unrighteous. Scripture declares: “Then the word of the Lord came to him” (1 kings 17:8). When did God tell Elijah what to do next? After the creek ran dry. For weeks the creek had been diminishing. Each day Elijah would reach down and try to scoop up enough of the trickling water to quench his thirst. He must have realized that his water supply was running out. Could God have alerted him ahead of time that he would be relocating? Certainly. Why didn’t He? Perhaps God wanted to teach His servant that he had no need to worry about tomorrow. For, in due time, God would provide. God spoke a word at the exact time it was needed. Not a day sooner.

God commanded Elijah, “go to Zaraphath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (I Kings 17:9). Elijah’s provisions had run dry. He had no food. No reserves. Every general knows that when your army has no more supplies, you withdraw from the field of battle until you re-establish a supply route. A hungry, ill-provisioned army is extremely vulnerable. But what did God command? He told Elijah to advance into the heart of enemy territory. Sidon was the center of Baal worship. It was Jezebel’s hometown (1 Kings 16:31). When Elijah was at his weakest, God ordered him to advance, not retreat.

Could God have arranged for Elijah to stay in the home of a wealthy Sidonian who was a secret God-fearer? Of course. Perhaps there might have been a wealthy noble in the town of Zarephath who opened his luxurious guest suite to God’s faithful prophet. After all, Elijah was the greatest prophet of God, the peerless preacher of his age. One would expect God to treat his most reliable servant with extra care. But what were God’s instructions? Find a widow that God had commanded to care for him. Widows were among the most helpless, impoverished, and defenseless people in society. Perhaps the only people more vulnerable were fatherless children (which the widow also had in her home). Why would God choose to provide for Elijah through this most unusual means? Interestingly, when Elijah met the widow, she apparently was unaware that God intended for her to care for him. Significantly, God had ordained for her to minister to Elijah, even though she was unaware of God’s intention. At times those God intends to minister to us are unaware of the divine decree, even though they will fulfill His purposes to the letter.

Imagine the humility required for Elijah to ask for charity from a starving widow. When he met the woman, she was preparing her final meal with her last oil and flour before she and her son starved to death (1 Kings 17:12). Consider Elijah’s audacity in asking, “Do not fear, go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.” How humiliating it must have been for him to ask the penniless woman to first make him a small cake, and then feed her son his final meal. But that was God’s chosen means to provide for His servant.

For that matter, why did Elijah ask for a “small” cake? God was going to perform a miracle to continually replenish the supply of oil and flour, so why didn’t Elijah ask for a large cake? Perhaps because, though we might desire more, God’s provision at times is just enough.

How much faith did it take for a Sidonian widow to share her final meal with a freeloading Hebrew? She might easily have taken offence. She might have scolded him and told him to go to his own people for charity. But she did not. Instead, she made the man of God the small cake he requested. Such humble acts of faith have resounded throughout the corridors of history.

As a result of the woman’s simple faith, she and her son experienced continuous miracles for the next three years. She could not have known that through her simple act of faith, she would be saving her son’s life.

4.       Believing God to raise the dead.

One day the widow’s son grew gravely ill and died. It was the most horrific tragedy of the woman’s life. She cried out to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” How painful it must have been for Elijah to hear her anguish accusation. The prophet had shared many meals with the woman and her son. They would surely have grown close. Can you imagine the grateful thanksgiving they must have given to God when day after day, week after week, year after year, the little jars of oil and flour always had just enough for another meal? But now the worst possible tragedy had occurred.

Why would God reward this woman so harshly? She had trusted in the foreign prophet’s word and shared her food with him even though she and her son were preparing starve to death. She had graciously hosted a foreigner in her home. What was her reward? Had God taken her only child? Is that how God treats people who trust in Him?

The truth is, God knew the future. God was fully aware that after the widow met Elijah, her son would contract a terminal illness. Could it be that the reason God entrusted Elijah into the care of this humble widow was so that, when her son died over two years later, the greatest man of God on the planet would be conveniently residing in her guest room? God certainly could have cared for Elijah in a safe house located somewhere in Israel. Yet He chose to send His prophet all the way to Zarephath. Could it be that God used that strategy because He wanted a Gentile widow and her son to experience salvation? God is a master at multitasking! Even while protecting His chief servant, God was bringing salvation to people in foreign lands. The woman could not have known that her humble act of faith in feeding a homeless man would in fact, save her son’s life. Should Elijah have felt guilty for asking a poor widow to feed him? No. In asking for the woman’s help, Elijah was going to reciprocate with a miracle.

Can you imagine the pain with which Elijah carried the dead boy to his room? Scripture indicates the prophet “cried out to the Lord.” He stretched himself out over the child three times and cried, “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.” (1 Kings 17:21). Why did Elijah pray three times? Because that’s how many times it took! How Elijah must have loved that little boy. He would have been one of the few bright spots in the prophet’s tumultuous life. Elijah pled with God to restore the boy’s life.

How much faith did it require for Elijah to believe God could make a dead person live? It had been one thing for Elijah to trust God for a difficult sermon. It had required additional faith to believe he could trust his life into the hands of generous-minded ravens. It took even more faith to believe that a starving widow’s tiny pots of oil and flour could keep producing food for three years. But now this. Elijah’s faith was being elevated to the point of believing that God could raise the dead. Over the course of three years, God had taught Elijah in the school of faith.

Can you imagine the grin on Elijah’s face as he carried the boy down the stairs to present to his grieving mother? What a celebration they must have had! It was then that the widow proclaimed, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth” (1 kings 17:24). Now she knew?! For three years she had been drawing oil and flour from pots into which she never added anything! She had witnessed miracles in her home daily. Yet it took the tragic death of her son to bring her to saving faith. Why had God allowed her son to die after what she had already suffered? He did so because that was what it took for her to finally believe in Him. God was prepared to allow the woman to sink to whatever depth was necessary until she finally placed her complete trust in Him.

Conclusion

We find a four-stage development of Elijah’s faith. He trusted God first for a sermon. He believed next for provision in a wilderness. Then he trusted God for daily miracles in the midst of poverty. Finally, he trusted God for life itself. It had been a three-year, fourfold process. Elijah had not suffered from issues of sin. He had not expressed unbelief. Yet all the same, it took three years to prepare him for the greatest moment of his life.

When we turn the pages of our Bible to the following chapter, where do we find Elijah next? On Mount Carmel. There he fearlessly withstood 850 wicked prophets of Baal and Asherah. On that mount, Elijah knew that if the fire did not fall when he prayed, he was a dead man. Elijah realized that no one had ever made such a request of God before. He knew that an entire nation was watching. He was aware that his fiercest enemies were observing his every move, looking for weakness. Elijah understood that his life depended upon an immediate answer to his prayer. Yet he prayed with sublime confidence. Though he had never asked this of God before, he was confident his request would be granted. How did he know? Because he had recently graduated from God’s school of faith.

Do you desire to have your own Mount Carmel experience? Do you wish that God would use your life in a nation-impacting, miraculous way? Are you prepared for God to do in your life, whatever is necessary, so you are prepared for Him to use your life to such a degree? Let it be so!

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

Secret identity, alter ego, split personality … the terms conjure images of Superman & Clark Kent or Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Whether it’s the ultimate do-gooder hiding supernatural abilities behind a business suit and a pair of eyeglasses, or a gentleman and a monster sharing the same body, people have always been intrigued by the idea of leading a double life.

Recently, God revealed a disturbing truth to me – I live a double life! I have two distinct personas, one at work and one at home. Perhaps I flatter myself, but I’ll use Superman rather than Dr. Jekyll to illustrate my point. At work I am a fearless leader and problem solver. In fact, at work there are no problems, only leadership challenges. But, inexplicably, during the ten minute drive home, I undergo a perplexing transformation. During that short commute, the leadership skills and winning attitudes that helped me succeed all day drain out of me as though my home were made of kryptonite. The closer I get, the weaker I feel. If I am Superman at the office, at home I’m Clark Kent with an attitude. I’m greeted by a barrage of needs from my family, and my leadership superpowers completely fail me. Why is it that I can efficiently administer an entire school, yet I struggle to lead a family of five?

Let me explain:

Problem Solving: Leaders solve problems. They don’t make excuses; they make things better. I handle numerous challenges at the office, but on the way home that can-do attitude gets lost in the seat cushion of my car like so much pocket change. My daughter’s skates were supposed to be sharpened for today’s lesson. My son’s hockey helmet is broken; his practice is in an hour. “The engine warning light is still on in the van” my wife gently reminds me, “and now there’s a funny burning smell…” My oldest son needs help with a history paper…. What would I do at work? I would delegate. Seeing no staff hovering nearby, I do the next best thing – I plan a business trip.

Scheduling: Great leaders accomplish much. They don’t waste a moment. Like all great leaders, I live by my calendar. Appointments are tracked by computer. Every minute of my day is scheduled. No important meeting or event is overlooked. I even schedule “unscheduled time” in case of emergency. My computer prioritizes my tasks. I’d rather lose my right arm than my palm pilot. My calendar is synchronized with my staff’s computers. It’s all very sophisticated and effective. My schedule for my family is about as hi-tech as a stone tablet and a sundial. “Are you coming to my game tonight Dad? ” “Dad, you promised to shoot baskets with us today, remember?” “Are you all set for Carrie’s sixth grade field trip tomorrow?” Where is a phone booth when you need one?

Team Building: Leaders take people from all walks of life, from all levels of education, and from all socio-economic backgrounds and consolidate them into one unified group. This diverse, yet cohesive team can collectively overcome enormous challenges. Leaders constantly communicate with their followers. Leaders make every team member feel appreciated. I can lead faculty, staff, trustees, students and donors to achieve a common purpose, yet I struggle to organize a family outing on Saturday afternoon. My wife loves to shop, but loathes sports. My sons love sports, but despise shopping. My daughter loves everything, as long as it’s figure skating. Unless we go shopping for figure skates at a sporting goods store, we reach no consensus.

I suspect I’m not the lone sufferer of a double life. In fact, I’ve talked with dozens of men, many of them leaders in significant positions of authority, who confessed they knew they were not the husbands and fathers God wanted them to be. No amount of prestige or money could make up for their deep desire to be the family men they knew they should be, and could be. Their confessions echo the sentiments expressed in Proverbs 15:16: “Better a little with fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.” The good news is, it is possible to be both an effective leader at work and a capable leader at home. With a little effort and creativity, men can take the leadership skills they employ at their workplace and use them at home to be the family leader God wants them to be. Let’s revisit the above three leadership skills:

1) Problem Solving: In your eyes, a corporate challenge at work may seem vastly more important than a plumbing glitch at home. But the issue is not the size of the problem; it’s the attitude you bring to it. Strive to be a champion problem solver in your home. If you have the charm and diplomacy to deal with disgruntled staff and arrogant customers, surely you can respond lovingly to your wife when she tells you the garbage disposal is broken again! Taking time to cheerfully teach your son how to fix his bike may pay you more dividends than successfully overcoming barriers to a corporate merger. And you will be doing much more than fixing a sink or a bike; you will be tangibly demonstrating your love to your family.

2) Scheduling: Use all the creativity and technology at your disposal to include your family’s important events in your life. Put special family occasions on your calendar so you can spot potential conflicts. Treat your family as you would your best clients and schedule regular time for them. One of the greatest regrets older men share is missing key moments in their families’ lives.

3) Team Building: Communicate with your family. Be a good listener. Treat each person as the vital, irreplaceable team member that he/she is. Lead your family to become a team that works together, plays together, prays together and stays together. As team leader, your most important task is to encourage your family to follow Christ. The Bible says “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress and for his children it will be a refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26).

Are you an office superhero but a frazzled Clark Kent at home? The only thing separating your two identities may be the decision to change. Strive to be the husband and father God wants you to be. Lois and the kids will love you for it.

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

History books are filled with turning points. Those are key events that turned the tide of a calamity or changed history in some fashion. The Battles of Waterloo and Trafalgar changed the nature of Europe. The invention of the printing press, and later the Internet, revolutionized society. The dropping of the atomic bomb did more than end World War Two; it ushered in the atomic age. There are numerous books that do nothing more than examine key moments in history when someone rose up to make a supreme difference in a war, crisis, government, or business.

Thomas Carlisle famously proposed the “Great Man Theory” which postulated that history was the summation of the efforts of great men. For many, there is an innate desire to do something with one’s life that could be attributed by posterity as “great.” Horace Mann once intoned: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” In 1832 Abraham Lincoln confessed: “Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition . . . I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem. How far I shall succeed in gratifying this ambition, is yet to be developed.” Most historians would agree that the Illinois lawyer ultimately achieved his goal.

But here’s the rub. Most people, even “great” leaders, do not spend the bulk of their time doing “great” things. Even Julius Caesar, Admiral Nelson, and Churchill did not spend every waking hour turning the tide of history. They each experienced what we know as the “in between times.” That is, those mundane moments when we are engaged in ordinary affairs while waiting to undertake something of greater significance.

It could be argued that people who dramatically change their world are not necessarily the ones who are constantly fighting battles or inventing new technologies, but those who mine their “down time” most effectively. Since the bulk of our life is spent in ordinary pursuits, it is how we use those periods in our lives that may well determine the sum total of our accomplishments.

In recent years I have been struck by the large number of people I meet who tell me they are currently in a time of “transition.” They may have been laid off their job. They may sense God leading them to quit their current employment and to venture out into something new. Some have suffered the loss of a loved one. These people know they will not remain in that place in life for long, but they are there now.

Change can be traumatic. Some people who are downsized from their company fall apart. They are in shock and unable to think clearly. They become consumed with finding another job. They worry and fret and desperately scan the help wanted pages of the newspaper. In God’s perfect timing, another job eventually is found, but the “in between time” was entirely wasted. The weeks or months spent in transition could have been invested much more wisely. The temporarily unemployed person might have volunteered at his church. She could have read some helpful books or taken a class to upgrade her skills. He might have invested time in relationships or spent time developing his devotional life. Instead, they squandered their time, worrying about their next job.

Some people lose their spouse to illness or divorce. Rather than investing time growing personally, they worry about finding another mate. When they do, the new companion gets the same person as before, because they never grew.

Others experience failure. These individuals are so frustrated and embarrassed by what transpired that they desperately want to “move on.” But they don’t grow. They may have “moved on,” but they are the same person who failed previously. History-changers are not people who “move on” from their failures; they are people who grow from their mistakes.

The prophet Jeremiah ministered to people in the “in between” stage of life. He wrote to the Israelite captives who had been relocated to Babylon. These displaced people desperately wanted to know if they would ever return to their homeland and be able to truly “live” once again. How long would they be cruelly consigned to live in exile?

Jeremiah replied, “For thus says the Lord; After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jer. 29:10). Seventy years! That was a long time of transition! Can you imagine wasting seventy years of your life waiting for things to become “normal” again? Yet some of those people would have done just that!

That is why the prophet also instructed them: “Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace” (Jer. 29:5-7).

God was urging his people not to waste time waiting for their lives to be different! He was saying they should live in such a manner that they blessed the city where they lived and the family that they raised. They should conduct themselves so that, even while they lived in exile, their family “increased” and was not “diminished.” Sadly, many children suffer under parents in the “in between time.” Rather than having a mother or father who continues to grow and to bless, they have parents who are curled up in a fetal position awaiting a change in their circumstances.

The truth is that one of the best ways to work your way out of a transition time is to grow. When I have people who are unemployed talk to me about a job, the first thing I do is not to ask them under what unfair circumstances they were let go by their previous employer. What I ask them is how they have been investing the “gift” of additional time their former employer bestowed upon them. Are they reading, taking classes, reflecting, and working with a mentor? The way we handle our transitions says much about our character.

John Churchill suffered the adverse affects of political intrigue. For six years he was banished from royal favor. Even though he was his nation’s most skilled military leader, he was forced to wait in the wings while lesser men held the reins of power. Yet his biographer, Winston Churchill observed: “Few features in Marlborough’s long life are more remarkable than the manner in which he steadily grew in weight and influence through the whole of the six years when he was banished from favour and office.” When John Churchill was finally restored and given an opportunity to lead, he became England’s greatest general. He never lost a battle in a decade of conflict and would ultimately be elevated to become the Duke of Marlborough. How he handled his “in between times” determined his effectiveness once he returned to the stage.

We cannot always determine how our employer or others treats us. But we can choose our response to the situation in life in which we find ourselves. We can mope and worry and cast blame, or we can grow and seek to bless those around us. If you find yourself in a place in your career or personal life that appears to be temporary, don’t squander it! Life is too precious to waste a day of it. But more, capitalize on those moments. It could well be that your future success hinges on what you do, in the mean time.

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

Leaders have a love-hate relationship with problems. No one likes them (unless you are a consultant or a dentist). They tend to disrupt our routine and sideline us from the work we’d rather be doing. Nonetheless, were it not for difficulties, the role of leaders might well be redundant.

It is in fact, in times of crises that leaders are most valuable, and in fact, may justify their very existence. The number of people qualified to lead in times of peace and tranquility are legion. I think of Neville Chamberlain, the British aristocrat who sublimely led Britain until the advent of World War Two. Completely outmaneuvered by the unscrupulous German Fuhrer, he had to resign in shame and summon Winston Churchill when true leadership was required.

So leaders must view problems with a different eye than the average person. While others see the problems, true leaders recognize the possibilities. Those who complain and whine about the challenges they face are not leaders!

The fact is, that much of humanity’s progress throughout history has arisen out of an initial difficulty. People have often experienced their greatest personal growth in times of adversity. And, conversely, it has been periods of prosperity and success that has led to some of the most spectacular downfalls in the annals of human endeavor. Could it be that we value success too highly and hardship too lightly?

When studying the birth of the Church, it is clear that it faced numerous challenges right from its outset. Its leader, Jesus, was captured by His enemies, falsely accused in a kangaroo court, and brutally crucified. Jesus’s core leadership team was scattered to the wind in fright. It would seem that the Christian movement had been squelched even before it could gain a toehold in the Roman Empire. Yet of course, what was meant to destroy God’s work on earth became the centerpiece for His most spectacular triumph.

The Book of Acts describes the early advances of the Church. If you read carefully, you will notice something that is perhaps surprising. In Chapter Two, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus’s followers and they began to speak with other tongues (Acts 2:4). The result? Some of the people began to ridicule them and claim they were drunk! (13). Only this time, rather than cowering in fear before their critics, Peter rose up and responded to the cynics with a masterful sermon. The result? Three thousand people were added to the church (2:41). The Church faced ridicule and criticism yet came out stronger than it had ever been.

Acts Chapters 3-4 describes what happened to the church leaders after Peter and John healed a lame man outside the temple. The same Jewish leaders who had murdered Jesus now threatened two of His most prominent disciples. The two former fishermen were thrown in jail and then threatened by the entire Sanhedrin to desist from preaching Jesus. Yet, rather than heeding their enemy’s warnings, they continued to boldly proclaim Christ. The result? The number of men who believed rose to 5,000 (Acts 4:4). The Church was threatened with prison and death yet it grew stronger than it had been before.

Acts Chapter Five relates what happened when sin entered the early Church. Ananias and Sapphira lied to their fellow believers and to the Holy Spirit about a financial transaction. The church leadership took decisive action to address the sinful behavior. The result? “great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things . . . and through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people . . . And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:11, 12, 14). The Church confronted sin among its members and as a result, it grew stronger than it had been before.

After reading the first five chapters of Acts, one might assume that the best tool for church growth is conflict and problems! It seemed that every time the Church properly dealt with adversity, the result was further growth and spiritual power. In light of this, you would think that church leaders today would welcome the opportunity to deal with adversity and to suffer persecution.

Yet notice how Acts Chapter Six begins: “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution” (Acts 6:1). What happened? For the first time in six chapters, a chapter in Acts began on a positive note, with growth and success, and the result was division! Of course, the apostles would ultimately deal with this challenge biblically as they had the others, and unity would be restored. Nevertheless, it seems interesting that, what persecution, ridicule, and sin in the church had been unable to do, success had. Church numbers increased at a rapid rate and the result was that the Church was divided by race.

I work with church leaders. They often ask me to consult with them about problems they face. Often difficulties are viewed negatively, as something that prevents them from getting on with the more important business at hand. Yet Scripture as well as history suggests that some of the greatest advances occur in the face of adversity, not in the absence of it. Conversely, while we often strive and wish for tranquility and unencumbered growth, there is evidence to suggest that periods of success are often more dangerous to the Church than are seasons of persecution.

Conclusion

So what does this suggest to you and to me? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you view your problems and challenges the way He does. He is not discouraged by your difficulties! In fact, He may realize that He can accomplish far more through your problems than He can through your prosperity. Conversely, be cautious in times of apparent success. You may be far more vulnerable than you realize! Look on your problems with an eye for the possibilities and view your success with a cautious eye for any seeds of a future crisis. Take heart! With God, your problems always have a silver lining!

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

Leadership is a journey. It is a process in which we grow personally over time as we interact with various people and we tackle a wide array of challenges. We won’t be the same when our journey is done, and hopefully neither will those we led. Of course, leadership is not necessary in periods of tranquility. Rather, leaders are called for when times, organizations, or people, have problems they cannot overcome on their own. Leadership can be messy. It can also be painful.

Of course, few people fully realize this when they initially embark on their leadership journey. There is a certain idealism connected with leading others, especially if we are entering a leadership role because we believe God called us into it. If God called us, will He not enable us to be successful? If we are doing the right thing, won’t people be grateful and appreciative of our efforts? If we demonstrate godly character and we seek to glorify Christ with our efforts, won’t we experience success and satisfaction?

Then reality strikes! To our bewilderment, people attack us for having tried to help them. Our motives are questioned. Lesser leaders strive to usurp our influence and challenge our authority. And perhaps worst of all, people we loved and trusted let us down.

I have spent countless hours listening to people as they shared their heart-wrenching stories. People who gave everything they had to their organization, only to be callously shown the door. People who, despite all of their sacrifices and successes, were bitterly opposed and maligned by the very people they were trying to help. This is the side of leadership that we don’t like to think about, especially when we assume a new position. We tend to focus on the possibilities while hoping there aren’t many problems.

If there were someone who might have thought he had a bye from opposition and betrayal, it would have been the apostle Paul. Paul was so filled with the Spirit that he could heal the sick and expel demons. He was a church planter extraordinaire. He had mentored a cadre of young, talented church leaders and missionaries and he was the greatest theologian of his day. Yet as he approached the height of his influence and success, Paul was plagued with petty, jealous, spiteful people.

Languishing in a Roman prison, the grizzled apostle wrote to his protégé Timothy: “Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You must beware of him, for he greatly resisted our words. At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them” (2 Timothy 4:9-16).

After his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul spent the remainder of his life following God’s will and investing in people. He poured his life out on behalf of others. Yet though Paul endured countless hardships and suffering, few experiences could have been any more painful to him than having people he had invested in, forsake him. Demas was one of those people. He had previously been a friend and companion of Paul’s (Col. 4:14; Philemon 24). Yet at a time when Paul was in prison and needing friends to stand with him, Demas had forsaken him, departing for Thessalonica. Apparently he had “loved this present world” more than he had cared for Paul, or the Lord’s work (2 Tim. 4:10). It would seem that the allure of identifying with the famous apostle had worn thin as Paul had remained confined to jail. So Demas abandoned his friend and set off looking for more enjoyable company.

However, Demas was not the only one to disappoint Paul. At Paul’s first defense in court, while defending his life, everyone had abandoned him (16). We don’t know who Paul was referring to. But apparently there were other friends and colleagues who had failed to stand with Paul in his hour of need. Paul doesn’t accuse them of doing so out of a love for the world, as was the case with Demas. More than likely it was out of good, old-fashioned fear. Identifying closely with the embattled apostle could have led to imprisonment or persecution. Despite all that Paul had sacrificed and endured for his friends, when a crisis came, Paul’s friends had been unwilling to risk anything for him.

There was a second group of people functioning in Paul’s leadership world. These were the ones who adamantly and shamelessly opposed him. Alexander the coppersmith did much harm to Paul’s ministry (Acts 19:33; 1 Tim. 1:20). The aged apostle went so far as to warn young Timothy to avoid such people. Paul, a man who fearlessly confronted crowds of angry mobs and who debated with the erudite philosophers of Athens? It seems that there are some people so set to resist the work of God’s servants that nothing can seemingly win them over or divert their hostility.

The question that inevitably arises is this: When we are trying so hard to serve our Lord and to lead with integrity, why does God allow people to forsake us or to brazenly hinder our work? If God is for us, why doesn’t he muzzle our critics (or worse!)? It may be comforting for us to know that even the mighty apostle Paul was not exempt from critics and fair weather supporters. Having such people in our life does not indicate we are out of God’s will. It might simply mean we have some exalted company that has likewise shared in similar trials.

But there was a third category of persons in Paul’s life. Those were his beloved friends. Few words strike a chord in our hearts as much as Paul’s simple phrase: “Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). Oh to have one or two Lukes in our life and ministry! What a blessing when you know there is at least one person who will always be there when you need him! Then there was Timothy. He had been on an assignment to care for churches in Paul’s absence. But when Paul was in need, he knew he could write Timothy and his young colleague would catch the next ship to join him. Apparently winter was coming and Paul needed his cloak. It is somehow pitiful to think that the great apostle was so destitute after his service for Christ that he needed his associate to hurriedly join him so he had something warm to wear in winter. Conversely, how delightful to know that Paul had people who would travel across the known world just to minister to him in such a practical way. Paul also had men such as Tychicus in his life who would readily do whatever needed to be done. At times we can overlook the dear friends God has placed in our life out of our frustration at those who have not proven themselves to be trustworthy.

Then there was Mark, who most certainly must have been John mark (Acts 12:12; 13:5, 13; 15:36-39). Here was a man who had abandoned Paul in an earlier time, but who had been reconciled and subsequently become a loyal and helpful colleague. Just as time had revealed certain people to be disloyal or shallow, so time had also disclosed others to be trustworthy companions. Such revelations will occur over the course of our leadership journey.

Throughout your leadership, you will more than likely deal with all three categories of people. Some will show great promise initially, but will disappoint you over time. Others will stubbornly oppose you and seek to thwart you regardless of what you do to be reconciled or to address their concerns. And then there are those who, over time, will be God’s instrument of blessing in your life. They will make your journey pleasant and will bring laughter into your life.

Each of us is in different places in our leadership pilgrimage. But we all can take heart from the apostle Paul. Spiritual leadership is not for the timid or fainthearted! There will be challenges and heartaches. People will disappoint us. Some will oppose us. But, in the end, we do not lead because of them, anyway. We serve because of our divine calling. Our Lord never promised an easy road. He did commit to always go with us and never forsake us, whatever path we might be on.

May the Lord bless you with many Lukes and Marks along your life’s journey, and may you lean upon His grace and strength when you have to deal with the others!

by Tom Blackaby

I recently returned from speaking at a city-wide gathering of churches that held their annual joint worship service in a park. Participating churches included United Church of Christ, Free Methodists, Pentecostal, Baptist, Church of God, Nazarene, and others. More than five hundred believers came and worshipped together in a service that concluded with communion.  Because it was organized by the local ministerial association, it went overtime (considerably) but no one seemed to mind all that much.

But not everyone was happy. Another church had booked the park facility immediately after our group to hold their own private worship service. They had determined that they were “biblically” prohibited from worshipping with the other churches because of theological differences. Apparently they showed up while the other 500+ were worshipping together and decided to go home rather than request that we vacate the premises. That was probably wise as my theme was based on my last book, Experiencing God’s Love in the Church: the missing ingredient in today’s church and how to get it back!

I understand the need to hold to one’s convictions. I agree that we need to be firm in our understandings of our biblical doctrines and theology. But there must be some level of agreement and cooperation between the various bodies of Christ in the same neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Yes of course our many doctrines differ in various places; that’s why we have so many denominations! But the core beliefs of Christianity should hold us together. The old “Apostle’s Creed” used to be a rallying point for the confessing churches; a statement of common beliefs which read:

Traditional English Version

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell;

the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven,

and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN.

If in fact we have the same Holy Spirit at work in our hearts, worship the same Heavenly Father, the same Lord Jesus Christ, and believe He will come to take the faithful back with Him to everlasting life, surely, if we are to live with one another for all eternity, we can make some effort to get along with one another here on earth!

Differences between churches of different denominations are understandable. But the truth of the matter is that even among churches of the SAME DENOMINATION, there is often friction, jealousy, and isolation. Some began as splits of a sister church. Some started in competition with other churches and stole many of their members. There is church envy, pastor envy, ministry envy, facility envy, staff envy and more that result in suspicion, resentment, jealousy, arrogance, pride, vilification, criticism, and ungodly behavior and attitudes.

Liu Zhenying, known to his friends as Brother Yun, was born in 1958, the fourth of five children, in a traditional farming village in the southern part of China’s Henan Province. Both his salvation story and the way God raised him up to become one of the leaders of the home church movement in China are miraculous. He endured several imprisonments, torture, and life-threatening situations as God used him incredibly to spread the gospel message in his home country.

When he at last escaped from prison in China and made his way to the West, he thought he was free from persecution and hardship. But he was wrong. He simply faced a new kind of persecution: that of criticism, character assassination, ridicule, slander, and rejection.

In The Heavenly Man, he writes, “In China I had been used to beatings, torture with electric batons, and all kinds of humiliation. . . .I guess that deep in my heart I had presumed that now I was in the West my days of persecution had ended. In China, Christians are persecuted with beatings and imprisonment. In the West, Christians are persecuted by the words of other Christians.”

As I began writing this article a particular Scripture verse came to mind that I would not have, at first, thought appropriate. But the more I ponder it, the more I believe it fits very nicely.

Hebrews 10:23-25 “ Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for He is faithful who promised), and let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (MKJV)

Now I realize this is most likely referring to a local congregation, but not necessarily exclusively so. As there were no denominations at the time of writing this, and it was inconceivable that there would have been so much interchurch hostility and animosity, I wonder if this verse could be a modern rallying point.

When I pastored an international congregation in Europe, I met regularly at the local NATO base for a Bible study with the pastors/chaplains in the English speaking community. This included Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican pastors and chaplains. Our church was in charge of the English speaking community Good Friday service held in the 12^th Century Dom Kirk (cathedral). The Interdenominational church hosted a Thanksgiving service. The Anglican Church led out in the Carol Service at Christmastime. We spearheaded the children’s summer Bible school and one year the praise team consisted of me (Baptist) on the drums, the Anglican pastor on guitar and the Lutheran pastor on keyboard – the Three Amigos! No, we did not agree on issues such as the mode and meaning of baptism, the meaning of communion, the views of who will be saved in the end, church polity, and various other issues. But we did agree that children needed to hear the Gospel message and be given the opportunity to accept Christ into their lives.

Each time we assembled together as the body of Christ, we demonstrated our common faith in Christ, the unity of believers in the kingdom of God, and our common purpose of sharing the Gospel message with those who needed to hear it. The rest of the time we each focused on our own churches and ministries and on reaching the community for Christ in our own way. When the Lutheran pastor was ill, I visited him in his home. When the Pentecostal pastor had heart surgery, I went to the hospital to see him. When the International church was without a pastor, we offered to help carry the load with their children’s ministry and youth ministry. When one of us succeeded, we all succeeded because we are all in the same league. We wear different jerseys, have different strategies, have different understandings of how to play the game, but we are all in the same league and we all need one another.

Did I compromise my beliefs because I had coffee with an Anglican pastor? No. Did our church lose our identity or compromise our core values because we worked with non-Baptist churches to run a Bible school? Not in the least. Did God remove His Spirit from our worship because we associated with churches of other denominations at various times in the year? No. We prayed for those churches in our worship services, we even sent money to pastors who were struggling financially, and God blessed us.

I believe churches that are isolated from one another are a disappointment to Christ. I believe churches that refuse to associate with other churches that have a variant view of secondary church issues, are narrow-minded and self-centered. I believe if churches are unable to find any common ground with other Christian churches in order to work together in their community, are missing out on some incredible opportunities. I believe the Evil One is winning as we are competing, criticizing, resenting, and envying one another. As Christian churches squabble, other religious groups are advancing all around the world.

Beware of the false religions, cults, and those who profess to be Christian but at their core they are not. Ask God’s Spirit to give you spiritual discernment to know who is friend and who is foe. But do not fear working with leaders from other Christian churches. Find prayer partners with pastors in other denominations, you will be stretched and you will grow in your understanding of God and His Word and His Kingdom when you do. Understand that if we cannot unite together with points of common ground, the world may never truly know that God sent His Son and that He loves them just as He loves His One and Only Son. In this let Christ have the last word,

John 17:20-23 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (HCSB)