BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

I heard a great phrase the other day, ‘Blessed to be a blessing’. I think that is a great way to look at our life and resources. It makes me think of my friend Cyrus who pastors in Kampala, Uganda who doesn’t even have plumbing in his church, Dominion Temple. Yet, he organizes conferences where hundreds of village pastors come and receive rare, valuable Biblical teachings, which equip them for their pastorate. He gives away his personal suits and brings bicycles to be used as “ministry vehicles” for visitations and meetings. He does all of this at his own expense because in his words, “They are not as blessed and we are”. In the Untied States we hear a prosperity gospel taught as if we are not already prosperous. As if God has not already given us more than enough and more than we need. I believe when we see ourselves as blessed; it inspires us to be a blessing to others. A lifestyle of generosity is developed from a mentality of abundance. You cannot give what you go not have. So a position of giving is far better than a position of receiving. There is a local cafe in Africa that produces it’s own coffee. It is their attempt to boost the economy and become self-sufficient. On the back of their coffee can it reads, ‘Africa needs trade not aid to fight poverty’. Someone understood that a shift in mentality would produce a shift in position. It was Jesus who taught this principle.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

Robbed the Cradle?

I got to meet Marcos Witt yesterday for a lunch meeting with some other pastors. When I introduced him to Julie he said, "You robbed the cradle, man." I quickly responded that we were the same age. I told Pastor Marcos that it was great having him in our city of Houston. The standard for Latino ministries has truly been lifted by him. It's funny, I had to travel 3000 miles from Houston to meet a pastor of my own city. Nonetheless it's great to know him.

I know Julie looks younger than 30 and I look older than 30 but come on Marcos. Maybe I should die my hair. I wonder what color?

Live Blogging- Corazon 08'

Six Questions to Ask Yourself for Creative Focus
Dale O'Sheilds
pastor Church of the Redeemer


1. What things are not in your life right now that God wants to bring into existence?

What things do not exist that should?

2. What exist now but needs to be better than it is?

What can I improve or take to the next level?

3. What opportunities are seated within the problem?

Creative people don’t just see problems they see Opportunities.

4. What can I do to create something more meaningful in the world?

How can God use me to add more grace to the world where I live?

5. What can I do to stretch my heart and mind in new ways?

6. What can I do or change in my life that will help me better communicate the Gospel?

Never change the message only the method.

Corazon 08'!

There is a shaking again in Peru. Not like the recent earthquake but from the sound of a dozen subwoofers as thousands of feet stand in the Polo Hunt Club in Lima, for the Corazon 08 Creative Heart Conference.

To see the entire set click here.

Greater Good VS. Business as Usual

While sitting at Bush Airport in Houston next to my wife Julie, waiting for our flight to Lima, my mind drifts to all that I leave behind. Leaving my daughters, even though I am blessed with a great caretaker for them while we travel, is hard. I’ll miss Audrie’s last basketball game of the season, and another one of Alyssa’s halftime cheerleading shows. I’ll miss serving and ministering to my church congregation. I’ll miss everyone gathering tonight to watch the Superbowl as the Patriots try to achieve pigskin perfection. I will miss counseling, encouraging and praying with the men of the church. At least I won’t miss Julie; she is peacefully by my side texting more words per minute then seems humanly possible.

How do you decide which activities to give yourself to and which to reject? I asked an influential pastor this question once. His answer has shaped my ministry paradigm ever since. We have to decide which actions add more value to the Kingdom, he told me. Sometimes staying home with the family and attending to my first ministry is paramount. Then there are times when we must weigh the greater good against business as usual. Accepting an invitation to be commissioned as a minister to men, by one of South Americas leading pastors under the banner of Christian Men’s Network Worldwide in front of my wife, parents and key church leaders from around the world holds a certain significance that cannot be ignored. As a leader of men in my church and city I recognize the momentum builder this event will be for me as well as those around me. It’s almost as if I can hear the sound of the wench being cranked. The catapult is being set for a launch that will send me into flight, not knowing when or where I will land.

But quickly my mind is pulled back into the moment by the ‘All passengers boarding’ call announced loudly over the speaker. I will miss many things in my lifetime because of these calls. But I pray that in the end, the greater good has been served. Lord, that my life would add value to Your kingdom, and that those around me would understand. I know that God will be everything that I cannot and that His grace will abound.

This is where I'll be

Second Billion Souls

Letter from Ruben Sanchez:


Pastor Steve,

I just got back from Atlanta with Dr. J. Doug Stringer and Pastor Paul Louise Cole along with several hundred delegates from around the globe meeting for the Synergize conference where they are discussing reaching the second billion souls. Pastor Paul spoke yesterday and hit a home run in making the case for reaching the men to truly change the culture. Dr. Stringer is ministering today and I'll have to wait for your report to get the scoop!
Pastor Steve I do believe that we are going to see this men's movement multiply in this city because we are intentional about the discipleship of men and challenging them to stand "shoulder to shoulder" as Pastor Paul Cole said, to battle together to slay the giants in the land. One of my greatest mentors Dr. J. Doug Stringer in his book Somebody Cares wrote about the net that works and how that together we could catch a greater harvest than alone. Gentlemen, we must stand together like the great Red Wood Tree. I was reading a book on discipleship and in it was a story about the red wood tree. It said that the redwood tree is a top heavy tree who's roots are not so deep as some of the other large trees, But the secret to it's strength to weather the storms is that they grow close together and their roots intertwine with each other and together they stand against the raging storms. Men Let us stand together with the roots of Christian character binding us together in Christ Jesus. Marriages, fathers, sons, and daughters will be restored. To God be the glory!

God blessings on you!
Ruben P. Sanchez

Embrace the Grace dummy

There are times when everything that can go wrong does and then some things go wrong that you didn’t even know could. Then there are times when things seem to go right. I spoke at The Get Together today, a gathering of over 60 business professionals with whom I am a partner ministry of. After I presented, key connections were made with people who can really impact our ministry. I am sitting on a plane right now headed for Atlanta to meet Doug Stringer at the Synergize Conference. Christian leaders and delegates from all over the world are coming together to (Synergize) develop a campaign to reach the “Second billion” souls. What an honor to be connected with such a historic event. I return Friday and then two days later I’ll be off again for Peru. Pastor Robert and Camino de Vida are hosting the 2008 Corazon Conference. There I will be commissioned in front of thousands as a minister to men.

So, I’m on the plane and I’m thinking, I must be going something right, for God to be moving in my life the way He is. Before I can catch myself in this theological fuax pa, it hits me. I still haven’t embraced grace. Why do I insist on trying to identify behaviors that merit favor? Perhaps If I can learn what actions trigger God’s favor, I can reproduce those actions to always stay on the good side of God. Maybe God is satisfied with the amount of time I have been spending in prayer lately? Maybe God is happy because there is much discipleship in the ministry? Or God is extra satisfied with my exegetical positions of late. Then I feel the Holy Spirit chuckle, (can He chuckle?) as if to say “You big dummy”. Just embrace the grace. Why can’t things be going good because God is in control? He is sovereign and it’s all His divinely orchestrated intelligence, doing what He wants, when He wants, how He wants, with whom He wants. I can accept that. A calming peace pours over me as I recline my seat and crank up my ipod. I am loved by God and it feels good. Is it sometimes hard for you to embrace the grace?

-PST

My Two

I am in my kitchen this morning, drinking espresso, getting ready to leave for a conference. I just finished praying and reading my Bible.

I thought to my self, why am I a man of God? Two reasons came to mind, here they are;





















My two wonderful girls, Alyssa and Audrie.

Divorce Urban Legend

Have you ever heard that, eating carrots improves night vision, a duck’s quack doesn’t echo, mixing Pop Rocks and Soda can cause an intestinal implosion, chocolate causes acne, or if you swallow chewing gum, it remains inside your body for seven years?

These are a few examples of the thousands of silly myths that are floating around. Here is another one you may have heard that isn’t so silly. Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. I can remember hearing that statistic from some mystery source and thinking, wow, half of the married people I know are going to divorce. The truth is that the 50-50 statistics are really more of a prophecy than accuracy. One that I refuse to receive in my church and city. It’s a misrepresentation of the numbers. For example, one year it may show that one million people were divorced in American last year and two million people got married. At first glace this may seem like fifty percent, but you have to take in account the fifty million already existing marriages.

The real numbers show that more like 35% of marriages end in divorce. Lower, but not low enough. Especially when you consider what divorce does to our children. Forty years ago, ninety percent of children were raised by their married, natural parents. Today, that figure is 68 percent. More than one in four children are living in a sole-parent family or step/blended family from which one natural parent is absent, mostly the father.


Look at these true stats:

• Children of divorce (whose parents divorced while they were children) are 62% more likely than children of non-divorced parents to no longer identify with the faith of their parents when they grow up.

• Rates of child abuse are eight to 10 times higher in step/blended and sole-parent families than in natural, two-parent families.

A recent study showed that:

As the number of family disadvantages increases, the likelihood of a young teen having sex increases correspondingly.

Among females, 7% of those with no family disadvantages first had sex with older individuals when they were 15 years old or younger, 12% with one disadvantage, 20% with two disadvantages, and 23% with all three disadvantages.

(Family disadvantages include low parent education, family structure other than two biological parents and being born to a teen mother)

-Source: National Survey of Family Growth 2002.

Online Confessional?

At Church I have been teaching “Putting on the New Man” for a few weeks now. You cannot put on the new man until you “Put off the old man” – Col. 3 :9-10

There are thoughts, behaviors, attitudes or actions of which are not apart of the new nature. God, who is rich in mercy, deals with us to repent of these sins. With repentance comes growth and maturity.

Has the Lord dealt with you about an area that needs to be “Put off”? Would you be willing to list a few here on this blog? (A sort-of online confessional) Risky, I know but someone wrestling with similar sins may receive encouragement to also repent.

Let me be the first:

• Unforgiveness

As a pastor, I work with lots of people. People are not always nice. Most of the time they are but every so often, they hurt you. It hurts when you want the best for people and invest much time, praying, teaching and loving them and for many different reasons, they fall away. It's like my wife Julie says, "Hate the sin, LOVE the sinner." I have held onto hurts that have hindered the love of Christ from flowing through me the way He longs to. (Don't worry it's not you, I love all of my blog friends). I thank God for His freedom through Christ. "I" cannot but HE can.

-PST

Morning Glory

Every Saturday morning, 7:30am, men gather at the church for prayer. All men welcome.

Praying Man-tis

Here I caught Ron in action praying for Reggie during a men's meeting.

"Seeker friendly" or Sin friendly?

Mention the name Bill Hybels to any student of the modern American church and it’s sure to garner many different opinions these days. He’s credited as one of the largest proponents for the seeker friendly movement in the church. His recent admission that he, (Willow Creek) was wrong, because the ministry model that has influenced thousands of church leaders has failed to produce disciples. Ask my church members and they’ll tell you that I’ve been preaching this for some time. Programs are often the pastor’s solution to a lack of the presence of God in their church. Look at scripture:

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him.
1John 2:27

This doesn’t mean that we have no need for Bible teaching but when a true convert is born, the Holy Spirit leads them to all truth. A program or “track” can give the illusion of progress but reaching maturity only comes through the Spirit. Read this insightful article and draw your own conclusion.

Willow Creek Pastor Admits 'Mistake'

Bill Hybels said research shows his program-oriented church-growth strategy isn’t as effective at discipleship

The leader of the Illinois church that popularized the seeker-sensitive approach to evangelism and church growth said recent research shows his ministry's strategy isn't as effective at making Christian disciples as was once thought.

"We made a mistake," Bill Hybels told more than 80,000 church leaders participating in an August Willow Creek Association conference. "When people crossed the line of faith and became Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become 'self-feeders.'" To read the full article click here.

Over 150 strong!

Check out the MaxMan Houston logo I designed the network. I placed it in white & black backgrounds. Which do you like better?



There are over 150 men in our MMH network currently going through the Ed Cole Curriculum. We are in the process of creating a strategy to double and triple that number this year. Please pray for this world-wide men's movement, as God continues to call men to authentic biblical masculinity. Because "Manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous"- Dr. Ed Cole