My Sri lanka experience — a time of personal discovery

Encounter Sri Lanka 2007 will be marked as an incredible milestone in my Christian walk. I knew this trip was going to be different right from the start. Unlike the Sri Lanka trip I had taken the summer before, Encounter Sri Lanka 2007 was wrought with obstacles, difficulties and sometimes indecision. For starters I found myself severely cash strapped, struggling to recover from my trip expenditures the year before. I weighed the decision whether to go, and decided if God wanted me to be a part of the team carrying out the job before us, he would make a way.

And make a way he did. I miraculously received a $500 cheque return from the purchase of my home 2 years ago the week of the required $500 deposit for the trip. One month before stepping on the plane Onika Brown (another member of the team from Wesley Chapel) and myself set out to plan and deliver a fundraising dinner and auction, all while getting ready to end the school year as professional teachers. Family and friends rallied to help us and at the end of the night we had raised the targeted $2000 and served a fine meal of food that came mostly from the generosity of saints. It was beginning to be clear that God wanted me on the Encounter Sri Lanka team.

The days leading up to the actual departure were fun-filled though not necessarily stress free. We would spend many hours into the night planning and re-planning the many activities and lessons that would make up the children’s camp that the Sri Lankan pastors had requested — as well as the first ever teacher training sessions. I was tired and looking forward to the long flight so I could catch up on my sleep. But God had something else in store.

During the two day cultural sensitivity training at the national ministry centre of the FMCiC I felt God calling me to go deeper; things I had seen and heard before were taking on new shape and meaning. I started seeing and learning things about myself and life that were incredible. God had me reading scripture late at night or writing thoughts in what seemed like never-ending streams, frequently throughout those two preparatory days. This pattern continued during the trip, with periods of self-exploration being triggered by almost anything, from our daily devotions, to the unsuspecting words of a fellow team member.

In the end it became clear that God’s will would be done, whether I wanted to be a willing part of the process or not. We are called to be his instruments but if we are stubborn and refuse he will find another way to achieve HIS goal and we are the ones that will be left without the blessing of the experience. That realization made me think about my life at home. How business had often times kept me from truly enjoying a close relationship with God. How often I had taken matters into my own hands and tried to get things "fixed" instead of seeking HIM first and ended up with more stress on my plate. It is funny, I left my home to meet and share with my Sri Lankan friends this summer, and little did I know how much personal receiving I would be doing along with the planned sessions of teaching.

The school year has started, and though I had a week’s break to get over my jet lag it seems like I stepped right off the plane and into my first parent-teacher interview. But God reminded me through the wisdom of scripture and friends – it’s not about me. I need to seek him first and get ready for the wonderful year of discovery that is ahead.

Sheryl Murray attends Wesley Chapel in Toronto, one of the partner churches for FM ministry in Sri Lanka. Sheryl is a teacher at Crescent School and has served on the Official Board of Wesley Chapel. These are her reflections on her recent ministry trip to Sri Lanka with our Encounter team. [pictured on the far right in the image above]

An Attitude of Sabbath

Without a doubt, this has been the busiest summer of my life...
The first two weeks were filled from morning to night as I taught the Disciples in Training Course at Circle Square Ranch in Arden, Ontario. Then, without a day to recoup, I headed off to Sherbrooke, Quebec for a five day Vacation Bible School [VBS] Missions Trip. After arriving home on Thursday, I managed to squeeze in a counselling session for a couple I was to marry, a birthday supper for my sister, lunch with another youth pastor, Sunday Worship, and I convinced one of my teens to help me with the final details for Mission Rochester, which started on Tuesday. Tuesday came and I packed up four teens and myself and headed to Trulls Road FMC to meet up with the rest of the team who were joining us. Six days later, after an amazing experience of God’s faithfulness, I arrived home to prepare for the wedding I was performing on Saturday and to get ready for my vacation, which started on Sunday. Vacation this year included whipping around in a boat at a friend’s cottage, house swapping with my cousin, four days in New York City with my mom and watching Phantom of the Opera at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

Three days after I came home from vacation I headed off to Echo Lake Camp for a week of teen camp. To finish things off, I took a busload of teens to Canada’s Wonderland to help get them plugged back into the youth program, which was scheduled to start in two weeks.

I’m sure you might be thinking that I might have packed a little too much into my summer … but I have a secret, it’s called "Sabbath". Sabbath is a concept that is repeated throughout the Scriptures: from the very beginning in Genesis 2:2 when God rested from all his labours to Revelation 14:13 when we are told that those who die in the Lord will rest from their labour. We also know, that in Mark 2:27, Jesus taught how the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, it would seem to me, that since the Sabbath concept runs throughout Scripture, it must be important!

I believe that God has given us the concept of Sabbath in order that we would have the strength to do all that He has called us to do in this life. Isaiah 30:15-16 (RSV), says, "For thus says the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’" The secret to my sanity was keeping God first, and I did this by maintaining an attitude of Sabbath. So, even though I was crazy busy, I made sure to meet with the Lord every day and rest whenever possible. Each morning, time was spent in prayer, re-dedicating my thoughts, words, actions and heart to the Lord and His purposes - every morning. Each day, I read from the Word - each day as the bible says, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matt 4:4 NIV)By making Scripture a priority, I managed to read through: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Ezekiel. The Lord taught me so much this summer about praise, wisdom, the unbelievable life of His prophets as well as how He speaks to us through pain. Daily devotions were key to making sure that I remained focussed over the last two months. I knew that if I went without praying or reading Scripture - even for one day, I would feel as if I was missing out on something that God wanted to tell me - like I was starving myself spiritually. Not only were prayer and Scripture reading a priority, so was rest. When I talk of rest, I’m not just talking about having a nap - even though that was a very key part. I’m talking about taking a break from the normal schedule of life in order to connect with God and to renew my strength. Psalm 23:2 says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." I knew that if I wanted to restore my soul, I needed to be still. So, whenever there was a break from the craziness of ministry I would rest. I would often take time to be alone at Circle Square and Echo Lake Camps instead of hanging out with people all the time. In Sherbrooke, we made a mandatory rest hour each afternoon to refuel ourselves for the evening events. During Mission Rochester, we would stop for half hour each afternoon after VBS for an ice cream break in the Rose Garden so we could collect our thoughts and gain some energy before heading to Hope Initiatives for the afternoon. In New York City, there were also moments when I caught some rest. A bird on the bush beside me reminded me that if God sees this little sparrow, then He sees me too! Even at Canada’s Wonderland, amid all the noise of the rides, I managed to find a green spot, lie down and focus on the Lord - who at that point reminded me that He knows all about the Fall program and He would let me in on it when I was ready.

It wasn’t just Scripture, prayer and brief periods of rest that sustained me. I also made the most of my days off. These days were often spent quietly, focussing on prayer, fasting, meditation, naps, spiritual reading and simply being with the Lord. James 4:8 in the NKJV says, "Draw near to God, He will draw near to you."

This summer, it was confirmed, time and time again, that when I spent time with the Lord, the Lord drew near to me. The Lord restored me, He refreshed me, He renewed me and He reminded me that He saw me, knew what I needed and promised to provide it. As a result, I was more patient and rarely overreacted when things didn’t go my way. I could see the Lord’s hand in several situations that came up and I had a sense of peace, which I knew could only come from the Lord.

By making Scripture, prayer and rest a priority in my life, I was able to carry out the ministry that I felt that God called me to do this summer.

Jennifer Wagar is the Youth Pastor at Verona Free Methodist Church [Ontario].

What's your mentality? Moving from scarcity to abundance

When I worked in the field of fundraising I attended conferences to develop my skills and abilities. At every conference I went to, I remember presenters focused on the fact that there are a limited number of people with a limited number of dollars willing to donate to charities. So as a fundraiser, you have be the best at finding those people with those dollars. You have to be the best at communicating your message to those potential donors so that you would receive those dollars to allow you to do what you want to do.

Steven Covey calls this a scarcity mentality. He contends that people with a scarcity mentality tend to see everything in terms of win-lose. There is only so much; and if someone else has it, that means there will be less for me.

People with a scarcity mentality have difficulty sharing recognition, credit, power, or profit. They also have a tough time being genuinely happy for the success of other people. It’s almost as if something were being taken from them when someone else receives special recognition or success.

People with a scarcity mentality either hoard their money because they are afraid of what will happen to them in the future, or they spend now because if they don’t they might not have another opportunity to make that purchase. They tend to be stingy – with their time, their money and themselves.

A church with a scarcity mentality sees itself as competing with other churches for people and other ministries for money. If there is a budget surplus the first reaction would be to hold onto the money because you just never know if you might need it in the future.

But there is an alternative – abundance mentality. Biblical Stewardship is consistent with an abundance mentality. Our God is a God of abundance. He is the creator, the owner, the provider. Philippians 4:19 says, "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

People with an abundance mentality celebrate the success of others. They are truly happy when someone else receives recognition. They don’t see themselves in competition with others. They prefer collaboration. tThey understand there is enough… enough for everyone. They rest on the Sabbath because they believe God has provided them with enough time. And people with an abundance mentality are generous.

Churches with an abundance mentality are generous. They are pleased to see other churches growing. They trust that God will direct people to their church and when they arrive, they look after them well. They seek out opportunities to meet needs in their communities and beyond.
So how do we move from a scarcity mentality to an abundance mentality? First, we need to deepen our understanding of God. We tend to shrink him down and box him in, but as we get to know him, we begin to catch a glimpse of just how big God is.

Secondly – We need to give as God directs. The act of giving in obedience to God sets a number of things in motion – good things. As we give, our faith in God is deepened. Matthew 6:21 comes to life for us: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We begin to care more about meeting the needs of others rather than fulfilling our own desires.

Thirdly – We need to broaden our worldview. Rather than comparing ourselves and our own situation to others in North America, let’s compare ourselves to the rest of the world.

• If your income is $25,000 Canadian or more you are in the top 10.64% of the richest people in the world

• Only 8% of the people in the world own cars

• Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.
A simple change in focus can be powerfully effective. Canadians in general are a very blessed people. I’m not saying there isn’t economic disparity in Canada – there is. And those of us who have been blessed need to respond to decrease the gap between the rich and the poor – in Canada and around the world.

"What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself."
Luke 12;29-32 The Message

Joanne Bell is the Stewardship Development Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. Please contact her at bellj@fmc-canada.org or visit the website:
http://www.generoussteward.org/

Counselling for Pastors

Tiger Woods hires the best coach in the world, Butch Harmon, to ensure that his swing is working well. Why? Because he wants to be the best golfer that he can be.

The largest companies in Canada hire the best consultants in the country to help them do Strategic Planning and to solve their business problems. As proud as executives can be, they still know that it pays to hire professional help because they want to win at the game of business.

The richest families in Canada hire the best Financial Advisors in the country to help them manage their wealth so that it keeps growing. They know that wealth management is a difficult job, so they rely on the experts.

These people and organizations also pay the highest fees to receive the help they need because they understand the benefits of good help.
What about pastors?

Isn’t it interesting then, that pastors, who I believe have the most difficult and demanding job in the world, seldom turn to others for help. In the Free Methodist denomination, Bishop Keith Elford advises me that there is funding available for professional counselling, but it is one of the most underutilized programs in the area of pastoral benefits.

Is a pastor’s job tough?
It sure is. Show me an occupation that has the range of responsibilities and demands that are regularly experienced by a pastor. Pastors not only spend copious hours researching and preparing excellent sermons for preaching on Sunday mornings, but they also lead their staff as head of the team. They are expected to shepherd their congregants, responding on short notice to handle emotional crises, including funerals. They get involved in the preparation and marrying of church members, and they need to encourage in the touchy area of financial giving so that the bills can be paid. They need to be visionaries, understanding the trends in society to ensure that the church remains relevant. They need to plan events, provide good administration of church affairs, be accountable for everything that happens at the church, while smoothly working with difficult people, handling criticism and inspiring those around them.

In addition to all the time consuming work, the pastor has the task of dealing with unrealistic expectations. In business there is a rule that you learn and I learned it the hard way. Never work for two bosses. Experience shows that each boss will expect you to give 100% and as a result neither boss will be happy. Well pastors are in the impossible situation of having more than two bosses. They have expectations coming from the Board, the key families in the congregation, the denomination hierarchy, the public in the community around them, the elderly, the youth, the singles, the staff and this does not even take into account the important expectations of family, including spouse and children. If a pastor has never learned the skill of managing boundaries, then the job can be overwhelming.

Given the reality of a pastor’s life, it is truly remarkable that more pastors are not burning out. Maybe the truth is that more pastors burn out than churches realize and maybe more pastors are burned out and they don’t realize it themselves.

Life at the top
When I worked in the business world (28 years), I noticed an interesting phenomenon. An organization would figure out that their people were in need of learning certain skills or new ways of doing business. Management would then mandate a training program to help their staff to become competent in this new skill or ability. A consultant would be hired to teach and train the group. The staff would go away to a resort or hotel to learn the latest about customer service, teamwork, quality control or whatever the felt need was at the time. Invariably the staff would dutifully attend and there would be good things to learn. The interesting observation is that the person who seldom attended these seminars or training sessions was the boss. It seemed like the boss knew what was good for others, but somehow did not need the training for him/herself. I always wondered what the logic was behind the absence of the senior person. Is the President too busy for this training? Is the executive already knowledgeable in this area and does not need to waste time with such basic material? Would the boss’s attendance signal a deficiency that would somehow diminish the image of the executive? Is the word boss or superior indicative of a "pride" that inhibits the participation of the person in the activity? In other words, are they above it? Or is it the job of the person at the top to tell others what to do and therefore they are excluded because they are the ones giving the orders? I do not know which is the right explanations. Maybe it varied in each situation. But I do know that the people at the top did not attend the training sessions.

The Pastor’s Life At The Top
I am wondering if there is a variation of this syndrome in churches where the pastor is expected to be at the top of the chain of helping others and therefore is above needing help him/herself. In fact, in a church, the culture may have an even stronger influence than in business. If the pastor preaches all the wise words on Sunday, he or she must know all about humility, love, gentleness, kindness, serving and joy. As the spiritual leaders, pastors must be the most saved, transformed, whole, pure and holy of the flock. In most churches, the congregation wants this to be true. Also, it is easy for the pastor to buy into the belief that he/she must provide the example of being a new creation who is experiencing the joy of God’s salvation by smiling and happily helping. Either way, the pressure is there for the pastor to be perfect. While grace can be a wonderful thing, often pastors do not receive grace when they make mistakes. The expectations on a pastor are so high that a pastor may just find it easier to hide personal imperfections instead of dealing with them. What happens if members of the congregation find out that their pastor is not the epitome of love? Will they give less financially? Will they volunteer less? Will running the church be more difficult if people find out that the pastor is not perfect? What church wants a grouchy pastor? Aren’t pastors supposed to lead their flock to the promised land of freedom and ecstatic joy?

This problem doesn’t just exist for pastors. One of the challenges of the church is authenticity. How is it that people at church dress well, smile nicely, greet each other with enthusiasm week after week and tell each other that everything is going well, and yet, behind the scenes there are all kinds of problems. There is a tension between God being the solution, bringing joy and happiness, and the problems of daily life. If church is just a twelve step program where everybody is hanging out all their dirty laundry, where would the attraction be to draw new members? So the question is "How is one to be authentic and honest and still demonstrate the full life that Jesus wants us to experience?"

The Pastor’s Dilemma
If the pastor has a personal problem and the focus of the church shifts to dealing with the pastor’s problem, then everything is turned upside down. The church is then taking care of the pastor instead of the pastor taking care of the church. When a pastor shares personally from his/her life experience, it is therefore more beneficial to provide an example where God has helped the pastor overcome an issue in the past and now life is full and abundant as God has promised. Sharing in this way provides an opportunity to be both authentic and to also prove the benefits of Jesus’ amazing love. The pastor can share that there was a problem in the past, and now the problem is gone so the congregation does not need to concern itself with the pastor being broken. Sharing past issues can be great opportunities for demonstrating God’s love. Sharing current problems can become problematic.

The Confidentiality of Counselling
Guess what? Pastors are human beings just like everybody else. Pastors experience grief when there is a loss, pain when there is a hurt, resentment and anger when they are frustrated and spurned, anxiety when overwhelmed and worry when things are not going well. Pastors are not perfect people. They are people. And like any other person they need help from time to time. The key to pastor help is confidentiality. It is not helpful for the congregation to be regularly focusing on helping the pastor. The congregation really does need the pastor to be the positive, enthusiastic, happy, spiritual leader who demonstrates the benefits of Jesus transforming love. So, pastors need a safe, confidential place to go and deal with their very real human issues. That is one of the benefits of professional counselling. It is totally confidential. Any issue can be discussed and it will not get back to the congregation. Is this being authentic? Maybe not, but it is realistic.

Secrecy
One of the problems that pastors experience is dealing with issues on their own. Pastors learn to be strong. They learn to cope and continue to fight the good fight. The truth is that when a person keeps a problem to his/herself, the problem only gets worse. If a person keeps a secret, Jesus is not invited into that room in the mind and then Satan is able to bring more darkness and help make the problem worse. An example is pornography. Some denominations have research showing that 35% of the pastors are addicted to pornography. My theory is that pastors are under a lot of stress. They are trying to carry a big load on their shoulders. When the problems become too much, one solution is to find a little pleasure or reward to take away some of the pain of life. Pornography is one way of escaping into what is initially believed to be pleasure. Of course, any Christian who looks at pornography is committing the sins of adultery and lustful thinking. Along with pornography comes guilt because the viewing is always done in private and in secrecy. Ted Haggart is an example of how keeping a secret can feed the addiction. Since pastors are supposed to be holy, once pornography has been viewed, Satan helps lure the individual into the guilty pleasure again and again until eventually it is a big hidden secret.

The Benefit of Counselling
One of the main ways of dealing with sin is confession. A Christian counsellor is an ideal person to use as your confession partner because of the confidentiality of the relationship. Once confession has occurred, it is no longer a secret. Confession brings the sin out into the light where Jesus can help. Secrecy and confidentiality are different. Secrecy means that nobody knows. One of my clients held on to a secret for 25 years and when he shared it with me the relief of getting it out was real. A load was lifted. We then went to the Lord in prayer and found out that the words in his head had been a lie and he had been living with the consequences of that lie for 25 years. In trying to deal with the issue in the privacy of his own mind, the man was blinded to truth. He could not think clearly and the actions that flowed from the thinking negatively affected his life and his marriage.

Other Ways of Using A Counsellor
Christian counsellors can fulfill many functions. One way I work with pastors is as a spiritual director. One pastor comes for a regular spiritual checkup. We are able to pray together. Did you know that psychologists are not allowed to pray with their clients? An associate of mine gave up her PHD in psychology, went back to seminary and became a spiritual director. Spiritual directors help their clients to read and meditate on scripture. They encourage the person to listen to the still small voice of God and they pray together. The emphasis is on allowing the Holy Spirit to be involved in the process.

Another way of working with a Christian counsellor is to use the counsellor as a mentor. It is an opportunity for the pastor to ask questions and hear another opinion about issues. In the past, the image of visiting a therapist was a negative thing. A person who needed to see a therapist was seen as "sick" and it was a terribly serious thing to be "sick". Today seeing a counsellor is a normal thing to do. I have one business man who uses me as his Board of Directors. He regularly bounces ideas off me and I mentor him based on my experience.

Another way of using a Christian counsellor is as a coach. A coach is different from a mentor in that a coach is an accountability partner. The coach will help you set goals and then hold you to them. The coach will help you plan, manage your time effectively, help you evaluate the results and then encourage you to reorganize to do it better the next time. A coach never goes on the playing field. The pastor is the one who is in the field and from time to time needs to leave the game and talk with someone who is objectively viewing from the sidelines. One of the dilemmas of being alone in your head is that you can lose objectivity. It can be very helpful to just talk with another person who is not inside your head. The old expressions that more heads are better than one is true. Your coach is there on your side to help you win. His sole function is to help you be better and to help you see options and alternatives that you might never have considered.

As a Certified Marriage and Family Therapist, one of my roles is to help advise about marriages and relationships. Many people come to talk to a counsellor because it is beneficial to work through issues related to the marriage relationship. Did you know that you go through at least six different marriages with your same spouse over a lifetime? Each stage requires change, learning and growth. How you cope with each stage will affect the marriage relationship

Stages of Marriage
1) marriage as a free young couple unencumbered with children
2) marriage coping with no sleep and bringing up young children
3) marriage dealing with teenagers
4) marriage of the empty nest as the children leave
5) marriage when retirement occurs
6) marriage when one partner is ill

If you are stuck at any of these stages, it would be helpful for you to talk to a trained marriage counsellor.

Yet another role that a Christian counsellor can play is that of assisting in what I call Inner Freedom. Whenever a person experiences emotional pain of any sort, it is possible to go back to memories that are the root of the feeling and Jesus can transform the memory. When Jesus brings his truth, whether past memories or current thinking, his truth will set you free. I do a lot of this type of one-on-one work. Pastors need to do this work too, just like everybody else.
Whenever you are frustrated, hurting, overwhelmed, grieving, or just in need of talking to a safe caring friend, think about calling a professional Christian counsellor. They are there waiting to help you and you have every right in the world to receive that help.

Conclusion
There is no obligation for you to be alone in dealing with your life issues. Other people turn to the best professional help and it is OK. We have come a long way from the days when seeing a therapist meant that you were "sick". Today, receiving professional help is not only normal, but wise. Turn to those safe, confidential support people around you to help you be the best you can be as you do your work in the Kingdom for God.

Alfred C.W. Davis (MBA, M.Div) has a Christian counselling practice based in Oakville, Ontario [Agape Healing International Inc.] and is the author of two books Free to Be Me and The Training Manual for Christian Counseling and Christ-Centred Transformation and Inner Healing. He holds a Master of Divinity degree majoring in Counselling [Tyndale Seminary].

Past, present and future

Glenn Gibson, my coach in the early days of my current ministry once said, that time orientation has everything to do with church health. Churches tend to focus on either the past, the present or the future. Churches focused on the past are seeking to recover the glory days. Churches focused on the present are often "so busy mopping the floor, they don’t have time to turn off the tap". Churches focused on the future are convinced that God has placed their best days ahead of them. Since the major currency in any church is hope ("for in this hope we were saved." Romans 8:20) a healthy future orientation is a more positive and healthy stance. As leaders it is our responsibility to preserve and grow our congregation’s hope in God. No matter what direction your congregation is facing… past, present or future… we can help them find hope.

Hope in my past…
If your church is looking back to the glory days there are lots of things we can do to preserve and grow hope for our future. To do this you will have to explore and honour the past. First ask yourselves what was so glorious about the glory days? What were we doing back then? What were we focused on? What did we believe in? What were we passionate about? What were we willing to sacrifice and fight for? The past, if the days truly were glorious is an amazing resource for generating hope in a congregation’s future. Once you have a picture of the past, begin to ask how those passions, attitudes, self-sacrifice, and unity of purpose would look like in your church if they were evident today. What are you willing to do, change, or challenge to make all of this your current reality?

We stand on the shoulders of giants. Those that have gone before us are the inspiration (not the mold) for our present and future selves. Those that have gone before us are now "the great cloud of witnesses" that cheer us on to victory. We have no need to fight the past. The past can be a boundless source of encouragement and strength and most importantly hope. Hope, however, cannot live in the past, hope belongs in the future.

Hope for today…

If your church is overly focused on the present there are important choices we can make to preserve and grow future hope. It can seem counter-intuitive, even irresponsible when there are so many fires burning to take time to get some perspective. Getting stuck in the moment can rob us of our energy and eventually our hope. We can begin to believe that this is just the way this church always was, always is, and always will be. However, that kind of thinking does not mesh well with God’s plan for his church. So how do you get perspective? Well begin by asking each other questions like, "What is the purpose of all of this activity?" "What is all of this leading toward?" "What is God’s plan for this church in the future?" "Who are we becoming?" The present is the only time that exists, therefore, it is only in the present that we can make our hope for the future take shape. Churches that have a present, pointing toward God’s future for them, are healthy and robust. They may not be any less busy than a present focused church, but their hope rests in what lies ahead.

Back to the future…
If your church is focused on the future there are important things you can do to ensure you continue to preserve and grow hope.

1. Be transparent. Avoid projecting that your present is better than it actually is. The mistakes you are making and problems that you currently have can prompt recurring discussions about God’s future for you.

2. Keep it simple. Keep your church structures as simple and pliable as possible. This helps you stay on target: focused on God’s future.

3. Take the time to celebrate. Make sure that you celebrate and mark the important moments that come your way as you follow God. This can be honouring the past. Celebrating what’s going on right now. Or pre-celebrating the future that God has in store.

Jared Siebert is the Director of Growth Ministries for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. For more information on church planting and current projects visit the http://www.lifecycleproject.org/.

Do any of us have the option NOT to be in Mission?

How are you, really?" I’ve been asked this by empathetic friends and people wishing me well. I’m a little surprised by the question until I remember that Bishop Keith said "health reasons" have brought me to announce my retirement as Director of Personnel, December 31, 2007. In February 2007 I discovered I am a Type II diabetic. I try to stay humorous about this. I probably should join a support group: "Hi, my name is Alan and I’m a diabetic. I’ve been off ‘Sour Kids’ for six months." Then I could confess sins of gluttony of glucose. "I fell off the wagon when I had a waffle cone with one scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough that was virtually a pint of ice cream."

I’ve agonized over the decision to go into transition. When I left my work as a pastor in 1992 I agonized over that as well. This is major stuff. The call of God is not to be taken lightly at any stage in life. I looked for a new challenge from God in 1992 when I left pastoral ministry. As well, in 1999 when I agonized over leaving medical social work to serve the FMCiC. There was a similar "ring" each time that God graciously granted through the affirmation of the Holy Spirit, my wife, and trusted friends. This time there is something different going on, something added to all the above in this transtion:

The need for replenishment. I preach this to my Bishop who is also my friend. I want it for him as much as I need it for myself. Though replenishment is needed for anyone working passionately in a very high calling, I have found it harder at my age) to get replenished. The passion is there, but it’s like my passion is running on ahead, then turning around, to see my body lagging behind.
We can’t live in the margins all the time without some consequences. Signs started showing up, emotionally (like, free floating anxiety, sleep disruption) and physically that I have not listened to well. The type II diabetes scared me. The day before flying to Calgary for the Pastor’s Conference, I buried a family member who had undetected diabetes at age 55, and suffered a long cognitive and physical decline to age 70. He was a devoted uncle to our daughters when they were very young, a man I respected highly, and I grieve the loss of him. I did not want to repeat his path.

It takes longer to recover than it did even two years ago. This position, like most of yours, requires high energy and resiliency. I could do that but now not as easily. Normally, I see my attitude as, "bring it on, hit me with another challenge or problem to solve." I still love that kind of life! Yet, I am not getting recovered as quickly, I can get feelings of panic (and I don’t think I have space to describe that feeling. The attitude of "bring it on," has often become, "stop, that’s enough!"
I like what I do. I feel called to this work, or work similar to it. I heard a person say about slowing down, "even Nolan Ryan’s fast ball lost a few KPH after he hit forty." Roger Clemons’ fast ball has slowed down a bit as well, but enough with the sports analogies. Abraham slowed down…uh, I can’t go there. I am aware, I’m slowing down, I’m sixty. BUT:

What is God up to now? I don’t have an option, NOT to be in mission. I don’t mean Mission, British Columbia, as nice as it is there. My call is to my friend, Jesus.

I have loved my work in the FMCiC. I have loved working on this National Leadership Team. Bishop Keith is the best boss I’ve ever had. WE are very fortunate to have him. Dan Sheffiled and I have worked together in Niagara Falls in the 1990’s. Jared is a breath of fresh air. Norm Bull kept me accountable and now Mark is doing the same. But it’s a full time job needing full time energy. I’ve sensed a release, but it’s a very difficult decision. I’m giving up something very good.

I have some FMCiC work lined up. So you may see me around. Bishop Keith wants me to help make General Conference plans with the National Ministerial Guidance and Placement Committee (NMEGaP) in February 2008.

Dan Sheffield has asked me to go with the Sri Lanka Team in February, 2008 as well, which I have done for 5 years now. I hope to serve the FMCiC part time, and I am not looking outside the FMCiC for other part time ministry.

I anticipate that the FMCiC part time work will, "dry up," after General Conference and the new Director of Personnel is oriented. If there is more, that would be fine, but I don’t have that expectation. I will trust Jesus for the next steps. I know what I can handle and what I can’t, now.

I am open to how Jesus will lead. That may sound like a platitude, cheap language. For me it means asking: "What is God up to now in my life?" "Who and what will God bring into my life that I may not have earlier paid attention to?"

I had an opportunity to go sailing for three days with four other guys from Niagara Falls, Ontario. The friend who invited me told the others he had invited, "a pastor." So at first I think they wondered what I might do if they used swear words. Maybe walk on water to scare them? I don’t know. I felt like these guys were brothers after three days. I had conversations with one of them about Donald Miller’s book, Blue Like Jazz. I started finding things in common with them, besides living in the same city. They are not my project but that is mission at it’s best.

My wife Ellen and I have found friends through her teaching connection. I started going fishing with the husband of Ellen’s teaching friend. Ellen has started a group in our home for this guy’s wife and some neighbors. We are making plans to take a Spring Break together to go see their son pitch. He’s been signed by the Seattle Mariners. I feel God is opening new relationships. These new friends are teaching me something about relationship—I see God in them already.

In Gordon Mac Donald’s, The Resilient Life, he writes about having a vital Christian walk throughout the whole span of life. Gordon is about 66, much older than I! (Smile.) He made a projection that is etched in my heart. He said, "I believe that my most significant ministry may be in my 60’s." I resonate with that projection. This may be the most significant ministry that is yet uncharted ahead, diabetes and all. Taking more time to replenish and not doing everything I use to do will be no deterrent.

I came across Matthew 5:9, "You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." That is going to be my verse for the decade of my 60’s. Cooperating with God’s mission. Look at the big result: you will discover who you really are and where you fit best. For me, this describes a great mission!

Alan Retzman is the Director of Personnel for The Free Methodist Church in Canada

It's healthy to clean up your thoughts

Recently, as part of a prayer exercise, I spent a whole day keeping track of the conversations I had. I wrote down everything that I said and everything I thought for the entire day. There’s something about having to write down your conversations and your personal mind-ramblings that makes you more accountable than you would normally be.

One of the things that really struck me when I read through the notes I had made about my day was how negative my thinking could be at times. Instead of keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus and allowing my faith to grow, I was letting my mind wander through all the possible ways things could fall apart and not work out. It worked subtly in my mind until, overtime, like a wagon travelling over the same path – grooves formed and it became an established way of thinking for me. Now, before I go any further, let me assure you that I’m not speaking of anything sinister – these are struggles that I am sure we can all relate to and have at some point had to overcome.

Can I say that to some extent, the way you feel is dictated by the way you think, without someone assuming that I’m trying to write my own chapter of "The Secret"? Because we are fooling ourselves if we believe that the way we think does not impact our spiritual, physical and mental health. I’m sure we could all relay personal stories of negative or anxious thoughts affecting our feelings, our mood, causing headaches, etc . . . not to mention the spiritual repercussions.

Once I acknowledge that my mind needs to be constantly renewed by Christ it becomes a question of discipline and re-training. I have to be honest, at times it feels as if I’m completely at the mercy of my thoughts (or more correctly, my un-Christlike patterns of thinking) – getting the wheel out of the groove is hard work – but it’s not impossible!

None of us will ever be able to say that "we’ve arrived" – that our thoughts are always centered on Christ and His desires for our lives. But perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. It keeps us dependent on Jesus, accountable to each other and humble, knowing that we don’t have it all figured out. Let me finish with this scripture which has lately become quite meaningful to me;

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

Lisa Howden
Managing Editor

What is it like to be healthy?

When I was in either Grade nine or ten at Uxbridge Secondary, I signed up for a First Aid course with Mr. Cascomb, one the gym teachers at our high school. We learned a lot about ways to treat injuries and even save lives. Yet, the one thing that I remember most is where he started out in the training. It wasn’t with a long list of the things that could happen that would cause pain, disability or even death; it was a definition of physical fitness.

Here’s what he came up with: "A person is physically fit when he/she is able to care for all the responsibilities of his/her day and have some reserves of strength left for emergencies." As an adolescent with boundless energy, I didn’t really grasp the implications of what he was he was saying, but 40 years later, I think I get it.

He may have been just talking about rest and exercise, but now we think about health in a wholistic

way. We have to talk about living with healthy habits and wise boundaries so that the reserves of all the dimensions of our lives (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational) are continually being replenished and there are at least modest margins of surplus most of the time. Though stress and conflict and hard work are part of life, we were not created to live in exhaustion and depletion.
This is especially important in the life of spiritual leaders. In this edition, we are talking about Clergy health. If we are going to have healthy churches, they must be led by healthy leaders. So where do we go to find out how to live a godly, balanced life on this planet? I suspect that the reason that Jesus took on human form and walked among us, is to give us some understanding as to how to live the "Great Commandment" to love the Lord our God first with all our being and then others as ourselves.

Early in my ministry, I embraced the notion that the way to JOY was Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last. But, though self-denial and self-giving sacrifice is a central part of the life the scriptures teach, if we watch closely, the definition of JOY would be more like Jesus first, Others and Yourself second.

The key to healthy living is balance. This is how the reserves of our lives are replenished. And this doesn’t happen without us taking responsibility for ourselves and paying attention. If we drive a car without paying attention, we run out of gas, the oil light comes on and the engine burns out, we crash into others, we take curves too quickly and roll over – you get the picture don’t you? And not just about driving!

As I meet people who seem to be healthy, I notice two things: First, they have a quality of healthy adaptability that enables them to shift and adapt to maintain margins in their lives and after seasons of high pressure, to re-gain them.

For example, because he knew that both are necessary parts of life, Jesus experienced both life draining stress (butting heads with the Pharisees and responding to the human need around him that drained life out of him) and life replenishing solitude (the times alone when they had to go looking to find him, the pause to sit on the well alone while the disciples went into town for groceries).

The second thing I have noticed about people who seem to be healthy is that they are not in deep conflict with their life situation. (Naturally, they encounter conflicts and frustrations, but these are taken in stride, because these individuals live with a sense that they are where they are supposed to be, doing what they are supposed to be doing. They keep focused on what Jesus taught as important, shake off distractions, and steer around activities, unhealthy relational expectations, temptations and life habits that entrap and bind.) I’ve noticed the following about people who are in harmony with their life context:

• Physically, they are not in conflict with excess weight and fatigue because they maintain a realistic level of physical fitness and self control.

• Financially, they are not in conflict with their lifestyle and when they make financial mistakes or face reverses, they can get back on track because they live by a plan that is shaped by what they understand as their life priorities.

• Emotionally, they live in calm most of the time and are rewiring their "hot buttons" with a healthy sense of humour. This is because they have made the effort to understand where they have come from and they have come to terms with wounds from their past.

• Mentally, they are not intimidated by the more "gifted" nor "annoyed" by the "less insightful" because they understand their own capabilities and are open to both humbly learn from and graciously coach others.

• Relationally, they are not conflicted by the expectations of others. While they are respectful and kind to all, they understand their relational capacities (how many close friends they can keep up with), their relational makeup - whether being with people energizes them (meet the extroverts) or drains them (meet the introverts) and they understand how to set and graciously maintain boundaries.

• Spiritually, they are at peace with God and have an integrated, spiritual graciousness about them that is deeper than good manners and expected piety. They are spiritually disciplined without being dogmatic or legalistic. They are sacrificial without complaining or expecting commendation. They take responsibility to build a deepening relationship with Jesus. They understand the importance of centering during the daily "pause" in his presence, of rest and re-orientation in a weekly sabbath, and of spiritual renewal several times a year through lingering with him in solitude for a whole day.

My deep desire is to see this kind of wholistic health among God’s people and especially among those called to guide his people to holy, wholesome maturity. At the same time, I need to be honest and paraphrase the Apostle Paul’s words and confess that I have not already obtained this life of integrated maturity nor have I already reached the goal, but I press on…..

Rev. Keith Elford is Bishop of The Free Methodist Church in Canada.

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