Launching the SOTERIOLOGY 101 podcast

PODCAST

This week I finally got around to launching the new podcast concerning the Doctrine of Salvation. As an adjunct Professor of Theology at DBU I needed to create a platform to connect with students since I am not able to be on campus. Online courses are very convenient but professors have to go the extra mile to provide for dialogue, interaction, and connection on these types of complex subjects. A podcast is a great way to do that!

We address question such as... Is Calvinism Correct?  How about Arminianism? Or is the answer

found somewhere in between?  You are all welcome to sit in on our online theology classroom, Soteriology 101, as we unpack the doctrines of God's Amazing Grace.  

In the first episode, I introduce the subject of Soteriology and its significance and then I tell a little of my own story about becoming a staunch five point Calvinist while in College and Seminary only later to leave Calvinism after being influenced by authors such as AW Tozer and CS Lewis.  I unpack the biblical, logical, and theological reasons for leaving behind a soteriological system I very much loved.  While I still have a HUGE respect for Calvinistic scholars such as John Piper, John MacArthur, RC Sproul and others who helped to shape me in my formative years, I've come to seriously question their interpretive methods of the scripture on this particular subject.  I agree with 90% of what they teach and appreciate the needed emphasis on the Glory of God and the call back to in depth theological study. 

In the second episode, I discuss the distinction between depravity and the Calvinistic concept of "Total Inability."  It is one thing to teach lost mankind cannot save himself, its another to suggest he can't even respond to God's appeal to be saved.

Does responding to God's appeal to be reconciled EARN or MERIT your salvation?  Did the Prodigal son merit the reception of his father on the basis that he chose to return home for help?  Does asking someone for forgiveness merit being forgiven?

Calvinists have equated the choice to respond to God's gospel appeal with a meritorious work that somehow earns salvation.  This idea is not supported biblically.  A meritorious work of the law is man’s effort to earn his own righteousness, while repentance is admitting you cannot earn it and need help.  God, because He is gracious (and for that reason alone), chooses to impute Christ’s righteousness to whosoever repents in faith.  Repentance merits nothing. 

In short, I believe Calvinists have mistakenly presumed that man’s inability to attain righteousness by law through works supports their premise that man is equally unable to attain righteousness by grace through faith in the imputed righteousness of Christ.

In the third episode, I answer some accusations about Pelagianism, the belief that man is not born tainted by original sin and is able to earn salvation by good works.  I also explain why I don't like the term "Prevenient Grace," since it seems redundant to make up a new theological word when the biblical word “gospel” is more than sufficient. We then dive into to some texts which speak of God's desire to see all come to repentance (2 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9, Ez. 18:30-32).  We briefly address a few more anticipated Calvinistic rebuttals.

I answer the accusation that we hold too high a view of man.  Which is worse?  The man who rebels who was born hated by God and unable to do otherwise, or the man who rebels who is born loved by God and provided all that he needed?  Clearly, the latter is far worse than the former, thus Calvinists actually hold to a “higher” view of man than we do.

In the fourth episode, we discuss the most referenced Calvinistic proof texts used to support the concept of Total Inability. 

Romans 8:6-8: Calvinists use passages talking about the law of righteousness (i.e. no one can be righteous by the law) and apply it to Righteousness by faith (i.e. no one can have faith because that would make them righteous according to the law). It doesn't follow. Proving that men are born unable to become righteous by law is NOT proof that men are born unable to become righteous by faith.

1 Corinthians 2:14: Paul is addressing carnal believers in 1 Cor. 2 and 3.  These believers were so fleshly they were unable to accept the "deep things of God" (vs 10). He is not addressing the inability of the unsaved to believe the gospel truth when it's discerned for us by someone being inspired by the Spirit, as Paul himself is doing while writing this letter to this carnal church.

Ability is implied in the appeal to repent. Ability is implied in the expectation to believe.  Ability is implied in the fact that we're punished for not believing or repenting. Thus, it's incumbent upon Calvinists to show this implied ability is not present.  And before someone points to man's inability to obey the law, keep in mind that we aren't held to account for our inability to obey the law, were held to account for our unbelief.  Lawbreakers are in both heaven and hell, the difference is UNBELIEF. Plus, the law wasn't given for the purpose for us to be able to fully obey it. It was given for the purpose of revealing the very truth that Calvinists believe we can't see, hear or really understand.  The law is the tutor sent to help us see our need for a savior (something Calvinists teach cannot happen unless one is first born again, thus man has to be reborn before he can even learn the lesson the law was sent to teach regarding our need for savior. We have to essentially be saved in order to even recognize our need for the savior? Really?)   Suggesting that our inability to fully obey the law somehow proves we are equally unable to admit we can't obey the law is unfounded.

Beyond the implications of the scriptures, I provide several passages that explicitly indicate our natural abilities to see, hear, understand and repent:

Acts 28:24-28: Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 " 'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." 27 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' 28 "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!" 

This passage, which is quoted from the OT several times in the NT, explains that the Jews hearts had GROWN calloused. THEY WEREN'T BORN CALLOUSED. It also clearly explains their abilities had they not become hardened. "OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE." He even goes on to contrast the Gentiles who "WILL LISTEN."

So, not only do Calvinists need to deal with the implications of the passages such as John 3:16 that calls whosoever to come/believe, but they must deal with the explicit passages such as this that clearly reveal man's ability from birth to see, hear, understand and turn to God for healing.

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"For God so loved God that he sent his son..."

Several years ago I was riding in the car with a friend when the Michael W. Smith song, "Above All," came on the radio.  Smitty sang with his typical rasp the well known lyrics, "Like a rose, trampled on the ground, You thought of me, Above All."

My friend let out an annoyed grunt prompting me to ask, "What's wrong?"

"That song is just so theologically inept," my John Piper loving friend exclaimed in disgust.

"How so?" I naively inquired.

"He thought of me, above all?  Really, Leighton? You think Jesus thought of us above all?  He thought of Himself!  He thought of HIS OWN GLORY," he passionately proclaimed like only a fellow preacher could.  "God does what he does for his own glory, not for us. It is all about Him and His glory. That song was probably written by Joel Osteen or something!"

"What do you really think about it," I quipped?  About that time we arrived at our destination (a very good mexican restaurant) and the topic quickly changed to chips and salsa...also created for God's glory, no doubt!

Since then I have thought about that conversation every time I hear those emotionally charged lyrics of the Smitster on KLTY.  And I get the point my friend was making.  I've read the book Desiring God by John Piper and I know the reasoning behind such comments, but do I agree?  Did God really think of Himself above all?  Was it really about God getting all the glory and man getting none of it?

Sometimes I wonder if in our desire to express a truth about God we tend toward overstating a point to the neglect of another valid point.  In other words, does this have to be an 'either/or' premise?  Could it be that God's glory is best made known through his sharing of glory with those He chose to create in His own image?  Is His Glory diminished in any way by giving us some of it?  After all, Jesus himself said, "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:22)

This appears to be a 'both/and' principle.  God is BOTH loving us above all AND being glorified above all.  In fact, one might say he humbled himself so as to be exalted.  We are being crowned with glory (Ps. 8:5), but we in turn lay our crowns at His feet.  There is not a contradiction here.  Not when we accept the upside down reality of God's Kingdom, where the last really are the first and those putting others above themselves are the ones ultimately exalted above the rest.

I get as disgusted with the doctrinal illiteracy of our modern society as the next self-righteous blogger, but we must be careful not the ride the pendulum to the other extreme by downplaying the biblical teachings of God's incarnational humility and genuine love lavished on the world.  Those expressions do not in any way diminish His glory, in fact they demonstrate it.  Moreover, these expressions of divine humility and love teach us the narrow path that leads to our own exaltation (1 Peter 5:6; James 4:10; Matt. 23:12).

The adventure continues at Culleoka...

Just a few years ago when we moved to Princeton I was finishing an 18-month interim at The Oaks in Grand Prairie.  Through a neighbor I learned of an older struggling rural church just around the corner from our new home; Culleoka Baptist Church (CBC).  I agreed to preach for them for a few weeks as they sought to secure a pastor, but a few weeks turned into a few months and a few months turned into a few years…and oh what an adventure!  We have made some wonderful friends and seen God work in some amazing ways.  When we started I could not have ever imagined what was in store for us at this country congregation.  I have learned so much about depending on God and waiting on Him to provide for His Church...and now when I say "His Church" I really mean "HIS Church."

Upon beginning at CBC I discovered that they had been through a bad split and had not had a long-term pastor for quite sometime.  The first Sunday I preached there were about 15 adults, with the median age being around 65.  Without getting into too many details, there were some major trust issues, conflicting power struggles and serious financial woes.   The treasurer at that time estimated that they would have had to shut the doors and sell the building within a month or two if things did not turn around.

Considering my work demands, the pursuit of my DMin, and the time restraints of being a husband and father of four, the very idea of attempting to lead a fellowship through a turbulent time was unthinkable.  I suspect that is why things unfolded in the manner that they did.  Never did I sit down and decide, “I think I’m going to lead this church through this difficult time.”  I do not believe I would have ever taken that step because it would have been too much of a demand on my family.  However, I could commit to preach for the church when I was available.  So, that is all I agreed to do…and that is what I continue to do.

So, what about leading?!  Who is in charge?  Has anyone committed to “pastoring” the church and leading through this time?  Not really, no.  At least no one has officially stepped forward and said, “I will lead this church!”  Yet, the church has grown by 40%, renovated its dilapidated building, started a children’s and youth ministry, hired four part time ministers, a building manager and a nursery worker, started several ministries to reach the surrounding community, and there’s still money in the bank to do more ministry.  So, who did all that if there is no established leader?  God did.  He is the HEAD of this church and that is not just something we SAY, it is something we’ve SEEN.

He found us a great youth minister.  He found us a great children’s worker.  He sent us money. He gave us, not one but two, digital signs (free of charge).  He found us a nursery worker. He sent us great worship leaders.  He sent us workers with the vision for reaching our community.  He has done it all.  I know it wasn’t me.  I was too busy working at the BGCT, getting a doctorate and raising four kids.  Like everyone else at this church, I had to depend on God and what do you know!?  He is a better at leading His church than any of us!  Go figure!

Had I been confronted with the decision to help lead this church through a turn around I would have run the other way and God knew it.  He had to take whatever weak gifts I could bring to the table and teach me to trust Him with HIS Church.  What a journey.  I am really looking forward to seeing what else He has in store for this sweet and growing fellowship of believers in Culleoka Texas!

Model of Leadership: Interesting Article

If you're a member of a megachurch, chances are you are a part of something that's more business than ministry, according to former pastor and author Glenn Newman in his latest book, Pastors Move Over: Make Room for the Rest of Us.

Newman, who founded the Convenant Life Fellowship and Heartland Bible Institute in Texas, argues through scripture and other evidence that the current structure of church government with a single pastor at the helm is unbiblical and robs church members of the right pastoral care.

"Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12-14 shows a clear system of all believers ministering to one another and worshiping house to house. The elders were the leadership of that day and servant leaders at that. But they also recognize each other's personal gift of ministry," said Newman in a statement Friday. "In the New Testament church there were no 'CEO' type leaders and in fact there were multiple pastors within the flock, ministering and nurturing those that needed it," he added.

Newman's book, according to a media release, attributes the origins of the senior pastor model to the Constantinian era in the fourth century and notes that it was later adopted as a part of the Roman Catholic tradition. The Protestant movement simply retained the model as their method of church government.

"Therefore we have been conducting our church services incorrectly since the fourth century. In fact with the single pastor model, you have one man doing all the ministering and everyone else is a mere spectator," said Newman.

"This has created a passive, uninvolved congregation that in many respects are spiritually immature due to this dependency on the professional clergy to do what they should be doing themselves," added Newman.

Newman highlighted in an interview with The Christian Post on Tuesday that the CEO-type approach to church government was of particular concern in megachurches where church members can easily be forgotten.

"The pastor in that church (megachurch) isn't really pastoring anybody. What the people are doing is they are watching a show on the stage. When there is no service, behind the scenes the pastor is running the church like a business and his assistant pastors are like middle managers," said Newman. "I believe that the elders should be leading the church. Not people who sit on a church board but spiritual leaders and we have forgotten that the elders are the spiritual leaders," he added.

Newman noted that scriptural evidence shows that in each local church all Christians had gifts for ministry regardless of seminary training. "For many centuries the church has been run either like a monarchy or in the modern Protestant churches like a business," he notes.

He hopes that people will gain more insights on true church government in his book. 

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/megachurch-pastors-running-churches-like-ceos-unbiblical-says-former-pastor-90374/#c4gzwRYTrs37xYZA.99 

Christian Leadership Essentials: Managing Christian Organizations (Book Review)

Dockery, David S. Christian Leadership Essentials: A Handbook for Managing Christian Organizations. Broadman and Holman, 2011.

Content Analysis of Chapter 4

Written by Robert Andringa, President Emeritus of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, chapter 4 takes on the in importance of “Relations” (the chapter’s title) in nonprofit organizations.  Specifically, Andringa addresses the role of the board in relation to the organization’s CEO as the most vital aspect of the organization’s overall well-being and success. Nine practical principles, each with several sub-points, are presented in a well organized format to assist the reader in their effort to implement change.

The importance of developing a strong leadership team cannot be over emphasized in regard to the overall success of any organization.  Poor leadership results in a poor organization and the board is the foundation of any ministry organization's leadership structure.   If those leaders do not have a meaningful and effective role in the overall direction and vision of the organization it cannot begin to develop a culture for success.

The structure of this article hinges upon the author’s presentation of nine practical principles related to organizational leadership. These principles and thus their inherent value is summarized below: 

(1) Boards and their CEOs must work as one agent. (2) Boards must take ownership of their policies in electing, placement, and mutual accountability. (3) Boards must evaluate its own size, structure and procedures. (4) Board meetings must be effective.  (5) Roles must be clear and mutually agreed upon by the board and staff alike. (6) Boards must be driven by their mission.  (7) Boards must organize information to govern well.  (8) Boards must evaluate themselves and their CEO annually.  (9) Both the board and staff must contribute to leading the organization to honor God and fulfill its overall mission.

Insights from Chapter 4

Andringa greatest take away was his challenge to change the culture to become more “unified, forward looking, driven toward excellence, welcoming diverse views, nurturing of staff, and engaged.”  Just as they say that the three keys to real-estate are "location, location, location;" the three keys to changing a culture is leadership, leadership, leadership.  This chapter is a practical guide to leadership methods that change the culture of any non-profit organization.

To change the culture of an organization the values of that organization must be well defined and take priority in the minds of all who hold a place of influence. There must be accountability to bring glory to God in every endeavor with integrity and honor.  If this is lost the very purpose of the organization ceases to matter and there is no longer any reason to pour effort into restoring it.

Once the values are established, then the placement or hiring of staff and board members can be focused upon those who reflect those values.  The importance of appointing mature, committed, competent leaders cannot be over emphasized. Finding the right chemistry in leadership is paramount to the overall success of the organization.  Too often non-profits will settle for whoever is willing to serve, but this can be detrimental.  Filling a role with someone who is not going to adequately accomplish that role is far more harmful than leaving the role vacant for a time.

Once the roles are filled with the most qualified and competent individuals, then invest in making them even more qualified and competent through education.  Finding workshops, retreats and training opportunities for leaders to attend may cost time and money, but the value of having new ideas, renewed leaders, and a fresh vision cannot be overstated.  Learning should be rewarded and evaluation regular.

Make no mistake, it is difficult to change culture, but good leaders will confront the problems with love for the sake of the organization.  Good leaders will admit their mistakes, seek forgiveness, apply grace, direct people to the Word, and cover all things in prayer, according to Andringa.

Value from Chapter 4

The greatest value of this article is the author’s willingness to boldly confront inactive, title seeking, ineffective leaders who simply hold a position on a board.  Inactive board members who view their role as more of an honorary position rather than a vital, productive member of the leadership team is all too common in average or struggling nonprofit ministries. 

This chapter challenges the status quo by challenging Christians, modeling their lives after biblical principles, to be better at governance than what the world has to offer.  Christ-followers who are seeking to fulfill a Godly mission should be all the more extraordinary in their oversight and management abilities.  The false concept that Christian organizations can afford to be sloppy in their oversight and leadership is attacked head on by Andringa, and rightly so.  Christians should be held to a higher standard, not a lower one, when it comes to leadership and the fulfillment of our God given mission.

Electing quality members to the board is of primary importance considering all that is at stake, according to Andringa.  This requires clear expectations and orientation from the outset in developing an effective board.  Members must understand their roles and their established expectations prior to being elected to the board.  Meetings must be productive, engaging and creative to tap into the board’s full potential.  The author does well to give very practical examples of how to make meetings better and more productive.  These steps alone would go a long way in establishing a new culture of accountability and excellence in ministry.

Once the board is established, regular training, evaluation and accountability are essential to maintain a board’s effectiveness.  Procedures and policies have an important role, but this chapter does well to remind its reader that the driving force is the mission of the organization. That mission is best carried out in a culture of clearly defined roles, policies and procedures.  This chapter details the ins and outs of such principles answering much-needed questions and outlining their processes.

Content Analysis of Chapter 5

“Managing the Organization” is the title of fifth chapter written by R. Judson Carlberg, the President of Gordon College. Beginning with a personal narrative of his own life lesson in management, Carlberg begins by drawing three “basic rules of administration-board relationships.”  Those rules are summarized below:

First, pay enough attention to the details to be fully aware of any red flags early enough in the process to address them in an effective manner.  Leaders who are well informed lead well.  No one leads well in the midst of stressful surprises and unexpected shortfalls.  Leaders, according to Carlberg, must develop the skill and wisdom to recognize what is essential and what is peripheral. With the many voices vying for their attention, it is essential for great leaders to focus on the things that matter most.  Prioritizing can make or break a leader and the organization as a whole.

Secondly, it is the job of the leader to be informed enough about the organizational structure and daily happenings to address concerns as they arise rather than to react after the fact.  It is much more preferable to address a minor issue before it turns into a crisis. 

Thirdly, staying on top of minor problems will keep the leader from having to be put in the awkward and potentially career ending position of surprising the board with unexpected shortfalls or major unaddressed problems.  Trust is lost when minor issues turn into a crisis.  This leads to overanalyzing, bureaucracy, and management redundancy.  This loss of confidence affects the entire organization, as everyone questions the ability of the leader to handle issues that arise in an effective manner.  When there is a lack of trust in any organization everything slows down and becomes cumbersome.

Trust can be restored as those involved become convinced of the leader’s character and competence.  People must believe in their leaders.  They must believe their motives are pure, and their integrity solid.  Moreover, they must believe in their capabilities and skill to handle the job at hand.  Any crisis can cause doubt and distrust within the organization and must be treated with the utmost care.  Inspiring trust is what enables one to move from being a mere manager to becoming a true leader.

Insights from Chapter 5

There are three key insights this reader took from this chapter, as outlined below:

First, the author’s willingness to be vulnerable with his failures by reaching out for insight and participation speaks volumes.  “Leaders serve best when they are transparent,” according to Carlberg.  Such actions build the needed loyalty and trust in the organization that invokes the kind of buy-in necessary to make a non-profit ministry run.  Ministry leaders and organizations that are not transparent are setting themselves up for a hard fall.

Carlberg teaches that leaders must “encourage respect by listening first.”  He goes on to say, “Leaders have little chance of succeeding if they ignore those who are following.” Christlike leaders are reasonable, approachable people who value the opinion and input from those around them.  Again, this is all about invoking buy-in and trust, without which a ministry cannot survive.

Secondly, leaders must learn to walk the balance between being passive and dictatorial.  They must give a voice to those who may not have one, while at the same time having the wisdom to set aside the voices that are seeking self-interests rather than the betterment of the organization.  Such wisdom may come through experience; however, a young leader who seeks the counsel of the wise has the ability to draw upon the experience of those around who surround him or her. 

Thirdly, a Christian leader may remain compassionate while still holding employees accountable for performance.  Trust demands accountability of all who work for the organization.  Sometimes a trustworthy leader has to make the very difficult decision to terminate an employee.  This action actually accelerates trust in the leader and the organization.  Tolerating poor work ethic and incompetence, on the other hand, undermines trust and value of the organization as a whole.

Involving employees in establishing their own goals assists in the accountability process as it is much easier to hold someone accountable to a goal they set for themselves than one imposed by a boss.  As mentioned in the previous chapter, here the importance of staff placement is elaborated upon further.  A good leader must learn to identify the best individuals for the most important roles in the organization.  Further a good leader must enable their employees to attain their goals, resource and train them to reach their objectives, while requiring regular evaluation of their overall performance. 

Value from Chapter 5

The most valuable information shared by Carlberg is found in his instruction regarding a leader dealing with conflict. Finding the value of conflict as it pertains to meetings is probably one of the most practical suggestions that a leader can implement to affect positive change in a timely manner.  Defining the purpose of the meeting is vital, but Carlberg challenges the reader not to avoid tension or conflict in meetings.  He argues that this is the missing element needed to keep all participants engaged.  Encourage passionate discussion, feedback, and critique to help move the organization to make better decisions.  Conflict is difficult but when managed in the right context, addressed transparently and thoroughly discussed it can become the leaders greatest tool.

That being said, prior to dealing with conflict and strife it is important for the leader to withdraw, reflect, and rejuvenate in order to prepare for the pending challenge.  Christ did this before the cross and good leaders will follow his example.  A leaders work should be a joy not drudgery.  Leaders should have pleasure in their calling and find their identity in Christ, not a title.  This can only happen when a leader takes the necessary time to be filled.  The leader must prepare for the battle and enter it with his eyes wide open, his heart prayed up and his mind focused.  Failure to prepare causes conflict to become crisis rather than an instrument of growth.

Finally, the author reminds his readers that being a good leader has less to do with charisma, and more to do with results.  In other words, it not about being born with a natural gift, but about doing what is necessary to get the task accomplished.  Good leaders encourage diversity of opinions but distain substandard performance.  They bring vision and implementation together while always welcoming critique and new ideas.  They are transparent and willingly to seek counsel.  They admit when they are wrong and do what is necessary to correct the problem so that it does not happen again.  Carlberg’s story of failure and restoration gives his readers hope and practical suggestions for becoming an effective leader and manager.

Content Analysis of Chapter 6

“Financial oversight and budget planning,” is the title of the insightful chapter, written by Jon Wallace, President of Azusa Pacific University and Jim Canning of World Vision International.  The authors take on the lofty challenge of bridging the gap between the reality of a ministry budget and the ideal of accomplishing the organization’s mission. The tension of a big vision and a small bank account is all too common.  This chapter guides leaders to take on this challenge through vision casting, fiscal integrity, regular communication, transparency, and evaluation.

Core stewardship values to be modeled by the ministry organization include a commitment to honor God, establish a budget that supports a strategic vision with measurable outcomes, unifying policies and mission focus.  With laser like focus the vision will not be lost amidst confusing policies and unorganized budgets.  Honoring God includes being committed to excellence in stewardship according to these authors.

The three most common types of budgets are presented as: General, Capital and Special Purpose.  The authors explain each of these in detail and give fair warning about the effects each can have on the other.  Leaders must be aware of these principles and potential effects when making financial plans which are essential for carrying out the mission and vision of the organization.  That mission can “creep” if the leadership is not careful to measure the success and growth of the organization against other similar ministries.

This chapter also seeks to bridge the gap between faith and presumption.  This bridge should be built with prayer and good decision-making.  Dependence on God is not an excuse to ignore the wisdom and guidance He provides to His people.  Leaders must plan contingences, seek counsel and possibly appoint a financial manager to oversee such efforts for the organization.

Consideration of various perspectives in the organization is also essential when it comes to the budgeting process.  This can reduce tension between leaders as they make the difficult decisions needed to run an organization.  Mutual accountability, full disclosure and complete transparency are always the best policies when it comes to dealing with money.  Surprises kill ministry organizations, so it is the job of the leadership to be sure there are no such surprises when it comes to budgeting.

Insights from Chapter 6

First, leaders must learn to always be about measuring and evaluating needs in light of the mission.  All to often the mission is lost as leaders focus on putting out fires or handling urgent matters.  Leaders must be intentional about keeping the mission of the organization in the forefront so as not to lose direction and purpose.

Second, budgeting is an act of faith, but it must be coupled with judgment and discernment.  Too many mistaken blatant irresponsibility for faith while forgetting that the scriptures teach us to plan, prepare and make wise choices. It is one thing to depend on God, it is another to ignore God’s instructions by venturing off into blind self-deception.

Third, safety is found in a multitude of counselors.  Often leaders fail to seek the counsel of wise advisors out of pride or possibly a fear of what they will be told.  People do not want to be told “no,” so instead of asking they just proceed unchecked.  This is a dangerous path that can cost the organization dearly.  Anything that cannot be done under the scrutiny of wise counselors probably should not be done at all, especially in a ministry organization.

Fourth, regularly show your appreciation of those who serve on the board and in the budgeting process.  Many times those who are gifted in budgeting and finance work tirelessly behind the sense without much recognition.  It is the leaders job to bring such labor into the light and show support for those who keep the organization running smoothly.  Never under estimate the power of the words “thank you.”

Fifth, three principles that support mutual accountability are: (1) Bad news first, (2) Full disclosure and (3) No surprises.  This is virtually one basic overarching principle, which can be summed up with one word: “Communication.”  Leaders must keep their board and others key players informed of what is going on in the organization at all times.  Too often leaders want to keep the negative feedback hidden so as to avoid conflict or negative feelings, but this most often leads to more significant issues down the road.  No one likes surprises when it comes to budgeting and financial shortfalls.

Value from Chapter 6

The authors do well to remind their readers of the scriptures teaching regarding financial stewardship.  Quoting from Proverbs 16:9 this article reminds us to make our plans while depending on God’s guidance.  The most insightful text was from Proverbs 24:3-4 which states that “any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.”  This passage virtually sums up the entirety of the lessons contained in this chapter.

Wise planning, common sense and communication are the ways to success as set by God Himself.  Ministry organizations that fail to go this way and follow this counsel cannot rightly claim to be under God’s providence.  To be provided for by God presumes one is willing to follow His direction.  If an organization chooses to neglect any of these principles they put the success of their mission at risk.  God should not be the scapegoat for such neglect.

Understanding these valuable truths is essential for any organization as they entertain the budgeting process.  Scripture does not encourage blind irresponsibility when it comes to faith-based organizations.  In fact, just the opposite is taught throughout the text.  God will bless wise choices, good planning, and intelligent creativity, not laziness disguised as “dependence on God.”

The value of this biblical guidance continues in addendum B at the end of the chapter.  Wise planning begins with seeking counsel from many (Prov. 15:22) and counting the cost prior to beginning the process (Luke 14:28-30).  As Proverbs 22:3 states, “A prudent man foresees the difficulties and ahead prepares for them.”  In doing so, one’s faith in trusting God’s ways will be rewarded (John 6:8-9).

Going through this process with a biblical approach will build the faith of all those involved.  God’s ways will be proven successful thus affirming the faith of everyone in the budgeting process.  If the leadership team sees how the Lord provides when they are faithful to follow His precepts they will become a life long witness to God’s path, providence and provision.