Category Archives: Leadership

Leadership, Marriage, Prayer, Small Groups, Training

“God Told Me…”

“But I know I heard God on this.”  “The Holy Spirit revealed to me…”  “God spoke to me.”  You and I have heard those words many times and perhaps said them ourselves.  But what happens when the person saying them is going directly against the word of God or you know their “hearing” is based more upon emotional desire than true insight from God?  Stay with me here.  I am not saying God does not speak today because I know He does.  It is just that we find difficulty in refuting the phrases listed above.  I mean, how do you come against or in direct conflict with the words, “I know I heard God on this?”  It would seem impossible, but then the person could be left with some disastrous outcomes.

Let me give you a few pointers to offer such persons speaking so matter of fact.  First, have they ever been wrong?  I mean, have they ever missed God or have they been 100% correct all the time in hearing from God?  Second, what are their overseers saying on the subject?  Have they found any wisdom in a multitude of counselors?  Are these counselors cautioning them and are they listening to those cautions?  And third, could God change it up even if they did hear Him correctly and they are in the midst of obeying that voice?  Abraham is an example of what I am referring to.  In Genesis 22, Abraham heard the voice of God instruct him to take his son, Isaac, up the mountain to sacrifice him.  Abraham gathers his supplies the next morning along with his son and set out to the place God told him to go.  He bound his son, took out his knife, raised his arms and all of a sudden heard a voice from heaven saying, “Abraham, Abraham…do not lay a hand on the boy.”  What if Abraham insisted on following God’s voice from the first command and resisted the second voice?

Don’t get stuck, cornered, or manipulated by others even when they are confident in their hearing.  We can bring an appropriate challenge to those who use these phrases.  In the end, they are responsible to properly discern in their hearing, but we do not have to always agree.  When we use these phrases, let’s be sure it is God and continue listening because He may change it up.

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Leadership, Small Groups, Training

If You Have Time…

 How many times have we been asked the question, “What time is it?”  How many times in the course of the day do you look at your watch, wall clock or cell phone to see what time it is?   We live by time; we work by time; we set meetings by time; we measure life by time.  We go to bed and wake up to a new day by the passing of time.  Every year we celebrate another birthday because twelve months of time have escaped us.  “Where did the time go?” we often hear.  “It’s about time,” is another often repeated expression.  Time is on our mind constantly when we find ourselves thinking, “I just don’t have enough time” or “I’m running out of time.”

 Our life on earth is governed by time, but eternity is not. We as human beings are governed by time, but God is not.  Actually, God and eternity may be partially defined by the lack of time consciousness.  Once in heaven for all eternity, who would possibly care about time?  Galatians 4:4 says that when the time had come God sent His Son.  God came from no time to experience time, to be limited to 33 years of time and then experience death.  God for the first time experienced getting older with the passing of time.  And then Matthew 24:36 says there is a time coming when Jesus will return.  We look forward to His coming, this God appointed time.

 What I find mind boggling is that God, our Father, has a plan in time for everyone of us…amazing.  This is our time and our season and what an exciting time it is.  We have been born for such a time as this.  It is our time to start a family, plant a church, work with  missions, start a business or lead a small group.  This moment you are experiencing right now reading this blog will never occur again.  It will be forever gone in time past.  You will never get this moment back.  Are you sure you want to use your valuable time reading this diatribe?  :)

 Did you ever do the right thing at the wrong time?  Or, the wrong thing at the right time?  Both can be disastrous.  God rules all time and has chosen to enter into time to work with you and me so that we can do the right thing at the right time.  A friend of mine often says that time is our friend.  That said, we do need to be conscious of the hour.  And do this, understanding the present time.  The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over, the day is almost here.”  (Romans 13: 11,12)   Time has past and our salvation is “nearer now than when we first believed.”  Let’s not stop being time conscious, but at the same time, let’s not allow time to rule us.  Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to be our time-keeper.

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Leadership, Marriage, Postmarital, Premarital, Singles

Finding a Life Mate: The Character Traits Worth Looking For #14

This is the fourteenth in a series of what traits to look for in a life mate.  While the following sets a high standard, one that perhaps few will initially reach, each area identified is an important character trait to look for and inquire about as you consider a lifelong marriage partner.

14. Is this person serving others?  Is there a personal or developing compassion for others, or is there too much attention devoted to self?  What do you observe to be his/her life balance of caring for others in contrast to personal priorities such as: work, rest, play, television, family, friends, your dating relationship, etc? (Romans 15:1-3; Philippians 2:3-8)

Jesus made it very clear that the greatest in His kingdom was also the most humble.  It takes a humble spirit to be willing to serve others.  It means denying yourself and that does not come naturally.  I have watched my wife serve others, my children and me for over 36 years.  If you look back over your life and think about those who served you, you’ll come to the realization of how they have literally impacted you for a life time.  To “see” the needs of others above our own needs requires a developing sense of compassion.  And that developing sense of compassion is provoked by a true, albeit rare, heart of selfless love.

As a leader, I watch others.  I take notice of those who run to get into line first vs. those who will insist that you go before them.  I look and listen for life balance in what they share with me.  If you’ll listen long enough, you will pick up patterns of speech and what they like to talk about the most.  If it centers around themselves, be forewarned, “selfish ambition” may still be their goal and that goal is insatiable.

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Leadership, Small Groups, Training

Opinions Vs. Convictions

To all my friends who are leaders entertaining the many requests and opinions of others…a little life experience to you.

Have you ever gotten tired of the opinions of others concerning worship,  your messages, small groups,  the elders,  the chair set up and your son’s latest tattoo?  How come everyone has given themselves the job of making sure you are aware of what it is they like and do not like at your local church?  Everyone has an opinion about their brother or sister and how they make decisions for themselves.  Everyone likes to have your ear when it comes to their personal thoughts and direction for you, the elders and the church.  How do we wade through it all?  Who is right and who is wrong?  Do we just close ourselves off and not listen or become numb to it all?

 Jesus was at a Feast one day as recorded in John chapter 7.  He sent  his disciples ahead and then traveled there in secret.  People were talking about Him at the Feast and He began to teach them.  He said something that really stood out to me the other day in my devotional time.  In verse 16 He revealed that His teaching was from the Father, it was not His own.  He then said if we choose to do God’s will, we will find out if His teaching is from God (conviction) or simply from Himself (opinion).  And then verse 18…”He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself (opinion), but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him (conviction).”  It hit me that He was addressing opinions versus convictions. 

 What do I mean?  An opinion according to this verse is to preserve one’s own thoughts and ideas, to gain honor for oneself.  It is made up of this worlds wisdom.  It is spoken at times to protect the one sharing the opinion.  A conviction, however, is spoken to protect the integrity of another; to honor what another has spoken as truth.  An opinion can be offered in true humility and be very helpful, but a conviction is spoken from the spirit because of a greater truth one feels compelled to uphold.  I would not die for my opinions, but I would for my convictions deeply rooted in my faith.

 May the Author of the Holy Scriptures reveal His truth to you today, as well as, His insight and discernment to determine the difference in the many opinions that come your way versus the spoken convictions of truth.

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Leadership

Haiti 2011

I am going to digress from my usual finding a life mate blog this week to let you in on the sights and sounds of my recent Haiti trip.  I hope you enjoy it.

The stupid rooster starts crowing long before daylight.  We awake, we talk, we pray, we shower, enjoy a quick breakfast and experience a genuine Haitian water baptism service and it’s only 6:45 AM once all this is completed.

Haiti begins to move about, starting fires with charcoal for breakfast or hot water; people shuffling around here and there with some place to go, but most have no employment.  Where are they going; what are they doing?  Some are headed to Prayer Mountain while others are foraging for some form of food.  The fortunate children, those with sponsors, are headed to that much coveted place called school.

Overcrowded buses and “tap taps” with bodies and bananas hanging all over the sides are headed down the highway at speeds too scary to guess at.  Most are headed to a market or to Port Au Prince.  The market hucksters are selling rice, beans, bananas, vegetables, dresses and jeans, sunglasses and cell phone paraphernalia.  Car horns are constantly blowing.  It doesn’t take long to discover that it’s the most important part of the car. 

It’s hot.  It’s dusty and in most buildings in the village, it’s dark due to no electricity.  It takes an effort to push through a day sweating in discomfort.  There is no A/C and no fans to push the air around.  Still leaders gather from numerous churches.  They long to hear, to be taught God’s word and leadership principles.  These leaders are very auditory and visual.  If they hear and if they see demonstration, they will usually connect to your point.

We teach our hearts out.  It’s similar to the material we taught the year before and the year before that.  We are asking God for “community transformation” through the value of work and entrepreneurial thinking.  Is it connecting?  Are they catching the words about honesty, high moral character and integrity?  They have not seen these things modeled in their country.  How do we know if the training is effective or the translation correct?  How much information do they actually understand?  Why do only a few young people take notes?  Can they read and write?

This latest trip to Montrouis, Haiti, an hour north of Port Au Prince, convinced me that some are beginning to catch a few things we have been teaching.  This trip encouraged me when they expressed gratefulness that we came to Haiti to see them when they cannot pay us or reimburse payment for our flights.  I was encouraged by the crudely made “Certificate of Recognition” handed to us the night before we left.  That certificate reads in part, “This certifies that this pastor Steve Prokopchak has done a lot of effort to bring…godly life…value…that these children can live in unity…for services rendered during the years that we had benefited from these trips.”  It was all the recognition one needs along with their beautiful smiles across that always youthful looking ebony skin.

Haiti is a difficult place for a North American…well, this North American.  But, just before departing, one of the Haitian DOVE pastors came to us and said, “I am starting to get this…either we change our community or our community will change us.”  I was now convinced that they were, in fact “getting it.”  I look forward to returning to see the change.

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