Tag Archive for servanthood

Customer-driven Ministry

2014-10-16 Devotional with Hymn No comments

During my 34 years with a major church music publisher, we were primarily customer-driven. Like most of the rest of the business world, we tried to learn what the customer wanted and then provide it with the best product we could. Obviously there is some economic logic behind being customer-driven.

It is often defended on a ministry basis as well. We all want to minister to real customer needs. Therefore we must learn what the customer wants, then provide it as best we can, right? Customer-driven publishing, or customer-driven ministry, seems to make a great deal of sense.

But over the years, I’ve experienced serious flaws in that approach.

1.       Often customers don’t know what they want until they see it. Needs and desires tend to be limited by past experience. True innovation demands more than an analysis of past buying habits. True innovation requires vision.

2.       As Christian publishers, we serve a God who is NOT customer-driven. Yes, He deeply loves people and meets their practical needs where they are. He is intent on effectively communicating with them and helping them. But He doesn’t follow their lead: they must follow His. He tells them what they need to know, not what they want to know. He doesn’t cater: He ministers. He challenges. He leads His people beyond their experience, beyond their desires toward something better. He is focused on what can be. When His people are in need, He creates something new:

“Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19, NASB)

This is the God we serve. God offers people something better than they know to ask for. And we are ambassadors for Him.

Customer-driven ministry easily turns to catering to the customer. Selfishness subtly moves in and takes over. We end up simply appealing to the customer in our own best interest rather than serving his or her long-term best.

Read John’s gospel, and note Jesus’ focus. He focused on the Father. His one desire was to speak His Father’s words and do His Father’s works. That must be the focus of each of His disciples as well. He calls us to focus on speaking the Father’s words and doing the Father’s works. Focus on the Father.

What’s more, imagine what the Bible would be if it were customer-driven. Tied to the fads of the times, it would not be the source of timeless truth that every generation and every culture desperately needs it to be.

As a creator, as a communicator, as a servant of God, let God’s burning love for His people inspire and lead you. Don’t just follow what is. Imagine what could be. Imagine something better. Imagine springs in the desert and roadways through the wilderness. Follow the God whose zealous love is forever creating something new, leading His people beyond their self-imposed limitations.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Lead Me On
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

More on Stewardship

2014-10-02 Devotional with Hymn No comments

A steward is one who handles an owner’s property as the owner would want it handled. In a day when slow travel and communication created many absentee business owners, the steward was responsible for making daily decisions as the owner would make them.

As God’s stewards, how are we to manage His resources? What is important to Him? Sure, He wants us to value and respect His ownership too much to waste what He has entrusted to us. But penny-pinching and maximizing profits are not the essence of the stewardship He desires. Remember, He can create anything He wants by simply speaking the word.

What is important to Him? Where does He want His resources focused?

God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is precious to Him. People are precious to Him. Look at the way He spent His one and only Son. He was willing to sacrifice what was most precious to Him for the good of His people.

If we want to please our Owner, we must treat people well. That means everyone: family and strangers, friends and the unfriendly, next-door neighbors and people across the globe. God is love. If we love Him, we will love those He loves. They are all unspeakably dear to Him. He asks us to love them all as much as we love ourselves.

This “golden rule” isn’t some secondary, optional commandment. It is the prime directive. And there is no business exemption. He doesn’t say, “Treat people the way you want to be treated, as long as they treat you fairly” or “as long as it doesn’t cost too much.” Jesus said that loving God and loving other people are the two greatest, most essential commandments in all the world. Everything…everything…hangs on these two commands. (Read Matthew 22:34-40.)

Further, if you want to please your Owner, trust Him. He treasures the simple faith of His children. Trust Him with every need and every concern. Words of trust aren’t good enough. He wants you to prove your trust by the way you use His resources.

In summary, if we want to be a good steward and please the God who trusted you with His resources, use them to love people. That’s how this Owner wants His resources spent. Treat people as He would treat them. And show God that you trust Him by the way you spend what He has lent you. Remember what Jesus said:

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things [the necessities of life] will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NASB)

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Listen to Love
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Hard Changes

2014-09-16 Devotional with Hymn No comments

Confrontation:
The Big Showdown.
I know I am right!
So much seems at stake.
The opponent is tough,
but my cause is “just”.
Everything within me strains forward,
strengthened by fear.

Yet the object feels more and more immovable,
so large that I can’t even see around it.
Righteous indignation fuels my frustration and anger, and
confusion sets in.

Then I remember that You, Lord, are here with me,
and I turn to You for solace and direction.
In Your presence, I begin to see the situation in a new light.

Lord, if the change should be in me,
if the real obstacle is my ignorance, and
the only things at stake are
my ego and
the comfort of the status quo,
soften my heart;
pull down my pride.
I open my clenched fists and
spread my arms to You,
bowing in Your presence.

In Your mercy, grant me
a trust that is willing to turn loose,
a humility that is gracious and joyful,
a Spirit that ever longs to give and heal.

But the lingering unknowns?
The hurts and unresolved fears?
I release them to you, my Savior, resting in
a wisdom that is always selfless and patient, and
a justice that overflows with mercy.
I know You care for me –
for me, Lord,
and that is more than enough.
I love You, my God!

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3-8, NASB)

Listen and sing:
Hymn: Glorify Your Name
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Work While It Is Day

2014-09-11 Devotional with Hymn One comment

[Jesus said,] “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4, NASB)

While we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10, NASB)

On Friday morning, December 13, 2013, here in Kansas City we had one of those times when a thin layer of ice coats everything. I hadn’t been out yet, so I wasn’t aware of it. But my wife went out to a real estate appointment that morning. When her car slid backwards all the way down the driveway, she called me to go out and apply ice melt.

I thought I was being careful. But I got to one particular point of the driveway where there is a slight ridge and the angle of the drive steepens just a bit. While facing down the driveway, my feet slipped, and I feel straight backwards, hitting head first on the concrete. I felt my hands flash numb momentarily. Then when I gathered my thoughts, I felt the back of my head and came away with a handful of blood.

I came inside to our daughter, a missionary to Ecuador who was visiting for the holidays. She called our son, a doctor who lives nearby and who happened to be home that day. He came over, checked me out, told me what symptoms to look for, and left my daughter to keep an eye on me. At first I only had a headache, but it wasn’t long before I got very nauseated and weak, tell-tale signs of concussion. I was completely laid up for a week, and it was a number of weeks before I felt normal.

Within just a few days, the Lord seemed to tell me that this was just a dress rehearsal. This time I would recover, but someday I wouldn’t. I was left with a greater desire to work while it is day.

The first thing that came to mind regarded our hymns website, LNWhymns.com. I had gone already through all my devotional writing and had assembled a list of companion devotional pieces for most of the hymns on the site. A meaningful context is the most important tool for effectively introducing a new hymn, and these devotional readings were designed to provide that. I had considered loading those companion devotionals onto the site as another free feature, but I had decided against it. Surely those devotional pairings would come in handy somewhere along the way, perhaps in a publication for sale.

But with “work while it is day” ringing in my mind, I knew now was the time to act. Within weeks, those “lead-in devotional readings” were available free on LNWhymns.com. (You’ll find them at the end of the printed music pdfs for those hymns that have them, which is most of them.)

What “someday” ministry opportunity has the Lord pressed on your heart? Don’t put it off! When you hear that still small voice prompting you to do some small deed of service, respond. The Lord calls, but usually He whispers. Listen and obey. The night is coming when no one can work. Such opportunities are precious, and they don’t last forever.

Listen and sing:
Hymn: I’ll Sing of You
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

I Am a Levite

2014-09-04 Devotional No comments

I have spent my life primarily ministering to the Church. In spite of some work in evangelism, I’ve mainly served in church music, Bible teaching, and devotional writing. Often I’ve suppressed a feeling that I’ve shamefully avoided God’s “real work” of reaching the world for Christ, and instead have contented myself with an easier, less-valuable ministry to those already believers.

But God recently brought a few scriptural truths across my path that helped me root out these misguided feelings of inferiority.

God is enabling me to fulfill a life-long goal of learning to read Biblical Hebrew. I recently finished reading the entire Pentateuch in Hebrew. I read Genesis, Exodus, and Deuteronomy, then came back to Leviticus and Numbers. What a joy! Difficult at times, but O so rewarding!

In Numbers 3 and 4, I was struck by how God set aside the entire tribe of Levi to help Aaron and his sons take care of the tabernacle. Israel was in a barren wilderness with so many needs and struggles, yet God devoted one full tribe out of twelve simply to service the tabernacle. What’s more, God arranged the Israelite encampment so that the Levites were right in the center, at the heart of His people and the best protected from any attack.

At the same time that my Old Testament reading was the above passage from Numbers, my New Testament reading was from Ephesians 4. There I was reminded that Christ distributed a diversity of spiritual gifts in order to strengthen the overall unity of the Church.

He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13, NASB)

Christ in His wisdom appointed some in the church to devote themselves primarily to ministering to believers. Their work would play just as vital a role as any other toward Christ’s timeless purpose of building His Body and beautifying His Bride.

Evangelism is critically important, but so is nurturing the minds and hearts of God’s people. Thank You, Lord, for honoring each of us with a unique place in Your service! Whatever our ministry might be, help us to do it joyfully, with our heart, soul, mind, and strength!

God Is Working

2014-08-19 Devotional No comments

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58, NIV)

I’ve done my share of public speaking, but it’s never gotten easy.

On one occasion, I was to speak during a seminary chapel. The service opened with scripture, then hymn singing: “O Worship the King,” “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”; more scripture, then “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” The hymns were strong, exploding with truth and praise. The people were singing from the very depths of their souls, as with one heart.

There I stood in the midst of such worship, worrying about my little part. But as the room was lifted in exaltation, the Lord whispered to me: “I did this, and I am doing this. Are you willing to be flexible in Me? Will you relax and trust Me right now?”

I felt rebuked, comforted, and challenged, all at the same time. It’s easy to get fearfully wrapped up in our own little worlds, blind to anything beyond our own abilities and immediate concerns. But every now and then God taps us on the shoulder and says, “Look up!” He is moving powerfully around us and above us, far beyond the level of our own effort or consciousness. He only asks us to relax in Him and move with His Spirit.

In every ministry, in every life, there are ups and downs, long waits and long-awaited victories, times of rest and times of incredible pressure. But never be distracted from simply trusting Him. If you’re following the Lord, He wants you to know that everything is just fine with you. You are in His hands, and He does all things well.

In fact, right now you are caught up in the working of His Spirit, though you probably don’t realize it.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV)

Praying for Fellow Workers

2014-06-26 Congregational Song, Devotional, Hymns No comments

This is the 22nd in a series of Friday posts on congregational song.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21, NIV)

I urge… that requests, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for … all those in authority. (1 Timothy 2:1-2, NIV)

We all have to work with other people, whether on our jobs, at home, or in the church. Some are our co-workers. Some are our supervisors. In both cases, our work is interconnected with theirs. If the other person doesn’t do a good job, our work is damaged.

This is particularly true in music. Singers, instrumentalists, writers, directors–none of us is an island. The quality and effectiveness of our work is dependent on other people. That can be very stressful!

In dealing with such situations in my own life, the Lord has brought me back to what the Bible says about submitting to one another and praying for one another. I’m discovering that is great, practical advice.

Instead of fretting about whether another person will do a good job or whether a supervisor will make the right decision, I’m learning to pray for them. I pray that God will guide them and work through them to accomplish His will.

Then, having prayed for them and trusted the Lord to work through them, I can more easily rely on them and be submissive to them. And when I still feel I must disagree, I can do so in a non-defensive, non-territorial manner, remembering it is God’s work, not mine, and He will accomplish it.

Sometimes we feel that if everyone would just leave us alone, if we weren’t so dependent on others, everything would be terrific. The Bible declares that that simply isn’t so. Each of us has a particular role to play. By ourselves, we are so limited. We were designed to work most efficiently and productively in relationship to others. We are each like one part of the body that must work with other parts if the whole body is to function successfully. God created us to be dependent not only on himself but on each other.

Prayer is the best way to make such relationships work. Through prayer, we lift up those on whom we are dependent. Through prayer, we maintain the right attitude toward them. Prayer for fellow workers fosters the unity and interdependence essential for all of us to be and do our best together.

And through prayer, we keep our faith focused on God’s will and on His ability to accomplish that will through us, not just through me.

Difficulties

2014-04-22 Devotional with Hymn No comments

[Jesus told His disciples:]
You will be handed over to the local councils and
flogged in the synagogues.
On account of me you will stand before governors and kings
as witnesses to them.
And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial,
do not worry beforehand about what to say.
Just say whatever is given you at the time,
for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
(Mark 13:9-11, NIV)

My Lord, sometimes You seem to lead me into difficult situations.
Sometimes You force me to deal with
difficult people,
difficult decisions and
difficult tasks.

Sometimes You allow
opposition,
rejection,
injustice,
misunderstanding,
illness and
loss to enter my life.

Jesus,
I will accept each unpleasant circumstance
as a new place to witness to You.

Listen…and sing if you want:
Hymn: God’s Mysterious Ways
Recording
Printed Music & Lyrics

Dear Dad

2014-01-28 Devotional No comments

Dear Dad,

I’ve been thinking about you lately and praying for you. I know you’re bothered by physical problems these days, trying to recover from surgery. Mom told me about the doctor’s report, and I know that’s hard to face. I also know you’re struggling to cope with a memory that you sense isn’t as good as it once was.

In this morning’s devotions, I read Acts 20:17-38. It’s one of my favorite passages—one of the most moving in the New Testament. Paul is on his way back to Jerusalem at the end of his last missionary journey. While he doesn’t know what will happen, he senses that trouble and possibly the end of his life lie just ahead.

So at the last minute, he decides to sail to Ephesus, one of the cities in which he invested a good portion of his life. He calls the elders of the church to him and there tells them how much he loves them. They are tearful as he says they will never see his face again. He explains that the Holy Spirit has revealed that affliction awaits him in Jerusalem. Then in verse 24 he says:

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus” (para.).

Dad, maybe your situation is similar to Paul’s. You don’t know what lies ahead, but you know you have afflictions to deal with. I pray God will be close to you and help you make Paul’s testimony your own: that you release your life to Him, and all that matters is finishing your life’s work with joy.

I’m discovering for myself that the more constantly I look to the Lord throughout the day, the more strength, guidance, and deep peace He gives me moment by moment. No matter how bad things seem to get, there are no surprises to Him. He’s been there ahead of us, preparing the way, working it out for our good.

I’m reminded of the hymn:

He giveth more grace
when the burdens grow greater;
He sendeth more strength
when the labors increase.
To added affliction
He addeth His mercy;
To multiplied trials,
His multiplied peace.*

Our physical and mental limitations can take many things from us, but we have one privilege that can never, ever be taken away: the privilege of glorifying God. I pray that you can find joy in glorifying God no matter what comes.

I love you, Dad, and appreciate you more than I can say. My thoughts and prayers are with you always.

Your son.


*From “He Giveth More Grace,” words by Annie Johnson Flint, music by Hubert Mitchell. © 1941, renewed 1969 by Lillenas Publishing Co. Adm. by Music Services.

Divine Coincidence

2013-12-10 Creative Process, Devotional No comments

Have you discovered that Almighty God wants to take part in your daily work? Here’s one example from my own experience.

Matching a hymn text with the right tune can be tricky, painstaking business. But years ago I began receiving tune ideas from the Lord. Sometimes I would hear an original tune in my head. Other times I would feel prompted toward a folk or classical tune in one of my sources. I would set the tune aside in my “pending” pile, put it out of my mind, and go on with my work.

Then within days the Lord would give me a lyric idea separately, from my Bible study or from an audio book I was listening to. Sometimes it happened the other way around. The text idea would come first, then the tune.

What was amazing was how often I’d find the perfect match for the text or tune there near the top of my “pending” file. I had forgotten about the first one until the second showed up and I went looking for a mate. The two had come to me entirely separately, though in the same time frame.

At first, I considered it mere coincidence. But it began to happen so regularly that I coined a term for it: divine coincidence.

But it wasn’t just texts and tunes that came together so marvelously. Often a thought or scripture would come to me from my daily reading or listening that was exactly what I needed for some current writing endeavor. I hadn’t gone looking for it. It just jumped out at me.

Some would explain such phenomenon as the subconscious working of the mind. And I can’t claim to explain all the workings of this amazing brain the Lord has given us.

But God regularly uses divine coincidence to remind me that He deeply, personally, constantly cares about my daily activities. My work is His work, and He doesn’t abandon me to it. He works beside me all day, every day. The Spirit of the sovereign, almighty, universal God works through me. He will work through you as well. How wonderful is that!

Father, all our work is Your work. Keep us open. Keep us listening. Keep us dependent on You.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, NASB)

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