Marc Estes

I am often asked by young leaders, “What book would you recommend?”   Although, I am encouraged with their desire to expand their knowledge base with something more than an evening of Facebook conversations, I am reluctant to just give them a few hot titles.

What encouraged and strengthened me, may not have the same benefit to another person based on their season of life.  I am a firm believer that if you are going to invest 5-10 hours of your time to read a book, it should be a book that will have a lasting impact on your life.  Therefore,  you might consider a few questions before choosing a book to read:

1. Choose books that focus on an area of your life that needs improvement and development - A few questions you might ask are,  ”What areas of my life need the most attention?”  “What area of my life needs the most improvement?” “What skills should I develop to better myself, my ministry or my career?”

2. Once a subject is determined, take the time to research books on that subject. Ask those that excel in the area you looking at.  Conduct a search on a few book sites.

3. Once a book is chosen, research the author and investigate their background and education. Make sure they have the authority to be speaking about the subject they are writing about.

4. Go to www.amazon.com and read the reviews and comments on the book.

5. Read the table of contents and sample chapters offered on Amazon as well.

6. If you are an avid reader, you might consider purchasing a Kindle. This great new device allows you to search through over 300,000 books and download your choice within a few seconds. You can download sample chapters, read them and determine if the book catches your attention before purchasing, all in your recliner. The cost of books are also about 40-60% cheaper than the bookstore price.

During 2009, I have spent a great deal of time ingesting books that deal with our culture and their perception with the church today. As an executive pastor at a large church in Portland I feel the responsibility to understand those we are trying to reach and how we might position ourselves to be more effective in reaching people for Christ. Although these books may not fit the season you are in personally, these would be my top picks for 2009:

Understanding those we are attempting to reach recommendations:

• Preaching to a Post Modern World               By Graham Johnston
• UnChristian                                                By David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons
• The Shape of Faith to Come                        By Brad Waggoner
• The Seven Faith Tribes                                By George Barna
• Lost and Found                                           By Ed Stetzer
• The Quitting Church                                     By Julia Duin

Connecting to those we are reaching recommendations:

• First Impressions                                         By Mark Waltz
• Lasting Impressions                                    By Mark Waltz
• Fusion                                                         By Nelson Searcy
• No Perfect People Allowed                             By John Burke
• Multi Site Churches                                      By Scott McConnell           

What is the culture look like that we are trying to reach?  As a leader, this is a question you must constantly be asking yourself. If you are going to be effective in reaching people you must understand how they believe and behave. With the massive belief/behavior shift taking place in our society today it is impearative that we take the time necessary to understand those within our reach.   

How a person believes plays a critical part as to how we connect with those coming into the church. What they believe, how they behave and their perceptions of us greatly affect how we should relate to them as well as how they will relate to us. In this post, we will deal specifically with their beliefs.

Their Beliefs – The United states is home to over 200 different types of religions and belief systems, but is dominated by seven major faith groups. The breakdown of these groups was taken from the book,  The Seven Faith Tribes, by George Barna

• Casual Christians - There are about 225 million adults in America and approximately 150 million fit into this category.  Their belief system is differs greatly from Biblical Christian beliefs:   
  • 74% claim to have personal relationship with Jesus.
  • 38% are certain they will have eternal life.
  • Only 18% spiritual maturity equates to making commitment to community of faith.
  • 18% engage in big three weekly: church attendance, read bible, and pray.
  • Less than 5% tithe their income, average about 1.5% of income to all contributions.

• Captive Christians – There are roughly 36 million that fit into this category, about 16% of population.  This segment of Christian would be a combination of evangelicals and Protestants.  Their combination of Bible-based conviction and spiritual practices has transformed them into different people. Conversion is real, they live what they believe.

• American Jews – The largest population of Jews now reside in United States, 6.5 million, which is close to half of Jews worldwide. 2% of U.S. population. Contemporary Judaism has its roots in the Middle East, but its heart is in postmodern West.  The changes redefining the beliefs of Judaism are extensive, too much to mention, but do play a role in the make-up in the belief structure of USA.  It has become more of a culture than an actual religion.

•  Mormons – There are 13 million Mormons worldwide and approximately 5 million living in the U.S., 40% living in Utah alone. Almost as many leave the church as are added to the church resulting only in small net gain annually.  Although there are varying degrees of awareness of Church doctrine over 77% state that family values are their top priority.

• Pantheists – The 31 Flavors of America’s belief system, which include Hindus, Buddhists, New Agers, and most religions rooted in Eastern religion.  This group represents about 1.5% of U.S. Population, about 3.5 million.  57% of this entire group is of Asian descent.

• Muslims – A collection of vastly different Muslim segments and theological views.  Varying studies show this group to be between 1.5 to 4 million, best estimate to be around 2.3 million.  Over 50% of this group lives in Northeastern United States.  Most feel highly rejected and grossly misunderstood and wrongly labeled with extreme radical Muslims.

• Spiritual Skeptics – About 11% of Americans are either Atheist (9%) or Agnostic (2%). This group has doubled in size in last quarter century now totaling about 25 million Americans. One of the fastest growing groups with expectation for aggressive growth in the coming years.

While casually perusing through the Sunday newspaper, during one of those, ‘planned brain-free, caffeine overdose’ mornings, I was side-swiped by a comment written in a side bar of the living section (a section that I never read of course), which torpedoed my morning coach potato intentions and then launched me into a deep philosophical and reflective moment with myself and…well no one (ever have one of these moments?)

The placement of these words was so obscure as if they were never intended to be read by anyone. So why in the world did I have to see them? Yet there they were bottom right hand corner, left column, 8 point Arial font, below the Macy’s ad of course, they read, “, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”

These simple eight words seem to agitate my comfort zone more than expected, by peculating deep thoughts that were not allowed on the coach on Sunday afternoons. As much as I tried to subdue these little rascals, the more they surfaced. Finally, I gave in and the journey to interpret the impact of this statement, in the long run, was well worth the mental vertical toboggan ride.  I found myself asking the question over and over as if my memory bank was incapable of inching forward any further, “What do I think about all day long?” “What gets my goat?” “What pulls my chain?” It was evident that  my brain demanded an answer to the question one that was sure to begat a slew of other questions (that’s how my mind works).

To my surprise, the answer flowed out quite clearly and quickly, I think about two things all day long. My family and the local church. What I realized after answering the question, was that what  I thought about all day long was what I was most passionate about as well… duh, there is a connection between the two.

Passion, we can see, is one of mankind’s most powerful driving forces. Passion is consuming. It’s tinged with discontent, restlessness, and determination that propel one to action. And these are not necessarily unholy things (though they can be); within the context of pursuing godly purpose, consuming dissatisfaction can be the point at which you make the beautifully reckless decision to abandon yourself in pursuit of fulfilling your divine calling. But passion also has its effect on other causes. You don’t have to go far before bumping into some.

In other words, passion is a tool God has given you to help you achieve your purpose. It’s the coal in your internal locomotive engine. It’s what causes you to dream. It inspires you, it captivates your thoughts, it invades your emotions, and, in fact, it challenges you when you don’t give it enough attention.

The inference here is that what you are passionate about is exactly the thing you have the greatest potential of becoming. So where is your passion focused? That passion you have for golf … where is it leading you? What about your passion for success … is it for God’s good pleasure and delight, or your own?

Passion directed by God is an unstoppable force. But make no mistake, the devil conspires to arrest your passion and redirect it to futile motives. Passion that isn’t carefully understood for its motive and regularly monitored for its effect has the potential to send anyone, even the most disciplined person, careening off course. This detour is, at minimum, a distraction and, in some cases, quite devastating.

One of the greatest sins we commit against God is not reaching the potential he has placed in us. Every person has been chosen, then given a purpose and a measure of passion. How you direct your passion in everyday life will greatly determine whether you are successful in fulfilling your purpose. Like a sharp knife in your kitchen drawer, passion can be extremely helpful or extremely harmful. It must be carefully directed and used for its intended purpose. Make it your aim today to set your passions in alignment with your purpose. In doing so, you will see God do great things with your life and your future.

And the next time you are reading the Sunday Newspaper, keep your eyes off of little dumb quotes pasted in the far outreaching portions of the page. They just my mash your planned coach potato moment, and cause you do something radical; like think about who you are and where you are going.

The world in which we live is a fast paced society, that brings great challenges to building and sustaining healthy relationships. Relationships are such a key to our existence and take concentrated time and energy in order to develop. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The only way to have a friend is to be one first.”  I came across a challenging poem by Charles Towne and thought I would share it with you:

“Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city that has no end.

Yet days go by and weeks rush on, and before I know it, a year is gone.

I never see my old friend’s face, for life is a swift and terrible race.

He knows I like him just as well, as in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine, we were younger then, and now we are busy tired men.

Tired of playing a foolish game, tired of tring to make a name.

“Tomorrow” I say, “I will call on Jim, just to show that I am thinking of him.”

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes, and the distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner, yet miles away, comes a telegram that says, “Jim died today.”

 And that’s what we get and deserve in the end; around the corner a vanished friend.”

The Bible is pretty clear about just how much of our lives—time, energy, thoughts, and passions—should be directed toward fulfilling our purpose. Some might think merely attending a weekend service is giving enough of themselves to God. Others might see a deeper commitment of attending, serving, and tithing as the acceptable measure of giving. Unfortunately, the idea of compartmentalizing life into “church” and “personal” categories misses the point altogether; God is after our everything. The Bible says, “You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price” (1 Cor. 6:19–20, NLT). Remember Mike’s eternal words, “If He isn’t Lord of all, He isn’t Lord at all.” The standard has been set and the requirement is simple: give it all you’ve got!

There is a repeated theme in Scripture that is worth mentioning known as the law of sowing and reaping. Some have identified this prevailing tenet as the law of divine retribution. It’s pretty simple … you get out of life what you put into it. The apostle Paul used the analogy of a farmer, telling the church in Corinth, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give” (2 Cor. 9:6–7, NLT). Although the context for these verses is the giving of finances, the principle of sowing and reaping applies to every area of your life, which includes fulfilling your purpose.

If you want to see a few people’s lives changed with Christ’s message of redemption and eternal life, then only tell a few people about it. If you want to see God’s presence operating occasionally in your day, then only say a few prayers. If you want to live an average life, then just devote an average part of your life to pursuing average greatness.

However, if you want to know and see God’s Word in full operation in your everyday life, you must ingest it every day. If you desire for God to speak to you and use you in great exploits, you must spend quality time in prayer listening and being prompt to obey every time He speaks. If you want God to bless your finances beyond measure, give beyond measure, release funds far beyond what is comfortable. And if you want to fulfill your purpose, you have to give it all you’ve got. It’s the law of divine retribution; God requires all!

You see, you will end up devoting your time, energy, and life to the things you perceive to bring you the greatest return. Solomon, who had everything he could have possibly wanted, reflected back on his life, looking over the sum of all his mistakes and successes and made one sweeping, final, poignant statement about life: “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad” (Eccles. 12:13–14, NLT).

Jesus gave His all, and He requires that we also give nothing less than whole-hearted dedication to Him and His purposes. In essence, we need to be like a postage stamp, stuck in our place until we arrive at our ultimate and final destination.

In his book, The Jesus I Never Knew, Phillip Yancey draws this conclusion regarding the condition of the modern day Church. He states, “As I read the stories of Jesus and study the history of the early church, I feel both inspired and troubled. . . . In view of Jesus’ clear example, how is it that the church has now become a community of respectability, where the down-and-out no longer feel welcome?”

We must analyze our heart toward society and make whatever changes are necessary to keep from closing ourselves off from those who need Jesus the most. I think we all would agree that there is a certain degree of “Pharisaism” alive and well in almost any church today. Let’s look at what role a Pharisee played during Jesus’ time on earth:

Pharisaism, as portrayed during the time of Jesus, was to represent the pure community and the true people of God and prepare them for the coming of the Messiah by complete adherence to every minute detail of the Law. Jesus met Israel as it strove for true faith in obedience to God but had become totally hardened in formalism, thus barring itself from precisely what it was searching to do, to please God and to prepare itself to receive the coming Messiah.

The society was, in effect, a religious caste system based on steps toward holiness, and the Pharisees’ scrupulosity reinforced the system daily. All their rules on washing hands and avoiding defilement were an attempt to make themselves acceptable to God. Had not God set forth a list of desirable (spotless) and undesirable (flawed, unclean) animals for use in sacrifice? Had not God banned sinners, menstruating women, the physically deformed, and the other ‘undesirables’ from the temple? The Qumran community of the Essenes made a firm rule, “No madman, or lunatic, or simpleton, or fool, no blind man, or maimed, or lame, or deaf man, and no minor shall enter into the Community.”

It is our responsibility, as His followers, not to allow this attitude to surface in our own hearts. On one hand, we must continue to pursue the process of sanctification. On the other hand, this process of becoming more like Him cannot be the reason we no longer reach out to those in need of Christ. Allowing this subtle, yet deadly, disease into our hearts causes us to be consumed with our own traditions and robs us of our desire to be “light to the world” and “salt to earth.”

The story of the Pharisees with the woman caught in adultery shows us some alarming heart conditions that we must avoid if we are to remain useful in reaching people.

• They elevated themselves above the others (see John 8:3).
• They were outwardly focused (see John 8:3).
• They were quick to point out others’ weaknesses (see John 8:4).
• They focused on punishment, not on mercy (see John 8:5).
• They resisted the plan of grace (see John 8:5).
• They elevated approval over acceptance (see John 8:5).
• They viewed circumstance through the mind, not through the heart (see John 8:5).
• They had low tolerance for errors (see John 8:7).
• They were blind to their own spiritual condition (see John 8:7).
• They were unwilling to admit their own sin (see John 8:9).
• They promoted exclusion, not inclusion (see John 8:9).

Let us make it our aim to remove these ungodly traits and habits from our lives and focus on how we can respond to the unlovely the way Christ did.

Grace is a very difficult concept to understand. All our natural inclinations run contrary to this great truth. Paul Tournier, the Swiss psychiatrist and author, observed that our tendency is to be lenient or indulgent toward our own weaknesses (i.e., “I’m overweight because it runs in my family”) while bringing others to account (i.e., “Why doesn’t he discipline his eating?”). There needs to be a reversal in our attitudes here. We are quick to judge others by their actions while judging ourselves based upon our intentions.

The truth of the matter is that we all make mistakes, we all fall short of God’s glory (see Romans 3:23), and we all deserve to be punished (see Romans 6:23). The revelation of this truth makes the concept of grace worth pursuing. This pursuit must not be just for the fulfillment of one’s own self-gratification, but also to dispense, to all those who surround us daily, this divine solution. We must come to the conclusion that all humanity is in desperate need of His grace, and we are His vessels, which contain this eternal blessing.

E. Stanley Jones has said, “Grace binds you with far stronger cords than the cords of duty or obligation can bind you. Grace is free, but when once you take it you are bound forever to the Giver, and bound to catch the spirit of the Giver. Like produces like. Grace makes you gracious.”

Grace, by nature, is what a person least deserves. It is how God relates to us, and it is how He wants us, in turn, to respond to others. The truth of God’s grace, as we receive it and as we exercise it, could be called the starting point of all spiritual progress. As the apostle Paul wrote, “This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners” (Colossians 1:6).

The need for grace is ongoing. As Christians, we need to give the same grace we have received and in turn help the many people around us who need that second chance, no matter what they might look like.

As we enter the twenty-first century, the mindset of the previous generation is rapidly disappearing, and we are on the verge of a whole new standard for societal thinking. Although Christianity still has its place in our society, biblical principles are no longer the standard by which society functions, and this shift away from Judeo-Christianity has paved the way for a new philosophy that has become the predominate force of our nation. If we think it has been difficult to reach people in a post-Christian, neo-pagan, modern mindset, watch out for the rapid change into the post-modern, destructionist mindset, which is approaching rapidly. Listen to what some of the nation’s leaders are saying:

Princeton Theologian, Diogenes Allen, says, “This change is perhaps as great as that which marked off the modern world from the Middle Ages.”

Leith Anderson, author of A Church for the Twenty-First Century, says, “We are experiencing enormous structural changes in our country and in our world . . . changes that promise to be greater than the invention of the printing press, greater than the Industrial Revolution.”

Gene Edward Veith Jr., author of PostModern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture, says, “ Many people today are sensing that the modern era is over. In nearly every sphere, from academic fields to new social phenomena, the assumptions that shaped twentieth-century thought and culture are being exploded. As we enter the twenty-first century, it seems clear that Western culture is entering a new phase, which scholars are calling post-modern.”

This is best summarized by Walter Truett Anderson, who says, “We are presently in the midst of a transition from one way of thinking to another.” He cites three processes shaping this transition:

The Breakdown of Belief: Today there is no universal consensus about what is true. We are in a kind of unregulated marketplace of realities in which all manner of belief systems are offered for public consumption. All appears to be relative with no foundation of truth. Truth is different to each person, as it is what you want it to be to you.

The Birth of a Global Culture: All belief-systems become aware of all other belief systems. As a result, it is difficult to accept any of them as absolutely true. The end result has produced a melting pot of religious beliefs with the conclusion that all pathways lead to God.

A New Polarization: Conflicts over the nature of social truth tear at our society. We have “culture wars”, particularly battles over the critical issues of education and moral instruction. These wars include abortion, humanism, euthanasia, same sex marriages, gay rights, etc.

With these societal changes facing twenty-first century Christians, our message must be preached through the filter of genuine love and care for the individual. The lost must see the heart of Christ in us! Christ’s love will be the element that separates us from the many other forms of self-made religions and will destroy the vain philosophies of the twenty-first century.

Over the few decades I have had the wonderful privilege to travel abroad and speak in many churches. Regardless of the country I am visiting, the demonination of the church, the mission statement on the wall or the personality of the pastor, there are two predominant similarities. First they all have a vision to exponentially grow; second, most of them aren’t exponentially growing. 

Now I don’t claim to be a church growth expert, but do have the honor of working with some incredible leaders and part of a dynamic local church that has seen significant growth in the past decade.  We have made our share of mistakes, but have been passionate about developing strategies in which to reach and disciple more people.  Furthermore, I recognize that each church is radically different and that the implementation of certain strategies will apply differently to each church.  I also recognize that there are many ingredients that are necessary in building a healthy church that stretch far beyond what will be discussed in this one post. Yet there are certain principles that can be applied to every church regardless of their uniqeness.

Here is a simple chart I developed that will help each area of your church develop a strategy for growing their particular area of ministry. You can use this chart for each specific ministry area. There are five main pastoral areas that contribute to the growth of the church. These should be considered in developing a growth strategy for each ministry. They are  listed vertically in the left column.

Five Growth Areas

1. Connection Strategies - These are strategies that work to connect every new person to a meaningful relationship or ministry expression.  These are the entry points to the church and each ministry area. 

2. Serving Strategies -  These are strategies that intentionally engage people to places of meaninful service which builds the believer and in turn builds the church.

3. Community Strategies - These strategies foster the intentional development of Biblically based, purpose driven relationships within the context of small groups or ministry areas.

4. Reaching Strategies - These strates help to create a culture in which every person and every ministry has a passion to reach those who need Christ.

5. Leadership Development Strategies -  These strategies develop a process in which every leader reproduces themselves and provide future opportunities for others to lead resulting in the church muitplying.

Three Development Components

The top row represents the development of your action plan. These three areas are:

1. WHAT – Goals or changes to make - You will need to take some time to consider the goals and changes that need to  be made in each of the five areas.  The list may vary in priority depending on the type of ministry that you are analyzing. Make sure you set SMART Goals in this area. (SMART is an acrostic for goals that are; specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely).

2. HOW – Specifics to achieving your goals - You need to take the time to develop and action plan for each goal that is established. This is where most leaders fail. This takes time, energy and concentration and you must discipline yourself to fully develop this process.

3. WHO – People to include in the process - Once you have established the ‘What’ and the ‘How’ you can then define the ‘Who.” These are the people in which you will work with to implement your action plan.  For further information on developing leaders, see my five part post on “Developing a Leadership Pipeline.”

Once you have spent the time to develop this grid, you are well on your way in developing some ideas that will help your church to grow.  Happy building!

One of the most frequent question I am asked by those who are on a journey to find God in their lives is one that has plagued the unchurched world for centuries. “If God is so good, then why does He allow evil to exist?”  Initially, this sounds like such a logical question, but is asked in ignorance. Further knowledge regarding God and evil are critical to answering this question in a proper manner. In contemplating this age-old question, I came across a great post by Pastor Rick Warren. I thought I would post this incredible insight for your revew:

The horrific mass murder of innocent Americans leaves all rational people shocked, angry, grief-stricken and numb. Our tears flow freely and our hearts carry a deep ache. How could this happen in our nation?

As mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors and coworkers begin to share their stories of the horror, this tragedy will become even more personal. As it becomes more personal, it will become more painful, and as our pain deepens, so will the questions. Why does God allow evil to happen? If God is so great and so good, why does he allow human beings to hurt each other?

The answer lies in both our greatest blessing and our worst curse: our capacity to make choices. God has given us a free will. Made in God’s image, he has given us the freedom to decide how we will act and the ability to make moral choices. This is one asset that sets us apart from animals, but it also is the source of so much pain in our world. People, and that includes all of us, often make selfish, self-centered and evil choices. Whenever that happens, people get hurt.

Sin is ultimately selfishness. I want to do what I want, not what God tells me to do. Unfortunately, sin always hurts others, not just ourselves.

God could have eliminated all evil from our world by simply removing our ability to choose it. He could have made us puppets, or marionettes on strings that he pulls. By taking away our ability to choose it, evil would vanish. But God doesn’t want us to be puppets. He wants to be loved and obeyed by creatures who voluntarily choose to do so. Love is not genuine if there is no other option.

Yes, God could have kept the terrorists from completing their suicidal missions by removing their ability to choose their own will instead of his. But to be fair, God also would have to do that to all of us. You and I are not terrorists, but we do harm and hurt others with our own selfish decisions and actions.

You may hear misguided minds say, “This must have been God’s will.” Nonsense!

In a world of free choices, God’s will is rarely done! Doing our own will is much more common. Don’t blame God for this tragedy. Blame people who ignored what God has told us to do: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In heaven, God’s will is done perfectly. That’s why there is no sorrow, pain or evil there. But this is earth, a fallen, imperfect place. We must choose to do God’s will everyday. It isn’t automatic. This is why Jesus told us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

The Bible explains the root of evil: “This is the crisis we’re in: God’s light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness … because they were not really interested in pleasing God” (John 3:19, Message Translation). We’re far more interested in pleasing ourselves.

There are many other questions that race through our minds during dark days. But the answers will not come from pollsters, pundits or politicians. We must look to God and his Word. We must humble ourselves and admit that each of us often choose to ignore what God wants us to do.

We were made for a relationship with God, but he waits for us to choose him. He is ready to comfort, guide and direct us through our grief. But it’s your choice.

Used by permission of Pastors.com, c. 2001.