It seems like there is a lot of half-truths, misinformation and accusations being thrown around these days in Christian circles. I am aware of it happening in some interdenominational ministries I know, at numerous churches, and in several denominations…let alone the work place, neighborhoods, and relationships. And too often too few seem to be willing to stand up for what is right…and true. They seem content to let the half-truths, misinformation and accusations go and justify it by something like “God will take care of it.”

And indeed He will. But He also uses people in flesh and blood to stand up for what is right, even at their own personal risk. He often wants to set the record straight here and now, but finds it tough I believe to find willing defenders.

I recently had a friend in a key ministry in the United States say it had come to his attention that someone in leadership where he works had politically trounced on some people and allowed half-truths, misinformation and accusations to go uncorrected. And he had been told that if some facts about this leader’s personal life/ ministry were ever to be known he would probably lose the role he held. When I asked him what he was going to do, he responded, “I guess I’ll just let God handle it.”

I have recently had an article written by a writer who has no love lost with conservative Christian leadership that had numerous points of half-truths, misinformation and accusations thrown my way. And to my surprise and thanks, two strong leaders (Bob Tenery and Dr. Randy White) stepped up and corrected the writer. Will he apologize? I will be shocked. But who knows, maybe I will be amazed.

Remember well the words of Martin Niemoller who wished he had stood up to Herr Hitler much sooner….

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out for I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out for I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then…they came for me and there was no one lift to speak out for me!

But what about you? When did you stand up on behalf of another…even when it is uncomfortable for you? Tell me about it and what made you believe it was the right thing to do. Or, do you feel it is best to “mind your own business?” If so, when and why?

From: Randy White
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 10:51 PM
To: greg@abpnews.com
Subject: Bob Reccord

Greg;

Your article today about Bob Reccord was pure “politics of personal destruction”. Who would not think that more than a year after leaving NAMB Bob Reccord would not be accepting speaking engagements in local churches, and that those local churches would not generously give honoraria and love offerings.

You know that what Reccord has done in his speaking since NAMB is completely normal and that what Calvary Baptist Church did in taking a love offering was completely customary. I would suppose you have received love offerings and honoraria yourself, and would continue to do so even if you left ABP with a handsome severance.

I encourage my church to give generously for love offerings for visiting preachers. When we do not take a love offering, I give a very generous honorarium from our church budget. I do so regardless of what kind of salary (or severance) the individual may have from their church or
denominational entity. This is the right thing to do.

Your article should have been praising Bob Reccord for being willing to go to smaller congregations to preach the Gospel after having opportunities to speak to tens of thousands. Too many, after serving “in the temple holy” never again go in “the homes of the poor and lowly”. Rather, your writing used the size of the congregation to make a snide remark. Shame on you for showing disrespect to the tens of thousands of congregations the size of Calvary that are being used of God to win our nation to Christ.

This kind of vindictive, agenda-driven “journalism” is unbecoming of you and of Associated Baptist Press. Bob Reccord and the Calvary Baptist Church deserve an apology.

In His Grace;
Randy White,
Katy, TX

In a previous post I shared about the joy I had speaking to leaders on mentoring. My outline actually used the word M-E-N-T-O-R as an acrostic of key components to effective mentoring. Allow me to share one with you that I share with them…

M—MAKE INVESTMENTS THAT COUNT

In speaking and pouring into the life of another, it is key that the one being mentored is hungry to learn.

Have you seen the movie Zorro with Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins? Hopkins believes that Banderas can succeed him as Zorro….but he realizes the young man has a lot to learn. Asking if he knows how to use a sword, he watches amused as Banderas shows off with his sword…all motion with not much skill. Then, like lightening, Hopkins easily knocks the sword out of Banderas’ hand…and with a sigh mutters, “This is going to be a looooooong process!”

But then he utters a line that captured my attention, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” When the student is ready…that is key to mentoring. That person needs to feel they want to improve, grow, deepen and stretch in their life and leadership arenas…and that they want someone who is a few steps further down the road of life and leadership to help the get there.

Tim is one of those. He called me about 3 years ago and asked if I would consider mentoring him. I was shocked. He lived 5 hours from my home!! As we talked and I raised the challenges involved, he committed to drive with his wife and kids to my home monthly! And that he did…for two years!!!! Cheryl and I were able to pour into their lives…and they poured into ours. Today, he is a GREAT friend, a partner in ministry and hardly two weeks go by that he is not calling and encouraging me!!

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear!” Who is ready…right where you are? Then what are you waiting for?

If you play athletics, you’ve heard the term. Sweet spot. In Tennis, the sweet spot is the area of the string bed that produces the best combination of feel and power. In life, your sweet spot comes when your gifts, passions, calling, and opportunities come together and you feel as though, w/ God’s help, you are operating in “your zone.” You sense that you’re doing what you were born to do.

This weekend, I had that kind of experience. It began in the small town of Jessup, Ga where I spoke to a fund-raising dinner for the local CareNet Crisis Pregnancy Center. I realized anew as I spoke that helping women make the choice for Life is so incredibly important. We were thrilled to see that this center will probably make their goal—which will enable them to continue to minister to women in crisis and literally see lives saved…both babies and mothers. That’s worth everything.

From there, I traveled to Asheville, NC, and both spiritually and literally had a “mountain-top experience.’ Speaking to and engaging with almost 500 men from the eastern part of North Carolina and surrounding states about core issues that every man deals with absolutely energized my soul. I readily admitted that I was not one who had all the answers, but had found THE ANSWER as a fellow struggler, in Jesus Christ.

Sunday morning was capped by a Lord’s Supper remembrance. Following this celebration, we invited every father and son present together to come forward so that Ken Smith, a wonderful friend and fellow speaker, and I could pray for them specifically. I wish you could have seen it. Men poured forward. Some were three generations together!! I’ll never forget one man helping his dad out of a wheel chair and helping his dad make his way down the steps to the front…leaning his weight on his son. What a picture. Tears flowed down my face…and Ken’s…and it was one of the most powerful times of commitment I have been involved with in a long time.

And, God in his kindness had some of His own be an encouragement for me–, here are some excerpts from the emails in my inbox:

Subject: Thank you for this weekend!

Bob,
Yes, God was the highlight of this weekend. Yet, I have come to know and Love Him again with all my heart through your works. I am SO excited about my renewed desire to grow in love and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for providing me with the message that rearranged my priorities……

It is rare to meet one who really connects to your heart immediately. You do. I will always remember this weekend and the words and emotion we shared. Perhaps we met so that I can connect and feel a pull that I can serve God fully again. I was overcome with powerful emotion last night when I recalled the Payne Stewart illustration last night….. I sat back and reflected a minute while they were playing and felt I am finally heading back in the right direction.
Love, your new brother in Christ!

-Mark

From: Andy
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 11:13 AM

Bob,

This email comes with many thanks and prayers that God will continue to use you in a powerful way as He did this past weekend…… Bob, you are truly a gifted speaker and a powerful communicator, and God has used you to touch and move others in ways that you’ll never know about.

Thank you Bob, for allowing God to use you in a mighty way to change the lives of many, including my own. (1 Cor 1:9.) I pray that your ministry will be blessed and that we will share some time together in the future.

-Andy

Ronald Reagan was one of my heroes…and everyone of us need those. I well remember when he died, I was sitting at home watching the funeral procession moving through the streets of Washington where he would lay in state at the Capital, and suddenly I realized that tears were rolling down my cheeks.

I realized we had lost a man who, regardless of the circumstances, always had a smile in his heart…and usually evidenced on his face. And a man who looked at even the toughest of circumstances through the eyes of humor.

When an assassination attempt was made on his life he was rushed to the hospital and whisked into emergency surgery, where looking up at the surgical teams he quipped, “I hope you are all Republicans!”

Another time he would share with a smile, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’”

He must have understood Bill Cosby’s maxim: “If you find humor in anything, you can survive it.”

How about you?

Southwest Airlines found that “happy” customers are repeat customers…so, they added humor and fun to the job descriptions of all their employees. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream has a “Joy Gang” that is responsible for finding ways to make the store and company atmosphere “light and fun”.

So try it—humor—you’ll like it! It will release endorphins and thus improve your immune system. But, it will also relieve stress and draw positive people to you like a magnet.

William Wilberforce has two consuming passions: (1) the abolition of slavery, and (2) the restoration of manners. The first is self-explanatory… the second leaves some question when placed against the backdrop of today’s semantics. In today’s lingo we could better say a return to civility.

And I’m thinking more and more that we need a modern day Wilberforce desperately. For civility seems to be a vanishing commodity …especially when it comes to those who wield “the pen.”

For example, Chan Gailey has been the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and assistant coach for the Denver Broncos, Pittsburg Steelers and Miami Dolphins. Presently, he serves as head coach of the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. But they didn’t win a bowl game, and he didn’t meet the expectations of the Jacket’s moneyed alumni.

Thus the story by Atlanta Journal sports columnist Mark Bradley titled “Gailey haters hope NFL lures him.” The second paragraph proclaims, “A lot of Tech fans hope Chan Gailey leaves.” It later goes on to say “…he has worked here five years—never having a losing season, never failing to grace a bowl game—without having won over his constituency. And if, having just completed the best of the five seasons, he hasn’t done it by now, there’s little chance he will.”