I never cease to be amazed at the impact of small groups in our culture. They are the glue of many organizations…and especially Christian organizations. For the last year I have been privileged to serve as one of two teaching pastors at North Star Church in Florida. We have seen some incredible things happen, such as a 300% growth rate last year, the giving units almost double in a year and the average giving per unit increase…even in the midst of this crazy econoomy.

But something that stunned me was a recent emphasis we launched increasing our smally group focus sufficiently. We saw the average attendance increase by 46.1% in March over the attendance in January/February. And people are loving it!

In addition, I lead men’s conferences I call BECOMING A MAN OF VALOR focused on helping men step to the plate of what it means to be a godly leader in the face of overwhelming opposition in our culture. We have hundreds of men attend. The mind boggling thing to me is that over 90% of the men attending are now participating in a 6 week small group follow- up process I have written. And that is amazing!!! What hunger it reveals.

We all have a huge need for others in our live…and their impact upon us, and our contribution to theirs. God made us for that. After all, even the Lone Ranger needed Tonto!

One of the most amazing stories in the Christian world in America is the 18 year leadership of Dr. Hayes Wicker at First Baptist Church of Naples, Florida. He has taken the church from a few hundred meeting at their old location to some 5000+ gathering at their new sprawling campus on the east side of Naples. The school is world class, the facilities make you want to sit down–take a load off of your feet–kick back, and get to know someone over a cup of coffee. The people are outstanding. The staff, one of the best anywhere. And Hayes is the “Real Deal”! A great friend. A wonderful husband and dad. And a consistent Christ follower. I have watched him over the years consistently move forward…never getting too far ahead of his people, but consistently setting a pace they have followed.

This last weekend I had the amazing privilege of leading a men’s retreat there. It was 250 men strong…the largest they had ever had by a long shot, I was told. And the men came ready for business. Out theme was BECOMING A MAN OF VALOR. VALOR is a word found on the Medal of Honor signifying one who stands firm in the face of overwhelming oposition. And that’s what men are facing today…having to stand firm in the face of overwhelming oposition!

Under the fabulous leadershp of Greg Davidson, and his associates Don Ingle and Lou Falorio, men kept pouring in. The food was to die for (home made pot roast with potatoes, carrots, etc–you can taste it can’t you!!!!!), the atmosphere was electric and the hearts and attitudes were expectant. And God didn’t let us down. As we dealt with issues like “Keeping Life in Balance,” “Repairing Ruptured Relationships,” and “Guarding Your Home and Heart” men cried, accepted Christ, admitted to ruptured relationships in their life, committed to do everything within their power to repair the ruptures, committed to start praying with their wives, and stepped up to the plate to be men that God could bless…and use! They would stay around for a long while even when we had finished, just wanting to talk about what God had done in their lives.

It was a highlight for me. I can’t wait to be with them again. And I take a lot of amazing memories with me as I travel on down the road…the weekend that God showed up amidst the men of First Baptist Naples!

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4: 23

A while back I was scheduled to speak in Orlando, Florida to a conference of couples in leadership from all over the country. Scheduled to speak the next morning, I had flown in the night before to hear a couple of my friends who were also on the program. For once I was able to soak in some great teaching just like everyone else in the audience, rather than being on the giving end.

Following a great evening I retired to my hotel to relax before I had to deliver my own message the next morning. Laying back in the bed, I was channel surfing just being “brain dead” for a few minutes before calling it a night.

Not much was on of interest, so I just kept surfing. Then…suddenly, and unbelievably…there was a scene I couldn’t believe. A woman naked on top, lap dancing on a man’s lap! This wasn’t a pay-for-view. Nor was it a movie. It was straight cable! I was stunned. As my mind raced, and struggled in shock at the same time. I quickly turned it off. I grabbed for my Bible. I had been married over 25 years. My marriage with Cheryl was strong. I was committed and contented. Yet, even as I turned it off quickly and worked to focus my heart and think of Cheryl. Yet, in the back recesses of my mind, a voice said, “Turn it back on. You don’t want to miss this. Besides, no one will ever know.”

What we must never forget that even when we accept Christ into our life in a personal relationship, we never eradicate the old sinful nature in our life. It rears its head at the most unexpected times, in the most unexpected ways. There I was, preparing to speak the next day on “Guarding Your Heart and Home” and yet being tempted to leave my own heart unguarded the night before.

And the temptation was, “No one will ever know!” But there is a huge fallacy in that statement. There are two very key people who would know…me and Christ! How could I even think that I could speak to people the next day on guarding their heart and marriage if there were compromise in my own life. And while people look at what they see of us externally, God looks way beyond that. He looks at the heart…below the waterline of our life. And we can hide nothing from Him. What’s more, He holds us accountable with what we do in our private moments, as well as our public moments.

Because of making the right decision in private the night before, I was able to stand uncompromised before hundreds of couples the next day and challenge them to be on guard, because if we lose it in our heart and home…we lose it all! And the response was overwhelming.

What a lesson to remember…guarding your heart doesn’t just happen…you have to make intentional, and often fast, decisions. And what you decide in private will determine your impact in public.

Cheryl and I slipped away to see the movie DEFIANCE this week. The powerful saga pulsates with pathos as two Jewish brothers in World War II who flee the Germans, who have slaughtered the boy’s parents. Escaping from Poland into the Belarussian forests, they begin to raid those who are siding with the Germans…while at the same time taking in increasing numbers of Jewish refugees.

The community of fleeing Jews expands by the day. Dodging pursuing Germans. Trying to cope with each other while under increasing pressures. Working out the rules of boundaries in relationships. Coping with temperament differences. Striving to merely survive while running for their lives. And all the while, the oldest brother, Tuvia is thrust into the leadership role of this motley crew.

It is an amazing study of the pressures of leadership. No matter how hard a leader tries to lead with the right motives…looking out for the best of all people involved…attempting to be fair…and striving to maintain unity and focus…he or she will probably be greatly unappreciated, accused of selfish motives, claimed to be unfair, pushed to the point of exhaustion and questioned in judgment regularly. Ahhhhh, the joys of leadership.

Watch the movie and you’ll be reminded that leading people to understand life is not about ME, but WE, can be amazingly fulfilling and rewarding. Seeing people lay down a sense of entitlement, and pick up a yoke of responsibility can turn away defeat and disaster. Knowing that a goal everyone’s ultimate benefit is worth the sacrifice of a hard journey and individual cost is woven through the entire screen play. And the payoff of mutual sacrifice is powerfully showed to pay off dramatically.

Don’t miss this message of faith, sacrifice, perseverance and community. But for every leader…whether at home, at work, in the church or around the community this is a “Must See.” And it’s a great reminder that leadership comes with a price…always. But the rewards are worth the cost!

As I have continued to listen to the new administration, and listen to the news reports of increased governmental bailouts, now approaching ONE TRILLION DOLLARS I can’t help but wonder, is this really the answer for our country? Is this how the economy is re-stimulated? And is this redistribution of wealth from those who earn it to those who don’t what a “balanced economy” is like?

I am reminded on some wise and insightful words by my now deceased friend and mentor (as he was to so many) Adrian Rogers (who served as pastor of the great Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis) regarding our government….

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by
Legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person
receives without working for, another person must work for
without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody
anything that the government does not first take from
somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that
they do not have to work because the other half is going to
take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea
that it does no good to work because somebody else is going
to get what they work for, that my dear friend,* *is about
the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by
dividing it.”

And these words were spoken long before Barak Obama ran for, or took office. So they are not directed toward a personality at all…but rather toward a mindset.

But back to the issue at hand, it is one thing to say that the redistribution of wealth is a great idea…until it impacts you. I know of a man from Texas recently who was on a trip and walked into a restaurant where the waiter was wearing an Obama tie and wearing an Obama button. Interested, he asked the waiter, “Do you support Mr. Obama’s positions.”

“I sure do!” he responded with smile.

“So, you believe in the redistribution of wealth for our society?”

“Absolutely!” was the immediate response.

“I see,” the diner replied. “Then I’ll put that into practice. When I walked into the restaurant there was a homeless man outside begging for money. So, rather than giving you the tip you worked for, I’ll take it to him as I leave, so that way you can experience first hand a contribution to the redistribution of wealth.”

With the waiter standing slack-jawed, stunned and more than a bit upset, the customer paid for the meal, left the eating establishment and promptly dropped the tip into the cup of the homeless gentleman outside. And all the while the waiter stood fuming over the policy which he had seen exercised first hand…and up close. A little too close for comfort.

Strange how things look completely different when the chickens come home to roost!

I have just returned from Kansas City, Missouri where I had the privilege of speaking to approximately 1000 men gathered under the sponsorship of the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families. We met to discuss a biblical view of sexuality and how to be a man who guards his heart and home. Speaking with me was the very bright and energetic Christopher West, who spoke on a theology of the body. And Phillip Cosby was the driving force who put it all together and made it work….no, made it succeed.

This issue of living in sexual purity and getting a biblical view of how God would have us handle our sexually saturated society, drew men from every walk of life. And we saw the challenges are huge! For instance, the U. of Florida did a study that reveals that 1 out of 3 marriages ending in divorce are a result of internet porn and chat rooms. Statistics show that pornography is a growing epidemic not only in men…but in women. And studies reveal that churched men are struggling with this sexualized society… both men in the pew, and men in the ministry. The porn industry makes more money yearly than professional baseball, basketball and football….combined.

It was incredible seeing men…both Catholic and Protestant…willing to become vulnerable and open about the battles they face, and how to rise above them. I was honored to be a part of such a great event calling men to accountability for their walk matching their talk. I applaud the vision and work of Phillip Cosby and his wife Cathy. Thank God for an organization like the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families who is willing to stand in the gap and raise a standard in a day…and nation…which seems to be jettisoning so many standards. Keep up the great work Phillip!

With the amazing and peaceful transition of power in this, the most powerful nation in the world, we are indeed blessed. Democracy has once again flexed its powerful muscle…and extended its foundational principles as examples to a world. Our inalienable rights have been preserved and forwarded for a 44th transition of power in our country’s history.

But when the days wears away, and the parties are over, the crowds dispersed and the clean up accomplished…reality sits in. Our new president will sit down to a desk filled with overwhelming challenges, multiplied decisions that must be made, alliances which must be crafted, and directions that need to be charted. Mr. Obama would do well to remember the study reportedly done by a University of Edinburgh professor years ago. He is reported to have stated “A democracy is always temporary in nature’ it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government….A democracy will continue to exist up until the time the voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.”

He went on to say that at the time of his writing his study the average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been approximately 200 years, and they travel through a predictable sequence…

1. From bondage to spiritual faith
2. From spiritual faith to great courage
3. From courage to liberty
4. From liberty to abundance
5. From abundance to complacency
6. From complacency to apathy
7. From apathy to dependence
8. From dependence back to bondage

If indeed, this study is acurate, what a word for today. And if it has simply be drummed up by people spreading it around over the years, it is sure something that makes incredible sense. We are building a dependent nation in multiple ways to hoards of people.

With all the recent bailouts and loans, discussed multiple billions of relief packages and more and more people lining up to ask for help, we must pray President Obama to have great discernment in which directions he leads. It could well make an historic difference!

Many rightfully celebrate and applaud the awe inspiring leadership of William Wilberforce in single-handedly leading the charge for the abolition of both the slave trades and slavery itself in Great Britain. The battle would take 43 years of Wilberforce’s life before being fulfilled. But the victory would powerfully influence our own United States and a soon-to-be president Abraham Lincoln. Today we celebrated a long gauntlet of history that has stretched from slavery, through a Civil War, and now to the election and inauguration of America’s first African American as president.

But many forget that a companion passion in Wilberforce’s heart, and an additional battle which he led, was the Reformation of Manners–the return to CIVILITY. It would seem at times, that might be the harder battle. Look back at the very long presidential campaign trail, that despite all of the hugs being passed around today, was filled with rancor, character attacks…and even character assassinations. This week, I watched a short piece of Joel Osteen being interviewed on a major news show and the question I heard posed to him was “Why are we so hurtful to each other.” Rick Warren speaking at the King Center in Atlanta this week, on his way to deliver the inauguration invocation, asked, “Why can’t we all get along?” Warren speaks from experience since some members of the broad faith community of America have attacked him for choosing to pray at the inauguration.

For too long I have watched people of faith be uncivil to each other far too often. I have seen religious leaders undermine one another, church fights sabotage church leadership, leaders criticize and abuse (verbally and otherwise) followers and members, and criticism and gossip having a field day. In addition, these same leaders have too often been reluctant to sincerely get down on their knees and pray for the success of one another’s ministries. I have watched papers and news sources at times tear people apart without having facts resulting in people and their families hurt deeply. All these things have the commonality of a lack of CIVILITY. Especially civility expressed through a specific apology and a request for forgiveness.

Which is why, when civility is demonstrated and practiced, it stands in stark, but elegant contrast.

I was recently on the receiving end of such a rare event. The Chairman of he North American Mission Board was quoted in a publication as having made a disparaging comment which, if just taken at face value, could have reflected poorly on me and my tenure as President of NAMB. When the statement was reported, he did an amazing…and biblical thing. He called me personally and apologized for what had been reported. He said it had not referred to me personally but to a small handful of others, and he wanted to clear the accounts. He asked for forgiveness, talked to me from his heart for an hour, and wrote a follow up letter of apology, request for forgiveness and affirmation of me and my leadership. Retrospectively, as I write this entry, I have to say I am stunned. I readily realize he did not HAVE to call, or write, or even take me to breakfast…which he did this week. He could have done what many do…sweep it under the rug, justify it, deny it or ignore it. But he didn’t. He acted on it…biblically. May his tribe increase!

What about you? What about me? How readily are we to admit mistakes and ask for forgiveness? Especially if some around us whisper “It’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it. Let it go. It’ll pass.” But it is a big deal to God when we offend others, wound others, verbally skewer others and become insensitive to others. God does want us to worry about it…and to do so until we take biblical action on it. And while we may sweep it under the rug…God won’t—whether it be in an individual’s life, a family’s life, a church’s life or an organization’s life. And God doesn’t let it go,allow us to justify or ignore it. He keeps convicting us until we do something about it….unless we become so callused we don’t feel the convictional stirring any longer.

Having been on the receiving end of civility recently I can see why Wilberforce felt it critical to not only fight for….but critical for the survival and prosperity of a people. Thank you Tim Patterson, for restoring a bit of my faith in the vital and essential gift of civility.

I have had a number of people ask me, knowing that I did not vote for Mr. Obama, if I am going to pray for him. In fact, I already have been. 1 Timothy 2 is clear that we are to pray for those in leadership over us…regardless of whether they were the recipient of our vote or not.

To his credit, Mr. Obama seems to be attempting to reach across the aisle in numerous directions. What will be accomplished has yet to be seen. Whether he will heed counsel which may differ from his own personal views, remains to be seen. What the massive bailout he is promoting will accomplish…or not…remains to be seen.

But regardless, I am praying. I am praying that God will sovereignly guide our land. I am praying that God will grant mercy to our land which has murdered 50 million babies, and jettisoned its belief that there are absolute standards of truth. I am praying for Congress the excercise conviction and backbone, based on discerning wisdom of what is best for the country and its future and not jus for their political careers. And I am praying for God to providentially place His people around Mr. Obama, just as he did using people like Esther, Joseph, Daniel, and Jonathan. It is remarkable to see how people in subordinate positions can affect the course of a nation.

This week will proudly see the first Black President sworn into office. Of that, we as a nation should be proud. But once the oath is taken, and the parties are over, reality will set in for Mr. Obama and I believe it won’t be nearly as much enjoyment and entertainment as recent days have been. Enjoy these hours, Mr. President-Elect, for the days before you will be some of the most complex and demanding the world has ever seen. And I will be praying for you and those around you.

I was just in Alabama holding a preparation conference for a group of churches which I have the joy of privilege of working with to hold a men’s conference later this year. What a group of guys! I was thrilled with the quality and passion of the men. They are committed to making a difference in their geographic area on the lives of men. And that’s a BIG task.

In a recent article in USA Today, the topic was how churches are often missing men and not making an impact on their lives. Most of the focus in churches, acccording to the article, is focused on kids and women. Now, there is sure a need to touch and change the lives of women and kids…but we dare not ignore the crucial role of men.

In the article a pastor in Texas was quoted referring to the fact that when a child is reached there is a 12% likelihood of the whole family following. When a mom/wife comes to Christ, there’s a 15% chance the family will follow. But if the father/husband come to Christ, there is a 90% chance th whole family will come along behind. WOW!! What a mission field.

So, as I spent the evening with a group of men focused on reaching their peers for Christ and calling them to make a difference in their world, starting with their family, I’m honored to work beside them. And I’m thrilled to have spoken to over 150,000 men in a little of 2 1/2 years. God is moving to call men to himself! What a joy. Thanks to Garry Ragsdale and Mt. Zion Baptist Church for a vision to impact their world.