The Ministry Backpack Podcast

MINISTRY BACKPACK PODCAST EPISODE 45 SHOW NOTES Summary:  In today’s podcast, I talk about a “Backpack Essential” for Ministry: “Humility.” TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: I receive a small commission when you click and order through the image affiliate link above. Thank you for helping make the Ministry Backpack Podcast happen! SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND LINKS FROM TODAY’S SHOW: 2 Corinthians 6:7-9 8 “Through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; 9 as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see ​— ​we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; — CSB The “Backpack Essential” that I want to talk about today is “Humility.” “The phrase, “It’s not bragging if you can do it” is a weak statement, because of the simple truth that if you can do it, you don’t have to brag about it. “It” speaks for itself. A few reasons why humility is so important for Christian Leaders: To not have humility in our life and leadership is to have arrogance and/or pride in our life and leadership. Leading from arrogance or living in arrogance or pride can derail you in all kinds of painful ways. Humility in leadership helps us to avoid the foolish mistakes that arise from arrogance. If you are a Christian leader and you are operating out of arrogance and pride, the Bible says that God is against you. In James 4:6 and in 1 Peter 5:5, it is stated pretty clearly that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” “And if God is against you in your ministry, it isn’t much of a ministry. It can get big, it can run like a well oiled machine and it can impress outsiders, but it doesn’t impress God. Because God looks upon the thoughts and intents of our hearts. And the people we lead quickly pick up on the thoughts and intents of our hearts.” “Humility for Christian leaders is not a small thing. It is actually a very big thing. Humility demonstrates that we understand that we lead knowing that we are under the authority of God. We know that it’s not really our show. It’s His.” “The apostle Paul and his companions served “through glory and dishonor…” and “as unknown, yet recognized…” He was honored to serve and speak on behalf of his King, not concerned about his own personal glory or recognition. “ “True humility in Christian leadership is a form of grit that leads through dishonor and without desire for fame. This is because we serve at the pleasure of the King.” “He didn’t care if he was the one who received the credit, or if another minister, like Apollos, received the credit. He understood what true honor is all about, he was fully aware of the one who gave him any authority at all, and he kept pointing people to his King.” “Jesus set the pace from the beginning of His earthly presence on planet earth. Born in a stable, not a palace, appearing to shepherds before appearing to the powerful, and not laying claim to His rights and privileges as God, in order that He might serve humanity and accomplish His redemptive mission.” In Philippians 2, He tells us to “do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” He then commands us to make our attitude the same as His attitude: “who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant…” Ultimately, the amazing humility of Jesus made even our salvation a reality. Philippians 2 continues by letting us know that He humbled himself “to the point of death – even to death on a cross.” WE SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE KING See the original article here: https://www.ministrybackpack.com/we-serve-at-the-pleasure-of-the-king/ “Humility is not a word that means “weakness” or “lack of confidence” or “low self-esteem.” It is a word that conveys the idea that we understand that we are under the authority of One who is greater than us. We go at His pleasure; we serve at His pleasure; we do whatever He calls us to do. Our responsibility is to see His will done rather than our will done on earth as it is in heaven.” “If our King grabs a towel and tells us, “This is how to lead,” we should immediately join Him and start washing feet. If a task is given to us by the King, no matter how menial or grandiose, it is an honorable thing for us to be doing. The honor is in the fact that we are doing something on behalf of, and in the name of, the One who is worthy of all honor.” Humility is a “Backpack Essential” for Christian Leaders. We are not the King. We serve at the pleasure of the King. Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Goog le Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/ & “Rasputin1963” ————  Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church.  He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com. The post MBP 045: A BACKPACK ESSENTIAL FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERS – HUMILITY appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Show Notes: Seven Questions With Pastor Anthony Svajda (Part 2) Summary: In this episode, I continue my interview with Pastor Anthony Svajda. Anthony is the Lead Pastor of Harvey Baptist Church in Stephenville, Texas, and he and his wife, Kristen, are originally from the North Fort Worth area. Anthony has a Bachelor degree from Dallas Baptist University in Business Systems, a Master of Divinity degree in Evangelism and a Ph.D. in Evangelism and Church Revitalization from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Anthony’s desire in ministry is to provide Biblical leadership, which encourages others towards a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. Anthony loves coffee, watching movies, spending time with family and friends, and is an avid cyclist! Anthony Svajdahttp://anthonysvajda.com/ Harvey Baptist Churchhttps://www.harveybaptist.org TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page Some Highlights and Links From Today’s Show: Anthony’s Weekly Schedule: Monday | Morning – Administrative (visitor followup, etc) Lunch – Staff Lunch/Meeting (Fellowship/Connection) Afternoon – Devotionally reviewing the Text for Sermon Tuesday | Morning – Individual Staff Meetings/Follow ups Afternoon – Counseling Meetings, Deeper exegetical Sermon Prep Wednesday | Morning – Sermon Prep for Wednesday Night Bible Study Afternoon – Counseling Meetings Evening – Prayer Meeting, followed by Men’s Discipleship at Coffee Shop (8:30-10:00 p.m.) Thursday | Finalizes Sunday’s Sermon, Presentation Slides for Pro Presenter Friday | Family Day Saturday | Morning-Early Afternoon – Family time Afternoon-Evening – Sermon Review Sunday | Morning – Arrives at Church by 6:15 a.m. – Lunch with a visiting family or church members, Evening 6:p.m. – Sunday Night “Semester Based” Bible Studies Resource Anthony Mentioned for Mens’s Discpleship At The Coffee Shop: F260 Bible Reading Plan On Cycling And How It Has Affected His Ministry Cycling has “changed his life as a Pastor.”Rides about 6 days a week, either outside or on his inside trainer.“The Lord really convicted me that I was spending too much time around church people. I had to find a mission field that I wasn’t getting paid to reach; that I wasn’t a vocational Pastor for.”“I really see it as a mission field. You’re on a bike, sometimes for two to five hours, depending on the distance that you’re going, and that’s a lot of time to talk and work through theological issues with people who normally would not be in church.”“Over 2 1/2 years or so, riding bikes, I’ve led about 6 people to the Lord.” Where to Find Anthony: Caffeinated Theology: Stimulating Theological Discussion One Cup At A Time Anthony Hosts the Video Blog with various Pastors on the Caffeinated Theology YouTube Channel: On Social Media | @anthonysvajda Facebook, Instagram & Twitter A Few Final Words From Anthony: The “Number One Thing” that should be the umbrella over everything you do in ministry: Be faithful to the Gospel. Preach the Gospel in every situation that you can. “Preach the Gospel in your messages. Let people can know the hope they can have in Jesus. Teach the Gospel in your Bible studies. Don’t just teach people a list of rules or things that they need to do or don’t do, teach them that they need Jesus. Have conversations about the Gospel.” “Trust Jesus with the results of that. Just stay faithful to what God has called you to do – And that is to speak and preach the Gospel. And if you do that, God will bring fruit into your ministry. It doesn’t matter your context. If you’re in a small church or in a large church, as long as you’re preaching the Gospel, people are going to get saved.” [Quick Note From Johnny: I also talk more about this idea in Episode 40: A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders – The Banner of Truth] Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/ & “Rasputin1963”  Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church.  He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com. The post MBP 044: Seven Questions With Pastor Anthony Svajda – Part 2 appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Show Notes: Seven Questions With Pastor Anthony Svajda (Part 1) Summary: In this episode, I interview Pastor Anthony Svajda. Anthony is the Lead Pastor of Harvey Baptist Church in Stephenville, Texas, and he and his wife, Kristen, are originally from the North Fort Worth area. Anthony has a Bachelor degree from Dallas Baptist University in Business Systems, a Master of Divinity degree in Evangelism and a Ph.D. in Evangelism and Church Revitalization from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Anthony’s desire in ministry is to provide Biblical leadership, which encourages others towards a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord. Anthony loves coffee, watching movies, spending time with family and friends, and is an avid cyclist! Anthony Svajdahttp://anthonysvajda.com/ Harvey Baptist Church https://www.harveybaptist.org TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: I receive a small commission when you click and order through the image affiliate link above. Thank you for helping make the Ministry Backpack Podcast happen! Some Highlights and Links From Today’s Show: Early on, Anthony was disappointed to discover that not everyone in the churches he served in was as excited and motivated about the mission of Jesus as he was. “The Lord showed me something very valuable that I’ve carried with me in ministry, since then. And that is, that you’re not doing it for people, you’re doing it for God’s glory.”“My biggest letdown was putting my faith in people instead of the Lord.”Many times churches are like, “We are totally ok with change as long as you don’t change anything.”“Don’t let people’s opinions or their involvement get you down. Do what the Lord’s called you to. Stay faithful to Him, trust in Him, and know that He’s put that passion and that fire within you to inspire your people and so that you keep on with the mission. So stay faithful to that and keep running to the Lord.” What Anthony would do differently: He would lead people through change rather than leading them to change.It’s not really taking those changes slower, it’s just communicating better.When change needs to happen, change needs to happen. Just because you’re afraid of addressing an issue, doesn’t mean that change doesn’t need to happen.Before, he would just make the change. Now, he goes to his people and says, “This needs to change. How do you think we ought to approach it? He lets them know the need and asks for buy in, and allowing them to make solutions for the change.Although his preaching is “Text Driven,” in the early days he would explain that Text as a “prophet” (This is the way it is – Deal with it). And today in his preaching, he explains the Text more as a “Pastor” (This what it says – Then walks through the text to help people apply it as a process, applying it to their context). Resources Anthony Is Currently Using: Equipment: Anthony always has his iPad and Laptop with him. App: GroupMe https://groupme.com/en-US/ App: LOGOShttps://www.logos.com/ App: Apple Noteshttps://support.apple.com/guide/notes/welcome/mac App: Drop Box https://www.dropbox.com App: Google Drive https://www.google.com/drive/ Graphics: Canva https://www.canva.com/ On Keeping His Family Relationships Strong: Anthony strongly guards “Family Time.”He takes his kids to school every morning, stopping for snacks and having devotional talks on the drive.He takes a day off each week for spending time with his family.He tries not to be on his phone or be distracted during those times, so that his family has his full attention.He strives to guard his family from the “burdens” of ministry. During stressful seasons of ministry, he tries not to bring the hurts and frustrations of ministry home to his family.He “works” to make family time fun. “We work to live, we don’t live to work!”“If you don’t like playing with your kids when they’re young, they’re not going to like playing with you when they’re older.”“Make sure that your kids see the joy of the Lord in you.” Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/ & “Rasputin1963”  Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church.  He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com. The post MBP 043: Seven Questions With Pastor Anthony Svajda – Part 1 appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

MINISTRY BACKPACK PODCAST EPISODE 42 SHOW NOTES Summary:  In today’s podcast, I talk about a “Backpack Essential” for Ministry: “A Holy Arsenal.” TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND LINKS FROM TODAY’S SHOW: 2 Corinthians 6:7c7 by the word of truth,[a] by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,” (CSB) The essential that I want to talk about today is: A Holy Arsenal. In this passage, Paul says that “we have proven ourselves”through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left.” The idea of having “weapons” is not just about “armor,” but it is the idea of “arms ” – being “armed for battle.” This is a word picture that the apostle Paul uses a lot: Ephesians 6:11-17: 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 13 For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit ​— ​which is the word of God. — (CSB) 1 Thessalonians 5:7-8: 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation. — (CSB) 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. — (CSB) 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; – (KJV) This passage, 2 Corinthians 6:7c, seems to refer to a condensed version of the armor that Paul references in other places. Grammatically a case could be made that he is talking about “tools” or “instruments,” but the considering the context and the other instances that Paul talks about this, the best understanding is that he is talking about “weapons.” “FOR THE RIGHT HAND AND THE LEFT ” – The idea conveyed is that of offensive weapons (in the right hand) and defensive weapons (in the left). The image could be seen as the “Sword of the Spirit” (The Word of God) in the right, and the “Shield of Faith” (Faith) in the left. “RIGHTEOUSNESS” – [dikaiosuné: righteousness, justice] It is a “justness” that comes from God – Not from our own ideas, preferences or agendas. Paul speaks of “fighting the good fight” in 2 Timothy 4:7. He is not simply “itching for a fight, being a bully, or expressing bravado,” he is fighting a righteous fight; a just cause. It’s not “My way or the highway,” but more, “The higher way is my way, and it’s clear to everyone around me.” Having the Backpack Essential of a Holy Arsenal means that we are prepared to do battle with the full of armor of God, but particularly with your “Sword and Shield.” The strength of your conviction is from the Word of God [not just your opinion], and you advance and move forward, deflecting and blocking attacks, troubles and temptations with your strong faith, which is your shield. So, Practically, What Does This Look Like? 1 – You Don’t Lead With A “Worldly” Arsenal. When the battles come, you don’t fight them in a worldly way.Instead of picking up weapons like retaliation, name-calling, anger, belittling, and lording your power and authority over people, you engage with Biblical truth and with faith.Biblical truth like: James 1:19-20 – “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. — (CSB) You can’t use a holy arsenal in an unholy way. You can’t use a righteous weapon in an unrighteous way. 2 – You Understand And Know How To Fight Spiritual Warfare. Every Christian leader needs to fully grasp that they are in a spiritual battle.When Paul lists the “full armor of God” in Ephesians 6, he refers to the “breastplate of righteousness.” Just as a soldier would have a breastplate to protect their heart, we need to know how to “guard our heart.”Our enemy wants us to get off-course. He wants us to lead our ministry “in the flesh” and in a worldly or “God-empty” way.Having a “Holy Arsenal” means that we know how to pray in faith and in a biblical way, so that we can quench Satan’s flaming arrows that are aimed at the “bull’s eye” of our heart. SEE: “The Devil’s Parry: Getting Slightly Off-Course In Ministry” 3 – You Are Not A Pushover In Ministry. You stand strong in the things that matter the most.“Be Mean About The Vision: Preserving and Protecting What Matters” by Shawn Lovejoy.You are not passive in your leadership.You are assertive in your leadership. By this, I mean that you are moving in a direction. You don’t have a void of direction that puts you in neutral, causing you to end up going wherever you are pushed.It doesn’t mean that you are not open to input, advice, and the insights of others, but it does mean that others can’t sway you from the most important things in your leadership – things like doctrine, vision, mission and purpose. 4 – There Is A Higher Purpose Behind Where You Lead People. The causes that you lead people in are righteous causes.There are no “frivolous” causes in your ministry.You’re not “chasing windmills, Don Quixote.” You have a higher purpose.Communicate the higher purpose behind all of the areas of the ministry you lead. 5 – You Know Which Battles To Fight. You know which battles in your ministry that are worth fighting and that you want everyone to rally around.People follow you to fight when you have built up trust with them because they have seen how you use these “weapons of righteousness” in your life. You have weapons of righteousness and you know how to use them! As a Christian leader, you need to fully understand that there are going to be battles ahead. The big question is, “What kind of weapons are you going to use to fight those battles?” Holy weapons or unholy weapons? Righteous weapons or unrighteous weapons? Select Audio Clips in this episode are from the song, “Weapons of Our Warfare,” words & music by Bill, Johnny & Kenny Leckie, ©1984. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission. Johnny & Kenny Leckie, possibly singing the song, “Weapons of Our Warfare,” back in the days when they were scrawny kids with lots of hair and fairly thick southern accents. Bill wisely opted to be off camera in this photo… Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/ & “Rasputin1963” ————  Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church.  He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com. The post MBP 042: A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders – A Holy Arsenal appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

MINISTRY BACKPACK PODCAST EPISODE 41 SHOW NOTES Summary: In This Episode, I talk about 3 Important Lessons I learned and was reminded of on my Prayer & Planning Retreat in a Cabin on the Mountain. TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND LINKS FROM TODAY’S SHOW: “Wallace & Grommit” – The Wrong Trousers | I had the details slightly backwards – Grommit is chasing the Penguin, not the other way around. But the “spare tracks” being laid down describe things pretty well… ______________Follow Me On Instagram: @JohnnyLeckie A Few Thoughts/Reminders From The Cabin: The Cabin where I was on my Retreat. 1. As Ministers, We Need To Withdraw. Luke 5:15-16 15 But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed. (CSB) “If you think that you’re going to plow through the year of ministry and not take time to withdraw and connect with God, then in a way, you’re thinking that you can do ministry better than Jesus can do ministry.” 2. In Ministry, We Need To Engage With And Hear From God. “Prayer: Engaging our life with the God of the Universe, and adjusting our lives to His will, His plans, and His purposes.” Colossians 4:2 2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. (CSB) “Devote yourselves” – Intentionally engage with God, openly and honestly.“Stay Alert” – To be attentive, be sharp, be listening, not just using the usual “prayer phrases.” “With Thanksgiving” – Mindfully thankful attitude that reflects humility. 3. As Ministers, We Need To Be Consumed By The Living God. Hebrews 12:28-29 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (CSB) “Although we can be shaken, it’s a good calming, strong, foundational reminder to know that God’s Kingdom cannot be shaken.” “If you are in ministry, wouldn’t you want that to be said of you? That how you are serving Him in ministry is acceptable to Him? That it’s something He is pleased with, and that He’s on board with?” Song By Third Day | Consuming Fire (From 2009, not the 90’s as I said on the episode.) “We need to be completely consumed by God. That means that when He consumes us with His ‘all consuming fire,’ it burns out all of our own personal ambition, our own agenda, the sin that’s in our life, whatever mindset that we had about going into ministry, whatever fame we may have imagined, whatever notoriety or respect we may have had in our mind that we might receive when we went into ministry. When we allow God to consume us, He burns all of that up, and burns it out.” “The thing about fire is that after it consumes something, there’s not much left. And what is left is never the same. It can’t go back to what it was.” Referenced in this episode: My interview with my brother, Bill Leckie | 7 Questions With Pastor Bill Leckie: Part 1 & Part 2 Bill’s Song I mentioned: “Holy Lord” [Free Download] “I don’t base my theology on emotion; I don’t base how I serve on emotion, but sometimes we need to allow God to consume us in such a way that we can’t help but have an emotional reaction.” “Most of the significant and important and powerful moments in our lives elicit an emotional response from us. …And that’s okay.” “Sometimes we need an emotional response to break through that cynical shell that often builds up in ministry. It can soften our hardened hearts, and it can be a ‘kick-start’ to change the way that we do ministry.” “I mean, really, when was the last time that you had a genuine, emotional encounter with God, ‘Pastor Spock?’…Sometimes emotion can be the fuel for change in our ministry.” “Don’t do ministry without God…” Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/ & “Rasputin1963” ————  Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church.  He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com. The post MBP 041: Thoughts From The Cabin – 3 Lessons For Ministry appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Ministry Backpack Podcast Episode 40 Show Notes Summary:  In today’s podcast, I talk about a “Backpack Essential” for Ministry: “The Banner of Truth.” TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND LINKS FROM TODAY’S SHOW: 2 Corinthians 6:7a7 by the word of truth,[a] by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,” (CSB) The essential that I want to talk about today is: The Banner of Truth. In this passage, Paul says that “we have proven ourselves” by “the word of truth…” “On first pass, it seems to be saying that ‘we spoke truthfully,’ but on deeper study, it becomes clear that it means, ‘We have faithfully and consistently preached the Gospel.'” “Pervasive throughout their ministry was the consistent preaching, speaking, sharing, or making known the truths of the Gospel.” “We should ‘Preach the Gospel Message’ as we have opportunity.'” To Pastors/Preachers: Make sure that you make the Gospel message plain and clear every time you speak – Every. Single. Time. “We never want to get to the point that we are so desperate for people to like us, respond, or to be so practical in our messages that we forget the ‘offense’ of the Gospel, itself. It is the word of Truth.” The Gospel message should be communicated as accurately as we can make it. We need to prepare for the messages we preach with great intent – with great study, and with how we communicate it. “It needs to be compelling, but not propped up.” “No one should ever visit our churches and leave with no clue about how to become a follower of Jesus; about Who Jesus is.” Romans 1:16“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – KJV Remember that sometimes the Gospel is offensive…It is what it is, and we need to let the Gospel be the Gospel and let the message of the cross be the message of the cross. It’s scandalous. We don’t need to make it sound better than it is. It is what it is. We should never feel the need to “water it down” in any way. Though not “propped up,” our communication of the Gospel should still be compelling: “Some people say, ‘Just get up and preach the Gospel, and that’s enough.’ And of course, that is true, but it’s only half-true. If it was really as simple as that, you could get up, read the Scripture, then sit down. “If you really care about anybody understanding the message, you need to make it compelling. What a disaster to make the most powerful, important message in all of the world come across as something that is dull and lifeless and meaningless!” “Make it compelling. Let the Gospel message be so much a part of who you are that you are passionate about it. Passionately share the Gospel message!” “Have a banner flying over your whole ministry – the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  You’re not ashamed, it’s in the forefront, and it’s clear what you are about.” To Christian Leaders who are not Pastors/Preachers: “The Banner of Truth,” the Gospel message, should also be pervasive in your ministry. All Christian Leaders should be able to share the Gospel message. You need to know how to lead someone to Jesus. You need to be able to share the Gospel, and not just with your life. “Some people say, ‘The loudest message we preach is the one that we live.’ And that is certainly true, but we don’t want anybody to be confused. We don’t want people to think, “Man, they sure are a good person,” but they have no idea why.” “Your life needs to support what is coming out of your mouth, but the Gospel still needs to come out of your mouth.” Romans 10:17“So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – KJV Use “One Verse Evangelism” whenever you have an opportunity: Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – KJV  – It’s the Gospel in a nutshell. It means sharing stories with your team, the people that you lead, about opportunities you’ve had to speak about Jesus. You’ll inspire, motivate and be an example for them. Why Don’t More Christian Leaders Share Their Faith in Jesus? “One of the reasons that is most cited is simply ‘fear of rejection,’ but I’m not sure that that is the biggest reason. I think that sometimes there is fear – but not just the fear of rejection.  Sometimes it is the shame of unconfessed sin and an ‘unworthy’ life… The fear is that’s going to swing a spotlight on their own life and they’re nervous about that.” “It could also be that the Gospel message itself has not fully gripped their soul, and so it’s not an ‘overflow’ thing.” “Our ministry should happen out of the overflow of what God is already doing in our life.” Suggestions: “Refocus on verses like John 3:16, that often become like a picture on the wall: When you first put it on the wall, it had all kinds of meaning and power and you thought it was an amazing thing. But over time, you’ve walked past it so many times, or you’ve become so familiar with it, that it no longer captures your attention. You’re no longer overwhelmed by the power of it.” “Revisit the Gospel message so that it is clear and pervasive in your life.” “Get rid of the fear that’s associated with that by confessing anything that needs to be confessed to God. Realize that He has covered your ‘unworthy’ life, and that none of us are worthy to share this Gospel message. Make it all about Him, and less about you.” The Banner of Truth: An absolute essential for Christian Ministry. Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/ & “Rasputin1963” Previous episodes in this series: #004 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: A Higher Standard #008 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Resilience #011 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Purity #014 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Understanding #018 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Patience #021 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Kindness #024 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Sincere Love #040 – A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders: Supernatural Movement ————  Johnny Leckie is a Christ Follower, Husband to Leona, and Father to Matthew, Melissa & Michael. He is also a Church Planting Pastor, Musician, Artist, & Blogger. He’s a big fan of Coffee & Bacon and is currently planting a Church in Aurora, Colorado called Compass Church.  He is the founder of MinistryBackpack.com. The post MBP 040: A Backpack Essential For Christian Leaders – The Banner of Truth appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Show Notes: Seven Questions With Pastor Trey Van Camp Part 2 Trey’s New Book: “The Non-Anxious Pastor: becoming a person of peace in a world at war” is available now: Summary: In this episode, I continue my interview with Pastor Trey Van Camp.Trey is a 4th generation pastor, and graduated summa cum laude from California Baptist University with his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Theology.  At CBU, he was awarded with the “Applied Theology Award.” On January 10, 2016, he planted the church he currently pastors (formerly known as Heart Cry Gathering) and renamed it to Passion Creek Church in June 2017 after the announcement of the Heart Cry AZ Network. Trey is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Jordan. They have 3 daughters: Faith Karis, Selah Ruth and Trinity Rose. He has an amazing Vlog on YouTube and loves to post on Instagram and Twitter. Trey is an awesome Pastor and Leader and I’m honored to have him with me today. Passion Creek Church http://passioncreek.church/ TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page Some Highlights and Links From Today’s Show: Trey’s Basic Schedule: [Trey is “tri-vocational,” and most weekday mornings start at around 4:30 or so working with his dad in a second business,”pouring concrete.”] Mondays: Early Morning – “Pouring Concrete,” | Morning & Afternoon – Administrative tasks, Short Staff meetings, Creates clips from Sunday’s message to post on social media accounts, begins working on next Sunday’s Sermon outline (reading over and studying the text) | Evening – Edits Vlog Tuesdays: Early Morning – “Pouring Concrete,” Uploads Vlog, Morning & Afternoon – Bigger Staff meeting, Sermon Prep (Digging into commentaries, researching Greek or Hebrew words, etc.) Wednesdays: Early Morning – “Pouring Concrete” | Morning & Afternoon – Vlogging, Meets with Associate Pastor to Create “Growth Guide” for Small Groups, based on Sunday’s Message, Continues Sermon Prep | Evening – Participates (but doesn’t lead) in a Growth Group Thursdays: Early Morning – “Pouring Concrete,” Uploads Vlog | Morning & Afternoon – Finishes up Sermon Prep, Sends outline/points out for bulletin and ProPresenter, Meets with College Ministry Leaders | Evening – Attends or Leads College Bible Study Fridays: Early Morning – “Pouring Concrete” | Morning & Afternoon – Final touches on Sermon | Evening – Date Night Saturdays: Mornings & Afternoon – Rest Day, time with family, watching college football in the fall | Evening –  Picks up trailer for portable church setup, makes sure everything is charged up, sermon points are entered into the computer, Prays over text of sermon Sundays: Morning – 6:30 – Gets up, 7:45 a.m. – Arrives at Church (Movie Theater), Helps with setup, 9:30 a.m. Prayer with team and Communion with those serving during services, 10:00 a.m. – Worship Service, 11:00 a.m. – Service ends, Tear down begins, load Trailer, 11:30 a.m. – Lunch with church members or visitors | Afternoon – Nap, begins editing sermon video | Evening – Helps with his Dad’s “Cowboy Church” service, goes to dinner with his family and his parents Their mobile church setup for kids takes place in one theater, and the main worship service takes place in another.  Their Kids’ theater area is broken down into two sections – Preschool & Older kids. If you’ve never seen it, that classic “blooper” moment in a video that went viral several years ago when a Youth Pastor became tongue tangled while referring “Lot pitching his tents,” can be seen here. Thankfully, grace abounds… Links Mentioned in the Show: Trey’s main site with links to his Vlog & Podcast: http://documentrey.com  Comment on Trey’s Vlog and let him know that you came from MinistryBackpack: http://www.YouTube.com/TreyVanCamp [Coming Up/In The Works from Trey: http://www.VlogYourMinistry.com ] Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/  & “Rasputin1963” The post MBP 039: Seven Questions With Pastor Trey Van Camp – Part 2 appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Show Notes: Seven Questions With Pastor Trey Van Camp (Part 1) Trey’s New Book: “The Non-Anxious Pastor: becoming a person of peace in a world at war” is available now: Summary: In this episode, I interview Pastor Trey Van Camp. Trey is a 4th generation pastor, and graduated summa cum laude from California Baptist University with his Bachelor’s degree in Applied Theology.  At CBU, he was awarded with the “Applied Theology Award.” On January 10, 2016, he planted the church he currently pastors (formerly known as Heart Cry Gathering) and renamed it to Passion Creek Church in June 2017 after the announcement of the Heart Cry AZ Network. Trey is happily married to his high school sweetheart, Jordan. They have 3 daughters: Faith Karis, Selah Ruth and Trinity Rose. He has an amazing Vlog on YouTube and loves to post on Instagram and Twitter. Trey is an awesome Pastor and Leader and I’m honored to have him with me today. Passion Creek Church http://passioncreek.church/ TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page Some Highlights and Links From Today’s Show: No one told Trey about this “Church Planting 101” tip: Be sure you understand about the common experience of the “2nd Sunday” after your Church Launch: For a variety of reasons, about half of the people who are there on Launch Day won’t be back the next week! “It seems that God has continued to mold me the most through all of my failures, so I’m trying to get more thankful for them – quicker.” Trey is chronicling his life and ministry on his popular Vlog on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/treyvancamp “Nine months into our church plant, I recognized the beauty of Vlogging on YouTube. ‘I never watch YouTube. I’m much too productive of a person’ was my thought. I mean, ‘I’m not going to sit around and watch cat videos, all day.’ But then my friend showed me some Vlogger, and I was like, ‘these people are preaching a message. It’s not a Christian message, but they’re influencing people.” “I’ve seen a lot of Pastors talking to the camera and teaching Bible study lessons, but I thought, ‘Man, how cool would that be if I get to just show my life to people?’ I think that is how we share the Gospel so much is just by living our life authentically.” “I’m not a huge channel, but I have a large following of people from around the world – I have a lot of atheists in England and Australia who follow me consistently, and we go back and forth.” Here’s a preview of Trey’s Vlog: What Trey would do differently: Trey launched his church with a number of people from his father’s church (http://heartcrychurch.com/). It was clear to Trey, however, that some of those people did not get the vision for the new church. It was about a year into the Church Plant that several of these people began to leave. Trey wishes that he would have had hard conversations and proper confrontation with these individuals earlier, and in some cases, even before they attended for the first time. Trey’s Church plant spent it’s first year with the name “Heart Cry Gathering,” but because of the similarity to the name of his father’s church (Heart Cry Church) and because the word “Church” wasn’t in the name, there were a lot of people who thought that his Church was a satellite campus. Trey changed the name to “Passion Creek Church” about a year in, but he wishes that he had simply started with that new name. Resources Trey Is Currently Using: Podcast: Love Thy Neighborhood Software: LOGOS Book: “Lectures To My Students” by C.H. Spurgeon Book: “Crushing It!” by Gary Vanerchuck On Keeping His Family Relationships Strong: Trey and his wife love to do consistent date nights. Hear the conversation between Trey and his wife about date nights, here: “Not Having A Boy + Our Big Fight | Q&Trey 15,” and check out their “Rock Climbing Date” here: “Our Marriage Got A Little Rocky.” They strive to spend time together “shoulder to shoulder.” They have discovered that they have the most valuable conversations when they are actively doing something together, rather than just sitting and talking over a table. “It’s a way for me and my wife to be playful with each other and to enjoy each other as best friends.” [Johnny added to this: “When a lot of the guys I’ve known along the way have had affairs, it has been because the exciting things in their life, the adventures in their life, or the work in their life was being shared with someone other than their spouse.”] Trey’s Vlogging actually causes him to do more fun things with his wife! They spend time with their extended family, going to the lake, wake boarding, etc. Because they’re only five hours away, they go to Disneyland in California a lot – “It’s easy to not be thinking about ministry when I’m doing something epic like going to Disneyland.” The money he makes from his videos about Disneyland on his Vlog actually pays for his family to go to Disneyland!  [Trey is working on a course for ministers about how to Vlog your ministry. Look for a link on MinistryBackpack.com when it’s available…] He also prioritizes weeknights for his family. He has an hour-long nightly ritual with his 3 little girls: They wrestle together, pray together, read a book, share “secrets,” and tickle each other. He makes sure his phone is off and away so he can focus on his kids. Trey and his wife enjoy reconnecting and spending time together in the evenings after the kids have been put to bed. Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/  & “Rasputin1963” The post MBP 038: Seven Questions With Pastor Trey Van Camp – Part 1 appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Show Notes: Seven Questions With Pastor Doug Walker – Part 2 Summary: In this episode, I continue my interview Pastor Doug Walker. Doug is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Fellowship of the Parks in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. FOTP is an incredible church with campuses in Grapevine, Haslet, Justin, and in the Keller/North Fort Worth area. He is a graduate of Carson Newman College and Southwestern Seminary. He is also author of the book “Things Were Better Before You Came – A Story of Adoption, Acceptance and Unconditional Love.” Doug has 3 sons and has been married to Kim for the last 29 years. He is a long time friend and has always been a great encouragement to me, and it’s an honor to have him on the show today. Fellowship of the Parks https://fotp.church/ Today’s show is brought to you by: Some Highlights and Links From Today’s Show: Doug’s Basic Schedule: Monday: Meetings – Executive Team, Management Team, etc. Tuesday: Meetings | Sermon Team Development Meeting Wednesday: Sermon Prep | Notes completed by Noon Thursday: Morning – Recording/Rehersal of Message for the Weekend Friday: “Day off” – Play Golf Saturday: Arrives at the Church at 2 p.m., Saturday night Service Sunday: Three Worship Services at the main Campus Resource Doug Mentioned: Doug is passionate about adoption and orphan care. [https://fotp.church/simplylove/] At Fellowship of the Parks, they have made it possible for everyone to be involved in orphan care at some level. “In the state of Texas, right now, there are between 13,000 and 14,000 kids who have been taken by Child Protective Services, and rights have been terminated by the parents. If just one church out of every two would support and see one child adopted or do foster care, we would eradicate the present problem.” “I think it is the greatest expression – Paul talked about our adoption, really based upon Rome’s adoption, which was much more elevated, societally, than it is today. And it’s this great honor, but when you think about how God ‘knows our files,’ but He still chooses us – for us to live that out in practice and provide a family for a child, I think that it is one of the greatest things we can do.” Contact Doug if you are interested in how to implement orphan care in your church ([email protected]). Doug’s Book: (If you come to Fellowship of the Parks’ Starting Point Class, Doug will give you a copy. Also, if you are a Church Planter, contact him and mention that you heard about the book on the Ministry Backpack Podcast, and Doug will send you a free copy. [email protected]) A Few Final Thoughts From Doug: “More than anything, I want you to be encouraged, and not lose hope.” “I cant reiterate enough, that in what you’re doing – Church Planting, Pastoring – I would say don’t ‘over-spiritualize.’ Understand that it’s a real job. There should be expectations, there. God’s going to cause the growth, but we gotta get out there and work hard.” “There was a reactive movement to the ‘Seeker’ and ‘Seeker Sensitive’ models…but sometimes there’s a ‘Hipster Legalism’ that develops, where if you are a pragmatist, then that’s bad. And I’m saying, “No, Jesus was an idealist and a pragmatist.” “Basically, study ‘best practices’ and work hard and make sure – as we used in the analogy earlier [previous episode] that the soil is as fertile as it can be. Because…farmers are not lazy.” “Keep your chin up. God’s going to do some great things in your life!” Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/  & “Rasputin1963” The post MBP 037: Seven Questions With Pastor Doug Walker – Part 2 appeared first on Ministry Backpack.

Show Notes: Seven Questions With Pastor Doug Walker Summary: In this episode, I interview Pastor Doug Walker. Doug is the Founding and Senior Pastor of Fellowship of the Parks in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. FOTP is an incredible church with campuses in Grapevine, Haslet, Justin, and in the Keller/North Fort Worth area. He is a graduate of Carson Newman College and Southwestern Seminary. He is also author of the book “Things Were Better Before You Came – A Story of Adoption, Acceptance and Unconditional Love.” Doug has 3 sons and has been married to Kim for the last 29 years. He is a long time friend and has always been a great encouragement to me, and it’s an honor to have him on the show today. Fellowship of the Parks https://fotp.church/ TODAY’S SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Ministry Backpack Patreon Page Some Highlights and Links From Today’s Show: “We’re very involved in the community, but as far as the ‘attractional’ element (of outreach events), I shifted things, where we were going to do whatever we could to bring people on Sunday morning, not an event at a different location and a different time.” What he would do differently: He would find a tool like he uses now (Culture Index) to help get people into the right areas of ministry, knowing that they are “wired” to do well in those areas. He would have done a better job of raisng financial support and talking about finances in the early days, rather than being awkward and apologetic about discussing these topics. He feels it caused him to “sell short” the vision for what they were doing as a church. “I had a lot of zeal, but not a lot of sense.” Resources Doug Is Currently Using: Culture Index https://www.cindexinc.com/ Church Teams [Church Management Software] https://go.churchteams.com/ All of Larry Osborne’s Books: https://northcoasttraining.org/shop/ Advice and Insights From Pastor Steve Stroope https://www.lakepointe.org/meetourleaders/ Doug uses a team approach to preparing message sermons and series. A Few More Thoughts From Doug: “You have to be a good communicator, but the Holy Spirit can use other people to help you with the content.” “I lead first, and preach second.” “Speaking on the weekends – that’s like the icing on the cake. Everything you do before that – leading and so forth – that paves the way, and builds your credibility to have that privilege.” “Leading strategically is a priority. That’s not to diminish the Gospel or my calling, I just think that’s just a part of it.” “I’m a believer in studying ‘best practices.'” On Keeping His Family Relationships Strong: “You have to do what works for your family.” “For me, it means putting into practice that you love and will listen and make concessions to people. My wife, my kids – I’ve got three boys – they’ve all got far different personalities. So it’s not just loving them, but giving them grace and the freedom to be who they are. What keeps us together is just a commitment to love, and a hope and belief that we’ll get through it – whatever it is.” One of his sons is adopted, and Doug is passionate about adoption and orphan care. [https://fotp.church/simplylove/] Doug’s Book: (If you come to Fellowship of the Parks’ Starting Point Class, Doug will give you a copy. Also, if you are a Church Planter, contact him and mention that you heard about the book on the Ministry Backpack Podcast, and Doug will send you a free copy. [email protected]) Another of Doug’s sons has struggled with substance abuse for years. “I never thought that one of my biggest challenges would be parenting.” What he would say to other Pastors who are struggling with a family member who has these challenges: “You can never lose hope. There have been times that I’ve felt hopeless, but I never ultimately lost hope.” “The main thing I would say is to talk to somebody. Find somebody that you can trust, who has experienced what you are experiencing, who can show true empathy and pray with you.” Join the conversation on this topic by commenting or leaving questions below. If you have a question that you’d like to have heard on the podcast, record your question, and upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or some other cloud based site and send the link to [email protected] Music Provided by “Artist Unknown” – https://artistunknown.bandcamp.com/  & “Rasputin1963” The post MBP 036: Seven Questions With Pastor Doug Walker – Part 1 appeared first on Ministry Backpack.