Dealing with Conflict

I had a student ask me for tips on how to handle conflict. I thought I would share my thoughts here.

First, let’s be honest. If you haven’t dealt with a lot of conflict it has the potential to make your palms sweat, your blood pressure rise, and your brain malfunction. You must control your emotions rather than have your emotions control you. Conflict is inevitable. Handling it well can make the difference between a successful resolution or a nervous breakdown. Here are some tips.

1.         Eternal Perspective:

This is the most important part to handling conflict in a way that glorifies God. At home when disciplining the kids, it must be about shepherding their heart toward God and not satisfying your anger. At work, you have a responsibility to disciple or impart spiritual wisdom into those around you. You can help an employee improve or recognize a weakness. If you are past that point, then you can help them understand their gifts and what job would allow them to succeed. Everyone wants to succeed which sometimes means moving to a different and more satisfying job.

We Should Study Systematic Theology for Others (cont.)

Practical Application

• iPhone…check
• bag of candy…check
• deflated soccer ball…check
• Polaroid Instant Camera…check.

You are ready to go. You’re going to impress everyone with your knowledge of how to draw a crowd in those African villages. Between your instant photos in villages that don’t think you are stealing their souls and your bags of candy, you’re about to become a rock star.

But, purgatory awaits—some call it international travel. Three plane flights over two days to get to your remote destination. As a seasoned traveler, you have a plan. Tylenol PM, eye mask, noise cancelling headphones, and neck cushion all tucked away in your carry on bag with a change of clothes just in case.

Finally, you land. A hot shower washes the sleep from your eyes, a film of filth gathered at 40,000 feet, and the stiffness from your knees being crammed against seats made for Pygmies.

Should Every Sermon Be 3 Points and a Poem?

I hope not, and I hope to explain a better way to look at sermon development that will allow for creativity and faithfulness to Scripture.

I learned a method called the “key word” method. The method served me fine for many texts, but I found great difficulty coming up with new and unique key words, and I also found difficulty preaching narratives or parables. While at Southwestern Seminary, I learned a new philosophy of preaching that doesn’t implement a particular “method,” but allows the text to determine the structure of the sermon—we call this text driven preaching.

While examining a text, you determine whether the passage dictates a deductive, inductive, or inductive/deductive approach. I’ll explain the different approaches in another post, but it would sidetrack this discussion so just stay with me for now. My point for today is to show the differences between a text driven sermon versus three points and a poem.

Let’s briefly look at Matthew 18:21-35 the parable of the unforgiving servant.

We Should Study Systematic Theology for Others (cont.)

Theological Formulation

Jesus—the Sunday School answer to every question in church, right? You know who Jesus is. Jesus is “your homeboy.” Well if you think so, then you need to continue reading. Homeboys don’t command obedience, and the Bible calls us slaves to Christ, but you are not a slave to your homeboy.

For some, all they know of Jesus comes from sermons that have only given the subject a cursory treatment, and let’s not blame the pastors. I mean, how much can you really do in thirty minutes when the congregation expects a good story and specific application or they start playing games on their iPad?

This is why you must supplement good preaching with systematic study. Even the best text-driven sermon on Jesus could cover only one passage well. Yet just a basic systematic study should cover the four major Christological passages. These passages demonstrate that Jesus is fully man, fully God, existed for all eternity, and much more…

Revive This Nation Update from Tues. and Wed.

Every year through Revive This Nation, God moves. Sometimes He moves in the heart of preacher preaching his first five sermons to call him to a lifetime of service. Sometimes, front lines pastors receive encouragement from a fired up student while imparting years of wisdom in that same young mind. Sometimes, people get saved, ask for repentance, marriages are restored, and lives are forever changed as people encounter a risen Lord. I am blessed to be part of it all. If you take the time to read through just a few of the reports from Tuesday and Wednesday, then I think you will understand why. Perhaps next year, your church would like to participate in Revive this Nation 2014.

Here are some of the updates from Tuesday and Wednesday night services:

Tuesday

• Shredded a young couples divorce papers in the church office today as they agreed to forgive, love again & let Jesus bring healing. #rtn13
• I am a flawed unworthy vessel proclaiming a flawless and worthy God. #rtn13
• Ate lunch w/ awesome family headed to mission field. Tonight altar full of people praying. God is moving at Sand Spring.#rtn13
• Ppl are visually affected by the Word. But reluctant to openly respond. Pray for the softening of their hearts. #RTN13
• GLORY TO GOD…78 y/o Chairman of the Deacons and his wife came tonight to repent and rededicate their lives to Christ. Hallelujah
• Great to b n the house of The Lord 2nite! The Spirit’s movin n Morganton. Lives r being changed and people r drawing close to Jesus! #RTN13
• PTL Altar full tonight. I preached on biblical view of family. We cannot be the families we need to be until we all submit to Christ #RTN13
• Had a great service tonight. Had a man come forward to confess that he has been away from God and wanted to come back to him #rtn13
• Preached on boldness in witnessing tonight. One lady is going to witness to her husband of 45 years! Pray for her. #RTN13
• Text message WV: 2 prayed to receive Christ tonight! 2 came requesting believers baptism & several more for repentance of sin! #rtn13
• Prayed with a confessed alcoholic tonight. Knows he needs The Lord but isn’t willing to take the step yet. Please pray! #RTN13
• Preached Exodus 32 on idolatry tonight in New Boston, a lot of tears all around. May God replace our foolish idols with Himself! #rtn13
• text message from Mike Morris in AZ: one profession of faith last night. #rtn13

Wednesday

• Martin came to Christ Sunday morning. Pastor & I just led his wife to the Lord! #rtn13
• Fantastic final service tonight! God worked on many hearts about reaching the lost & whole church prayed for me afterwards. #blessed #rtn13
• God saved 3 teenagers tonight in Weaver, AL! #rtn13
• Great final night at Sand Spring in KY. People at altar crying out to God, one husband and wife reconciled. Lives changed. Priceless. #rtn13
• Text message from Marissa IL: Great news Tonight we had a 10 year old girl accept Christ! #rtn13
• Hugs and tears tonight. Christ worked through a lady pleading for healing between her and her abusive father #rtn13
• No professions of faith, but Revival occurred-most especially in my heart. Coming back with certainty in Gods calling to preach! #rtn13
• Had a great time @FBCOB this week. They have three new candidates for baptism, & two other new members. Lives blessed including mine! #rtn13
• One salvation tonight in Poncha Springs, CO! Many encouraged and excited for the Lord. Praise the Lord! #RTN13
• Text from Cameron WV: 2 more praying to receive Christ as savior! One of them a deacons daughter! Praise the Lord! #rtn13
• There’s a new name written down in glory from Morganton tonight. Others revived & challenged to share the Gospel #RTN13 Oh the power of the Gospel!
• We’re talking revival and dry bones coming to life! Saints revived and the lost saved! Answered prayers in Riley…Thank God!! #rtn13
• I’m so grateful for the investment that FBC Junction has made in my life. Thank you. #RTN13
• God has been so gracious to move mightily in FBC Wellston, OK this week. A husband & wife came to Christ, & many at altar to pray.
• Bittersweet to be leaving this body of believers in Wellsburg, WV. God is doing great things here. Thank you for having me. #RTN13
• text message from Mike Morris: two more professions of faith tonight. #rtn13

Thursday most of our Southwestern preachers will head home. Please pray for safety as they travel, and also pray that the Lord continues what He has started both in the hearts of the preachers and the churches who participated in Revive This Nation 2013.