Blake Bouldin

Mold Me And Make Me......

Yesterday, during staff, Marty Barrett did a devotional and used a potter's wheel and some clay.  The emphasis was on how God is in the business of molding us and making us into all the He wants us to be.  As we all stood and watched Marty mold a piece of clay while giving her devotion, I found myself very moved to say the least.  I begin to think of areas that I think God is molding me right now.  Let me be vulnerable and share a few.

I think God is molding me in the area of my faith.  The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God and yet I find myself faithless so many times.  I wish it weren't true but it is.  I am not sure why either because God has demonstrated Himself faithful over and over and over again in my life.  Right now in my family life and as a leader there are some decisions that need to be made that require faith.  God, mold me in this area. 

I think God is molding me in the area of patience.  Anybody that knows me knows that I struggle with patience.  I have all my life.  I want what I want and I want it now.  In some ways this kind of tenaciousness about my personality has been an asset.  In other ways, it has been a huge liability.  This is especially true when it comes to ministry.  Ministry is a strange animal and there aren't always clear cut ways to accomplish what I feel God calling us to accomplish.  Very often, in the past, this has been a huge source of frustration for me as I have wanted what I want and wanted it now.  Recently, with the help of some key staff, I am learning the virtue of being patient.  It is so hard. God, I am grateful for my staff and their encouragement in this area.  I pray that you will continue to mold me in this area.

Lastly, I feel God molding me in the area of being physically fit.  Don't get me wrong, I love to work out and am very physically active, but that doesn't mean I am physically fit.  Truth is, and I have said this from the stage, I could drop some weight.  My diet is the culprit here and I as much as I would like to rationalize it away, the scriptures make it clear that our bodies are temples where the Holy Spirit resides. The scriptures also make it clear that Jesus Christ paid a high price for our bodies and once we submit to Him as Lord and Savior, they are not ours any longer.  As such, I don't want to abuse my body or rationalize gorging myself with all the wrong foods just because I don't look "that bad".  Every time I have pulled on a pair of pants lately or looked in the mirror, I have felt guilty for not taking decisive action in this area. God, I pray that you will continue to mold me in this area of my life.  I need your help!

Growing up Southern Baptist, there was a song that became very familiar to me called "Have Thine Own Way Lord".  It's one of those songs that made an indelible impression in my mind. This may seem crazy, but I thought about it all day after Marty's devotion. I actually went to bed sort of halfway singing it under my breath. I think it means so much because I am convinced that this should be the mantra of my life. Let me close this blog with one of the stanza's.

Have thine own way Lord, Have thine own way
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay
Mold me and make me, after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still

A Winning Team

People ask me from time to time what we do in staff meetings.  There really isn't a simple answer because it varies.  One thing, however, that we are committed to doing is talking about leadership and teamwork.  As a leader, I am of the opinion that you should never stop learning.  I also believe that because team dynamics are so important, striving to have the very best team you can have, is crucial to the overall success of any organization.  That is why at every staff meeting we spend time on leadership development and team building.

Today at staff we discussed an article written by Dave Ferguson who pastors the 3,000 member Community Christian Church.  Here are some of the statements he makes that we discussed.

• Great leadership teams are always clear about the cause.  A lot of other stuff may get fuzzy, but the cause is always clear.
• We must be committed to the cause first and each other second because ultimately it is the cause that brings us together and keeps us together.
• It is when we put other things or other people before the cause that we compromise what God dreamed of in the church and in the Great Commission.
• There is never a great "lead" team when the cause is not clear.
• Question: Why do men always remember athletic teams or army platoons as the place where they experienced the most genuine community?  Answer: Because a clear cause created community.  The cause of winning a game created a team. The cause of defeating a common enemy created a team.

In case you are wondering what WCC's "cause" is...Our cause is our mission:  "To reach people and help them become fully devoted followers of Christ."  The bottom line is this - It is the staff, otherwise known as the lead team, that will create the culture and the ethos of our church. When you have a lead team that is clear about the cause, willing to die for the cause, and where serving feels like fun you have created a church culture where people start to believe in the cause.  They start to believe that through us God will REALLY change the world.  I believe we have that team - a winning team!  Thanks, guys (ladies!)  We are on our way!

Seismic Shifts

This past Sunday I began a series called Seismic Shifts based on the book Kevin G. Harney wrote back in 2002. Seismic shifts can be defined as "the little changes that make BIG differences in your life".  All of us, if we are honest, have minor adjustments that we could make that would prove to literally be life changing.  There is one caveat though, and that is you have to make the changes. Our circumstances will never improve if we continue to do the same things we have done that created the circumstances in the first place.  What could possibly hold us back from making these small, yet life transforming, seismic shifts in our lives?  Let me mention several that I stold from a guy named Henrik Edberg.

1. Not Showing Up
Woody Allen once said that 80% of success is showing up and of course, he is right!  One of the easiest things we can do to make sure that our lives are moving in the right direction, whether it's in our social lives, our careers, or our health, is simply showing up.  For example, if you want to improve in your physical life, then you need to show up at the gym every time you should be there.

Bottom Line: Just showing up more can really make a big difference in any area of your life.  Not showing up will not get you anywhere.


2.Procrastinating
Here are 2 ways to get out of a procrastinating state:

-Swallow that frog. I read somewhere that if you swallow a frog the first thing in the morning then the rest of the day will look pretty good.  This principle is centered on doing the hardest and most important task you have the very first thing in the morning

-How do you eat an elephant?  This principle says, "don't try to do everything all at once".  Anything that becomes overwhelming can lead to procrastination.  Focus on getting things done one step at a time.


3. Thinking Too Much
Paralysis by analysis can waste years of your life.  I said Sunday that thinking about and worrying about what we don't what will NEVER bring us what we do want. Do some research, make a plan, explore potential upsides and problems, and then ACT!


4. Not believing in yourself
There is so much more to all of us than our current reality.  Unfortunately many of us never find this out because we never develop a clear personal mission statement.  Paul says it best when he says, "God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams.  He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."  Ephesians 3:20  If you haven't already, craft a mission statement based on what you think God can do in and through your life and then BELIEVE He will give you whatever you need to accomplish it.

Each of us have what it takes to live lives that are making a difference.  Let's get going!

Blake

I Am Proud of Myself

Check out these statistics.  The average minister works 10.5 hours a day, 6 days a week equaling a total of 63 hours per week.  Crazy right?  Especially since so many people think that all we do is show up on Sunday and "do our thing".  I have had countless numbers of people say to me, "I would love it if all I had to do was work on Sunday."  Little do they know.

The truth is, the task of ministry can be overwhelming and ever-consuming which isn't healthy.  My personality lends itself to this unhealthy lifestyle.  My wife is constantly telling me to slow down and take a break.  I hate it when she does that and generally offer one of the following excuses.  "Honey, I just don't have enough time!" or "I have some really important things to do" or "People expect me to be available" or "I don't feel like I need a break."  Whatever I use as my excuse she always laughs and reminds me that I am not as important as I think and that the work will be there when I get back.  She is so right.

Anyway, last week was a crazy week for me.  My general inclination was to dive in head first and not come up for air until I knew everything that I thought needed to be taken care of was done.  On the advice of my wife I changed my strategy.  Here are some of the things I did.

1. I didn't blog. Angie isn't a blogger nor does she read blogs.  In fact, and this may fly in the face of some who blog, but she thinks that they are a huge waste of time.  On several occasions she has made the comment, as I diligently typed out my blog or read someone else's, "Don't you have something more important to do than read or write a stupid blog."  At times that has offended me, but lately I have come to realize that if I am being honest with myself, many times I do have more productive, important things that I could and should be doing.  So, last week I only did those things that were of supreme importance.  Blogging wasn't one of them.

2. I spent time with positive people.  Whenever my life gets stressful I have to guard who I spend time with real closely.  I mean, let me be frank, there are some people who will suck every bit of emotional energy out of your life if you let them.  No need to describe the characteristics of these type of people because everyone knows the type of individual I am describing.  During stressful times, if I allow myself to spend time with these type of individuals, it doesn't take long before I become hyper negative and critical and downright miserable.  I did not let that happen last week.  I carefully and strategically positioned myself around some of the most positive people I know and the result was incredible.

3. I prayed more. Praying is such an awesome privilege. There are moments in my life when I don't see it that way, but when stress mounts, having the ability and freedom to go to God about what is going on in my life is so refreshing.  Recently there have been so many moments that I have poured out my heart to God in a painfully honest prayer only to have Him reassure me that He is with me and that He will never leave me.  Saying that sounds so fake I know.  In fact I debated whether to even write it because I, in no way, want to insinuate that I am one of these people that God talks to all the time.  But lately...it just seems like He has been speaking to me on a frequent and consistent basis.  Last week's prayer times were some of the best I have ever had.

4. I spent time with my wife. Angie isn't a needy wife at all.  She never begs me to spend time with her and she is so understanding when other things take precedence over our relationship even when they shouldn't. I didn't want that to happen last week, so I made sure I made time for her.  For example, on Friday we spent the day shopping for furniture.  Now, I hate to shop and so I thought I was making a huge sacrifice.  As it turns out, it was the best day of the week for me.  Not only is my wife fun to be with, she is my best friend.  I am so glad that I have her and that I prioritized being with her in the midst of a stressful week.

I don't say this very often because I am one who recognizes how much work I need in my life, but last week I made some great decisions in dealing with my stress and I am proud of myself!  I hope I can continue to do what I know helps me be the kind of husband, father and leader God wants me to be.

Unleashed Thoughts.....Part II

Yesterday I began blogging about several mistakes that Perry Noble, Pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC said he made while growing his church from 8 people to reaching thousands.  He listed five key mistakes and yesterday I blogged about 3.  Today I will finish with the last 2.  Here they are.

Mistake #4: God would say something hard and he wouldn't say it.  In other words, God would lay something on Perry's heart that he knew was right and that he knew needed to be said but he was hesitant in saying it.  Believe me, I know how this feels.  There have been numerous times over the last 7 years that God has dealt with me about specific issues, but because I was afraid of making someone mad or because I feared that someone would leave I did not say it.  This is one of those mistakes I really regret.  When God speaks into the heart and life of a spiritual leader, I believe He does it for a purpose.  Most of the time His purpose is centered around wanting His leader to deliver a specific message at a specific time for a specific reason.  When, as leaders, we abdicate that responsibility, not only does it disappoint God, it also takes away potential blessings.  You see, God wants the very best for His people and while His message doesn't always provide the listener with a warm fuzzy feeling, what it will provide is a peace and assurance in their lives that only comes from being obedient. When God wants a leader to share a hard truth with a group of followers, not sharing it is one of the biggest mistakes we could make.  I was glad to hear that such a great leader like Perry struggled with this too.

Mistake #5: I didn't preach on money. Now you would think that a church that has done as much as NewSpring in such a short amount of time would have heard money sermons out the wazoo.  Not so.  Perry said that he hardly ever preached about money when he first started.  I can relate.  I don't know what it is when it comes to money.  I mean preachers will stand up and speak about almost any topic in the Bible with passion and fervor but when it comes to money we treat it like the plague. I have made that mistake but do not want to continue to make it.  I want people to hear me say loud and clear that when it comes to money, God expects us to be generous.  After all, He was generous enough to allow His Son to die an excruciating, humiliating death so that we could receive a gift we didn't earn and definitely don't deserve.  Not only that, when we we give generously, the Bible makes it clear that we'll reap what we sow.  Not talking about money is a mistake! Money needs to be talked about and I plan on talking about it more and more.  And here is the bottom line.  If that makes you mad or frustrated, it's probably because you're not giving. 

Unleashed Thoughts.....

Last Thursday I went to a conference put on by NewSpring Church in Anderson, South Carolina called Unleash.  NewSpring's Pastor, Perry Noble did a great job in sharing with a bunch of hungry Pastors about some of the mistakes he has made along the way.  Five mistakes he said he made stand out like a sore thumb to me.  Today I will comment about 3. 

Mistake #1: When people want to leave your church, begging them to stay.  We are living in a culture where people are leaving churches in epidemic proportion.  I sat with two preachers today and both talked about people who have left and are planning on leaving the churches they are leading.  I think it's ridiculous.  I mean, it's one thing if the people that leave churches are leaving and never plan on attending another church ever again.  But in most instances, that is not the case.  No, in most instances people leave a church in search of something better for them.  I guarantee you this isn't the idea the early church had in mind when it talked about the concept of being "fully devoted".  Never the less, I have, and apparently so has Perry Noble, from time to time, asked people to stay.  This is a mistake.  I have learned in 7 years of leading WCC, something Perry reiterated with his statement,  and that's when people are ready to leave, let them go.  Trying to convince somebody that they should stay in a church just because you are scared of the consequences of them leaving only prolongs the inevitable.  Today they want to leave because the music is too loud.  Tomorrow they'll want to leave because you have piped and draped the back of the auditorium.  Let them go.  Someone asked me recently when does a church reach a point when it quits losing people so quickly.  This was my response.  When the church and Christ followers quit worrying so much about who they are trying to keep rather than those whom they aren't reaching, that is when the back door begins to close. But until that happens, when people want to leave, I am with Perry, let them go.

Mistake #2: Apologizing for the vision.  I can remember going home one Sunday afternoon and receiving an e-mail from an 18 year teenager criticizing the vision that God gave me to reach Weddington.  I could not believe it.  It cut like a knife.  And yet, I apologized.  Looking back I wish I would have just let it go.  Now I know that God doesn't give every church planter or pastor the vision that they may have.  But here is what I do know.  When a Pastor is willing to take pay cuts, endure criticism, sacrifice his family and consistently watch people bail, there has to be more to it than just a whimsical dream that he has conjured up.  He must really believe it's God's vision.  As a result, apologizing for that vision is saying God must have been wrong.  That's wrong!!  In my case, I have asked God for forgiveness for apologizing for the vision He placed in my heart almost 10 years ago.  I have also made the commitment that I will never again apologize for that vision.  And here's the best part...I haven't. I won't!!

Mistake #3: Not being who God created me to be.  Ha..anytime I hear a Pastor say this I can relate.  Here are some of the people I have tried to be over the last 7 years.  Don Bouldin, Andy Stanley, Rick Warren, Gene Appel, Mike Breaux, Ed Young Jr..  Anyone who has done ministry right and experienced some degree of success I have tried to mimic in some form or fashion. But, here is what I have found.  I have got to be ME!  And better yet, I am a better and more convincing leader when I am leading from what God has placed in my heart rather than trying to copy what God has put in someone else's.  Further, just because God has chosen to bless one leader for leading in a particular manner does not guarantee that He will bless a copy cat.  One of the hardest things any aspiring young Pastor has to figure out is who he is and who he's not.  I think I have finally figured that out and I am so grateful.

I have 2 more mistakes I will comment on tomorrow.  Stay tuned!!

Strong Responses About Robbing God

I just got back from a conference called "Unleash".  Boy do I have a lot to share.  The only problem is I just don't have the time.  One day away left me with a whole lot of catching up to do.  Monday and Tuesday I will blog about what I learned while I was down at there.  Today I will leave you several responses from Tim Stevens, Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana. Recently, Granger did a series on TITHING and here are some of the common issues that were raised from the congregation during this series. The way Tim responded is not only Biblically on point but just down right STRONG!  I appreciate this kind of leadership.  I hope you do too!! 

·        "It is so hard to tithe on my limited income." Anyone who has lived a portion of their life with very little money, and another portion of their life with ample amounts of money--will tell you that it is much harder to tithe when you have lots of money rather than just a little. Money has a way of getting entangled in your values as it increases and materialism is the fastest growing cell in your heart. Start when you have nothing and see what God does in your heart and through your life.

·        "I'm really tired of this church talking about tithing." In 22 years of ministry, I've never once heard a tithing person complain that we are talking about tithing. Those who tithe have experienced the blessing of God and the freedom that comes with obeying God, and they want others to have that same experience. Whenever someone tells me they are tired of the church talking about money, it's like they have a flashing LED sign on their head that says, "I rob God!" Really, you should just lay low and go stealth. Quit advertising your hard heart.

·        "If I won the lottery and got $10 million dollars, I would give $1 million to my church." No you wouldn't. If you aren't giving God 10% of your income now, there's not a chance in the world you would give 10% if you struck it rich. You are a God-robber, and God-robbers don't suddenly get generous when they get rich.

·        "I've made some bad financial choices and can't tithe until I get back on track." I love your honesty. So get back on track. Sell your house. Downsize. Get in a financial education class. Drive an old beater. Live on beans and weenies. And do everything you can to get back on track and tithing so you can get in the flow of God's blessing!

·        "I don't tithe to my church cause I'm not sure I trust all the decisions they make with the money." Then find a church where you trust the leaders. Not a church where you agree with every decision they make, but a church where you can believe God to work through the leadership that is in place. Quit sucking off the things you like about the church while withholding your tithe or sending it somewhere else.

Unleash Here I Come

Tomorrow morning my dad, Mark Patterson and I will be heading to the Unleash Conference in Anderson, South Carolina.  NewSpring Church and their pastor Perry Noble are in charge.  I have been to a ton of conferences in my day but this is my first time to Unleash.  Here are some things that I hope I receive from the conference.

A Fresh Perspective.  Sometimes when you are in a position of leadership it is hard to "see the forest from the trees".  I found myself in this position more than I would like to admit.  I am praying that hearing from guys that have been where I am and done what I have done will give me some ideas that expand my perspective.

Encouragement.  It's lonely when you lead.  Unless you are a leader, you won't understand.  I think some people's perception of leadership is that it's all fun and filled with exciting adventures.  The truth is it's hard and often times a very lonely place.  I am hoping tomorrow that Perry will speak words of encouragement into my soul.

Friendship.  I am so excited about being able to go down with my dad and Mark.  In case you don't remember Mark, he was the guy with the long goatee that preached for me back in January.  Anyway, spending time with him and Dad on the way down and back should be fun.  I am also looking forward to seeing some of my other pastor friends and catching up on their lives when I get down there.

Inspiration.  In case you don't know, NewSpring Church is a church plant that in just a few short years grew to over 12,000 members.  That is incredible growth and it is due in large part to a committed group of people and a great lead Pastor in Perry Noble.  God has richly blessed this ministry and now they are blessing others like me.  That inspires me and I can't wait to hear Perry talk with boldness about what God can do in the ministries and communities of all the leaders who are attending.

I hope if you read this blog you will pray for me and the guys who are going.  Pray that God will use this time to do a work in all of our lives.  Pray that we will have safe travel.  Most of all pray that God will fill my cup so that I can come back and fill yours.

"The Good Pope's" Tips for Life

Gretchen Rubin is the creator of "The Happiness Project".  This is a project that she created to, as she says, "test drive every principle, tip, theory, and scientific study she can find whether from Aristotle or St. Therese or Martin Seligman on happiness."  "The Happiness Project" gathers these rules for living and reports on what works and what doesn't."  Here is her link: www.happiness-project.com/

Back in February she posted a blog about Pope John XXIII's ten tips on how to live a better life.  I thought it was interesting because it always fascinates me to know how the minds of great people work.  Pope John XXIII was known as "The Good Pope". He was Pope from 1958-1963.  His tips demonstrate how he got his nickname. Check them out.

1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainly that I was created to be happy, not in the other world but also in this one.

4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5. Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.

8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it.  And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else exists in the world.

10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness.  Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

Great Tips To Live By!  Just out of curiosity, what are some of your life tips?

Leadership and Followership

This weekend I am going to be speaking on the role of both leading in the church and the role of following.  These are two hugely important topics that need to be addressed.  I hope those of you who read this blog and attend WCC will make it a priority to be at church this Sunday.  I don't say this as a ploy to get you in a seat.  I say it because every single Christ follower alive needs to hear and be taught on what they should expect from their leaders.  They also need to know what their leaders should expect from them as followers.

While I am on the topic of leaders, I want to ask you to do me a personal favor.  I want to ask you to pray for the leadership of our church.  I don't think it is any coincidence that over the last 2 days I have sat with two men who were in very important leadership roles at their churches that today are no longer there.  These men, both filled with integrity, acted in ways that demonstrated a loyalty that was greater to God than to individuals and it resulted in their whole lives being disrupted.  When I sat and listened to their stories, my heart hurt because I know the pain of leading.  I know the pain of being misunderstood.  I know the difficulty of doing the right thing even when it is hard and then suffering the repercussions. It shouldn't have to be a part of leadership, but I haven't met a leader yet that couldn't identify with what I just wrote.

I also want to use today's blog as an opportunity to praise the Elders of our church.  This past Sunday night our staff and elders got together to celebrate all the good things God is doing in our midst and to get to know one another better.  We ended the night with a time of prayer.  When I prayed, I said, "Lord, thank you for the Elders that you have placed alongside me at WCC.  These men are filled with integrity.  These are men who have stood up for what is right.  These men are the ones who stood in the trenches when the going got tough.  These are the men who have lead WCC to where it is today.  These are men I love and respect.  Thank you God for Rob Smith and Victor Wright."  If you don't know who these men are, I hope you'll get to know them.  They personify servant leadership and are great spiritual role models in our church.

Finally let me add this: God may be leading some of you to prayerfully consider becoming an Elder.  Initially we had set a date of January 31st as the deadline to receive Elder nominations.  I have decided to extend that for two more weeks.  I think God is moving in the hearts of some of the men and women in our church about pursuing this role.  If God has been speaking to you, my encouragement is to be obedient and jump in.  Leading is hard, but our mission of leading God's church and seeing people enter into a relationship with God is worth it!