Tom McComb: February 2010

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Finding God's Will - The First Step is a Deusey!

I have wrestled a lot in my life. Not on the mat - anytime I got out there, I lost. My wrestling has mostly been in understanding and following God's will. Maybe you are the same.

But so far in my struggles, I do believe that this whole issue of God's will in my life boils down to two facets:

Understanding God's Will
Following God's Will

For those who struggle, I think a lot of us get stuck on the first part. We pain sometimes over the minutiae of decisions, believing that God has a step-by-step plan for our lives. If only we could get a detailed, turn-by-turn map like what Google maps provides.

If I had a map for God's will, I would follow it, wouldn't you?

But I think we need to suspend temporarily spending thought and energy on understanding God's will and concentrate on following God's will. Because I believe that in a very fundamental way, God has already settled the issue for us. I believe that He's already given us a plan for our lives. Something to follow that will take us through every motion, every decision in life.

And here's the secret, revealed by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:3:

It is God's will that you should be sanctified

I'm not trying to downplay the efforts people put in to get God to weigh in on my decisions: where to go to school, what career to choose, which person to marry, etc. All I am saying is that we should make a daily choice to live every day, with the Spirit's power, a life that is pleasing to Him.

Before we settle the issue on our daily or even long-term decisions, we need to settle the issue of the heart.

Am I pleasing God with every thought, word and deed? Is everything that comes from within me from a motivation of pure love? If not, maybe it's time to stop searching for the "what" of God's will and start concentrating on the "Who." God himself wants to transform you from the inside out. That's God's will for each of us - that we should be sanctified.

As we continue to wrestle with the day to day, let's make the first decision of each day to give ourselves to God, letting Him have control of our very heart. And He will sanctify us, giving us the privilege of experiencing His love being expressed through us all day long.

And the wrestling over life's decisions will be easier, because we have settled the most important issue about God's will for us.

How do I do this?

Believe that God wants to transform you in that way.
Decide to give up on any other way but God's way.

Start off each day following God's will, because you know what it is for you. And understanding God's will for the other decisions will be an easier struggle.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

Build Your Sunday School - Visit!

This post is related to the one about Sunday School last week, when I talked about contacting people who haven't been there in a while.

This week, I am talking about keeping in touch - outside class - with students who are your tried-and-true regular attenders.

Contacting them outside class helps you do a few things:

It allows them to talk privately about sensitive issues. There may be prayer requests or relationship concerns that they wouldn't bring up in class.
It gives an opportunity for specific feedback. Sometimes your quietest students have the best ideas or suggestions as to how to make things better. Get with them one on one and listen to what they have to say.
It shows that you care about them. If you only see them in class, you may give the impression that you take them for granted or that you on care about the fact that they come to Sunday School.
It deepens relationships. By extending yourself outside class, you are opening yourself as well.
It extends the reach of your pastor. Some people wait a long time to get a visit from the CO. You can help these soldiers feel more a part of the congregation.

Ideas to make contact:

Find a way that works for both of you. For some, it's the phone. For others, it's Facebook. Some people like email, while in certain situations, a home visit is the best. Find out the best way to make contact.
Contact your students regularly. With a smaller class, you can make a contact once every month or two. Obviously, there will be people that you naturally connect better with, and you will want to contact them more frequently. Just make sure that you get to all of them eventually.
Listen. You have an agenda, yes, but make sure that your student gets to say what's on their minds.
Bring someone else along. Sometimes, you know in advance that a visit might be awkward. For instance, if you are visiting someone of the opposite sex who lives alone, it is best to bring someone with you.
Keep it short. Yes, some people will want to visit for a long time. But keeping it short will ensure that future visits will be welcomed, not dreaded.
Share with your pastor. There might be a situation that you are really concerned about, maybe an issue that is beyond your expertise. Keeping the Captain informed will help develop a team approach to meeting needs.

Will you commit to making contact with a few students this weekend? It will help enliven your Sunday School class.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Guest Post: The Ultimate Focus (Life Lessons from Chess) by Paul Fleeman

This is a guest post by Major Paul Fleeman, Principal of The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training in Chicago. It is part of a series that he has agreed to have posted on my blog.

THE ULTIMATE FOCUS
Major Paul Fleeman

Key Bible Verses: God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (I Timothy 6:15-16)

Chess is a fascinating game that has been around for at least 1,200 years. Since the Medieval times, the pieces have taken on interesting symbolisms such as:

the pawn – the foot soldier;
the castle – a place of safety;
the knight – a leader and protector;
the bishop – a spiritual advisor;
the queen – the most active and second in command;
and of course the king – everything is centered on him. Losing the king is losing the game.

For a Christian, the ultimate focus is what is at the top of the king’s crown. That is the cross. It is a symbol of sacrifice, of our salvation, and our promise of eternal life. All of this made possible by God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

My response: Lord, show me what I can do to lift up Christ and His sacrifice, to those I may talk to today.

Thought to Apply: As I consider my faith journey moves, may my ultimate focus be on the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Tears from Haiti

During THQ Chapel service this morning, and after some technical difficulty, Kevin Ellers, director of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army Central Territory, talked via Skype with Bob Poff, currently serving with his wife Vicki at The Salvation Army's La Maison du Bonheur in Port au Prince. This is a children's home, but since the January earthquake, it has been tranformed into a care station for some 20,000 survivors who are camped out on and around the grounds. I say "camped" loosely because they are sleeping outside with no shelter but nearby buildings and rubble.

In the 10-minute call, Bob presented many staggering statistics, with vivid descriptions of how resilient the Haitians are, then his manner changed dramatically. Overcome and almost unable to speak, Bob started to express his thanks for the overwhelming support that the USA Central Territory has given him and Vicki during their selfless efforts to serve the survivors. Clearly this experience has been emotionally and physically draining on them. The conversation concluded abruptly when the Skype connection dropped in the middle of Bob's expression of gratitude.

The reaction of the chapel congregation was audible. We all sensed Bob's heart via the call.

The Salvation Army has made several commitments to the people of Haiti:

The relief and service effort will continue for a very long term. Kevin Ellers used the term "years" to describe the scope of the effort.
The type of help given is carefully selected in order not only to meet needs, but also to reduce a long-term reliance on relief organizations. For this reason, the meals distributed consist of a container of clean water and the ingredients to fix a meal, rather than serving prepared meals. The Salvation Army is also distributing charcoal and portable stoves with which to prepare the meals.
The creativity and strength of the Haitians is also considered when selecting the services. For instance, toolkits are being distributed in order to assist the survivors who have already demonstrated incredible talent for making shelters.
Spirituality is central. In one Salvation Army Corps in Haiti last Sunday, 200 people professed faith in Christ. There is an openness to God's forgiveness in the wake of this catastrophe, and The Salvation Army is ready to guide those who are seeking.

Click here to donate to The Salvation Army's continuing work in Haiti.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

You Forgot What?

OK, so I'm a forgetful person. I will walk into a room, knowing I was going in search of something but can't remember what I was going in after. Very frustrating to me and others.

My wife Beth was going through some journal entries I was making while I was a Cadet in training over 20 years ago. One field training Sunday back then, I was scheduled to preach. The way it worked back then was that I was assigned months in advance. I was to submit, one at a time, a proposal for a Bible passage, a Bible Study, a short sermon outline, an extended (I used to day distended) outline, and a manuscript. After several weeks expired and trees suffered from the paper usage, I was ready (or so I thought) to stand up in the pulpit with my manuscript. To make matters worse, the field training officer (who was and is still a very nice person) was sitting in the back of the congregation with a grading sheet and the manuscript, giving a grade and constructive criticism on my sermon delivery.

I traveled with my brigade to the location, a two-hour drive away. For whatever reason,I didn't have my manuscript with me. No notes, no outline, no sermon. The adrenaline was flowing as I tried to conceal my oversight from the training officer. I had a few minutes alone before the meeting, and took a blank sheet of paper. I folded it in half sideways so that it would fit in my Bible. From what I remembered of my sermon, I wrote a bullet-point outline in two columns, one on each side of the fold.

When I got in the pulpit, I was nervous, but I felt strangely free. I was able to step away from the pulpit, look people in the eye or take a small side trip that seemed appropriate at the moment.

That Sunday morning began what for me has been a regular system for sermon delivery:

I prepare my sermon in much the same way, except I don't create an extended outline or manuscript.
I take a piece of graph paper (I like the horizontal and vertical lines for lining things up), fold it in half, and write on the open side of the paper.
I write only a simple outline - bullet points and subpoints. Any crucial points or quotes I will write out word for word. I may also write the words to a prayer chorus on the page. There are usually no mre than 200 words on the page.
I write the notes by hand so that my memory can better recall my thoughts from a glance at the image of my own handwriting. Printing it on the computer doesn't have the same effect.
I fold the page and stick it in my Bible right where the preaching passage is.
During the meeting, a thought might come up, or an illustration that ties into what someone else says. I will open the sermon up and jot down that thought where I think it will best fit in.
I open my Bible, put the notes next to the Scripture, and I am ready to go.

I am willing to admit that there have been several times since I was a cadet that I have lost my notes. One time, I got up to the pulpit, ready to preach, thinking my notes were in my Bible, and they weren't. Too late to do anything else. I said, "Let's pray." And God had His way among us.

So my encouraging advice to you is to wean yourself from the manuscript. And I know you'll be a better preacher.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Things I Forgot to Say on Sunday

It never happened to you, did it? You get up to teach a Sunday School class, deliver the announcements or preach a sermon, and you sit down. Then you remember something that you wanted to say but didn't. When this happens, my reactions are varied. Sometimes, I feel like kicking myself, feeling like I missed the best part, and now regretting that it's too late. Other times, my faith tells me to trust God's guidance, feeling like maybe what I left out was better left unsaid.

In reality, I need to lean more toward the latter, letting go of the moment and letting God have His way in what I say.

At any rate, this morning I thought through yesterday's sermon. I got in almost everything, but wanted to post one of the missing parts.

I was speaking about Faith, Hope and Love from 1 Corinthians 13:13. I described Hope as a visual attribute, given by God to help us have an eternal perspective and vision as we trudge through life.

As I prepared the message, I intended to challenge my audience to sit down and write out their experience of God's calling in their lives. Yesterday's audience was mostly people training to be Salvation Army officers, and I wanted to make sure they had documented their experience of the divine call in order to have it on hand when discouraging times come.

Having this written testimony of God's revelation to us will be incredibly useful as a way to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen."

OK, I trust God, even as I deliver a sermon. God had something to say, and perhaps it had nothing to do with the challenge I considered delivering. But now I mention it for your consideration today.

Have you ever written out what your experience with God's call on your life? I recommend it - it will be a handy document when times get tough.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Never Say Amen!

How do you end a prayer?

Some people say, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen."

In our tradition, people often say, "In the name of Jesus. Amen."

The word "Amen" can be used in different ways. Jesus used the word when he said, "Truly, truly I say to you . . ." In Greek, the words are "Amen, Amen . . . ."

Some people like to use it when they are strongly agreeing with something. You may have heard it called aloud from the congregation when the speaker says something significant and profound.

At other times, it becomes a punctuation mark for our prayer. It says, "I'm done talking with God." Sort of a holy way of saying, "Bye - bye," on the phone.

Paul talks several times about praying continuously. At first it seems impossible. Just the idea of bowing your head, closing your eyes and folding your hands seems pretentious or embarrassing as we go through the day.

In Psalm 1, the blessed man is compared with a tree planted by streams of water. Something jumped out at me as I read this recently - a tree doesn't move. First of all, it can't unless it is transplanted. It is there to stay. But the second reason is that, if it's planted by the streams of water, why would it want to be anywhere else?

I think there is a way to be constantly in prayer. In other words, we can be continually aware of God's presence as we go about other activities.

No, we can't stay put like a tree. But we can go throughout the day continually connected to God's love and power.

So as far as ending my prayer time? I will determine in my prayer life never to say "Amen." Not as a punctuation to end prayer. I want to be constantly in prayer.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Preliminary Signup - Mentoring for Men

I am planning a life-changing event for me and eight men. It will start September 2010 and will go for nine months.

The commitment:

Mandatory attendance and participation in nine Monday night sessions (roughly once a month), three hours each with me at my home in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Activities between sessions, including reading, writing and memorizing scripture
Humility - being transparent and open to new and challenging teaching in your life. Also being willing to share your triumphs and defeats in order to help others in the group.
Final pot luck dinner session with spouses (Date and location TBA, Spring 2011)
Being willing to "pay it forward," mentoring another group of men at some point when it is appropriate in your life.

I will select eight men based on the following schedule:

Phase 1 - Gather email addresses from any interested in participating. Giving me your email address does not commit you to the process or promise you a spot in the sessions.
Phase 2 - Applications will be distributed by email in June 2010 with an invitation to apply.
Phase 3 - Eight participants will be selected, invited and asked to agree to a list of commitments. This will be completed by August 15, 2010.
Phase 4 - Mentoring sessions begin September 2010.

The benefits of being involved:

It's a finite commitment. It won't last forever, so it is a more manageable commitment.
We will all learn from each other in an open, transparent environment. The ability to be honest and hold each other accountable will be invaluable.
We will each be better husbands, fathers and church members.
You will be better equipped and encouraged to "pass the torch," mentoring other men in the future.

If you are interested, make sure I get your name and email address by one of the following methods:

Send me a Direct Message on Twitter.
Email me
Send me a Facebook message. My screen name is Tom McComb

I am looking forward not only to meeting a new group of friends, but also to seeing what God will do among us as we pour our lives into each other.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Where Have You Been?

Life gets crazy sometimes. Sometimes, you have to break your routine. So you miss Sunday School a few times. But no one called. No one emailed. Does anyone care that you missed? Do you really want to go back?

These are the thoughts of too many people who have been enthusiastically invited and welcomed to church, but after coming for awhile, have an interruption. Do we as Sunday School teachers notice? Do we do anything about it?

In the near future, I will put a post up about how to show care and respect to others. One way to drop the ball is to fail to contact someone who misses class.

Here are a few ways to do it:

Postcard. OK, it's a little old-fashioned, but everyone likes to get mail. There are colorful cards available at Christian bookstores that can be filled out by hand on Sunday afternoon. If you drop it in the mailbox right away, your student has mail - showing you care and you missed them - on Tuesday.
Email. In this digital age, you can send a quick note through email. Many young people use Facebook instead of email, so get an account and send friend requests to your class members. I hope that someday, the Sunday School attendance book will have room for email and Facebook name. There are even some free digital cards you can send.
Phone call. I know someone who hated to miss Sunday School, because they know if they missed, they would get a call from someone. Now guilt is a poor motivator, but sometimes it's the only thing that does the trick. If you teach a children's class, call the student's parents, let them know why you are calling and ask permission to talk with your student. I've never had a parent say "no," and many times, it is even more important to communicate to the parent about the absence than the student. After all, the parent is often your student's only transportation to Sunday School. Just touch base to see if everything is OK.
Home visit. There are situations that just seem funny, and you suspect that something crazy is happening at your student's home. If you it would make you feel more comfortable, bring someone else along - maybe the Sunday School teacher from the older sister's class. Just go to the home, and have a friendly visit. Let the whole family know they were missed. Ask if there is something you can pray about. Then pray and go. Don't stay forever. They have things to do, and so do you. Remember, everyone can make home visits; not just the Corps Officer.

This Sunday, pay attention to your attendance sheet. Make note of who is missing and how long they have been missing. There may be students in your class who are ready to fall through the cracks. Don't wait any longer - contact them and let them know you care that they are missing.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Putting it Together

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and looks out the window which hope has opened." In this brief statement, he gave us a snapshot of what the relationship looks like between Faith, Hope and Love.

After all, as I stated in an earlier post, Faith moves. It must move, or it is dead. But without Love, even with all the Faith in the world, we are nothing (1 Cor 13:2). Love has made the connection and created an avenue for our faith to move.

In another post, I explained that Hope sees. When faith moves, it has a target or a focus for us to concentrate on. Again and again in scripture, we are encouraged to focus on heavenly things (Colossians 3:1-2, 2 Corinthians 4:18). When Faith moves, Hope gives it a target. When I taught my children to ride bicycles, I told them to look at a point down the sidewalk. It might have been a road sign or a tree, but when they took their eyes off the pedals and looked at their "target," they kept better balance and rode in a straighter line. We need to use Hope that way.

And Love paves the way for us to hope.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

He Doesn't Know the Territory

"He Doesn't Know the Territory!" This is a line from "Music Man," one of our family's favorite musicals. Taylor was one of the "Pick-a-little" girls in a production her middle school put on. Very fun.

But the quote is good as a warning for preachers too. You need to know the territory.

Even Professor Harold Hill, who didn't know the first thing about boys bands, spent time getting to know the people of River City in order to present his sales pitch in a way that they couldn't resist.

Preachers need to do the same thing. That is why, except for a few rare situations, the local pastor is the best one to minister from the pulpit.

For some time in my ministry as a corps officer, I was glad to get a break when a DHQ officer came. One time, a DHQ guest said to me, "I will either preach or pay for lunch." At that time, I was glad to preach, so that our corps could save some money. Other than that, I would have the DHQ guest preach. I thought they might have something to say to our people. But I found that they didn't really connect with the people. It wasn't that the content wasn't good, or that it wasn't well-prepared or well delivered. But I knew my soldiers better.

Visiting preachers don't connect well from the pulpit because they don't have a relationship with them before the sermon begins.

Many of you can remember, as I do, Commissioner Andy Miller, when he was guest speaking, he would roam the auditorium, not only before the meeting started, but sometimes while the meeting was happening. He would talk with people, "read" their faces, pray with people and get a sense of the crowd. He would let the Holy Spirit inspire him as to what he should include in his sermon. Sometimes, he would use something he learned just a few minutes before in his sermon. Other times, I am convinced, he actually changed what he was going to preach in order to match what he was sensing among the people.

Commissioner Miller knew the value of connecting with the people before the sermon in order to connect better with them from the pulpit.

Here are a few things I remember that help me "know the territory."

Pay attention to news events. Maybe you switched your sermon just after September 11, 2001, or just after the Haiti earthquake. If you did, you understood what your people needed to hear. After all, preaching is about meeting needs, and crisis is a prime time to allow the Bible to apply to uncertainty.
Use personal examples. When I spoke about faithful service, sometimes, I would refer to some soldier in the congregation who was a great example of that. They aren't perfect examples, and I risked embarrassing them, but it really connected with the congregation that day.
Listen to what you hear on Sunday morning. If someone is going through a crisis, or has a story of victory, maybe it's time to delay the sermon and have a short time of prayer or testimony. More than once, I have ditched my planned message because God was doing something incredible in the meeting - I just had to step aside.
Address known issues. Because you have been working with the families, you know what faith issues people are facing. From your face-to-face ministry with them through the week, you can tailor make your sermons to meet those needs. Maybe it's an illustration, or a whole sermon. Other times, you may decide to construct a whole series to help your people deal with today's life challenges.
Watch faces. This is my weakest area, because sometimes I "zone in" to my message and don't realize what is happening as I am preaching, but sometimes, you can see pain or distraction on someone's face. At those times, be sensitive to what God is stirring in your heart to say.
Go with a distraction. Even in the most peaceful of corps environments, an interruption comes. Maybe it's a crying baby or a disruptive kid. One time on an Easter Sunday with a visiting preacher (I wasn't there), a child pulled the fire alarm. If there is a distraction, understand that even the most focused congregation member is distracted. If you keep preaching without skipping a beat, you will lose your audience's attention. My advice: Acknowledge the interruption, laugh about it, then return to the sermon. It might even serve as an illustration to something you are already talking about. I suppose that comedians know better how to deal with hecklers, but preachers need to be nimble (and humble) enough to deal with an interruption with grace.

As I write this, I am preparing to "guest speak" before a group of people, most of whom I don't know. I hope to do a little bit of "working the room" in order to be better connected for the message.

What do you do to make sure you are connecting with your audience?

Monday, February 15, 2010

Theologian of American Anguish

I have always been intrigued by our 16th president, this gentle giant who was Abraham Lincoln. Today, in his tribute, I will lift a few quotes from a book given me by my historian cousin. It is called, "Abraham Lincoln: Theologian of American Anguish" by Elton Trueblood. This first edition is signed by the author. As I make my annual pilgrimage into this book, I share bits of it with you.

From Chapter 1 - The Spiritual Pilgrimage of Abraham Lincoln (page 7):

"The anguish which Lincoln experienced more than a century ago gave birth, not only to penitence and thanksgiving, but to much more that has endured in our spiritual panoply. The phrase "under God," which emerged spontaneously at the Gettysburg Battlefield in November, 1863, has now become an official part of our Salute to the Flag. "In God we trust," first used in Lincoln's administration, still adorns our coinage and is engraved on the walls of both houses of Congress. Out of anguish came greatness such as does not normally come in easier times."

Quoting Lincoln in Chapter 2, The Agonizing Interlude (page 44-45):

"We are indeed going through a great trial — a fiery trial. In the very responsible position in which I happen to be placed, being a humble instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father, as I am, and as we all are, to work out his great purposes, I have desired that all my works and acts may be according to his will, and that it might be so, I have sought his aid — but if after endeavoring to do my best in the light which he affords me, I find my efforts fail, I must believe that for some purpose unknown to me, He wills it otherwise. If I had had my way, this war would never have been commenced; if I had been allowed my way this war would have been ended before this, but we find it still continues; and we must believe that He permits it for some wise purpose of His own, mysterious and unknown to us; and though with our limited understandings we may not be able to comprehend it, yet we cannot but believe, that he who made the world still governs it."

From Chapter 3, Lincoln and the Bible (pages 50-51):

"How well he knew some of the verses is shown by the lawyer's response when he drove out into the country to make a will for a woman who was dying. After the will had been signed and witnessed, the woman asked Lincoln to read a few verses out of the Bible. A copy of the Scriptures was produced, but Lincoln did not open it. Instead, he recited from memory the Twenty-third Psalm and the opening verses of the fourteenth chapter of John."

From Chapter 4, Lincoln and Prayer (pages 73-74):

"The evidence of Abraham Lincoln's own practice of personal prayer is so abundant that no thoughtful person can deny it. He prayed alone, and he called the nation to prayer; he prayed for guidance, and he prayed in gratitude; he prayed in defeat, and he prayed in victory. Often noted was his reverence when others engaged in vocal prayer. Along with his unashamed reverence, however, went a large measure of reticence. Though Mrs. Pomeroy said that she heard the President praying aloud in the White House, we have no text of any vocal prayer uttered by him. Something of his reticence is indicated by the fact that when he attended with regularity the weekly prayer meeting at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, he elected to sit unseen in the pastor's study with the door ajar. The President told his pastor, Dr. Phineas D. Gurley, that he received important help from these unostentatious gatherings, chiefly because they were characterized more by prayer than by the making of speeches. By this time in his life, with countless heavy burdens upon him, Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature Lincoln more important than talking about Him."

I hope these few excerpts are enough to whet your appetite for more of who Lincoln was, and perhaps to find more significance to his 201st birthday. God bless you today!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Repentance and Humility Day #regen2010

Today, Michael Collins further developed the "Paradox" theme of ReGeneration, with two messages targeting our attitude and response to God.

After Transmission led a rousing worship session, the morning's message centered around Matthew 23:12, "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Collins hit the audience hard, with a call to review our attitudes toward others, especially in the hierarchical system of The Salvation Army. He maintains that it is Jesus' command to obey the orders of our superiors. That obedience must transcend logic and feeling. And God will lift us up.

During the morning's sermon, Collins set the table for the evening's meeting and theme. He described a time when he was troubled with hidden sin in his life. Not able to exist with the shame any longer, he confessed his failings and struggles to his wife, friends and boss, expecting to be disowned or fired. What he found was generous grace from all he spoke with. Those he confessed to encouraged him to continue in his growth. As a result, he made a commitment always to be honest about his failings, relying on God's promise to lift him up.

As if the morning sermon continued without interruption, the evening's message used Revelation 5 as a launching pad. The paradox Collins underscored was the contrast between strength and weakness. From verse 4 to verse 5, the Apostle John hears an elder tell him, "See the Lion," and when he looks up, he sees "a Lamb, looking like it was slain." These two creatures symbolized the contrast between these two parts of God's nature.

Collins took a brief stop in Judges 6 to examine why God chose Gideon to defeat the Midianites. After all, Gideon was the least of his family in the weakest clan in Manasseh.

Suddenly, Collins seemed to sense a need to go in a different direction. He suddenly asked if there was anyone who wanted to confess weakness, especially in the area of pornography. He explained that many delegates had approached him individually through the afternoon, confessing and asking for direction.

Collins asked if anyone wanted to confess publicly. What followed was a series of confessions, indicating struggles with porn, sexual sin, doubt, anger and cutting. As the delegates stood and confessed, the congregation encouraged them, sometimes with applause and other times with supportive hands on shoulders and encouraging hugs.

Then, an appeal was made for people to come forward to pray. The invitation was for anyone who wanted to confess their weaknesses and find God's strength in His grace.

Delegates were then challenged to find someone at home with whom they could be accountable in order to leave the habits of the past behind them.

Collins' fresh and brusque approach, coupled with his unabashed transparency and confession, encouraged the delegates to open up. I believe they felt they had a kinship with the speaker, because he understood what they are going through.

Tomorrow will conclude with a 10:00 am meeting, featuring Collins' last message in the "Paradox" series.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Husband Under Construction

This weekend, I celebrate Valentine's Day again with Beth. This is number 22, counting our dating life and over 20 years of marriage.

What a fantastic time I have had with Beth. We have lived our adventure together in nine states, are almost done raising two wonderful daughters and reluctantly enduring two dogs. As with any relationship, there have been difficult times. Most of those have to do with my own stubbornness, selfishness and pride. But we seemed to weather through those. In fact, the last few months have seemed to be the start of a new chapter of our married life. We seem to be more in tune with each other and trusting each other more lately.

Perhaps it is due to our perseverance through recent health challenges, or maybe we are finally changing patterns of dealing with crises from before. Whatever it is, I have really grown to appreciate Beth more than ever lately. At the risk of not sounding very romantic, she really is my best friend, and I'm more glad than ever that I married her.

I suppose that the key to this kind of success comes from following the advice in Ephesians 5:25-28:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

I have a lot of improving to do, and I appreciate Beth's patience. But I'm glad that I've come this far and learned the lessons I have.

I sure do love you, my Valentine!

Michael Collins at #ReGen2010 - Focus on the Unseen

ReGeneration, a Salvation Army weekend conference for young adults, hosts its bigger-than-ever enrollment, bursting Bourbon, Missouri's Camp Mihaska with over 300 delegates and staff.

Michael Collins, the featured speaker, comes from Burnaby, BC, where he is Associate Pastor of Cariboo Hill Temple.

Collins' self-deprecating style is warm and inviting. He mixes quips about his struggles in the educational system with a finely-tuned knowledge of Scripture.

Collins launched into the conference's theme, "Paradox" with a message on "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

He used stories about cheeseburgers to illustrate his point that if we focus on God, nothing else will distract us. Collins also featured a powerful reference to Revelation 4:1-2, concentrating on the end of verse 2: "there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it." Reported as one of his favorite verses, it helps him remember that there is someone who is in control, even though it might not seem like it if we focus only on what we can see.

He not only captured the attention of his hungry audience, but he delivered a challenge to become more familiar with God's word, saying that 95% of Christians don't read the Bible regularly. I for one felt inspired to dive deeper into Scripture.

I really enjoyed his communication style, and look forward to the rest of the weekend.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Where Suffering Doesn't Come From

There seem to be a lot of ideas running around about where suffering comes from. Many of those ideas come from humanity's well-intentioned desire to come up with a logical explanation for everything. In Bible study this week, we studied Luke 12 and 13, in which Jesus encourages his disciples to be ready and to concentrate on what is most important in their lives.

Here are the first five verses of Luke 13:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

In these verses, Jesus attempts to get them to focus not on why others are suffering, but on their relationship with God. According to Jesus, our relationship with God is more important than trying to find an explanation for everything.

Here is a list of conclusions people come to about suffering, and why they are wrong.

You are suffering because you sinned. While we know that driving 150 miles per hour in front of the police station has its consequences, most suffering comes because the world is broken because sin entered the world. So if you have cancer, it's not because you didn't say your prayers every night as a child. When the man who was born blind was presented to Jesus, the people wanted to know if his blindness was because of his sin or his parent's sin. Jesus reminded them that they were missing the point and that God was going to get His glory through their friend.
You don't have enough faith. I can't tell you how many times I have heard this from people wanting to present a quick-fix for those who are suffering. And at the same time, this is the last thing suffering people want to hear. Didn't Job have faith? Faith when he lost his family and all his possessions? Sometimes bad things happen to people with big faith. After all, even the most saintly people die eventually (unless Jesus comes first, that is).
God is punishing you. This was offered by some as an explanation for the recent Haiti earthquake and was met with strong rebuff. This statement is absurd and tremendously hurtful. First of all, God's judgment has not yet come - Jesus refers to the "Day of Judgment" as something that is later - not today. Not to mention that without Jesus' salvation, we all deserve judgment and punishment anyway. The "God is punishing you" write-off often masks a self-righteous attitude. Except for God's forgiveness, none of us escape the judgment, and we should all be grateful that it hasn't happened yet.
God causes suffering. This is sometimes phrased as a question - "Why is God causing this suffering?" While I believe that God does allow suffering into our lives to help us build character, He is not its source. On the contrary, His prevenient grace protects us from a lot of suffering that would naturally come our way in this sinful world.

I know a lot of people who suffer in various ways. Some are inspiring pictures of faith, relying on God to carry them through. God has not promised that we would not suffer, but He did promise His presence to those who are suffering.

Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death,
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

So don't listen to those with bad theology. Stay close to friends who will just be there and listen during your turmoil, and listen to God. He will be with you.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

What Did You Forget to Pack?

This is the 2nd installment in a series on how to enliven your Sunday School.

Going on a trip can be frustrating if you haven't prepared.

I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to pack something. Like the band trip in high school when I forgot to pack black socks. Or the company conference when I forgot to pack my shaver. It creates an embarrassing situation, and has created new habits in me.

I make a list. I check with my wife. I recheck the luggage. I open a suitcase a couple of days early so that I can throw things in as I think of them.

Being properly prepared can also help you revitalize your Sunday School. Here are a few tips that Beth and I shared with the ReFuel conference a few weeks ago:

Know how to lead someone to Christ. Sunday School teachers have a unique relationship with their students, and you have a larger amount of time with your class sharing spiritual truth and challenges than just about anyone else. When the opportunity comes (and it will come) to lead someone to Christ, you will be ready. Most quarterly Sunday School lesson guides have a page describing how to lead your students to Christ. These instructions are also age-appropriate for your class. Take time to become familiar with it - even to the point of memorizing it or making it your own. This will certainly increase your joy as a teacher!
Arrive early. Get to the classroom at least 15 minutes before Sunday School opening to get it ready. How many times have you entered your classroom only to find that someone "borrowed" your table for a potluck? Or the Cub Scouts left their craft projects to dry on every available inch of counter space? Or that someone made off with your markers? Getting there early will ensure that your classroom will be ready for your class. If the first time you walk into your Sunday School class is when the students arrive, you are getting there too late.
Read the lesson. Do this early in the week. If you only find out at 10:00 on Saturday night that you needed something unusual from the hardware store for tomorrow's class, you are in trouble. Reading the lesson early will help you get the materials you need on time. It will also make you more familiar with the lesson. That way, you don't have to be tied to the lesson book and really interact with your students better. Don't get me wrong - the lesson book will still be close at hand, but your nose isn't stuck in it.
Read the Bible passage. Read it several times throughout the week. Make it part of your daily devotional time or make it an extra time that you dedicate to Sunday School preparation daily. If you make the Bible passage a part of your life during the week, it will seep out of your pores as you present it to your students.
Be ready for visitors. Few things are more discouraging to a visitor than to walk into a Sunday School room and there is nowhere to sit. Make sure that your classroom has enough chairs, handouts, Bibles and craft supplies for extra people. Build a vision among your "regulars" to invite others to the class (I will talk about this in a later installment). Exercise your faith by praying over the empty chairs. Maybe you will want to stretch your expectations by putting even more chairs in the room. And then work to fill them.

It's Thursday, and Sunday is coming. Are you prepared for your Sunday School class? It's not too late to start now.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Always Perseveres

In the Love Chapter of First Corinthians, Paul tells us that love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Cor 13:7)

As I meditate on that verse, I envision a child who is learning to walk. For a while, he holds onto furniture as he navigates the room, confined to the narrow path around something - anything - to hold onto. The coffee table provides protection for him until he is steady enough to take a step on his own. Eventually, his trust and hope prevail (with a little help from Mom and Dad), and then the whole room is his. Which means that fragile objects need to be relocated a little higher, baby-proofing the house to a new level.

As I get closer to what Paul is saying, I feel stronger that love is like a bridge - it connects. Especially in situations that seem hopeless, love is able to break through and make a connection where none was before.

I had a small run-in with a neighbor. Nothing big, but it had big potential. Potential to be a big fight. Potential to form a strong relationship.

Does that mean that where there is no division, there is no love? What is the opposite of love?

As I anticipated the next encounter with the neighbor, I was tense. I was tempted to allow a rift to create greater separation between us.

The Apostle John explains, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

The opposite of love is fear.

I was experiencing fear. And if I let fear rule me, there would be tension on our street because fear divides us.

Does fear keep you from connecting with those around you? It does for all of us.

As I finally met with our neighbor, I decided to find ways to connect with them. If found a lot that we had in common - our kids went to the same high school, we both have two dogs, and on it goes.

Are you stuck at the edges of the room in your relationships? Are you letting fear keep people at arms' length? Maybe it's time to let love - God's love - rule in your life. Love will drive out fear and allow you, even inspire you, to connect with others.

Love always perseveres.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

How to Find and Listen to Sermons Online

As promised from yesterday, in this post I will give you a head start to listening to free sermons online.

Find a podcast reader. For many, this is iTunes. I have stayed away from the Apple product because it is too "heavy" of a client to have running on my PC while I am doing other things. Besides which, I am a fan of open source solutions for computers. After using a half dozen different podcast subscription software, I finally settled on Google Reader. This free solution collects all the feeds into one place, and I don't have to download all the sermons just to try them out. And I don't have to install it on my PC. If you are looking for different options, I suggest searching for "aggregator," and look at the choices. Don't look too far - sometimes an email client you already have installed has an aggregator included.
Search for sermons. This means a little bit of work, but it's worth it for the wealth of audio that is out there. Start with your favorite preacher, author or church, and put the word "podcast" with their name in the search. And for heaven's sake, don't pay for anything. Some feeds require registering with a website, which is OK in moderation. Many Bible Colleges will podcast their chapel services, which is sometimes hit-or-miss in quality, but there are some terrific messages by students, faculty and guests that are worth a little work looking for.
Get the link for the feed. It is usually an internet address that ends in ".xml." Look for the "RSS" link. It looks like the image at the top of this post. This image usually links to the feed. Just put your mouse on the link, right-click, and then click on "Copy Link Location," or something similar. You have just copied the feed's link to your clipboard.
Subscribe in your podcast reader. Then, in your reader, click on "Add Feed" or "Add Subscription" and paste the link you just copied into the field provided, click [OK], and you're done. The reader will either bring the links up immediately, or at the next scheduled time to do so.
Select the sermons and listen. From here, you can pick-and-choose the messages you really want to hear. Sometimes you are listening to a certain preacher, or there is a Bible passage or topic that really jumps out to you. Download these sermons to your laptop. I have a folder in "My Documents" called "My Received Podcasts" that helps me keep them organized.
Copy some to your MP3 player. Again, I like the off-brand MP3 players that seem so much cheaper and simpler to operate than the "Big Brother" name brands. I will queue up dozens of sermons to listen to while I exercise or while I go grocery shopping alone. Check out the documentation of your MP3 player to find out how to get the audio to your player. I will jam as many as I can fit on my player.
Delete as you go. As I listen to sermons, I delete them. This is so that when I return to my laptop, I can find out quickly how much free space I have for new sermons. Sometimes, I know right away that I'll be bored with a message. I will delete them before they are completed. After all, why waste time when there is so much good stuff out there. At other times, there are sermons that are just fantastic that I decide to keep and listen to again.

I hope this is helpful to you. I definitely think that listening to other people preach has helped me improve as I minister from the pulpit, and I hope it will for you too.

Leave a comment and let me know how this is going for you.

Like what you are reading? Consider the following:

Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page).
"Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb.
Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts)
Tell someone else about this blog.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Other Voices

This is the 3rd in a series called "Making a Better Preacher."

A long time ago, while I was in Salvation Army training, a friend of mine (Todd Thielke) introduced me to a tremendously helpful habit. While he was on morning details, he wore a walkman (remember those?) and listened to sermons on cassette tape. Technology has come a long way, and I mean in a very good way.

More and more churches and preachers have chosen to "reach out" via the internet to find a congregation beyond the walls of their churches. While it may be a long time before the typical shut-in has internet access and an mp3 player, it has meant a lot to missionaries who want a link with home, and members of the congregation who are traveling.

Now, it is a wonderful resource for preachers, and I'll tell you why.

A new perspective. By listening to other preachers, I learn a different take on passages of scripture. For instance, I have avoided preaching on Genesis 22 - not because it's a bad passage, but because I am still trying to get my arms around God asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. By listening to other sermons, I have heard how others have approached this difficult topic.
New illustrations. I can't tell you how many terrific stories there are out there that illustrate Bible principles. Listen, and your imagination will be fed. So maybe you won't use the same illustration, but listening to others will open your eyes to more in your life that you can use to bring theology to life.
Preaching style. Let's face it - there is more to preaching than just homiletics. Maybe there is a way that a challenge is delivered that impacts you. Perhaps an invitation you hear is really fresh and convicting? Listen to others, and your preaching style will grow.
Terrific Sermon Series Ideas. As I mentioned, I "borrowed" an idea from Mars Hill for Lent one year, when Rob Bell preached a series called "Out of Egypt." There are some fantastic ideas that will give you a platform from which to build your own series.
Feed Yourself. If you are as busy as I am as a pastor, you don't have much time for outside Bible Studies or fellowship groups. Listening to sermons can challenge you and make you grow.

Tomorrow, I will talk about how to get started, and how you can get a lot of resources for free using the internet. See you then. And keep listening!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Gas Leak and Explosion

They lived together; the man. The woman. Her daughter.
Living off her welfare, sleeping on old mattresses on the floor.

Sleeping in late, the woman thought she smelled gas. She told the man, whose face was buried in a blanket. He responded with a moan.

Have you ever felt like you could handle a situation by yourself. Maybe it was changing a light bulb. Or a fuse. Or a flat tire. At those times, you feel good about being self-sufficient. Those are the times that you bring your children along. "I want you to see how it's done." You feel proud.

There are other times when you need to get out.

The man discovered, as many men do, that there will be no rest until the situation is addressed. Sniffing around the house, he ruled out the main floor. Yawning and scratching, he opened the basement door.

The gas smell was stronger downstairs. The light switch had no effect - the bulb had been out for weeks - he'd have to change that soon or lose more sleep.

Thump, thump, thump. He protested with his feet on each step. He needed to assess the situation, but could not see. His hand slipped into his pants pocket, his thumb finding its familar place on the knurled flint wheel of his cigarette lighter.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Sometimes the toughest decision is between what I can do by myself and what I need help for. Sometimes, I can handle it on my own and sometimes, I need to get out of the house.

Kaboom.

The house was blown three inches off its foundation. Windows were blown out. No one slept anymore.

God provides an exit door for you and me. He doesn't expect us to face temptation alone. He loves us enough to give us another option. He wants us to run.

Get out of the house.

Minor burns. Hair singed. Lesson learned.

When you smell gas, get out of the house.

When you are tempted, get out of the house.

Friday, February 5, 2010

A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback

This post is in response to the catch-phrase (titled above) coined by Robert Schuller in his Christmas 2009 message at the Crystal Cathedral.

Accidents happen every day.

Everything seems to happen in slow motion. Except your heart rate. You can see — feel everything happen in sequence, but there is nothing you can do about it.

And suddenly, your plans are changed. If you are lucky, they are only changed for a day. If your car needs work, you will be inconvenienced for a week. If you are injured, it could be months.

But setbacks can happen outside of cars too. They can happen in the board room. In the court room. In the doctor’s examination room.

Setbacks are one of the great equalizers in life – we all get them sooner or later. The difference among us is how we respond to them.

Is your setback an opportunity to trust God’s hand? A chance to rely on hope in order to stay the course and to do the right thing?

One of my favorite verses (and maybe yours too) is this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God can be trusted not only with our difficult times, but especially during the difficult times.

Do you feel knocked down? Do you hear life’s sirens wailing in the background? Your setback is not the end of the story. God isn’t done with you yet. While I believe He didn’t cause your setback, I do believe He is setting you up for a comeback. Will you trust Him to bring you through?

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Revitalize Your Sunday School – Prayer

Beth and I just finished teaching a seminar on how to revitalize your Sunday School. This series will address the “Six Keys” that we presented, with a bonus seventh way.
Malawi Sunday School

This post talks about praying for your students. After all, two central purposes of Sunday School are (1) developing a relationship with God and (2) developing a relationship with each other.
While it is important to pray during the class, I believe that a teacher develops a stronger burden for the students by praying for them through the week. To do that, I suggest a few techniques:

Get a Sunday School class roster. While you probably need to leave the original attendance sheet at the church in order to complete statistics, making a copy for your own records is easy to do.
Keep the roster in your Bible. This means that you will have this list of your students with you when you have your daily devotions.
Write prayer requests on the roster. You can start with this during the Sunday School class, and add to it through the week.
Pray 10 minutes a day. I have always asked my Sunday School teachers to spend at least one hour each week praying for their students. That means a minimum of 10 minutes a day. While this requirement is reasonable, anyone who puts it into practice will soon start using more time praying for their students.
Follow up with students the following Sunday. If you have been praying for someone’s grandmother, ask about her the following week. That follow-up will not only communicate your ongoing concern, but the updates will also allow you to be informed as you pray the following week. But perhaps the best benefit of revisiting the requests is to inspire your students with demonstrating that God really does answer prayer.

Praying with and for your students is a privilege and a responsibility. But more than that, it can make your Sunday School class that much more exciting week in and week out.

Maybe you have some Sunday School prayer tips. If so, please leave a comment below.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Living Life in the Zone by Kyle Rote, Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew

As a man, are you tired of the run-of-the-mill devotional book?

This “40-day Spiritual Game Plan for Men” takes you through 40 topics that are important to men: their wives, children, work, relationship with God and plans for the future.

Each day’s reading follows a reliable pattern, including an introduction, several scripture verses that address the day’s topic, and examples from sports, entertainment or politics of the day’s principle in action. Then the reader is challenged with tough questions and a way to apply the truth to his life.

As a man, I found this steady pattern to be intriguing and helpful. The introduction shows that the authors understand the issues facing men. It doesn’t sugar-coat the issues – from struggles with mothers-in-law to holding friends accountable, “Living Life in The Zone” presents the real issues, demonstrating an understanding of the struggles and challenges involved in life.

It was refreshing to see the examples at the end of each chapter; some were good examples, some bad. It was clear that you can learn from both positive and negative examples.

I recommend this well-written book to any man who wants to take the next spiritual step but doesn’t want the typical devotional.

Hope is Like a Kudu

If faith is like a shark, what is hope like? Let me suggest that hope is like a kudu. What is a kudu, you say?

A kudu is a variety of antelope, described much better by wikipedia. I had the opportunity to see some of these in the wild while I visited Zimbabwe years ago. While we drove down a one-lane dirt road, there were several kudu who leaped over the road. Wikipedia says that they can jump over a five-foot fence with a running start, but it looked like they could have easily cleared the small pickup truck we were riding in. But no matter how high or far they can jump, the won’t jump anywhere they can’t see. So people can contain them with a wall that is just higher than their eye level, as long as they can’t see through it.

Hope is the same. Sometimes we can’t see an answer with our eyes, hope can allow us to “see” much farther. Hope gives vision that spurs us to action. Hope allows us to see beyond the fence. While faith calls us to action, hope convinces us that the action is worth it. Hope tells us that the action we know is right will have good consequences, even if we can’t quite see how.

David explains that “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” (Psalm 25:3) He was reminding us that we can trust God to handle the future, even it is out of sight. Paul puts it like this: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Are you holding back simply because you can’t see where your situation will lead? Allow hope in God to give you confidence to let your faith move you. God knows the end from the beginning.

So don’t hold back just because you can’t see very far. Let God show you a glimpse of the other side of the fence.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Border Guard Part 4 – the Spirit

This post is in response to a comment from Randy:

“In my officership, I have had exactly two soldiers, one a retired officer, one a friend from another corps, who challenged my own spiritual development, asked what I was studying, where I was spiritually, even asked about my temptations. These individuals, one in my life still, helped shape my spiritual discipline, and I will be eternally grateful.”

Even though I have talked previously about areas of discouragement and temptations for an officer, I feel like this topic deserves its own post.

In the very busy life of a pastor, taking time to grow spiritually can be a difficult discipline. There is an old addage that says, “People don’t do what you expect; they do what you inspect.” While that applies primarily to supervising employees, I think that this same principle can help us understand how helpful we can each be to our Captains.

Here are a few ideas I have about protecting the spiritual border:

Find a regular time. It is important to get alone (and quiet) with the officer. You probably understand that there are times during the week which can be absolutely crazy for a pastor. If you avoid those times, there is a higher chance of openness and transparency. Maybe decide to meet for a soda at a local restaurant once every other week or so.
Ask open-ended questions. Instead of saying, “Did you have your prayer time this morning,” ask “What are some insights God is giving you during your time alone with Him?” Some of the best questions require some temple-scratching time to arrive at an answer. Don’t make it too easy by allowing a “yes” or “no” response.
Listen. Give time for a thoughtful response. Taking time to listen can be difficult, because silence can be uncomfortable. Therefore, resist the urge to fill the silence yourself. Maybe your discussion has stumbled upon a sensitive area.
Grow together. Suggest some books to read together. This will add a much-needed fellowship aspect to the time together, in addition to the accountability of keeping up with a reading schedule.
Keep confidences. When you are a Border Guard for your officer’s spirit, the conversation will turn to delicate subjects and weaknesses. Whatever you hear across the restaurant table and coffee cups needs to remain there. Your officer will quickly conclude that you are a person to trust with disappointment and struggle, as well as joys and triumphs. This trust should also be mutual – you can share with each other with the certainty that it stays between you. If you feel like an issue is getting bigger than you can handle between you, suggest bringing a carefully chosen third party into the discussion, as long as you can agree on who that is.
Maintain a prayer journal. Interruptions come which can make the time between meetings longer than anticipated. If you committed to pray for an issue, keeping a journal will remind you to pray about it between meetings and will prompt you to ask about it at your next meeting.

I also have had soldiers who served me by being interested in my spiritual life. Those relationships can transcend any appointment, and will give you life-long friends throughout the Army.