Congratulations to my friend Bob Kauflin whose album Sons and Daughters has won the 2009 Worship Compilation of the Year award in the Worship Leader Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards.

I love this album!

And apparently many others love this album as well.

What I love about the album is the theological lyrics on the theme of God’s adopting grace.

So why did Bob focus this project on the doctrine of spiritual adoption? A while back on his blog, Bob wrote this:

The project came out of a perceived lack of songs that help us meditate on the unfathomable love God has shown us in adopting us through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:5). We are now part of God’s family—in Christ we will forever be the objects of God’s particular and passionate mercy and love. We are not only forgiven, we are co-heirs with Christ, and never again have to doubt God’s care for us. That biblical reality, rather than leaving us focused on ourselves, drives us once again to proclaim the greatness of the God whose grace turns hopeless rebels into precious children.

We need songs on this important topic—especially worship albums for individual and corporate worship.

In his classic book Knowing God, J.I. Packer writes:

If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all. For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. “Father” is the Christian name for God.…Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption. (pp. 201–202)

I highly recommend Sons and Daughters. It will help convince you of God’s passionate and personal love for you. This album will remind you of God’s adopting grace, a theme that should prompt and control our worship. What better album to do this than Sons and Daughters.

Congratulations to Bob and to all the musicians and songwriters that made this album possible!

-------------------

See related posts by C.J. on the theme of adoption here. 

Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with Phil Sasser, senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Apex, North Carolina (part one here).

Phil, what books on preaching, or examples of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?

I have been most inspired by The Sacred Anointing by Tony Sargent and Between Two Worlds by John Stott. I have been most practically instructed by Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell.

Of contemporary preachers, I have been probably most influenced by C.J. Mahaney and John Piper. While C.J.’s use of humor and illustrations is a challenge to some of us non-funny, pedantic pastors, his gospel-centered emphasis on application is, in my humble opinion, without equal. John Piper’s preaching emphases on the glory of God, the love of sound doctrine, and passionate commitment to the gospel always inspire me to resist the temptation to entertain or tickle the ears of those to whom I preach.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

My father once told me that you could determine what a man would turn out to be by two things: the friends he kept and the books he read. My father’s love of reading and commitment to spend time doing it was one of the many wonderful gifts that he gave me.

The time I've spent reading has been significant but the fruit has been immeasurable. Jonathan Edwards has two excellent sermons that have been most helpful in my understanding of the importance of the effective use of time: “The Preciousness of Time and the Importance of Redeeming It” from Ephesians 5:16 and “Procrastination or the Sin and Folly of Depending on Future Time” from Proverbs 27:1.

I have an aversion to contemporary time management books.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

It is very difficult to identify the most significant. I suppose that being more aware of the evidences of grace in a person’s life than his/her sin is one of the most significant. My heart's natural inclination is toward pride and self-righteousness. Those natural tendencies are the enemies of our soul. They leads us to ungodly appraisals of ourselves and others. Being intentional in recognizing the Spirit's work of grace in others is a powerful antidote to censoriousness and a negative view of others.

Having the privilege and responsibility to care for the souls of others requires that I have a grace-filled perspective of them. Seeing the fruit of the Spirit first makes me freshly aware of how powerfully God works in a person's life. My eye becomes more attuned to the effectual work of the gospel. It gives me a better perspective even on the challenging aspects of pastoral care. I am filled with a greater appreciation for others and a greater faith for their continued growth in godliness.
 
Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?
 
As our church as grown, I have become more aware of my inadequacies in leading our pastoral team. I am very comfortable in a small church setting. Leading a team of pastors is more of a challenge for me. God has seen fit to overcome my inadequacies by giving us a very godly and mature team. And I have benefited greatly by my relationships with other Sovereign Grace pastors of larger churches.

Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

I have a gym membership and try to get there 2 or 3 times a week. Mostly I'm trying to rehab my new left knee. I love to play golf, but it is of minimal exercise value.

Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

My first love was baseball, but those days are long gone, so it has been replaced by golf. My favorite sports to watch are college football (Ohio State), college basketball (Ohio State and N.C. State), major league baseball (Reds), and golf.
 
What do you do for leisure?
 
Reading is the constant. I also watch romantic comedies with Cassie. I'll probably catch a lot of grief for this admission. When alone I sometimes listen to classic rock and roll. Dylan, The Byrds, and Paul Simon are at the top of that list. I have also been know to shoot pool at the local pool hall and I have a weakness for online chess.

If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

My first profession was a pharmacist (I sold drugs legally as opposed to C.J.), but if I had to choose again, something other than vocational ministry, I would either be a teacher (high school or college) or a lawyer.

My friend, you would have made an excellent history teacher. I learn new stuff about history whenever I am with you! But I’m so glad that instead of teaching history you were called to teach God’s Word and pastor the wonderful local church in Apex.

Over the past couple of years I’ve done a series of interviews so that you can “meet” men like John Piper, Carl Trueman, Wayne Grudem, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, David Powlison, and Thabiti Anyabwile. These are men I deeply love and respect. We asked them a set of questions that resulted in some very insightful answers. 
 

But I also like asking these questions of “ordinary” pastors, men less recognized who are laboring faithfully in their local churches. There is nothing ordinary about these men. I consider them extraordinary! I think their work serving the local church is the most important work being done today, work that is worthy of high esteem (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13).
 
Today I want you to meet one extraordinary ordinary pastor: Phil Sasser.

Phil serves as the senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Apex, North Carolina. He has served at that church for 16 of his 29 years in ministry.

Phil and his wife, Cassie, have been married for 40 years and have five children and 15 grandchildren.

Meet Phil Sasser.

Phil, please describe your morning devotions. What time do you wake up in the morning? How much time do you spend reading, meditating, praying, etc.? What are you presently reading?

I have some insomnia, so wake up time can vary somewhat. Usually I get up between 6 AM – 7 AM. The first 45 minutes in my office is spent in reading, meditation, and prayer. The M’Cheyne Reading plan has served as a base for my daily Bible reading. This year, I am supplementing M’Cheyne by reading two pages from Herman Bavinck’s Our Reasonable Faith. I have a daily prayer agenda that varies with each day of the week.

What book(s) are you currently reading in these three categories: (a) for your soul, (b) for pastoral ministry, or (c) for personal enjoyment?

(a) Charity and Its Fruits by Jonathan Edwards (this is about my fifth time reading through it) and The Work of Christ by G. C. Berkouwer.

(b) Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D. A. Carson

(c) Truman by David McCullough
 
Apart from Scripture, what book do you most frequently re-read and why?

Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray is one. Murray’s treatment of the atonement is outstanding even though the book is relatively short. It is very rich in content and insight. Murray also covers doctrines such as our union with Christ, adoption, and glorification which sometimes are omitted from discussions on the atonement.
 
When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?

By the grace of God I have a good memory. Or is it that I can’t remember what I’ve forgotten? But if it is a particularly good quote, I copy it and put it in my sermon files on the pertinent subject or text.

If you could study under any theologian in church history (excluding those men in Scripture), who would it be and why?

John Calvin, because of both his depth and breadth of theological writing. There is a wonderful simplicity in his commentaries. He is writing to the ordinary pastors of his day, so he “cuts to the chase” quickly. Calvin’s commentaries have a focus on the gospel and the doctrines of grace. On the other hand, you can soar with Calvin in The Institutes.
 
What single piece of counsel (or constructive criticism) has most improved your preaching?

C.J.’s emphasis on the centrality of the gospel has obviously affected every aspect of my pastoral ministry. That is especially true of my preaching. I grew up, spiritually, in an atmosphere where the gospel was often marginalized or overshadowed by other, more secondary doctrines such as spiritual gifts, discipleship, eschatology, or ecclesiology. While these are important biblical themes, they must never supplant the gospel in focus or priority in preaching. We must never assume the gospel and, as C.J. has emphasized, there should be a sighting of the gospel (the cross & resurrection) in every sermon. This emphasis has done more, I think, to improve my preaching than any other counsel or criticism.

To be continued tomorrow in part 2...

Given my love for sports I have an obligation to publish a public service announcement to prepare you for the impending Super Bowl…

O-V-E-R-R-A-T-E-D

The Super Bowl is the most overrated sporting event in the history of all sports, dating back to the very first Olympics. The NFL thinks so highly of itself, the Super Bowl is assigned Roman numerals.

Yet despite the hype, year after year this game rarely delivers. With few exceptions, most of these games are neither exciting nor memorable (unless your team is participating). With Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in the Super Bowl, there is at least a chance that Super Bowl 44 will be entertaining, but I doubt it.

For me, the only good thing about the Super Bowl is that it means MARCH MADNESS is fast approaching! Don’t get me started on March Madness and college basketball because year after year college basketball always delivers.

Tips for watching the Super Bowl

I’ll give you a Super Bowl game prediction later but for now some things to keep in mind while watching the Super Bowl (or any televised sporting event). If you chose to watch the Super Bowl, here are four tips for watching the game for the glory of God.

1. Strategically assign the remote.

Some prefer to turn off all the commercials; other prefer to just keep an eye on it and turn off the offensive ones. Either way, be proactive about what shows up on your TV screen. One way to do this is to assign one person (someone with both discernment and quick reflexes) to remote-control duty.” This cannot be just anybody. Throughout the game viewers are assaulted with commercials—immoral commercials, commercials that assault and offend one’s intelligence, and commercials with immodestly dressed women (which both tempt men and belittle women). These are as much a part of the Super Bowl as the game itself.

Working the remote requires skill and coordination as well as discernment. This person needs to be paying attention and anticipating commercial breaks. While everyone else enjoys the game, this person is working and always aware of what’s on the TV.

I recommend you establish on the remote an alternative channel that presents no temptation (C-SPAN for example). Turning to C-SPAN will ensure that conversation will take place.

2. Watch proactively.

I encourage fathers to watch actively and discerningly, never passively and superficially. There is no doubt that throughout the game you will hear one superlative after another attributed to the skill of the athletes. The accent throughout the game will be on skill, not character.

Nowhere is the word great mentioned more often in our culture than in the context of professional sports. If you watch any game this weekend and listen to the announcer’s commentary, then like a mantra you’ll probably hear the word great repeated throughout—great, great, great. Yet it may well be that nowhere in our culture is the absence of true greatness more evident than in professional sports. So be careful about cultivating an excessive love for professional athletics in your child.

Without minimizing the skill as a gift from God, I want to direct my son’s attention to character as theologically defined. So as Chad and I watch the game, I will draw his attention to any evidence of humility or unselfishness I observe, as well as any expression of arrogance or selfishness. I will celebrate the former and ridicule the latter.

3. Foster fellowship.

We need to make sure a room full of people are not simply passively watching the Super Bowl. Commercial time can be time redeemed with the right leadership and by a simply changing of the channel to C-SPAN.

Don’t misunderstand. It’s perfectly legitimate to watch and enjoy the game. I’m not advocating that you invite those who have no interest in the game and who want to distract your attention from the game. You can arrange to meet with those people at another time.

No matter who we invite to our homes on Sunday, let’s not just stare at the TV, paying little attention to our families and our guests. Watching the game should involve building relationships.

4. Draw attention to the eternal.

Sometime after the game—that same evening or the next day—it’s helpful for a father to draw his child’s attention to the game in light of eternity. It’s also helpful for us as fathers to be reminded of an eternal perspective.

Apart from those few who listen excessively to sports talk radio, this game will be quickly forgotten. Let me ask you this—who won the Super Bowl even five years ago?

The day before the 1972 Super Bowl, Dallas Cowboy running back Duane Thomas said, “If it’s the ultimate game how come they’re playing it again next year?” Some players seem to get it. Sadly, many fans don’t.

More recently Tom Brady, quarterback of three Super Bowl championships, is quoted in a 60 Minutes interview saying,

Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, “Hey man, this is what is.” I reached my goal, my dream, my life. I think, “God, it’s got to be more than this.” I mean this isn’t, this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be.

I anticipate that in a week or two, after the Super Bowl has been won, the champions will experience this same dissatisfaction. As Augustine said, “You [God] made us for yourself, and our hearts find no peace till they rest in you.”

We must impart this eternal perspective to our children.

Super Bowl XLIV predictions

Okay, on to predictions.

Who will win? I predict the Indianapolis Colts. No surprise there.

Who do I want to win? I want New Orleans to win because of my friends at Lakeview Christian Center, the Sovereign Grace church in New Orleans.

How can the Saints win? The Saints can win only if they can force turnovers and make some big offensive plays. They will do the latter but not the former, or at least not enough to win. And the Saints’ defense is average at best.

How can the Colts win? Unless Peyton Manning gets hurt before the game or during the game, Indianapolis wins.

Today, pro-choice sports columnist Sally Jenkins wrote that we need more Tim Tebows. Her column in The Washington Post titled “Tebow’s Super Bowl ad isn’t intolerant; its critics are” (2/2/10) has left me stunned and grateful.

Where did this come from? I can only imagine this is the fruit of the gospel displayed in the life of Tim Tebow. Tebow is humble. He is a model of self-sacrifice for the good of others. And he is committed to remain a virgin and to experience the gift of sex as God intends in the context of marriage. His testimony does not go unnoticed, even by a columnist who “couldn't disagree with Tebow more” on abortion.

You can find Jenkins’ column here.

Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with Carl Trueman, Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Read part one of the interview here.

Carl, what single piece of counsel (or constructive criticism) has most improved your preaching?

From my wife, my most faithful supporter and most astute critic: be aware that when you preach, there are children in the congregation and I must neither make them stumble nor preach over their heads. I think particularly of a time when I preached on 1 Corinthians 1 and referred to the church in Corinth as probably containing the first century equivalent of “pole dancers.” My wife rebuked me afterwards for using a term which could have provoked embarrassing conversations for parents over a Lord’s Day family lunch. Point taken. Never done it again. Other times I have used pretentiously technical vocabulary which kids (and some congregants) would not understand. At such times, I did not preach Christ, I preached Trueman and how clever he is. I now try never to do this, and confess it when I think I may have slipped. As a professor, this is always a temptation, so now I assist my wife in teaching the 4 year olds in Sunday School. That has helped me—and humbled me—more than anything with regard to how I communicate in the pulpit.

What books on preaching, or examples of it, have you found most influential in your own preaching?

Examples: the godly pastors I have been blessed to sit under. Iver Martin (now in Stornoway Free Church of Scotland) and John Currie (who now works at Westminster but who was my pastor in Philadelphia for 6 years).

Books: Peter Taylor Forsyth, Positive Preaching and the Modern Mind. Simply the best book on the theological practice of preaching ever written.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

Two things. One is not a piece of counsel but a perk of my job as Academic Dean. I have a delightful lady who works as my assistant and looks after my schedule for me. That has helped. I am an organizational numbskull, as she, and her longsuffering predecessor, will confirm.

The second was the insight that, if you wait for an extended period of time to get a project done, it never comes along. Make constant use of the fragments of time you get on a regular basis. Use that fifteen minutes before a meeting to read or to write a paragraph. Use your time driving to work to think through the passage you are going to preach on at the weekend. Use the little bits of time and you find they really add up to something more substantial. To quote Bruce Springsteen: “You spend your life waiting for a moment that just don’t come; don’t waste your time waiting.”

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

Again, I have to plead to be allowed to break the rule and list four things.

(a) Pick your battles. Not every hill is worth dying on; and not every battle is something you are competent to fight. As a younger man, I wanted to fight all comers and win every battle. Neither necessary nor possible.

(b) Be part of a team who care for you and whom you trust to tell you when you are going the wrong way or crossing a line that should not be crossed—and listen to them. Yes-men are fatal to good leadership. A trustworthy colleague who is prepared to oppose you to your face is worth his weight in gold.

(c) Understand that leadership is lonely; being liked by everyone is a luxury you probably cannot afford. Deal with it and get on with the job. If you want to be liked, be a circus clown; if you want to lead and lead well, be prepared for the loneliness that comes with it. This is why, for me, a happy home has been crucial for it has been a place where work is, as far as possible, kept far away. Home is the one place I can go each night and know that I am loved, and I guard it fiercely. I have even banned my kids from Googling my name—if there is nasty stuff out there about me, I deal with it at work; I do not allow it into my house.

(d) Don’t waste time defending your own name for the sake of it. If Christ’s honour is at stake, or the innocent are made vulnerable by some attack on your character, you need to respond; otherwise, let it be. If I responded to every wannabe crank who thinks I’m arrogant, hypocritical, lying etc. etc., I’d never have the time to do anything else. The secret is not caring about your own name except as it impacts upon others.

Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?

Have I failed as a husband and a dad? Have I preached the whole counsel of God? Why do I still struggle with the same sins with which I fought on the day I first believed? Do I really care enough for the people in my church? Is my teaching leading people to Christ or away from him? Am I driven solely by a desire to raise my own profile? These kind of questions periodically strike me down.

Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

Fanatically. I spin, cycle, and especially I run distances. I’m a consistent sub-4 hour marathoner (but only on Saturday races—I am a Presbyterian, after all!), and hope this year to run a 50k ultramarathon with a friend who is a Presbyterian pastor in Colorado.

Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

I run. I love to watch rugby. Every summer, I spend three weeks watching the Tour de France on television (even had to switch my cable provider this year when the Tour switched channels!). Above all, I like to watch my sons compete in their sports, particularly middle distance running.

What do you do for leisure?

I run. I read, especially history and pulp detective fiction. I enjoy a good glass of brandy with close friends and conversation. I like to spend time with my wife and boys as I can.

If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

Tough one: I like to write, so journalism would have been a desirable path; but I also like to argue, so maybe a trial lawyer. If I had enough money to just do whatever I wanted, I think I would want to work as part of a Tour de France team, a park ranger in the mountains somewhere far away, or the owner of a traditional English public house, with open fire, horse brasses, fine ale, and a dart board. I could just stand behind the bar, pulling pints, and complaining, in good English fashion, about the weather, the cricket, and the fact that nothing tastes quite as good as it did when I was young.

Carl, reading your final answer and these alternatives makes me freshly grateful for the call of God on your life, that you are called to serve the academy, the church, and the next generation with the gospel.

If you haven’t met Carl Trueman you are in for a ride that will take us, well, nobody knows. All we can be certain of is that Bruce Springsteen will likely appear at some point.

Dr. Trueman’s official title is Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He describes himself as a British round peg jammed into an American square hole.

He has written, contributed to, or edited a library of books. He is also the author of many “critical writings” and “unpopular essays” that appear online and have been published in two books: The Wages of Spin: Critical Writings on Historic and Contemporary Evangelicalism (2005) and Minority Report: Unpopular Essays on Everything from Ancient Christianity to Zen Calvinism (2007).

You can keep up with his most recent essays at the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals website here.

In his essays Carl teaches lessons from history and pokes a bit at the evangelical church’s fondness for therapeutic leanings, entertainment, celebrity culture, and flippancy. And he stabs away with one index finger tap at a time. Carl writes:

I take some perverse pride in the fact that I can only type with one finger on each hand, romantically seeing this lack of polish as making me the modern equivalent of the 1930s hack journalist, cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, glass of bourbon on the bedside table, hammering out copy on an old typewriter in a dingy motel room.

That’s Carl. And with quotes like this we can be certain that 200 years from now there will be a Carl Trueman Society where enthusiasts gather to exchange favorite lines and lament that they could not meet the man in person. This interview is for them.

Meet Carl Trueman.

Carl, thanks for your time. Please describe your morning devotions. What time do you wake up in the morning? How much time do you spend reading, meditating, praying, etc.? What are you presently reading?

My children have to be at school by 7:30, so I rise at about 6:15 to 6:30. I usually wait until I arrive at work, ca. 8 a.m., to have devotions. Westminster offices do not open till 8:30 so this gives me a half hour of peace and quiet. I typically read four chapters of the Bible. I read continually from Genesis to 2 Chronicles; from Ezra to Malachi (excluding the Psalms); from Matthew to Acts; and from Romans to Revelation; I finish with a Psalm or two, reading continually through the Psalter. At this precise moment, I am in Numbers, Job, John, and 1 Corinthians, with the daily Psalm being 143. Prayer then involves adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. The simple ACTS pattern that I learned at college.

What book(s) are you currently reading in these three categories: (a) for your soul, (b) for pastoral ministry, or (c) for personal enjoyment?

(a) I have recently reread Pilgrim’s Progress. A brilliant, deceptively simple masterpiece whose characters never cease to amuse and provoke. I’m also about to start Tom Schreiner’s Magnifying God in Christ: A Summary of New Testament Theology, just released by Baker.

(b) Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition by Andrew Purves. A student recommended this book to me after a class I gave on the pastoral manuals written by John Chrysostom and Gregory the Great. It is a study of these men, plus Gregory Nazianzus, Martin Bucer, and Richard Baxter, as they reflected on the task of being a pastor. Much that they have to say (for example, how to handle criticism) is of perennial relevance; and they also focus on what is of lasting significance in the ministerial task, not the kind of managerial/consumerist impulses which drive much pastoral theory today.

(c) Ian Ker’s biography of John Henry Newman, Fergus Kerr’s Twentieth-Century Catholic Theologians and Ruth Rendell’s Portobello (I’m a sucker for hard-boiled and psychological crime fiction—anything by Raymond Chandler, Ian Rankin or Ruth Rendell).

Apart from Scripture, what book do you most frequently re-read and why?

This is easier to answer in terms of authors: I constantly dip into Martin Luther’s writings; I appreciate James Packer’s books; I enjoy John Henry Newman’s writings, especially his sermons; and I find the great creeds and catechisms of the church to be a great source of delight—they keep my faith simple, focused on the essentials, and in touch with the church throughout the ages.

When you finish a book, what system have you developed in order to remember and reference that book in the future?

Generally, I read with a pencil in hand and underline key passages. Never a pen, mind you—that would be too permanent and spoil it for whoever owns the book next. I also carry a moleskine notebook with me to make any extended notes on a given book, and, indeed, on any conversation or thing I see or hear that may be useful. I chose moleskine because I gather that Ernest Hemingway used them. A vain indulgence, I’m afraid. I also keep a daily journal where, if a book is particularly important or insightful, I will make note.

If you could study under any theologian in church history (excluding those men in Scripture), who would it be and why?

Yikes. That is a tough question. Luther would be an obvious choice because of his passion for the gospel and his sense of humour; Thomas Aquinas was no doubt a great teacher, though, as a Protestant, I would clearly have issues with him on key points; and Gregory Nazianzus would have been a remarkable figure to work under, especially on the issue of connecting the doctrine of God to worship. But, on balance, I think I’d have to opt for John Owen: massive learning, keen theological insight, passionate churchman, and fine preacher.

To be continued in part 2...

Before we conclude this series featuring Ken Sande, I want to highlight two other resources for pastors he has written on two often-neglected topics: approachability and accountability. Let me explain why they are important.

Approachability

To be wise is to be “open to reason” (James 3:17). And one way a wise pastor cultivates others’ trust is by proving himself to be approachable. “An approachable leader makes people feel safe,” Sande writes; “they know they are welcome to come to you with questions, concerns, or even criticism.” So am I approachable? Well, if the evaluation of myself is left to myself, my answer will typically be a flattering one. In order to assess myself accurately, I must humbly invite others to give me their observations and perspective.

Ken has made it easy for us in his paper Approachability: The Passport to Real Ministry and Leadership. This document has been a valuable tool for me personally. I recently gave the document to ten different people who work with me and eagerly asked for their evaluation. I assumed they would all agree with my private appraisal of myself—that I am approachable.

But I was wrong.

Accountability

Assuming that a pastor is receiving helpful observations and correction from those who care for him, how does he respond to unfriendly criticism? And how does his pastoral team respond?

Pastors must be approachable, but they must also be accountable to their eldership or pastoral team. This is why I find Ken’s corresponding document so helpful: Accountability: The Mark of a Wise and Protected Leader.

Ken writes that churches can under-protect their leaders by “allowing gossip and rumors to spread unchecked, jumping to conclusions about a leader’s guilt, or failing to give him a meaningful opportunity to defend himself.” On the other hand, churches can wrongly over-protect their leaders. “They develop a self-confidence and blind loyalty that compels them to become defensive and automatically ‘circle the wagons’ when a leader is questioned or accused of wrongdoing.” Both approaches are wrong.

Approachability and accountability are two important topics that rarely occupy the pastor’s attention. If we neglect them, we do so to our personal detriment. Growing in approachability and accountability will not only make your ministry more effective, but will also change your heart and your life. Pastors, you will benefit greatly from the time you invest in studying and applying Ken’s theologically informed counsel on these topics.

Today I am writing primarily for pastors on the topic of conflict resolution within the church.

Regrettably, no church is free from relational conflicts (not even the New Testament church). Given the presence of indwelling sin, wise pastors will both expect relational conflict and prepare their churches for it. And history has shown that pastors who fail to prepare for conflict will experience serious consequences when it arises.

Ken Sande can help. 

Ken has served pastors by helping them prepare for conflict, and by helping them grow in godliness and glorify God in the midst of conflict. I have recommended his book The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict to many pastors over the years. And you may have noticed that in my two-part interview with Ken (here and here), he briefly mentioned a new DVD-based group study from Peacemaker Ministries designed for leadership teams called The Leadership Opportunity. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you more about this resource.

The Leadership Opportunity: Living Out the Gospel Where Conflict and Leadership Intersect arrived on my desk in a large box that included:

• 14 teaching sessions on four DVDs,
• a 152-page study guide,
• the devotional book While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks by Tim Laniak,
• a leader’s guide,
• a supplemental materials binder that contains model forms and other documents,
• a Peacemaking Principles pamphlet,
• and a Quick Start Guide to jump into the study.

I was so impressed by the content that I had copies of the study purchased and mailed to every senior pastor in Sovereign Grace Ministries.

You can learn more about the series here. What follows are two videos. One provides an introduction to the series by Tim Pollard, a Vice President at Peacemaker Ministries. The second contains the entirety of the first session by Ken Sande. These videos can help you determine if the study is suited for you and your pastoral team.

Trailer/Introduction by Tim Pollard (14 minutes)

The Leadership Opportunity from Peacemaker Ministries on Vimeo.

True Leaders Must Be Peacemakers: Learning to Prevent and Fight the Fires of Conflict by Ken Sande (32 minutes)
   

The Leadership Opportunity Session 1 from Peacemaker Ministries on Vimeo.

Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with Ken Sande, the founder and president of Peacemaker Ministries. Read part one of the interview here.

Ken, what single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your effective use of time?

Jonathan Edwards’s Resolution #5: “Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.” I reflect on this resolution regularly. I don’t even come close to living up to it, but Edwards’s example spurs me on.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

I lead of team of highly motivated and creative people who are trying to serve the church around the world. We simply could not do this if they saw this as merely being an 8-5 job. Therefore, rather than forcing my vision and ideas on them, I’ve learned (often through their feedback) that I have to take time to listen to them, understand their passions, learn from their experience and insights, and guide the way in developing a sense of ownership in a shared vision and strategy that every one of us wholeheartedly and passionately supports.

Where in ministry are you most regularly tempted to discouragement?

I am frequently discouraged by how little of what I think I need to do I actually accomplish. This has been a lifelong struggle: I always want to do more than I am able to do. Coupled with this is my weakness to commit to things I’m unable to follow through on in a timely manner. With my dear wife’s help, I am steadily learning to accept a wisdom principle David Powlison shared with me many years ago: “Not every opportunity constitutes a calling.” Bit by bit, I’m learning to pray more about opportunities before I commit to them and seek to discern those few very important things God wants me to do at any given time.

Do you exercise? If so, what do you do? If not, why not? (Please be specific.)

I run 3-4 miles at least five times a week with longer runs on weekends. I also have a universal gym and use it to maintain muscle tone three times a week. My favorite exercise is simply getting outdoors and hiking through the Beartooth Mountains.

Currently, what sport do you like to play and/or watch?

My family owned a ranch when I was young, so I spent most of my free time riding horses and working cattle rather than playing team sports. (One of my favorite spectator sports is still watching cutting horses work cattle, which is one of the most remarkable examples you’ll ever see of a man and an animal working in complete synchronization.) I have lately developed a strong interest in football, since my son is playing tight end and defensive back for Central High School in Billings. My wife is actually more knowledgeable of this sport than I am, so she is steadily bringing me up to speed.

What do you do for leisure?

My favorite leisure activity is to simply enjoy my family in conversation, laughter, games, or watching classic movies. When we have more time together, I love to hike, backpack, or cross country ski in the Beartooth Mountains south of Billings. A few years ago, our family had the privilege of taking snowcoaches to Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park on New Year’s Day with David Powlison’s family. Another year, Scott Somerville’s family (from Covenant Life Church) came out to Montana to backpack with us. I’ve invited C.J. out to go backpacking several times, but I finally got the distinct impression that he was not as enamored as I am with climbing up mountains and sleeping on the ground.

If you were not in ministry, what occupational path would you have chosen?

My professional education was in mechanical engineering and law. If I wasn’t in ministry, I would have pursued a career that coupled these two professions.