Gateway CONNECT Pastors Conference

A few weeks ago we took a team to this conference from our recovery ministry "The Well". Although it is a pastors conference, we were primarily going for the breakout sessions on what Gateway calls "Freedom Ministry". Let me just say, our brains are overflowing with knowledge for this ministry. I'm so excited to see how God uses our leadership to take it to the next level. The future is bright!

However, today I want to write a bit about the first thing that we learned. We all went to learn more about how to do "The Well", and as God typically does, He spoke to us about so much more. The first message, right out of the chutes, was brought to us by pastor Jimmy Evans of Trinity Fellowship Church. One word...EXCELLENCE. I'd like to think that I do everything with excellence. Though I try, I have so far to go. Let's start with the Word:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

-Matthew 5:13-16

Here's a question for you. If we're not the salt & light, who's going to do it? How often do we go through life expecting others to step up to the plate? It must begin with us!! Here's a few thoughts to help you. 

 

Excellence is not

-Perfectionism (Yes, I've been accused of this one. I'm recovering.)

*Perfectionism is a sickness. Excellence is a standard. (That's good stuff!)

-Materialism (ouch)

-Legalism

Excellence is

-Good stewardship - Mark 4

-Effective witnessing

-Teachable spirit

-Attitude of the servant spirit

What keeps us from excellence

1. The deception that excellence is more difficult. - Hebrews 3 

2. Social comfort, or fear of status quo.

3. LAZINESS!

Wow, that last one hurt! Could the one thing that's keeping us from excellence simply be laziness? I know one thing. I work with some incredibly talented folks, but unfortunately that's not enough. God wants much more from us than just our willingness to use those talents. He wants our hearts to be so much more engaged than our talents. Don't get me wrong. In whatever you do, you must have the skills needed to do it well. However, if the hearts not there, the skill will only take you so far. 

I hope to bring you more in the future from this conference. I have to believe that there's a reason that the first thing we heard was about excellence. Is it time for you to step it up??

...Until next time.