Preston Mitchell's Blog

The 2011 World Series

Tonight is Game 7 of the 2011 World Series between the Texas Rangers and the St. Louis Cardinals.  If the Rangers win tonight, I will have a childhood dream fulfilled.  When the Rangers moved to Arlington in 1972, they were a joke.  For the most part, they have been a joke until the last couple of years.  But to be in the World Series the last two years is unbelievable. My Dad and I used to drive from Killeen to Arlington (3 hours one way) to go to games.   

I couldn't help but think of him last night during the craziest game in World Series History. He would have cheered for his boyhood team - the Cardinals.  I am so thankful we enjoyed something together.  It brought back a lot of memories of the old Arlington Stadium.  It may have been ugly, but what happened on the field and in the stands was miraculous. Just me and my Dad watching baseball, eating hot dogs and drinking Cokes.  We didn't see the Rangers win much, but it was still a great time. 

I wish my dad were alive to enjoy this World Series.  I wish Cameron were here instead of LA so we could watch the game together.  I've tried to pass my love of baseball down to him. I laughed last night because he tweeted throughout the game.  His followers from Latin America, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union didn't know what he was talking about, but they got excited because he was excited.

I hope the Rangers win tonight.  If they don't win life will continue and I can store more great memories to the baseball file I keep in my heart.

 

GO RANGERS!

A New Way to Hire Staff

After working as a search consultant with the Vanderbloemen Search Group, I believe we are standing on the cutting edge of the 21st century church. Social networks, technology and staff led churches have changed the way churches find staff.

The American church's hiring process in most churches hasn't changed in 100 years. Many churches incorporate a democratic approach to selecting staff by using "search committees" and congregational votes (which is not found in scripture) to find God's man or woman. In my opinion, search committees are not the most effective way to find a staff member. Before you turn me off, read the rest of my blog. All I want to do is get church leaders and congregations to see the hiring process a little differently. Times are changing.

That's where we come in.

The Vanderbloemen Search Group finds quality candidates to fill staff positions in churches. We are a group of people who feel called to minister to the local church. Without a committed staff, there is no foundation for the church. /The advantages of hiring VSG are:

    *    Save time - we will do all the work of searching for candidates, making the call, background checks and face-to-face interviews.  We are following the qualifications and personality the church has decided are important.  Our goal is tosearch and find candidates in 120 days (depending on the church.)

    *    Unbiased - we have no reason to be involved in the hiring process. Our mission is to bring 4-6 candidates to the church.  The church decides who gets the job.  We are on standby if help is needed.

    *    National data base - we have contacts across the nation.  

    *    Adds to the plus side of the budget - whatever the expenses are to hire VSG, the  candidate should pay for themselves in a year.  If the right person is hired, their leadership, creativity and passion should be reflected in giving.

For more information, check out our website at www.vanderbloemensearch.com. 

Wow! There is so much to share from this crazy year. 2011 has been a year of change. I left Fellowship Church after 21 years! I went to work for the Vanderbloemen Search Group (www.vanderbloemensearch.com. We moved to Houston. We became empty nesters when Cameron moved to LA. We live in the city in a townhome (no yard). I wear glasses. I have forgiven, ask forgiveness, fled from bitterness, learned to trust and love again. I followed God's timing without doubt.. God was faithful and delivered me from the pit to the pinnacle of the Christian life.

One day I may write a book. I still paint. I love my job. My sports teams all reside in the DFW area. I wish I could get the Ticket on radio.

More later!

I am back!

Facebook Deletes

Several years ago, I was Student Pastor at Fellowship. During that time I became Facebook "friends" with hundreds of students.  After I left the student ministry, I moved into a ministry that works with pastors.  I started to get a lot of "friend requests" from them.  One day I looked at my friend list and I didn't have any idea who 75% of these people were.  So I decided to do a little cleaning out of "Facebook friends."   Because there were so many students on my friend list, I decided to delete those who I haven't seen or talked to in years.  Am I really their "friend?"  No.  Did I get a Christmas card from any of them?  No. 

A few days later, I received an email from a parent and good friend who wasn't happy that I deleted his daughter off my list.  He took it personally.  I've heard other people express their anger about being deleted.  I have some thoughts that may be controversial to some of you.  

First of all, I have no idea if someone has deleted me or not.  I'm sure that I've been deleted, but I never knew it.  How do you know you've been deleted?  Secondly, I think some people take Facebook friendships way to seriously.  Facebook is not about a true relationship with someone.  If our Facebook friends reflected true friendships, I would have about 10 friends, not counting family.  My Facebook friends do not represent true community in the Biblical sense.  If someone deletes me,  I don't give it a second thought (unless it's my wife).  Especially if I haven't had any contact with that "friend."

Lastly, take your real friends more seriously than you do Facebook friends.  It may change some of your relationships for the better.  Don't let Facebook determine your self esteem. Facebook is fun to play with, but don't let it dictate how you perceive people and their feelings about you.  It will drive you crazy. 

If you disagree with these statements, you may delete me.  But I will still love you (if I know who you are). 

God is Near

    One of the basic principles of Christianity is that God is near.  He created man and woman in His image so that God could enjoy relationship with his creation.  I am thankful God was not an animal activist because He might have chosen relationship with animals.  If God were an astronomer, He would have chosen relationship with the heavens and earth.  If God were a marine biologist, his choice for friendship would have been the great seas and oceans and the creatures in them.  If God were a sinner, He would have chased after a relationship with the things He created.  But, the baby God/Human was sinless and perfect and craved relationship with the man and the woman.  God is near us.  That's been His plan from the beginning.

    This Christmas, remember that you are celebrating the birth of Jesus who is nearby and ready to have a relationship with you. That's a God worth celebrating!   Merry Christmas.

 

 

Gut Check Time

    Discernment is one of the greatest weapons given to pastors by the Holy Spirit.  In Psalm 139, God has the characteristic of discernment.  In Philippians 1, Paul writes that all believers gain discernment as their love, knowledge and insight grow.  My opinion is that when God calls someone into the pastorate, the gift of discernment is stronger than in other believers. Over the years, I've met a lot of pastors who lack discernment, so have they really been called?  Only God knows, but it is very difficult to be the leader of a local church without it.  

    The great pastors I have had the opportunity to meet and talk to have the innate ability to discern God's direction in choosing leaders, approving budgets, planning series, picking service times, changing service times, buying/leasing a building and everything else that happens in day to day ministry.  That's why senior pastors are recognized as the "called out one" in a local church.  They also must stand before God and give an account of their days on earth.  That's why I believe they have a special calling that no one else has in that church.  They are different.  God has touched them to serve in a specific place in the Kingdom.

    The success/failure of a church is directly related to the discernment a sr. pastor has.  If the leader/sr. pastor does not have discernment, or his/her discernment hasn't grown with time and spiritual maturity, the church will struggle.  Pastors who have discernment avoid a lot of the pitfalls that can stop momentum.  Paul says in Philippians 1 that to expand discernment, we have to expand our love of Jesus and expand our minds in knowledge and depth of insight.

    I encourage pastors to trust the "check" in their spirit when faced with a decision.  Listen to the Spirt of God and He will give you the answers needed to accomplish leading a house of believers.  When you get the check, stop immediately and back up.  It may be a decision to buy a building, or start a satellite campus or release an employee.  Stop, listen and then decide confidently with the power of spiritual discernment.  That's why I think it is ridiculous for a group of people to make decisions in the local church.  They do not possess this special pastoral gift from God.  They may have discernment, but theirs does not super-cede the sr. pastor's discernment concerning the local church.  In the Bible, God talked to "the ONE called out,"  Noah, Moses, Joshua, Abraham, David, etc.  He did not speak to boards, committees, and deacons,

  Sometimes discernment is called "gut feeling" or "gut check time."  Pastors, go with your gut feeling!  It has been given to you by God Almighty to lead His people in this world.

    Before I close, I want to give a shout out to Brazos Fellowship.  They are located in College Station, TX as a church plant 5 years ago.  This year, they increased attendance by 30% and giving by 34%.  They are about ready to crash the 1,000 barrier by this spring.  Isn't that great!  They have some difficult decisions to make about moving the church to accommodate the growth.  Pray for them now if you can.  Lift up Pastor Will Lewis and his staff in your prayers!

    This may be my last blog for 2010, unless I discern I need to do another one!  I pray that each of you has a Merry Christmas!  I will be praying for you, your churches, your families during this season.  Thank you for reading my wandering words.  God Bless!

Nut Grass

    There seems to be a lot of bitterness in our culture today.  I know a lot of bitter people.  They have lost jobs, spouses, bank accounts, friends, children, houses, etc.  Disease and sickness have taken loved ones to early.  The bank forecloses on a home.  The company lays you off to save money.  Our bitterness laser beams on one or two people and all we think about is getting even.  Of course, that never works.  When you are bitter toward someone, you are bitter at God.  The Bible calls bitterness "a root that springs up" in our lives.  Have you ever tried to pull up the root of nut grass?  It's almost impossible because the root spreads parallel to the ground causing nut grass to grow rapidly.  When I see nutgrass in the yard, I think of bitterness.  

    To many people are living lives as nut grass, spreading your evil roots to anyone who is around you.  Bitter people cause bitter people.  I believe that bitterness is passed from one generation to another.  You're bitter because of something that happened hundreds of years ago.  Red Sox baseball fans are still bitter that the Sox traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees at the turn of the century.

    I've had to deal with bitterness in my own life.  Most people have.  So what do we do about it?  Pull the root of bitterness from your life.   Every time it springs up, pull the root.  Like nut grass, you have to pull it up several times before it is eradicated.  We can pull up bitterness with forgiveness, tenderness and humbleness.  It's hard to be bitter and humble at the same time.  Bitterness is usually grounded in pride.  Pride and humbleness cannot reside in the same yard.  Neither can forgiveness and tenderness.

    Let it go.  Put it behind you.  Follow after Jesus and yo u don't have time to be bitter.  Let's pull the nut grass that dominates our lives so that the Holy Spirit can work to fertilize and strengthen us through the righteousness of Christ.  Epecially during the Christmas season.  

    Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Seeking the Kingdom

    I talked to a guy this weekend whose life was a total wreck.  He couldn't figure out why so many bad things were happing to him.  He lost his job, his girlfriend dumped him, he had no friends, no money and no place to turn.  My heart went out to him.  Why does God allow so many bad things happen to people?  After asking him a few questions, I think I know the answer.  Until this guy hits rock bottom and turns to God, he has no chance to be blessed by God.  God loves him, but this guy will not live a redeemed and fulfilling life.  Why?  Because he has made decisions that fly in the face of living a Christian life. 

    He claims to be a Christian.  But, he has been living with one girl, the girl who kicked him out.  Before that, he was living with another girl who practiced Buddism.  He is addicted to alcohol, but he has never sought rehab.  He's the kind of guy that makes the OPPOSITE decision he should make.  Fortunately, he is trying to get his life back.  He is connecting to Fellowship Church. He has started attending each weekend.   He is attending our singles ministry, serving and trying to move his life in the right direction.  He knows that he needs to get rid of some friends, girlfriends and habits that keep him seperated from God.  I told him that only God could change his life.  Sadly, as he walked away, I wondererd if he will really do it. 

    In this life, God allows our dumb decisions and their results to bring us to the depth of despair before we turn and seek Him.  Jesus says "if you know me, you will obey me."  We won't be perfect, but every decision we make must filter through the Holy Spirit and God's word.  I have a lot of decisions to make, and I pray that I am doing what Jesus commands us to do which is "seek first His Kingdom and all these things will be added to us."

    I want to live every day seeking the Kingdom.  Not seeking after a career, a boss, a new toy, a big salary, whatever it may be.  Seeking Him is the only way we will experience true freedom from the ups and downs of life.

 

Spiritual Legs

Spiritual growth is a funny thing.  Most people who think they are spiritually mature aren't.  They are really spiritual babies and churches are packed with them sitting in their pew high chairs.  Others who think they are spiritual babies aren't.  They are spiritually mature people who follow after God, bring their money to the local church and invite friends to attend (deep Bible study is for the spiritually immature because they can't feed themselves yet).  So spiritual maturity is not what we think it is.

The other day, I noticed that a vine in my room was growing on the side of my bookcase.  As I looked closer, I noticed that the vine had legs that were attached to the fake wood.  It was difficult to pull the vine  off the shelf.  I finally gave up because I wanted to see how fast the vine would grow while attached to the shelf. That's spiritual maturity, isn't it?  We are so attached to God spiritually, that it is impossible to be pulled away from His love. 

My prayer is that I can grow legs that attach to loving God, serving the local church and seeking people who are not followers.  When I get discouraged, I'm going to remember the vine and it's support system.  With spirtual legs, I can't fail.