Calling

Spiritual Life Checkup: Introduction

Posted on April 17, 2013 by daletedder

doctor_with_stethoscopeAbout three or four years ago I shared with my church family a revised version of a “spiritual life checkup” that I put together eight or nine years before then. Well… I thought it was time to dust it off, clean it up a little and share it once again. My plan is to share it in smaller parts so that you don’t have to read one really long post.

One thing I added to this particular spiritual inventory was an article to go along with each category. I thought it would be helpful to read something that communicates why the questions of the particular category (or even the category itself) are worth asking, reflecting on, answering, and then working on in our spiritual pilgrimage.

I hope that the checkup adds some value for you in your pursuit of spiritual growth in Christ.

Blessings,
Dale

******************

Dear Southside Family,

Continued spiritual growth is a key emphasis in the Christian faith. We call it sanctification. That’s simply a fancy word that means growing in godliness or holiness. In other words, as followers of Christ, we are called to progressively become more like him throughout our lives. Becoming a Christian by repenting of our sin and placing our trust in Christ alone for our salvation is only the beginning. The rest of our lives are to be spent pursuing Christlikeness… in God’s power.

The whole Bible points to this truth, but here are a few sample-verses to make the point…

John 17:17 – Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Romans 12:1-2 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. [2] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?

2 Corinthians 5:9 – So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

Ephesians 4:1 – As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Ephesians 5:1 – Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

Ephesians 5:10 – and find out what pleases the Lord.

Hebrews 6:1 – Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,

2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

This is a common theme found throughout Christian history, especially in the life and ministry of our own John Wesley. Throughout his life and ministry, Wesley exhorted followers of Christ to “go on to perfection” (i.e., spiritual maturity). His General Rules and Covenant Service (see Appendices A and B) are representative of how important this was to him.

The following Spiritual Life Checkup is composed of questions for self-examination as well as articles of encouragement and direction. Completing this will not magically or instantaneously make you like Christ. It will, however, give you some indication of how you’re doing on your spiritual journey with Christ and point to some areas in which you may want to pursue greater growth and depth.

This is completely voluntary, and thus, there is no requirement to share your findings with anyone else. However, if you think it would be helpful to seek spiritual direction with another person, I would be happy to meet with you to pray, talk about what you discovered, offer appropriate guidance, and perhaps share resources to equip you on your journey.

If you belong to a small accountability group, you may also consider sharing your results with your brothers and/or sisters in that setting. Perhaps together you can pray for and encourage one another as you seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

One Last Caveat: Please take your time with this. Prayerfully proceed, asking God’s Spirit to guide you as you reflect on your walk with Christ, answer the questions, read the articles, etc. You won’t get extra credit for completely this quickly.  Instead, I deeply desire for you to learn more about yourself so that you can better see and hear the ways in which God may be leading and calling you.

PS – a good article to read on this subject is, Your Regular Checkup by Gordon MacDonald

Please do not hesitate to let me know how I may serve you.

Your Brother in Christ,
Pastor Dale

Categories: Bearing Fruit, Calling, Change, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Godly Manhood, Lifelong Learning, Pilgrim's Progress, Righteousness, Sanctification, Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Biblical View of Work (Two Helpful Courses)

Posted on April 10, 2013 by daletedder

purposePart of my ministry focus is working with folks, particularly men, who are seeking to faithfully understand and follow God’s call in their lives. This search naturally and rightly leads to a discussion (and often, even a study) on discovering one’s overarching purpose as well as their unique vocation.

Here are two really helpful online video classes on the topic of vocation… our calling from God and how it relates to our “work.”

1.) A Biblical View of Work by Ken Boa (a couple of the videos aren’t presently working, but hopefully those glitches will be corrected by the time you get to those particular videos.)

2.) A Theology of Work by Gerry Breshears at BiblicalTraining.org

Here’s a description of the course…

We are created in God’s image and God invites us to be co-workers with him. By developing and using the spiritual gifts God has given us, the tasks we perform when we work have eternal significance in themselves. We also have opportunities to interact with our co-workers, promote justice and enjoy times of rest.

Both teachers and courses are superb. I’ve been blessed by what I have learned for my own edification as well as what I might pass on to others with whom and to whom I minister.

Blessings,
Dale

Categories: Calling, Godly Manhood, Lifelong Learning, Purpose, Vocation, Work | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stand Firm (4/10) – Vocation

Posted on April 10, 2013 by daletedder

Stand-FirmStand Firm

An E-zine for the Pursuit of Godly Manhood

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Today’s issue of Stand Firm focuses on vocation. If you want to get a better idea of all that vocation includes, I encourage you to check out our page by the same name.

1.) My Journey in the Workplace by Ken Broussard at The C.S. Lewis Institute

2.) Work: A Holy Calling by Jerram Barrs, also at The C.S. Lewis Institute

3.) How Successful People Build Relationships by Jeff Haden at Inc.

4.) What Makes Work “Christian?” by J.D. Greear at 9Marks

5.) Why is Vocation Missing from Today’s Churches? by Hugh Welchel at The Institute for Faith, Work & Economics

6.) Gospel & Culture: Work Re-Envisioned by Gideon Strauss at Redeemer City to City Blog

7.) Rediscover the Purpose of Your Work by Diane Paddison at The High Calling

How Do We Glorify God in the Workplace? with J.B. Wood from the good folks at The High Calling

Categories: Calling, Godly Manhood, Kingdom Discipleship, Purpose, Redeem the Time, Stand Firm, Success, Vision, Vocation, Wisdom, Witness, Work | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

What is Vocation?

Posted on April 3, 2013 by daletedder

This is an EXCELLENT video-introduction to the whole subject of vocation. I really can’t imagine a better way to learn about vocation in under three minutes. Really, really good. From The Fund for Theological Education

Categories: Calling, Purpose, Vocation, Work | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Stand Firm (4/3) On Vocation, Purpose & Work

Posted on April 3, 2013 by daletedder

Stand-FirmStand Firm

An E-zine for the Pursuit of Godly Manhood

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Today’s issue of Stand Firm focuses on vocation. If you want to get a better idea of all that vocation includes, I encourage you to check out our page by the same name.

1.) 9Marks has a great new issue entitled, Pastoring Christians in the Workplace.

2.) Interesting new Bible study on Nehemiah and His Wall. at WorkMatters

3.) Great summary of David Roth’s message on Christians in the workplace. He has called it, “How Do I Abide with God at Work?” Also at WorkMatters

4.) Dedication Ceremony for a Business by Pat Morley at Man in the Mirror

5.) Elise Amyx offers some helpful thoughts on how to find your calling. from The Institute for Faith, Work & Economics

6.) Clarifying Your LIfe’s Purpose by Gary Collins

7.) Have you ever wonderd why we work in the first place? Ann Bradley offers wisdom for this and related questions. Also at The Institute for Faith, Work & Economics

Categories: Calling, Purpose, Stand Firm, Vocation, Work | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Ruin Your Life by 30

Posted on April 1, 2013 by daletedder

406194_1_ftcI really enjoy reading the posts at The Art of Manliness. The folks there are a creative bunch and there’s usually not a week that goes by that there isn’t something very, very interesting to read. Not only that, but it’s a very excellently put together website (unlike amateur-hour over here at my blog). While not necessarily coming at manhood from a biblical perspective, much of what they share could still heartily receive an “Amen,” from men pursuing godliness.

Back in February they posted a two-part series called, “Don’t Waste Your Twenties.” (Click here to read Part 1… and here for Part 2). The first post focused a great deal on how our brains are wired during our twenties and what we are, therefore, able to do better during that decade than when we grow older. Part two is a natural follow-up post that basically says, “Since your brain is, in fact, wired that way… take advantage of it. Don’t waste this prime time in your life” (that’s my very simple paraphrase). Again, both posts are very interesting and I would encourage you to read them both.

Those posts reminded me of a book I just came upon by one of my favorite authors, Steve Farrar. It’s entitled, How To Ruin Your Life by 30. (By the way, I think it’s the perfect gift for both high school and college graduates!) It’s short, simple, and to the point. Better yet, it’s really insightful. Here are Farrar’s nine suggestions for how a young person can do a super job at ruining his or her life by age 30…

1.) Overlook the law of cause and effect

2.) Get off to a bad start

3.) Ignore God’s purpose for your life

4.) Refuse to take responsibility for your actions

5.) Neglect your gifts and strengths when choosing a vocation

6.) Disregard what the Bible says about sex and marriage

7.) Stop Learning

8.) Isolate yourself

9.) Refuse daily wisdom

Obviously, the book is written to make the very opposite points and Farrar offers some very helpful wisdom for folks at any age… not just the under 30 crowd.

Of course, the granddaddy of the “don’t waste your life” books is John Piper’s book… you guessed it… Don’t Waste Your Life. There is much wisdom in this book as well. One of Piper’s main desires is to encourage Christians not to give into the temptation of a retirement that amounts to no more than moving to Florida to collect shells on the beach and to play golf every day. He shares the words on a plaque that was in his childhood home that said…

Only one life,
‘Twill soon be past;
Only what’s done
for Christ will last.

The book is essentially an exposition of those words and the countless texts in Scripture that communicate that truth. It’s a very inspiring, encouraging, and CONVICTING book. I think of the two, I would buy the Farrar book for graduates and give older folks the Piper book. Both, however, are well worth reading for Christians who take their lives in this world seriously.

Stand Firm,
Dale

Categories: Calling, Dale Tedder, Directions to Young Christians, Discipleship, Encouragement, Faithfulness, Godly Manhood, Lifelong Learning, Manhood, Purpose, Redeem the Time, Vocation, Wisdom | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Life For Yours: The Call of Men

Posted on January 15, 2012 by daletedder

John 12:24-26

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. [25] The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

In our scripture Jesus is teaching his disciples that he is going to die, but that he must if they would live. A kernel of wheat must die if it would produce many seeds.

Why hasn’t reformation and revival broken out across the church at Southside…or any other church around us lately? There are perhaps many reasons, but could one reason be that we are holding on too preciously and tightly to our own lives – unwilling to die – so that we might reproduce many seeds through our deaths? Do we love our lives too much in this world, so much so, that we are actually losing our lives?

My life for yours. Genuine, substitutionary, and sacrificial living. Following and serving our King wherever he may lead…to whatever end. This brings honor from the Father. This glorifies the Father.

My life for yours. Training and nurturing our children in the Lord – when we rise, when we go to bed, as we live throughout the day, when it’s convenient, when it’s inconvenient – making sure that our children are not merely “taught at” but saturated in the things of God each day, all day – because they are eternal beings and heirs of the King. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Are we leaving a godly legacy to and for our children and our children’s children for a thousand generations? Are we dying so they can live – really live? Can we think outside our individual lives to see how our own deaths will extend the Kingdom of God by producing many seeds? Will we believe the promises of God that he has made regarding faithful, covenantal parenting? My life for yours and for a thousand generations after you. Talk about a payoff!

But this is hard. That’s why it’s called death. Death to self. It is intentional, committed, disciplined. It’s every day, all day. It’s the discipling of our children because it is our joy, blessing, and responsibility before God to do so. Our lives for theirs. The Kingdom of God grows in such ways. Darkness is engulfed by light through such ways. Reformation and revival are ushered in through such faith and obedience. God promises blessings to such as these.

We must die. We must do with less stuff if it means more time with our families. We must wrestle with our children at the end of the day…even when we are tired. We must discipline our children, even when we would rather not. We must cast a God-glorifying vision before our children (and reiterate it every day) of who they could be for Jesus. We have to read great stories to our children (even when we’d rather doze off) so that their imaginations can ignite as they put themselves in the places of the characters in the stories. We have to read to them about the heroes of the faith who have gone before us, so that they might see how others have given themselves for Christ and his Kingdom. We absolutely must teach our children who our God is – his person, plan, power, purpose and so on. We must drive home again and again what the gospel is and is not (after all, we’re not trying to merely make better citizens or “behaviorally correct” robots). We must teach them grace and show them grace. They must learn what it means to know, love, and follow Christ. They have to understand that our faith is a total world and life view that addresses every sphere of life.

We are called to create Christian cultures in our homes though the power of God’s Word and Spirit, that those cultures might spill out into every other sphere of life. This is first and foremost our (the parents’) responsibility, not others…not even the church. Our lives for theirs. We must die so they can live.

Can we let go? Of our wants, things, desires, passions – our very lives? We must if we would find real life – abundant life – eternal life. Life in service to the King is not our own…it’s better. Only in dying are we raised. Only in dying are more seeds produced, and therefore, more fruit. Our lives for theirs.

From our commitment and hard daily labor now, what might God do in response? Might he use one of our children, (or one of our children’s children), to bring many to Christ, to redeem the culture, to usher in reformation and revival in the church, to extend the Kingdom of God as never before? We have every reason to believe he will! But we must die. We must fall to the ground and die. We must hate our lives in this world. We must give our lives for our children’s lives, and for their children after them, that God might be pleased and choose to honor us by blessing those for whom we gave our lives.

My life for yours. Our lives for theirs. This is biblical faith.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

Categories: Bearing Fruit, Calling, Children, Covenant Family, Covenantal Home, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Evangelism, Faith, Faithfulness, Family, Fatherhood, Godly Manhood, Husbands, Kingdom Discipleship, Leadership, Legacy, Marriage, Mission, Multi-Generational Vision, Parenting, Vision, Witness | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Men Called to Live the Risen Life, Part 2

Posted on January 13, 2012 by daletedder

(This comes from a message I shared at my church’s Men’s Easter Breakfast, on Saturday, April 3, 2010. Click here to ready Part 1.)

How can we live the risen life, according to Paul?

1.) The first thing you do, according to Paul, is to

“set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (v. 1b)

What does that mean? Well, the actual phrase, “set your hearts on things above,” could be interpreted as, “keep seeking the things above.” This language communicates to us a continuous action. It’s not something we try once and then we’re done. In other words, it needs to be a habitual pattern in our lives as followers of Christ. We should strive to look more and more like Jesus with every passing day.

Paul is basically telling us to be passionately consumed with the things of God… the things of heaven. We need to continually pursue an eternal perspective in everything we say, do and think. We need to pursue the beliefs, values, and practices that characterize the Lord Jesus.

There’s an old saying that goes like this: “Don’t be so heavenly-minded that you’re no earthly good.” It seems that some folks think about heaven so much that they sort of opt out of living here on earth. They don’t engage this life. They don’t try. They’re sort of just waiting to die so they can go to heaven.

But Paul reverses that idea. To paraphrase Paul, we should be so heavenly-minded that we can’t help but be of earthly good. Who was more earthly good than the Lord Jesus himself? He doesn’t just talk about eternal life after we die, but abundant life that begins now.

Paul follows that command with these words in verse 2…

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

 Now, that may sound like a contradiction of what I just said, but it’s not. Paul is not saying that we should ignore living here on earth. Instead, the “earthly things” he’s referring to are the broken, fallen, and sinful patterns of living that the world practices and embraces. It’s the values the world holds dear. That’s NOT the sort of stuff we’re to think about. Instead, Paul tells us to “set our minds on things above.” I can’t summarize what he means here any better than John MacArthur. Listen to this…

“Set your mind”… could simply be translated, ‘think,’ or more thoroughly, ‘have this inner disposition.’ …the tense indicates continuous action. … ‘You must not only seek haven, you must also think heaven.’ …The believer’s whole disposition should orient itself toward heaven, where Christ is, just as a compass needle orients itself toward the north.”

 “Such heavenly values dominating the mind produce godly behavior.” (MacArthur, Commentary on Colossians and Philemon, p. 129)

 That’s what we’re call to continuously pursue and think about. But it’s hard to live that sort of life and to think that way all the time, isn’t it?

Next time we’ll look at the differences between the Biblical Christian that Paul is describing in our text versus what’s been described as a Cultural Christian.

Blessings,
Dale

Categories: Calling, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Faith, Faithfulness, Godly Manhood, Righteousness, Sanctification | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Calling All Missions-Minded Men at Southside

Posted on December 20, 2011 by daletedder

Brothers,

Below is some information about the mission trip to Guatemala that some of the men of our church will be going on this coming April. The info-meeting referred to has already happened, but the contact information is still good and it is definitely not too late to learn more and/or sign up, though space is limited. (Just to be clear: this mission trip is open to any and all men at Southside… though, as I said, space is limited.)

PS – One of the best and most inspiring messages I ever heard on missions was by John Piper. You can read or listen to the message by clicking here.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

Have you been looking for a way to put your faith in action?  Has God begun to give  you a heart to serve?  Do you desire to deepen your relationship with God by sharing His love with others?

Then we’ve got a trip for you!

The Baxter Boys men’s ministry here at Southside is sponsoring a mission trip to Guatemala on April 21-29 of 2012.  We will be involved in a construction project with the Mission2Guatemala team–the ministry our youth have worked with over the past few years–and will stay at their center in Chisek.  The cost of the trip will be $1500 per person which includes airfare, living expenses in Guatemala,  and construction materials for the project.  A deposit of $400 will be due by January 15, and we hope to offset the rest by fundraising.

We will have an exploratory meeting on Wednesday, December 14 at 5:45 PM in the Family Life Center main area.  We will discuss the trip, pass out the FAQ sheets from M2G and plan fund raising.  If you have any questions or are interested but cannot attend, contact David Preston at prestondinjax@aol.com or 616-6817.  You don’t have to be a “Baxter Boy,” just a man of God willing to rise up and go forth in His name.  See you on the 14th!

Categories: Bearing Fruit, Calling, Discipleship, Evangelism, Godly Manhood, Kingdom Discipleship, Men's Ministry, Mercy Ministries, Missions, Service, Southside UMC, Witness | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Men’s Discipleship at Southside

Posted on December 20, 2011 by daletedder

The following is a piece I wrote in April of last year about Southside’s (the church I serve) ministry to men. Since I’m trying to get this new blog up and running, I thought it would be a good idea to re-post what I wrote.

Blessings,
Dale

Pat Morley, founder of the ministry to men called, Man in the Mirror, has said something along these lines: “However many men are in your church, that’s how many men are in your men’s ministry.”

It has taken me awhile to fully understand and even embrace that idea. However, I have come to slowly wrap my mind around that idea and now completely agree with it. For many churches, the men’s ministry consists of those dear brothers who attend a monthly Saturday morning breakfast and quick devotion followed by spending the rest of the day doing “chores” around the church (for which, that church is greatly blessed). I know that I had a similar view of what or who constitutes a men’s ministry; I simply substituted men’s weekly discipleship small groups in the place of the monthly breakfast.

Ministry to men, however, ought to be thought of more comprehensively than that. There are certainly components which, in my opinion, should be present and operative in a men’s ministry, yet a one-dimensional definition of men’s ministry is counter-productive and, ultimately, will not yield very much good and lasting fruit for the kingdom.

Southside’s ministry to men, as we shall see in this post, (as well as the next one), runs the gamut of activities and programs all designed to help build up our men in their faith and to equip them to be a blessing to others, in every sphere of their lives.

Small Group Study in Community

In spite of all that I just wrote on not wanting to too strictly define or limit what makes up a men’s ministry, I still passionately contend that our men’s weekly discipleship groups at Southside are foundational to all our other men’s ministries.

These weekly discipleship groups, which we call The Baxter Boys, began as a little band of men who met in the living room of my house, just a bit over nine years ago. (Click here and here to learn about our namesake, Richard Baxter.) These weekly gatherings are where our men can be instructed, encouraged, equipped, enriched, edified, and even convicted through the ministry of God’s Spirit and Word working in the midst of Christian community.

In the Baxter Boys weekly fellowship, our men learn about the things of God - how know him better, love him more, follow him more faithfully, and how to become more and more like him. We do this in the context of community and accountability. Curiously, in popular discipleship literature, such a setting has been described as a sterile environment and even irrelevant to real life. I suppose it could be seen as that. I guess it may be even be practiced in such a way. Yet, one would have a hard time making that case to many of our men who have had their minds renewed and their lives transformed in and through such a ministry setting.

Throughout the year we used a three-pronged approach that consists of Word, Doctrine, and Life. By Word, I mean a straightforward study through a book in the Bible. When we study Doctrine, we are isolating a particular affirmation of our faith and focusing on it for a period of time, such as the person and work of Jesus Christ. Finally, by Life, I mean a practical, rubber-hits-the-road approach to living in this world as Christian men, whether it’s as husbands, fathers, or in the workplace. Obviously, there is overlap for all three. For example, we don’t (and, I would contend, can’t) study Doctrine or Life without studying the Word. They all connect and interrelate.

Accountability and Encouragement in Community

The Baxter Boys discipleship ministry includes accountability, yet not in the same way as smaller and more intimate groups experience it. Accountability in this fellowship is experienced more through mutually encouraging one another to attend and participate in the life of the groups. And yet, struggles, even failures, are shared. Brothers building one another up in a common faith, lifting up one another in prayer, as well as celebrating victories and successes all make up the life of these small groups.

Leadership Development in Community

Our men also learn leadership in and through our weekly discipleship groups. As our men get more and more grounded in God’s Word, they begin to feel God’s Spirit moving and calling them to serve him in a wide variety of leadership settings, such as in their homes and workplaces, teaching Sunday school classes, working with inner-city mercy ministries, mentoring boys without a father in the home, administrative committees in the church, just to name a few. God has promised that regularly renewing our minds with his Word will bring about such transformation.

Leadership is also manifested in the lives of our men as they seek to pass the baton of faith onto other men. Through study, prayer, and fellowship, God’s Spirit draws them out of their comfort zones and encourages them to invite other men to join us. Many men also begin to pour their lives into the lives of other men (both in the church and outside the church) through various forms of mentoring and discipling.

Unity in Diversity

One last aspect that makes our weekly fellowship so meaningful is that it is made up of men from a variety of church affiliations. True ecumenism is found when brothers from a variety of denominational backgrounds can gather together and affirm one Lord, one Spirit, one baptism, one faith, all grounded in one Word.

Join Us

If this sounds like something you would like to become a part of, please do not hesitate to come and join our fellowship!

We meet on Monday nights in Southside’s Family Life Center from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

We meet on Wednesday mornings in Southside’s Family Life Center from 6:30am to 7:30am.

If you have any questions, I encourage you to call me at 396-2676 or email me at d.tedder@southsidemethodist.org.

Blessings in Christ,
Dale Tedder
(April 16, 2010)

Categories: Accountability, Bearing Fruit, Calling, Covenant, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Godly Manhood, Husbands, Leadership, Men's Ministry, Mentoring, Righteousness, Sanctification, Scripture, Spiritual Growth, Vocation, Work, Worldview | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Heart of the Matter (A Devotion for Men)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by daletedder

Good Morning Brothers,

Part of my devotional Scripture reading this morning was from Proverbs 27. I think this chapter could be called the “men’s ministry” chapter. There are some great texts in it. Two of them, I believe, are right on target for part of what we’re trying to accomplish in our small groups (accountability).

Proverbs 27:6 - Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. 

Proverbs 27:17 -  As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

The other text summarizes a great theme of Scripture.

Proverbs 27:19 - As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

Pursuing godliness as a Christian man is not merely trying to live a more moral life. It’s much deeper than that. It’s a “heart” issue. Jesus said that what we say, do, and think reveals what’s happening in our hearts. That’s why becoming a Christian isn’t simply changing a few behaviors. It’s about becoming a new creature in Christ. When this happens, God’s Spirit dwells within you to enable you to become more Christlike each and every day. That’s our whole purpose of existence.

How are you doing in this pursuit of godliness? I recently heard a phrase I like: God is more concerned with your direction than your perfection. Of course, the ultimate goal is perfection… but we have start moving in that direction before we actually get there. Are you moving in that direction? Are you trying? Is that your goal in life?

Besides a new heart and the power of God’s Spirit, God has given us tools to enable us to draw closer to him and move in the direction of godliness in our lives. One of those tools is meeting with like-minded brothers who are on the same journey. Another is meeting with someone who has been called by God to build up and encourage brothers for their walk with Christ (if I can ever serve any of you in this way, please don’t hesitate to let me know). Yet another way is by regularly being in prayer and God’s Word. Here are two prayers for you to lift up to God this week…

“Heavenly Father, fitness experts claim I am what I eat. Personal sports trainers say that exercise gives me a healthy body. Lord, I understand that spiritually I am what I read. For the right spiritual life, I must read, study, and feast on your Word. To be strong spiritually, I also need to exercise what I’ve learned. I pray I will take full advantage of the spiritual training and strengthening provided by your Word.” (from Prayers with Purpose for Men)

 ”Dear Lord, I will open my heart to you. I will take my concerns, my fears, my plans, and my hopes to you in prayer. And, then, I will trust the answers that you give. You are my loving Father, and I will accept your will for my life today and every day that I live.” (from Prayers of a Righteous Man)

 The Lord bless you today brothers. Have a wonderful time in worship and may God be glorified in all that you think, say, and do today.

Blessings,
Dale

Categories: Accountability, Bearing Fruit, Calling, Daily Devotions, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Godly Manhood, Prayer, Righteousness, Sanctification, Scripture, Spiritual Growth | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Three Questions for Men

Posted on December 17, 2011 by daletedder

1.) Where are you going?
2.) How are you going to get there?
3.) How will you know when you’re there?

Good Morning Brothers,

This past March I received a newsletter from Len Sykes. Len is a godly man who mentors, teaches, disciples, coaches, and leads men up in the Atlanta area. He’s also an associate of Ken Boa, the man who mentored me while I was in seminary. (While I’m thinking of it, you can learn more about Len or sign up for his newsletter by clicking here.)

In this particular newsletter, Len shared a little about his ministry. I’m always encouraged when he shares what he’s doing and what God is doing through him because it reminds me so much of my own ministry… and there’s so much I can learn from what Len shares.

Len talked a little about his passion, mission, and vision for his ministry. He commented that these are the three main areas that he encourages his men to focus on. The three questions that I listed at the top of this post are my version of what Len is talking about. These are important questions to ask because, as the old saying goes, ”If you don’t know where you’re going, then any road will get you there.” There are a lot of men who have no idea where they’re going… and they’re making great time getting there.

These issues of passion, mission, and vision are very important, in my opinion. I think most men want to live for something bigger than themselves. Part of their frustration is that they either don’t know what that something is… or they have an idea, but don’t know how to pursue it.

Passion. This is the “why” question. What drives you? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Len says that passion is “the emotional/inspirational element of our desire. It’s that which energizes us.

What’s your passion? For yourself as a man of God? For your family? For you work setting? For your church? For your personal ministry? For your community? What’s that something that’s bigger than you that you want to live your life pursuing in each of these areas?

Mission. Len next points out that mission “relates to how we carry out our desires to serve the Lord and his people.” In other words, how are you going to fulfill your passion? How are you going to get there? What’s your plan?

Vision. This last component “relates to what the end result” of your passion and mission will look like. In other words, how will you know that you’ve fulfilled your mission (or that you’re making progress in the right direction)? Lots of aimless activity is not the same thing as moving toward your goal. Having a vision of what it will look like will help you focus and persevere as you move toward your goal…your dream of that something bigger than yourself.

My prayer is that each of you will not only have, but will also spend your life pursuing, a passion, mission, and vision for who you are as a man of God – for your own spiritual growth, for yourselves as husbands, fathers, employees/employers, churchmen, neighbors, for every sphere of your lives. To be sure, this is a huge undertaking. But can you imagine anything more worthy of your time and energy?

My family’s life-verse is 1 Corinthians 10:31, which says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” From the extremely important to the utterly mundane, all of life is to be lived for God’s glory. This is the idea behind the phrase, “living life on purpose” or “living intentionally.”

Having a passion, a mission, and a vision will help you glorify God in all the spheres of your life. If I can help you discover, develop, and pursue your “something bigger than yourself,” please do not hesitate to let me know. It would be a joy, an honor, and a blessing to travel along side you as you seek and follow God’s call in your life.

Your Brother,
Dale

Categories: Bearing Fruit, Calling, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Godly Manhood, Leadership, Legacy, Men's Ministry, Mission, Passion, Spiritual Growth, Success, Vision, Vocation | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Godly Men Guard the Truth

Posted on November 27, 2011 by daletedder

by Dale Tedder

This past summer our church’s men’s weekly discipleship ministry studied 1 Timothy and Titus. In case you’re interested, we used a great study-guide by John Stott. Stott’s commentary on the same two epistles is entitled, Guard the Truth. It’s no surprise why it’s named that. Here are a few texts that help make the point…

1 Timothy 1:3-4 - As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer [4] nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work–which is by faith.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 - Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, [15] if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 - The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. [2] Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 - If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, [4] he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions [5] and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

1 Timothy 6:20-21 - Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, [21] which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.

Titus 1:9 - He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

These are just a few of the more obvious texts on the necessity (indeed, the command) of guarding the truth, though plenty more could be cited. That got me thinking about something I shared with the men during the study. I told them that there doesn’t seem to be a high premium on truth in the church today. This is a given outside the Church. But it should not be so inside the Church. We wink our way through too much on things that probably ought to be dealt with.

Of course, this isn’t to say that we ought to appoint “thought police” to start arresting folks who don’t “think like us.” Nor does it mean that every issue is worth fighting over. There are some things, secondary things, that godly people can disagree over and still not reject the authority of God’s Word and the central doctrines of the faith.

I’ve often shared with folks that when I graduated from seminary I wanted to debate every last detail of every last doctrine. As I have gotten older, and hopefully matured some, I find that the list of things that I care about debating has drastically shrunk. However, the things that I hold dear are not just worth debating… they are worth dying over. (Hopefully that bit of hyperbole will not be taken too literally or understood that I’m going to launch a Crusade when folks disagree with what I hold dear. Instead, I hope it means that I’ll joyfully die to myself, receive scorn or contempt from others, and do all I can to lovingly and graciously teach, preach, defend, and live such precious truths.)

Last week I attended the ordination service of the new pastors of the United Methodist Church in Florida. Here’s an excerpt or two from the service of the ordination of elders…

“Remember that you are called to serve rather than to be served, to proclaim the faith of the church and no other, to look after the concerns of God above all.

“Do you believe in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

“Are you persuaded that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and are the unique and authoritative standard for the church’s faith and life?

“Will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church, accepting its order, liturgy, doctrine, and discipline, defending it against all doctrines contrary to God’s Holy Word, and committing yourself to be accountable with those serving with you, and to the bishop and those who are appointed to supervise your ministry.”

I’m proud to say that, at least on paper, my denomination cares about the truth of God’s word… so much so, that ordained clergy are tasked with preaching, teaching, defending, and living it. One of the best parts about attending the ordination service each year is that God reminds me of my calling and vows. He reminds me that we in our day, as Jude pointed out in his day, are heralds and guardians of the faith once delivered to the saints. I look forward to exploring 1 Timothy and Titus with my brothers in Christ to learn about how I/we might do that better.

Someone who is an eloquent and ardent guardian of the faith is Al Mohler. He routinely brings things to light that many of us may miss if we’re not up-to-date on all the newest books and articles. His newest article masterfully critiques a recent book that seems to be a full-blown attack on the very truth that Paul encourages Timothy and Titus to guard with their very lives. Here’s an excerpt…

“Most Christians assume that Christianity is the one and only religion that is God-inspired and that carries the imprimatur of God’s blessing,” laments R. Kirby Godsey. In his new book, Is God a Christian?, Godsey sets out to oppose that assumption and to argue that “the stakes for mankind have grown too high for any of us to engage our faith as if our understanding of God represents the only way God’s presence may be known in the world.”

The great question of the exclusivity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is necessarily bound up with the most central teachings of the Christian faith, which is why an argument like this must be considered so carefully. A closer look reveals that Godsey is not merely calling upon Christians to reconsider how we define and defend the Gospel — he is calling for a total reconstruction of everything that Christianity represents.

Click here to read the whole article. It’s an important piece to read.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

Categories: Calling, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Godly Manhood, Kingdom Discipleship, Leadership, Scripture, Truth, Worldview | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are You Striving for Mediocrity?

Posted on November 26, 2011 by daletedder

by Dale Tedder

Per an earlier post, here’s another round of questions from Newberry’s book…

Question: What is mediocrity? What examples of it have you witnessed recently? How do you prevent mediocrity from attacking you, your family, or your business?

Answer: I would say that my definition of “mediocrity” is not fulfilling your God-given calling because you didn’t even try. Examples of mediocrity in my life would include: Not growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remaining immature in my faith. Not learning about myself. Not seeking to develop myself so that I can be all that God made and called me to be. Not taking responsibility for my life. Making excuses for why I’m content being stagnate in the various spheres of my life. Not seeking to bear much, good, and lasting fruit.

Some folks may be given five talents, some two, and some one. What counts is not how much you’re given, but what you do with what you’re given. Are you faithful with what you’ve been given, or do you tend to bury your talent in the ground? No effort – no risk – no trust in God. That describes too many of us. That has described me as well.

I think you prevent mediocrity from attacking you by obeying God, trusting him, staying close with him, keeping in step with his Spirit, continually seeking and asking to be filled with his Spirit, staying in God’s Word, praying, praying, and praying some more, pursuing lifelong personal development and lifelong learning, etc., etc.

The sanctification process is more than learning how not to sin. While it obviously includes that, it also incorporates the positive act of conforming more and more to the likeness of Christ and renovating every sphere of your life under his Lordship so that you can reach all of your God-given potential…for his glory. Putting off and putting on. Dying to self and rising with Christ. You must continuously move forward, becoming progressively sanctified (i.e., becoming more like Christ, who perfectly fulfilled his calling).

I have experienced mediocrity in my own life. Every time I have daydreamed too long, surfed the net too long, watched too much TV, slept in too late, etc. You name it. But I think I’ve come to understand that I’ll move toward defeating mediocrity in my life only as I redeem the time… every minute that God has given me. Very practically speaking, that means having God-glorifying goals, (in every sphere of my life), and then faithfully, strategically, and consistently working toward meeting the big goals by accomplishing the smaller, daily goals. I can do all things through Christ who fills me with his Spirit and gives me strength.

Blessings,
Dale

Categories: Bearing Fruit, Calling, Dale Tedder, Discipleship, Encouragement, Godly Manhood, Mediocrity, Sanctification, Spiritual Growth, Success | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Raising Children to be Entrepreneurs

Posted on October 14, 2011 by daletedder

This is a really inspiring presentation by Cameron Herold on raising children to become entrepreneurs. That is, he encourages parents to shepherd their children (at least the ones who show certain aptitudes and attitudes) to not just want to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc., but, instead, seek to pour into them an entrepreneurial spirit. He offers some good reasons on why he believes this is a good idea and some helpful suggestions for how to put his ideas into action. I think much of what he has to say is right on target. A great deal of what he has to say is in line with trying to cultivate children who will excercise their gifts and personal quirks for Christ and his Kingdom (though this is not a Christian presentation). This is also not a homeschool presentation, however, I see the homeschool setting as the ideal environment to put Herold’s ideas into action.

This really is a great video and is truly worth watching for the 22 minutes that it lasts.

Enjoy,
Dale

Thanks to the good folks at Freedom Personal Development blog for finding this video presentation and sharing it with the rest of us. Thanks also to TED for producing these great videos for the rest of us. They really are ideas worth spreading.

Categories: Calling, Children, Discipling Children, Family, Fatherhood, Parenting, Shepherding Sons, Vocation, Work | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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