Staff ChapelEach week at Calvary Monterey we hold an hour-long staff chapel. Currently held on Wednesdays after lunch, Staff Chapel is an opportunity for the staff of our church to gather together for prayer, worship, teaching, updates, and training. It is, for me, a significant way to impart to the entire team. It has been helpful, so I thought I would write for any pastor out there who has a group of key-leaders he wants to build up for the ministry the Lord has called them to.1. Additional FeedingOur team works hard to attend a weekend gathering, but often they will miss the teaching time at our church. If they miss the corporate teaching time, they will listen to the archive, but there is usually less impact when the word is received alone and from a recording. I mean, it’s just tough to get the same impact from a sermon while mowing your lawn. It’s okay, but not quite the same, so the staff chapel gives them an opportunity to receive the word in an undistracted and focused way.2. Ministry PhilosophiesOur team is large enough that I cannot personally mentor each person. They are a great group, determined to see Jesus Famous in every area of their lives and our church. But, as the lead pastor, it is important for me to teach them about ministry. As we tackle various books of the Bible, I make it my aim to talk to them about how ministry life works. My teachings differ at staff chapel from the teachings I give at the general church gathering because this group needs an accelerated knowledge of ministry principles and philosophies.3. Doctrinal PerspectivesAdditionally, in this context, I like sharing about various doctrinal positions. Though it is silly how often the Church will fight over secondary matters, we still have views on those doctrines, so staff chapel provides a good opportunity, from time to time, to walk these key leaders through doctrines we hold. Our church’s eschatology, pneumatology, or soteriology are all important to get into with this team.4. Space for PrayerThe staff chapel time also gives us an opportunity to pray together. We don’t dedicate a large portion of every meeting to prayer, but some meetings are completely devoted to it. When a major opportunity is in front of us or there is a new open door in front of us, we will pray. Sometimes we will just flow in prayer and worship together and see where the Spirit takes us. My preference is to ditch the teaching once every month or two and replace it with a time waiting upon the Lord in prayer.5. Time for WorshipRoughly half our meetings will begin with a few songs of worship led by one of the gifted worship leaders on staff. This time is helpful for a couple of reasons. First, many of them miss the worship time during our weekend gatherings. Second, it is difficult to shift one’s mind from work mode to worship mode, so a few songs of praise are helpful to make that transition. It is often in song and prayer we’re able to shift from the day’s work and activity and into a time of receiving God’s word.6. A Chance to Give UpdatesWe try as much as we can post digital updates, but often people write updates that are way too time-consuming and elaborate, so they are barely skimmed. At times, there is an update in ministry that is good for the team to personally hear about, sometimes from me, but often from another team member. Often, updates like these lead to times of celebration and an increased sense of unity.7. A TouchpointWe are running, it seems, in a thousand directions all at once. Obviously, we'd like to have as cohesive and pointed of a mission as possible, but it often feels like we are a disjointed bunch. Though we are all fighting for Jesus Famous, the individual expressions and parts of that mission are varied. Staff Chapel gives us all a chance to pause, look around, and realize we are in this together.8. Another Teaching OutletIt is good for staff members to hear from one another, and also for the less experienced teachers to have a chance to

“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1, ESV)Who doesn’t love a good chase scene? It seems each generation of movie directors ups the previous one with grander and longer and edgier chase scenes than ever before. A good chase scene is ragged and undeterred. There is no quit. Even when you think the hunt is over, it reinvents itself. The pursuit is on.Paul told us to pursue love, which means to chase down or, taken literally, persecute love. We are to follow love hard, to get after it, to make it a chief aim of life.According to Paul, one way to pursue love is to desire spiritual gifts, for with them we can love more effectively than before. One great spiritual gift, useful for loving others, is the gift of prophecy, so Paul said we should especially desire it. He said we should earnestly want to prophesy.But what is the gift of prophecy, and why should we want it? I don’t know many believers who would want to live like the Old Testament prophets, and if I did know them, I’m not sure I would want to. Is Paul saying we must put on our camel skin garments and get out into the wilderness and begin all our sentences with “Thus saith the Lord”? Are we to predict the future, foretelling of events yet to come? Do we get special badges?He clarified by saying, “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who prophesies builds up the church” (1 Corinthians 14:3b, 4b). Now that’s love. To upbuild, encourage, and to console is beautiful.Upbuilding — The BuilderThe word Paul used means to build up another. Builders take raw material, and with the necessary supplies and tools, build something. They might lay a foundation for a home, restore an outdated kitchen, or repair a broken fence. They take things into a better and fuller version. A person with the gift of prophecy can effectively build up the life of another. They know just what to say, and when to say it, to strengthen and fortify another.People are searching for direction. Often, a mere exhortation at the right time, in the right spirit, by the power of the Spirit, can build a person up into the person God sees they can be. I have enjoyed watching, over the years, many young men receive the life direction they needed through someone else’s gift of prophecy. When the words are spoken, something clicks, the lights go on, and a fresh foundation is laid. Lives are built up through the gift of prophecy.Encouragement — The CoachThe word Paul used means to spur on another. Coaches take an athlete and work with them, exhorting and encouraging them on to greater things. A good coach knows the right time to speak soft encouragement, the time to offer big praise, and the time to give stern rebuke. The idea of this facet of the gift of prophecy is that a person can be spurred on through the gift. Through a prophecy, believers can receive a little juice to keep running the race, training up toward godliness, or venture out into steps of faith.People are in need of encouragement. Life is painful and rough. Failures abound, and personal limitations are often either monstrous in our sight, or not seen at all, and both are dangerous. We need tons of words of encouragement to keep running the race, to keep moving. I have never known someone say, “I don’t need any more encouragement. I am completely encouraged and in need of no more.” No, discouragement abounds, and we need those with the gift of prophecy to love others by giving their constant, coach-like encouragements to others.Consolation — The PhysicianThe word Paul used means to shore up another. Physicians take a person who is sick or hurt and do what must be done to bring them into fuller health. A doctor will take a broken leg, put it in a cast, and give directions for recovery. A doctor will diagnose an illness and prescribe medication. A doctor will speak the truth to someone who is gravely ill. They will shore

“This is the genealogy of those who went up with me…” (Ezra 8:1).The BackdropArduous in every way, Ezra’s journey was about to commence. Pain, heartache, and difficulty awaited every traveler he'd recruited. Hundreds of miles and millions of enemies lay between them and Jerusalem. The journey would be treacherous, but the work of God must go on. A scholar and practitioner and teacher of the words of God, Ezra amassed a team of willing folks, those who wanted to join him in bringing the temple of God to a glimmer of its former glory. They wanted to witness the worship of God, to see the glory descend upon Israel once more.Before they traveled, however, Ezra counted. He numbered every person, the genealogy of every family, who embarked on such a dangerous voyage with him, with God. He delighted in each one of them, thanked God for them, for Ezra knew he was not alone. God was with him, but so were God’s people. Ezra delighted in the company of saints who had, in many ways, become willing to traverse such danger for the glory of God. It was the fear of God that would get them from point A to point B, and point B would be no picnic. So Ezra numbered these great ones who would join him on the quest. They belonged to God and Ezra didn’t want even one to slip through the cracks of time's memory.Are You Thankful Like Ezra?But how about me? Do I number and thank and rejoice at the people God has put around me? Do I celebrate the individuals whom God has touched, people who have said, yes? It is good to rejoice in humans, individual, real, flesh and blood humans — people whom God has purchased with the blood of his Son. Moreover, not only those but to count and rejoice and sing over those who have decided to journey with you on a quest for the prioritization of God.A man wants to build a family that reflects the nature and character of God. Does he rejoice when his wife joins him on the venture? A pastor wants to labor for a church that does not fritter away its existence with vanity and self-love, instead choosing to be all-in on the commission Christ has given. Does he celebrate the people God has raised up to team with him in the eternal struggle? A professional wants to figure out a way to honor Christ in their work, even when their work-place is hostile to the God they serve. Do they sing and clap and praise the God of all flesh when he brings some flesh-and-bones support their way?They say we should count our blessings. Like Ezra, let us count the people who have blessed us by joining with us in the battle. It is no easy task to prioritize God with our lives, our finances, our bodies, our minds, or our emotions, so let us rejoice when God brings people into our lives to help us do so. Ezra thought highly of those who went up with him, let us praise God for those who have gone up with us.

Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. (2 Corinthians 12:14, ESV)Modern parents can learn much about their role by learning how the apostles led the early church. They considered their role a parental one, for they were spiritual fathers caring for a new generation of baby Christians, raising them to full maturity. Paul felt that fatherly role toward the church in Corinth. The feeling he had for the Roman church was his feeling for all the churches—“I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you” (Romans 1:11).In the verse before us, Paul told the Corinthian church he was ready to visit them for a “third time.” On that trip, his longing was not to be a burden to them. He was not seeking what they had, but them. His reason for this giving (rather than taking) attitude? “For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.” In the apostle’s mind, parents gave to their children, while children receive from their parents. It was, to him, only natural and, well, obvious.Many parents of children, or even adult children, do not understand this concept. The weight they put on their adult children is often immense. It is unfortunate when a parent puts unspoken expectations on their adult children.The word for it is simple: pressure. Parents should see themselves as a life-giving tree producing fruit for the next generations to partake of, especially their own offspring. They should not see their children as the ones who will provide that fruit. Recently, my dad gave me a washer and dryer set. I am forty years old, and that gift was awesome. We were greatly helped. I rejoiced partaking of his fruit.We should get our identity from Christ, not from our children. We should get our joy from Jesus, not our children. Rather than pressure our children, we ought to cast a vision for continually lightening the load for our children. When they are ten years old, it is easy to see how much they still need to grow up. But when they are thirty, they are still growing, for life at that age is brand new. They are loaded up with pressures and pains of their own. Life is full, and they are scrapping to make it. Parents can help decrease the load during those seasons of life, not through pressure, intimidation, or manipulation, but through deference, generosity, and help.All relationships have a two-way nature to them in one degree or another, and children of all ages must honor their parents, but parents of all ages would do well to think of it as a one-way street. Traffic flows one way only. In Paul’s mind, the obligation was from the parent to the child, not the other way around. If a parent can keep that perspective, they will not look for their children to provide supports they are not made to give them, and instead look to Christ.

“And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.” (2 Chronicles 29:2 ESV).King David was not King Hezekiah’s dad, not even close. Though they were related, Hezekiah was over a dozen generations removed from David, hundreds of years separated the men and their reigns over God’s people. But David’s blood flowed in Hezekiah’s veins, and when his father, Ahaz, proved to be a wicked king, Hezekiah distanced himself. When Ahaz died, Hezekiah “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.”“David His Father…” I Love the ConceptHezekiah could not repeat what his father Ahaz had done, for he was not a man worth following. So Hezekiah went all the way back to his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather David and imitated his life. So much so that the chronicler teamed up the two kings. Hezekiah, in the writer’s mind, did everything his dad, David, had done. David was, in a sense, Hezekiah’s new father.Fathers Impact EveryoneSometimes for good, often for ill, but always an impact. There are times, however, when a person must say, “I am going to connect myself to my Father in heaven. He is the one I will emulate and imitate, for I cannot follow my earthly father in this or that.” Hezekiah was such a man. Ahaz was a terrible man, so Hezekiah hitched his wagon to an ancestor generations removed from his present day. He would imitate his father David.Hezekiah Became a Man Worth FollowingThough his son, Manasseh, did not imitate him, he should have, for he was a good and righteous and just king. When a man (or woman) begins to imitate God as Father, it feels like a new line has started. Children who follow him can look to their father for guidance and leadership. When a man embraces the new way of his Father in heaven today, he jumpstarts a new line. Hope fills the air.

Improve Your Sermon PreparationBible teachers and preachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but they have also received a gift and a calling from the Lord, one they must steward well for the glory of God. I don’t personally know of any communicator of God’s word who feels they have no room to improve. Every pastor or teacher I know wants to grow in their gifting. We want to cultivate it well. What follows are some simple tips which have helped me grow as a bible teacher.1. Pray Over the TeachingSometimes prayer is pushed to the fringes of Bible teaching. We all agree we should be prayerful in our handling of God’s word, but often we have no space to cry out to God over the text and teaching. It is good for us to pause our reading and reflection at various junctures of sermon preparation and ask God to fill our minds and hearts with his message. The two main ways I practice prayer over the teachings I give is during my early morning devotional time with God, but in between my research and the actual sermon creation. I find that once my research work is complete, but before I’ve decided what angle the message will take, it is good for me to ask God for guidance. I just grab my Bible and go for a short walk and talk with him about the text.2. Think About IndividualsThink about a handful of people you know personally who will listen to the teaching as you prepare. Sometimes I will write down the names of ten or so people who will be present when I deliver the sermon. This practice enables my mind to unlock and think through some of the implications of my teaching for their lives. Rather than focus on the entire group, thinking through the individuals who comprise the group can help a pastor or teacher impart valuable insights to the congregation.3. Give Yourself SpaceI like to have my teachings prepared a few days before I need to deliver them. For me, this is the sweet spot, close enough that it will be fresh, but far enough away that I have time to ponder and pray and shift as needed. I do not like doing major Sunday sermon prep on Saturday, for instance. As the teaching date approaches, changes and insights are bound to come, for that is the nature of preaching, but I prefer having the bulk of my work done ahead of time (by Thursday for Sunday messages).4. Teach It Before You Teach ItI will admit that I often preach the messages I’m going to give in advance of the live teaching. I know some men and women who will deliver their messages into the air, practicing the teaching with all its gestures and jokes and inflections in advance. I don’t go that far, but I will often record a studio version of my teaching before I give a live version. Another way to teach it in advance is to talk about the message with others. I have often shared my entire teaching outline with a running buddy, a group of pastors, or Christina in advance of my teaching. I know some pastors who have a preaching group they share their messages with in advance so they can get feedback and help. Others share their notes or outline or manuscript with a few trusted elders for input. However we do this, speaking our message out loud before we climb behind a pulpit will help us find greater clarity and focus.5. Eliminate DistractionsMy brain is a crazy place. It is capable of creating distractions where there are none, so it is important for me to do my part in creating an atmosphere where the least amount of distractions can occur. I prefer studying in the same space at the same times. It is also a must for me to have the internet disabled on all my devices. Rather than use my willpower to keep airplane mode on, I use apps called Freedom (Mac, Apple, Microsoft devices) and Offtime (Android devices) to shut down the internet, text messages, emails, Basecamp, and other potentially distracting apps and programs. Doing this enables me to use my willpower for study and thought. If I wanted to hop online for a bit, even if only to get a little additional work done, I c

Improve Your Sermon PreparationBible teachers and preachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but they have also received a gift and a calling from the Lord, one they must steward well for the glory of God. I don’t personally know of any communicator of God’s word who feels they have no room to improve. Every pastor or teacher I know wants to grow in their gifting. We want to cultivate it well. What follows are some simple tips which have helped me grow as a bible teacher.1. Pray Over the TeachingSometimes prayer is pushed to the fringes of Bible teaching. We all agree we should be prayerful in our handling of God’s word, but often we have no space to cry out to God over the text and teaching. It is good for us to pause our reading and reflection at various junctures of sermon preparation and ask God to fill our minds and hearts with his message. The two main ways I practice prayer over the teachings I give is during my early morning devotional time with God, but in between my research and the actual sermon creation. I find that once my research work is complete, but before I’ve decided what angle the message will take, it is good for me to ask God for guidance. I just grab my Bible and go for a short walk and talk with him about the text.2. Think About IndividualsThink about a handful of people you know personally who will listen to the teaching as you prepare. Sometimes I will write down the names of ten or so people who will be present when I deliver the sermon. This practice enables my mind to unlock and think through some of the implications of my teaching for their lives. Rather than focus on the entire group, thinking through the individuals who comprise the group can help a pastor or teacher impart valuable insights to the congregation.3. Give Yourself SpaceI like to have my teachings prepared a few days before I need to deliver them. For me, this is the sweet spot, close enough that it will be fresh, but far enough away that I have time to ponder and pray and shift as needed. I do not like doing major Sunday sermon prep on Saturday, for instance. As the teaching date approaches, changes and insights are bound to come, for that is the nature of preaching, but I prefer having the bulk of my work done ahead of time (by Thursday for Sunday messages).4. Teach It Before You Teach ItI will admit that I often preach the messages I’m going to give in advance of the live teaching. I know some men and women who will deliver their messages into the air, practicing the teaching with all its gestures and jokes and inflections in advance. I don’t go that far, but I will often record a studio version of my teaching before I give a live version. Another way to teach it in advance is to talk about the message with others. I have often shared my entire teaching outline with a running buddy, a group of pastors, or Christina in advance of my teaching. I know some pastors who have a preaching group they share their messages with in advance so they can get feedback and help. Others share their notes or outline or manuscript with a few trusted elders for input. However we do this, speaking our message out loud before we climb behind a pulpit will help us find greater clarity and focus.5. Eliminate DistractionsMy brain is a crazy place. It is capable of creating distractions where there are none, so it is important for me to do my part in creating an atmosphere where the least amount of distractions can occur. I prefer studying in the same space at the same times. It is also a must for me to have the internet disabled on all my devices. Rather than use my willpower to keep airplane mode on, I use apps called Freedom (Mac, Apple, Microsoft devices) and Offtime (Android devices) to shut down the internet, text messages, emails, Basecamp, and other potentially distracting apps and programs. Doing this enables me to use my willpower for study and thought. If I wanted to hop online for a bit, even if only to get a little additional work done, I c

“And the LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?'” (Job 1:8 ESV).Job, the sufferer. Christians shudder when they pick up his tale. A man at ease, and then the ease evaporated. Pain and misery flooded in. A human tested.However, before it all began, consider the boast of the Lord. "There is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil" (1:8). God saw Job and loved what he saw, a person who lived in the shadow of reverence for the divine. Job was righteous, rejecting the temptations of evil and walking in the blameless path God and his conscience had put before him.Recently, upon reading God's description of Job, I was encouraged by all that was lacking. As a believer, and as a pastor, I crave fruitfulness unto God. I want to make a difference in the world, to help humanity, to be everything Christ has rebirthed me to be.But something struck me as I read of God boasting over Job. Fruitfulness and impact were not mentioned, at least not directly. Instead, God loved Job's inner compass of righteousness and goodness. He loved how Job was a different kind of man in a broken and hurting world. He loved Job's fear of the Lord.In a world filled with metrics, God is looking at the heart. We try to measure everything these days, including the difference we make in others' lives, but it refreshes me to consider what God finds attractive. He had Job, and Job was enough. Fruitfulness flowed from Job's love for God, absolutely, but God was most interested in Job. And he wants you, too, and he finds your reverence for him delightful. He loves your prayers and worship and delight. He savors your walk in awe of him, for he loves you and your fear of him leads to your highest good.Before the fruitfulness, there is fear. God saw it in Job and celebrated it. May he find it in me. May he find it in you.