Ridgell's Originals

I listen to lots of preachers talk about how they believe their church should treat them.  Not as employees.  As family.  To be aware that when they are fired, it generally means they have to uproot their family and move to another town.  To not treat their spouse as if they too are employed by the church.  

There are some valid points in these kinds of feelings.  But I think it also fair to not just ask how the church should treat the preacher.

Maybe we also ought to ask how the preacher should treat the church.

Three questions.

If you were not employed by this particular church, would you be a member there?

If you were not on payroll, how much time and energy would you put into ministry?

If you had to take a pay cut, or lose your salary, would you take a secular job so you could stay and continue to work alongside them?

How you answer these questions determine much about whether you feel like your church is your family.

It also determines whether you really do want to be an employee -- that is paid to do ministry.

I am amazed how many preachers I talk to that are frustrated at how they are treated.  But when asked these questions... they would not choose their own church to be part of, they would not work near as much, and they would not stay.

And by the way, under our current set-up, ministry is not just a calling -- it is a career.  So I don't necessarily think preachers are wrong to answer these in any certain way.  

But you can't have it both ways.  Not treated as family when it benefits you, but free to leave them when it benefits you.

Nothing wrong with leaving for a better paying job.  That is what employees do.  All the time.  Better their family economically.  And sometimes employees get fired.  That happens when you draw a paycheck.  All the time.  

Ministry is a calling for most preachers I know.  And it is also a career.  And sometimes the two do not mesh as well as we would like.

Let's just all try to be honest.

One last thing.  Preachers need to stop blaming elders for the way things are.  And elders need to stop blaming preachers.  And our broken system of church will not be fixed by getting rid of the preachers.  Nor by getting rid of the elders.

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

 A lot of Christians are posting strong political opinions on social media.  Strong.  Opinions.  

So what do your non-believing friends think when they read your posts?  What is your witness?

Are they drawn closer to God or are barriers being erected?

Do they read love for your neighbors or do they read hate for people who do not agree with you?

Do they see fear or do they see faith?

People of peace or people of anger?

Trust in God or trust in a political party?

Allegiance above all to a country or to the Kingdom of God?

Christians are united or divided?

Do they see that political opinions are a test of faith to be in your church?

Do they see the fruits of the Holy Spirit in your posts?  You know -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Do a quick read thru of what you are putting out there and see if you reflect Jesus.

I believe we are in the midst of one of the greatest opportunities we have seen to bring people to Jesus.  In the midst of a pandemic, in a country full of anger and hate, with economic hardship all around, with addictions on the rise, and families in crisis.

What an opportunity to speak Jesus into the lives of our friends and neighbors.  

What a time to live lives of faith, peace and hope.  People will certainly ask the reason for the hope we have.

There is a different way to live.

Not like the world.  

The Jesus way.

People are watching, listening, reading.  So is God.

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

 Let me get this on the table right off.  Of course I have an ego.  Every preacher I have ever known has an ego.  Every one.  How else could you possibly stand in front of people and claim to tell them what God wants them to hear.  And of course I have an ego to have a YouTube channel.  How else could you expect people to watch you on video?  By the way, feel free to subscribe.  I guess just search for Steve Ridgell.  See how I worked that in -- ego.

Or how could I write two books without an ego?  Not counting the three I have co-authored with Tim Archer.  Surely ego gets a pass if you co-write.  

And I have an ego or I would not write a blog.  This blog.

So here is the deal. Ego is not the problem.  Keeping it healthy and in check is the problem.

How do you know the difference between ego and power trips?  out of control ego?

Here are the three things I do.

Try and make sure everything I say or write is based in Scripture.  Including what I say about ego.  So I pay attention to what Paul said in I Corinthians 11:1  follow me as I follow Christ.  Or, Romans 12:3 to not think more highly of yourself than you ought. Colossians  3:17 Everything I do and say should done in the name of the Lord.  Not the name of Steve.

Remember that I have not always been right.  I have had a lot of ideas that ended up not being very helpful.  Including some I had implemented at different churches.  And some ideas I tried to stop ended up being really effective.  Of course, some times I was right.  But it helps keep your ego in check to remember you were not always right.  

Have spiritual people around you who are honest.  My wife is the best one at this.  She knows me, she loves me, and she really does think I have insightful things to say and write.  But she is also not afraid to point out when it is my ego talking.  I have a small group and a couple of best friends who can do that also.  

Pay attention to the God winks.  When a church calls you about their pulpit vacancy and you realize they are not asking you, but asking if you know anyone that might be interested.  

Take out the trash.  Clean the toilet.  Pick up the dog poop.  Keeps your ego in check. 

And above all, I try to always remember that I am nothing without Jesus.  Everything I am and every good thing I do is because of his grace. 

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

 If you want to be serious about reaching lost people for Jesus, here are five simple suggestions for use in the worship assembly.

Take advantage of the "big" days.  Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, Senior Sunday.  These are high traffic Sundays for visitors.  It is a great time to explain how honored you would be to answer questions, or to talk about what it means to be a Jesus follower.

Have special community days/events and use them to create opportunities.  Marriage seminars, financial classes, parenting, caring for older parents, etc.  Be sure and let the community attenders at these events that since you come at these topics from a Christian perspective that you be glad to sit down and visit about what it means to follow Jesus in every aspect of life.

Preach good news sermons periodically.  Sermons on the cross and the resurrection need to done on a regular basis.  Let your congregation know in advance so they can invite people.  Have Friend's day, bring a neighbor day, who are we days.  

Always include an invitation/alter call and make it easy to respond.  People in the aisle, under the large banner in the foyer, at the front after services, ask someone in the yellow teeshirts or whatever.  Just know they are probably not going to come down the aisle like they used to.  Nor are they likely to search out the third classroom on the left in the middle hallway out the side door.  And the preacher does not always have to be the one giving the invitation.  

Tell conversion stories publicly.  Have new converts up for a public blessing.  Tell their story.  The people that influenced them.  A little of the back story.  Even better if the convert will tell the story.  Or some of the people that helped lead them to Jesus.  This will inspire your members to be active in sharing their faith and may inspire some seeker to make the next move.  

Consistent sharing the good news by sermon and the Lord's supper.

Regular telling stories.

Continuous invitations to talk about Jesus.

It will bear fruit.

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

 So I had a birthday last week and I shared it with four special people.

Lois Perkins, Rick Atchley, Don Truitt, and Stephen Jacobs.  

I don't know that these four all know each other.  But I thought a lot about how blessed I have been by my birthday twins.

Lois is one of the all-time great encouragers.  I served as an elder with her husband, Leroy, for a number of years.  She always has a smile and is always fun to be around.

Rick is a great preacher.  I have learned a lot from him about practical ways to preach Scripture.  And he is a passionate voice for reaching people that do not know Jesus.

Don and his wife were our best friends when we were young married couples.  He has been a youth minister, church planter, pulpit minister, and dean of students at a Christian college. His wife Judy just went to her forever home and now Don is showing people the love of God in a way he never wanted.  But it is powerful.

Stephen is one of the all-time great faith fighters.  Satan has come after him over and over.  And Stephen never gives up, never quits on God, and always fights.

So it dawned on me that my birthday twins have made a huge impact on the Kingdom.  Bringing people into a relationship with God, helping others stay focused, growing them spiritually, and encouraging others on the journey.  

So thanks birthday twins.  

You have blessed me.

Most of all, you have honored God.

I pray many more years for each of you.

And someday, we will all hang out forever.

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

So tomorrow is my birthday.  69.  So here are the answers to a few questions about my future.

My future is much shorter and I know that.  I always thought I could go full-speed until 70 and still go strong until 80.  But the truth is, I have no idea what the future holds.

I do know what I am going to do as long as possible.  The same thing I am doing now.  

Tell people about Jesus.  Within my circle of influence and if things change a little and I keep my energy, I hope to do more evangelistic story telling events.  

I hope to continue motivating, equipping, and inspiring other Christians to share their faith.

I want to help the committed believers who are struggling with sin.  Shepherding the people who choose to follow me and also equipping spiritual helpers (elders, parents, friends).

Enjoy my kids and grands.  I am really blessed and I want to treasure these times. 

Hang out with Marsha.  Fun.  

Everyone seems to ask about retirement.  No plans to really ever "hang it up."

I think they mean am I going to stop working.  Translated:  getting paid.

Well, I still do a little work for Herald of Truth and I will do that as long as they want me.

Maybe some church will offer me a little to be their evangelist/crisis shepherd.

Maybe I'll preach for a small church somewhere.  Or be part of a preaching team.

But here are the two things I do know.

God will let us know where to be in a community of faith.  There are three or four churches we do stuff with now and that doesn't count neighborhood church.

And God has always taken care of our needs.  Always.  We have been blessed.  So not really worried about that either.

So I guess I am just going to keep on with what I am doing.  

Until I can't.  Or until God takes me home.

I am blessed. 

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

It is election season and that brings an additional layer of stress in our communities of faith, and in our families.   Everyone has an opinion.  Some are absolutely convinced they know God’s will in this election.  You may have a very strong feeling about what to do in this election.  You will have people in both parties in your church.  And they will all believe they are led by God.  You will even have some that abstain from voting.  Because that is what they think Jesus would do.

Unity.  Peace.  Christian witness.  These are hard to maintain in a church that reflects our society.  And if you are not sure if your church people are caught up in politics, check Facebook.

I am convinced this is a time when our people need to hear from God’s Word. 

So here are the verses I am sharing and using often during this season.  There are many more you could use of course, but these are the ones I have found helpful.

Romans 8:31-39 No matter what happens, nothing can separate us from the love of God.  No matter who wins this election.

Romans 13:1-5 God is in charge and we do not rebel against the authorities.

Ephesians 4:29-30 Pay attention to how you talk, how you feel, and what you do.

Philippians 4:4-8 Let God handle your anxiety.  Pray with thanksgiving.

I Timothy 2:1-4 Pray for those in authority so that bring people to God.

Titus 3:1-2 Be subject to the rulers and live that out.

Hebrews 11:13-16 we are aliens and strangers here as we seek the heavenly country and city God has prepared for us.

I Peter 2:13-17 Submit to all authorities for the Lord’s sake.  Do good.  Love the brotherhood.

We must not let Satan use this time to hurt our Kingdom.

May God bless us all as we seek to honor and follow Jesus during this time.

Labels: Politics

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments

 Judy Truitt went to her forever home this past Tuesday.  She and her husband Don were our best friends back in the early 70's.  Well, it was really more than that.  We were inseparable for a couple of years.  They had only been married a year or so when they moved to Abilene and we were about to get married.  We did ministry together.  We did church together.  We did life together.  It was one of those friendships that it never mattered how long since you had seen each other, it was as if no time at all had passed.  Just picked up where we left off.  

And now Judy made it home before the rest of us.  

She and Don did a lot of ministry over the years.  Judy was a people person thru and thru.  Opened their home everywhere they lived.  Fed a lot of people.  Counseled a lot of young women.  Organized a lot of showers and church activities.  Smiled a lot.  Raised a family.  Prayed for lots of people.  Taught Bible class.  Lived her faith.

She was what I would call a "people-toucher."  When you said church, she thought people.  

They did full-time ministry, part-time ministry, mission work, volunteer ministry, and campus ministry.  She was a preacher's wife but very much had her own ministry.  Touched a lot of university student lives while they were at York.  Part of a church plant in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  I was at that church a few years ago and it still active.  And she touched a lot of people in youth ministry, going back to those days when we hung out at Southern Hills 45 years ago.

She touched our lives.  Judy and Don.  Steve and Marsha.  Steve and Don.  Judy and Marsha.  We were teammates and fellow warriors in the battle against the evil in our world. 

Judy knew you never "earn your reward."  We are all saved by grace.

But I do believe that she got to see God face to face last Tuesday.  And when she did, He told her that she  "did good."  Now it is time to enjoy the rewards forever.

So thanks Judy for loving so many of us so well.  And for helping us see how to love God.

Don will be along soon.  And so will we.

And we can hang out again together.

Forever.

Labels: Death, People

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 2 comments

 I know passionate and committed Jesus followers who absolutely are going to vote for Biden.

I know passionate and committed Jesus followers who absolutely are going to vote for Trump.

I know passionate and committed Jesus followers who cannot in good conscience vote for either.

I know passionate and committed Jesus followers who do not ever vote.

Everyone of these think they are doing what God wants them to do.  

They are not all correct.  I think I know which one of these is right.  But I may be wrong.  

But here is what I do know.

Christians cannot let American politics divide our faith family.

We cannot make politics a test of fellowship.  

So please be careful using phrases like...

    "there is no way a Christian could vote for Joe Trump"

    "how can anyone call themselves a Christian if they vote for Donald Biden.

    "you destroy your Christian witness if you do not vote Repulicrat."

    "Jesus would vote Dempublican."

Be positive in expressing your opinion.

Do not be hateful.  Do not be condescending.

Stop listening to every conspiracy theory.  On both sides.

Do not let your political convictions bring division between you and your fellow Christians.

Do not gloat when your candidate wins.  Do not be hateful when your candidate loses.

God is in control.  His Kingdom will outlast America.  There is much work for Christians to do in this world that can be done no matter who wins the election.  And will be done.

And for those that think I never support any politician.  Here is my shout-out.  

I support Kyle and Shane.  Of course they are just local City Council guys but I know them and they are my Christian brothers.

As is Stan Lambert so I support him.

And Mayor Anthony.  

Of course I know him also.  And yes, he is my Christian brother. I don't even know if these guys have a political party.  They aren't even all the same color.  But they love Jesus.  I can call them by name and they know my name.

See the pattern. 

So God, I pray that your will be done in this election.  I pray that your kingdom not be damaged by politics.  Help us to do the Kingdom work that needs doing in our personal space in this world.  For Jesus and in His name.

Labels: Politics

# posted by Steve @ 6:00 AM 0 comments