What are your Goals as a Pastor?

This question came from a total stranger a few weeks ago at a cafe. He probably overheard my conversation with another pastor friend of mine. When he left, this stranger approached me, sat across the table and fired some questions at me. He was very genuine, not a church goer but believe in the role of church in the community!

I have many goals. I remember making a long list the other day. Most pastors have similar goals but here is the one that I am passionate about at this stage of my life and leadership.

Raise Leaders:

I personally believe that this is one of tasks of every leader, is to raise more leaders. Leaders in the Church, leaders in the market place and leaders in the community.

I think it was Bill Hybels who said: “If you change a church leader, you change a church. When you change a church, you change a community, and when enough church are changing you can affect a region, a country and eventually the world with Life-Changing power of Jesus Christ”

In our Vision Statement as a church, we say “………. We see a church that is raising, training, empowering, and releasing a generation……………”

My heart is to see new, godly, wise, spirit filled, young, humble, courageous, vibrant and dynamic leaders released to their full potential to impact the world with the Gospel.

Why are young people IN church?

Some feedback on Facebook from some of our young people (and some not so young ones)…..Switch is our Youth Ministries at www.LifeChurch.co.nz

• Rachel hey pastor,
• M0ki and i are new to switch but wat drew us was
• #1. It was real , th word, th people, not phony
• #2. It was relatable, to our age groups , yous dnt pretend to knw our faults u do knw becos difrent ones have ben thru them. & it helped us open up n0t feel always like th ‘evilest new sinner’ etc
• #3. Theres so much on & always exciting having non repeditive games, music, fun , activities, chats, word time. Always fresh. So 4 me personaly
• Because th heart of switch is dedicated to serving our generation th attractivenes was fully God in people without their pride geting in the way. X
• Pam……..adding to that is ACCEPTANCE, FUN & THE WORD….from the youngest SWITCH member hehe,….
• Rachael i remember you saying that pastor… other churches stay years back but you want to be with God right next to him so you move with the times… that is one thing i will always remember you saying and i think thats what pulls youth into the church… you keep it pumping, fun and modern and you and your family also make it easy to respect and love you all… you never introduce yourself as Pastor but as Lui…
• Nesi hha yea i remember the first time I came to church you introduced yourself and I didn’t realise you were the Pastor til the sermon started lol!…. to answer your question Pastor EVERYTHING is relevant. The sermons are delivered with truth even when the truth is harsh lol. You know your church and the people in it. Seeing other young people on fire for God is also attractive =D makes me want to know God even more because of the changes which are evidently happening in their lives.
• Lina….. Um the thing that attracted me to Lifechurch was the fact that it was fun as well as being relevant and also very current to young people and the issues we face in our everyday lives
• Carol…….i think also that the youth are made to feel as tho they cn cme as they are..not worrying abt wat to wear. That helps them to be cmfortable, to be who they are..i reckon thats kool coz thats exactly how God takes us..THE WAY WE ARE..
• Nesi Finau Too true! Theas freedm n our church..2 display our individuality..I KNOW WHO I AM! Lord you are my identity! Shot Carol

to see more youth comments go to:  http://www.luiponifasio.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/1450/

Leadership Questions every leader must ask!

Every leader must regularly ask himself / herself tough Leadership questions. Here are some questions I’m currently asking myself?

1. What am I doing as a leader that is counter productive?
2. Who in my team is the weakest link?
3. Will I continue to do what I do if they cut my salary?
4. How much time do I give to developing myself as a leader?
5. The evidence of leadership is followership. Is there evidence?
6. How wide is my sphere of influence?

 

Level 42

• Level 42 was one the greatest bands back in the 80s and 90s. I think Mark King is still the meanest bass player of all time!! Bring back the Funk!
• On Sunday I turned 42 and yesterday I was thinking about the fact that I am now on a new level, age wise.  I also think that I am coming to a new season and a new level of what God has called me to do.
• Every time there is a new season there is also a new sense expectation. On Sunday Pastor David Katina made all of us at church touch our stomachs and say these words ‘I am expecting’!
• I know that’s a bad picture for us men but prophetically I believe ‘I am expecting’.
• Before something new is birthed, labour pains will kick in first.
• I am ready!
• I am ready for the pain because I want to see the new life come forth. I want to see the new thing God is doing. I want to see New Life in the people and in our community.
• Someone once said,  New Levels – New Devils.
• I say ‘Bring it on’.
• Bring on the devils
• My greater days are ahead of me!
• My past will not hinder me.
• I know who I am in God so I want to take it to a ‘WHOLE-NUTHA- LEVEL’

Weekend Reflections

• Its such a joy to see people give their lives to Christ for the first time. At the end of the day that is what church is all about. It is about people making a spiritual connection with their Father in heaven. It is about souls saved. The rest is daily obedience to Christ and applying the truths of His Word.
• It was my birthday on Sunday and they had this humongous chocolate cake outside the courtyard during morning tea. Thanks church, I appreciate you aroha. I felt like a five year old blowing his 42 candles. I enjoyed watching so many kids standing in the line to get a piece of my birthday cake. One of them said to me, ‘I want to have my birthday on the same day as you so I can get a chocolate cake! I felt like giving her the whole cake to take home.
• Some great connections with new people on Sunday. One of them said to me ‘Man your church is so different, how often do you have these special services?. I said, ‘Every Sunday is special’.
• Saw some people that we have praying for specifically, coming to church. God is still in the business of answering prayers. To the all the people in LifeChurch who are still yet to see their loved ones in church and in Christ, keep praying. Seeing them surrender to Christ is like spending a few seconds in heaven. Its worth it. Kia Kaha!
• They made me dance on Sunday morning in front of the whole church. Its not a good idea to have your birthday fall on a Sunday at LifeChurch. I have been doing it to the church over the last few years and on Sunday I had to swallow my own medicine. Michael Jackson was one of my best moonwalk students!!
• Our friends David & Debbie Katina pastors of Great LifeChurch in Hawaii spoke powerfully on Sunday Morning. Debbie a teacher of the Word and David an evangelistic preacher with unusual word combos!!
• Had a great time hanging our with the Katinas and our leaders for lunch after church. Formosa is a great place!
• Who said you can’t play ‘Eye of the Tiger’, &  ’Whats the time Mr. Wolf’ at church? We have a cool band. These young people are so talented.
• Over the last 2 weeks we have our pastor friends from California and Hawaii minister at LifeChurch. We have been so blessed with the ministry of the Word by Pastors Solomona and Kuka Mageo & Pastor David & Debbie Katina and their daughter Sia. Its a hard act to follow this Sunday, but according to Pastor Davids sermon on Sunday ‘I know who I am’.
• I am taking the platform this Sunday and I believe I have a Word from God for the next few Sundays.

Trip to Samoa with Habitat for Humanity

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I was privilege enough to fly to Samoa for a Day to inspect ‘Rebuild Samoa’ project by Habitat for Humanity. Habitat are building homes for families who lost everything in last years Tsunami. I was moved by the stories of the survivors as well as the sacrifice of the volunteers who are in Samoa rebuilding lives as they build houses.

So far close to 500 volunteers from New Zealand and Australia have been to Samoa to help in one way or another. I met one Maori man from Te Puke who was in Samoa for the third time over the last few months. Tony works for 2 weeks building houses, then come back to New Zealand to see his family. A newly married couple decided to spend their honeymoon building houses in Samoa instead of going away on a vacation. What a sacrifice because they all sleep in a church all with about 50 other people, mosquitoes, cockroaches and geckos!

I have so many stories to share and I have learned so much about people in one day!

God Reacts to Faith

Today I have been challenged again to exercise faith. Speak faith, feel faith, pray faith, touch faith, walk by faith, sow in faith, move in faith.

God reacts to faith. God is never moved by just our prayers, nor our tears, our words, our works even our promises. But He will always move when he sees faith. Faith attracts divine favour. Faith causes God to pay special attention to your situation. It is not the words of our prayers but the faith that your prayers carry that causes God to answer. It is not the tears that that makes God feel sorry for your situation but the faith in your tears that believes in God for miracles that will cause God to respond!

Without faith it is impossible to please God. Pleasing God releases the blessings and the power of God.

The 5 P’s

“Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”.

This is old but goody. When you are a leader you can’t afford to be slack in preparation. I heard someone said the other day that the right formula for 100 Performance is 99% Preparation. 1% Execution. Usually you only have 1 Shot at something. It’s a make or break every time.  If you get a second chance to shoot again, you are one lucky person. Don’t stuff it up again!!

I have been following the next season of American Idol with my family. I must admit I really enjoyed the audition part of the show not the actual competition. I love getting a good laugh with the kids. (I know its bad laughing at people……cmon’ its Hollywood)! Some of them try to sing another song or ended begging the judges…..

Honestly it really challenged me to prepare well in order to execute well. I want to stand in front of people having prepared well. I want to go to a meeting having prepared well. etc….. What a Challenge!!

Now I am going through a list of the things I really need to apply the 5 P’s to, and it ouch! ouch!………and OMG!! OMG!!!…..

As a leader what areas do you need to apply the 5 p’s to?

Love to hear your thoughts

Sunday Reflections

• Great to back. I love Church. I love what God is doing at LifeChurch. It may not mean much to you but to me God is up to something that I believe its way beyond me. I just need to be faithful in what he has called me to do and do it well with all humility, blood and sweat and total dependence on the Power of the Holy Spirit 
• Everone is talking about my wife’s preaching last Sunday. I saw parts of the message on video. Man she was the bomb! She can make a crowd go wild. Ok hon! I think you need to preach again this weekend!!  
• I have several goals this year. One of them is to fill every seat on Sunday mornings. There is someone out there that needs to hear the message of Hope in Jesus Christ and His power to change lives. That person must be in that empty seat on Sunday morning. Jesus said “Go into the highways and the byways and invite people so that my house may be filled” Luke 14
• Madly involve with God.
• Seeing young people worshipping God with passion puts gas in my engine. I am determined to see more young people fall in love with Jesus than with drugs and alcohol. 
• Worship was great. Junior read one of my favourite Psalms – 103 “Bless the Lord o my soul and forget not all he benefits”. Yes still on the benefit. I am a long time reciepient of Gods dole 
• I preached my heart out. Title of my message  ’Your Amazing Future’. In the midst of Economic Crises, Swine flu, and everyhting else that is happening in the world, there is a sense of uncertainty and insecurity I felt the need to remind people that their future in Jesus Christ is ASSURED and SECURED. Bottom line it was a gospel message. Resulted in repentance, souls saved & recommitments. 
• We had communion in the evening. Spoke about significance of passover OT / Lords supper  NT. 
• We sang a song that caught my attention with these words, ‘take my hands teach them to serve….’. 
• Left church yesterday with a renewed faith in God and a radical desire to reach out.

Hearing God, facing people!

Matthew 10:27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. And what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops”.

One of the hardest things for a pastor / leader to do is to ‘stick to what God is saying’. Spending time with God and seeking Gods direction for the church is not only mysterious to people but scary and difficult to the leader. We are talking about ‘hearing Almighty God and facing Human beings’, not a very good equation. Most pastors will agree that hearing from God is not so much the problem but it is the ‘telling the people’ that is the most frustrating part.

Why frustrating? Because ‘Our ways are not his ways, our thoughts are not his. We are limited in our thinking and understanding, God is not. We are finite, he is infinite. Over the last few days while I was away I have been reflecting on what Gods been saying to me over the last few years concerning LifeChurch even though I had no idea it was going to be called LifeChurch. I have been reflecting on our vision as a church, better known as ‘The Church that we see”. I have been reading what I wrote and preached over the last 3 – 4 years. I must admit that I have said some really crazy things, some hard to swallow, in your face, radical and even immature stuff. I don’t blame the people who were annoyed with me, left the church, called me all sorts of names, etc….

Its still early days, but one thing I can confidently say is that what I heard in the dark 3-4 years ago, God is now revealing them in the light. Its happening!!  What I heard in the ear and preached on the housetops a few years ago, I am now starting to see a glimpse, a partial fulfilement of what I heard. I cant wait to see Gods full plan unveiled.