Tenn. pastor says church will present nativity scene despite objections from ACLU

A Tennessee pastor says his congregation will present its nativity scene in Clarksville despite objections from the American Civil Liberties Union.

Pastor Steve Estep tells The Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle that Grace Church of the Nazarene went through the proper channels to present the display and won't let the objection diminish their celebration.

ACLU attorney Tricia Herzfeld says the organization isn't asking the city do away with the riverfront Christmas observance, but rather implement an "equal-access" policy to allow other religious and non-religious groups to participate. She says the ACLU also wants the city to clearly state its non-endorsement and not provide funding for a religious display.

The display has not yet been constructed. City spokeswoman Christie Hill says the plan has been to present the display Dec. 11 and 12 when Grace Church is planning performances at the city's annual holiday festivities.

[The Leaf-Chronicle, http://www.theleafchronicle.com]

The Kind of Leader Others Want to Follow

The key to becoming an effective leader is not to focus on making other people follow, but on making yourself the kind of person they want to follow. You must become someone others can trust to take them where they want to go. As you prepare yourself to become a better leader, use the following guidelines to help you grow:

• Let go of your ego. The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people. Perhaps that is why Lawrence D. Bell remarked, "Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things, and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."
• Become a good follower first. Rare is the effective leader who didn't learn to become a good follower first. That is why a leadership institution such as the United States Military Academy teaches its officers to become effective followers first - and why West Point has produced more leaders than the Harvard Business School.
• Build positive relationships. Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. That means it is by nature relational. Today's generation of leaders seem particularly aware of this because title and position mean so little to them. They know intuitively that people go along with people they get along with.
• Work with excellence. No one respects and follows mediocrity. Leaders who earn the right to lead give their all to what they do. They bring into play not only their skills and talents, but also great passion and hard work. They perform on the highest level of which they are capable.
• Rely on discipline, not emotion. Leadership is often easy during the good times. It's when everything seems to be against you - when you're out of energy, and you don't want to lead - that you earn your place as a leader. During every season of life, leaders face crucial moments when they must choose between gearing up or giving up. To make it through those times, rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.
• Make adding value your goal. When you look at the leaders whose names are revered long after they have finished leading, you find that they were men and women who helped people to live better lives and reach their potential. That is the highest calling of leadership - and its highest value.
• Give your power away. One of the ironies of leadership is that you become a better leader by sharing whatever power you have, not by saving it all for yourself. You're meant to be a river, not a reservoir. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp.

(by John Maxwell)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Today's Quote

"The more we take pleasure in loving and serving God, the greater our capacity to take pleasure in loving and serving people. When we are secure in Christ, the rewards of investing our lives in people exceed the pains that people can cause." - Kenneth Boa via Larry Duncan

Today's Quote

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." - Chinese proverb

Maine Churches Being Threatened

Gay activists in Maine are urging people to report churches that supported Question 1 — the initiative that restored the definition of marriage to one man and one woman — to the IRS.

According to the activists, these churches should be investigated with the possibility of losing their tax-exempt status.

The Alliance Defense Fund has offered free legal assistance to churches being singled out.

[CitizenLink.com]

Woman Pastor Rejected

The Georgia Baptist Convention has cut ties with the First Baptist Church of Decatur, Ga., — ending its 148-year-old relationship — over the congregation's 2007 vote to hire a woman as senior pastor, according to the Associated Baptist Press. The 2,700-member church is one of several historic congregations in what is now metropolitan Atlanta and one of the largest and most prominent churches traditionally affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention to be led by a woman pastor.

Pastor Julie Pennington-Russell read a letter at the end of both worship services Nov. 15 from Robert White, executive director of the 1.3 million-member state convention. It informed her that messengers to the group's recent annual meeting took action to declare them "not a cooperating church" because "a woman is serving as senior pastor." White said funds received from the First Baptist Church of Decatur during 2009 will be returned.

"Obviously, the severing of a relationship after so many years is unfortunate and gives the world-at-large another reason to conclude that Baptists care more about putting people out than gathering them in," Pennington-Russell said in an e-mail Nov. 16. "At the same time, I don't think this came as a surprise to many in our congregation and, to be honest, having a Southern Baptist affiliation has not been especially helpful when it comes to connecting with our largely unchurched community."

Last year, the Georgia Baptist Convention changed policies to decline funds sent by churches "not in cooperation and harmony with the approved work and purpose" of the convention, largely "as a result of questions raised regarding First Baptist Church of Decatur" and their female senior pastor, said convention leaders.

Kentucky has a state "Holiday" Tree

Here we go again. Why does America want to take Christ out of Christmas?

Last week, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear's administration referred to the Christmas tree on the state capitol lawn as a "holiday" tree.

Many people called in unhappy about the decision and within days of hearing these complaints, Gov. Beshear issued a statement declaring that the tree officially would be considered a Christmas tree.

Thank you Gov. Beshear!

Dr. James Dobson to Leave Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family founder and chairman emeritus James C. Dobson, Ph.D., will leave the ministry as its primary radio voice at the end of February.

Dr. Dobson's departure from the radio program and from official affiliation with the organization he founded in 1977 is just the "third chapter in a transition that began in 2003," when Dr. Dobson stepped down as Focus president, said Jim Daly, the ministry's president and CEO. It was a mutual decision between Dr. Dobson and the ministry's board of directors, which Dr. Dobson left in February of this year, Daly added.

"The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season — and Dr. Dobson's season at Focus on the Family has been remarkable," Daly said. "He has done a superlative job in modeling the graceful transition of leadership from one generation to the next.

"We're excited about continuing the work he began, and following the biblical principles he's always followed, to reach today's families."

Dobson, who will continue to record new radio broadcasts between now and the end of February, remains "a man of health and vigor" and will continue to make his voice heard in the public square, Daly said.

"Dr. Dobson is a wordsmith, but one word I don't suspect we'll hear him using is 'retirement,'" Daly explained. "We wish him great success in whatever he decides to tackle next."

"Focus on the Family has never been about one man," he added. "That's why Dr. Dobson has always refused to have his name put on any building here. It's about doing the Lord's work in helping families."

[For more on this story, read H.B. London's latest blog entry on "The Heart of a Pastor."]

Today's Quote

"Be as much troubled by unjust praise, as by unjust slander" - Puritan Philip Henry

Latter-Day Saints Back "gay rights" Ordinance

The Salt Lake City Council has passed a non-discrimination ordinance making it illegal to fire or evict somebody because of their sexual orientation. The measure was approved unanimously, and even had the support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

The LDS issued a statement backing the ordinance, saying they were against discrimination against anyone, but that they supported traditional marriage. Church spokesman Michael Otterson said, "The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage."

Reaction to the decree was swift from conservative groups such as the Sutherland Institute, an independent, conservative public policy organization based in Salt Lake City. Stan Rasmussen, public affairs manager with the Institute, says the Mormon Church's support of the ordinance is problematic. "We do not support, abide, encourage or tolerate discrimination that is inappropriate. We think there are ways, [in fact] we know there are ways to address those concerns [which] do not include the incorporating of these phrases into city ordinances," Rasmussen argues. "An example would be a hate crimes bill several years ago which conservatives and liberals collaborated to craft. [It] addressed all concerns without including that vague language of 'sexual orientation' or 'gender identity.'" The Sutherland Institute will encourage state lawmakers to pass laws which seek to reverse Salt Lake City's new ordinances.

Tuesday's passage made Salt Lake City the first Utah community to prohibit bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Exceptions in the legislation allow churches to maintain, without penalty, religious principles and religion-based codes of conduct or rules. Homosexuals are welcome in the Mormon Church, but must remain celibate to retain church callings and full membership.

[by Allie Martin - OneNewsNow]

Today's Quote

“No two plants grow in the same way, at the same rate, or to the same size. Each plant’s growth pattern is unique. The same is true of churches. No two churches will ever grow in identical ways. God intends for your church to be unique.” – Pastor Rick Warren

Pastor Heroes

Pastors are in the trenches everyday building and communicating vision, leading change, studying, resolving conflict, leading staff, planning the weekend, caring for family, and working through growth issues. They are often misunderstood, judged, criticized and mistreated. They are the unsung heroes of our day.

There would be no denominations without local churches. There would be no district, area, state, or national offices without local churches. There would be no funds used by denominations, missions, or leaders without local churches. The local church is the engine that runs all faith-based efforts around the world.

It is more challenging to be a pastor today that ever before. Many people think they could do it easily, and many former pastors talk about how easy it should be. But neither have any idea what it is really like in today's world.

Did you or your church honor your pastor in October? If not, it is never too late. If you did, continue an effort every month to create better understanding between your congregation and your pastor.

Thank you Pastor for all that you do. Just keep in mind that you may not be fully appreciated here and now, but our real reward is on the other side. You are laying up treasurers in Heaven. Keep on keeping on.

Today's Quote

"America's veterans have served their country with the belief that democracy and freedom are ideals to be upheld around the world." - John Doolittle

Veterans Day

Take a moment today to fly your flag and shake a veteran's hand.

Today is Veterans Day. It is the anniversary of the Armistice that was signed in Compiegne Forest by the Allies and the Germans in 1918, ending World War I after four years of battles. On Monday, Nov. 11, 1918, the day began with the laying down of arms, blowing of whistles, impromptu parades and the closing of places of business. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation -- the last paragraph setting the tone for all future occasions: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations."

For decades Armistice Day was commemorated until it was changed to Veterans Day by an act of Congress in 1954. President Dwight D. Eisenhower called on citizens of the country to observe the day by remembering the sacrifices of all who fought gallantly preserving the liberty of our country. President Eisenhower referred to the name change to Veterans Day in honor of the servicemen of all America's wars.

Veterans Day takes on special meaning once again today as thousands upon thousands of American servicemen and women are fighting wars in the Middle East. Take a moment today to fly your flag, shake a veteran's hand and tell him or her "thank you." And say a prayer for all the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines on the battlefield on this Veterans Day.