Fear can be a funny thing. On one hand, it can stop you dead in your tracks. On the other, it can make you fight or run. It is HIGHLY MOTIVATING…as are most emotions. I’ve often said that emotions are great servants, but horrible masters and fear is a case study of that truism.
Every church leader wants to do the right things. We typically want to lead with courage and purpose. Many of us have a desire to be liked by people, but we have a deep devotion to God. These sometimes fight with each other. When leading a church, two fears come to mind: the fear of man and the fear of God. When I fear God, I gain humility and confidence. When I fear man, I gain pride and uncertainty. When I fear God, I find wisdom. When I fear man, I find confusion for there are so many opinions. When I fear God, I find peace. When I fear man, I find discontentment. Man is fickle. God is stable, albeit wild and untameable.
So, when facing leadership decisions, who must we fear more? The answer is clear and unambiguous: God! And so, how might we apply the truism mentioned above? We allow our reverence for God above all things t0 propel us through any rejection that comes from mankind. We let the propulsion that comes from our fear of God push through the fear of man. In physics, we learn that the net force will determine the direction of an object. When our fear of God exceeds our fear of man, we will lead in a Godward direction…and with that will come the benefits that will eventually remind us what we chose to follow God’s ways instead of simply chasing the approval of mankind.
My Comments Policy
As you know, Web 2.0 is all about the conversation. But without a few simple ground rules, that conversation can turn into a shouting match that discourages others from entering into the fray.
So here is my comments policy. By posting on my blog, you agree to the following:
You may comment without registering. You can log-in via Disqus, OpenID, Twitter, Facebook—or not at all. It’s up to you.
You may post anonymously. I don’t recommend this, but you may do so if you wish. I may change this rule if it is abused.
You may post follow-up questions. If you have a question, chances are you are not alone. Others are likely thinking similarly. Therefore, I would rather receive your comments on my blog than via email. It is a better use of my time to address everyone at once rather than answer several similar emails.
You may disagree with me. I welcome debate. However, I ask that if you disagree with me—or anyone else, for that matter—do so in a way that is respectful. In my opinion, there is way too much shouting in the public square to tolerate it here.
I reserve the right to delete your comments. This is my blog. I don’t have an obligation to publish your comments. The First Amendment gives you the right to express your opinions on your blog not mine.
Specifically, I will delete your comments if you post something that is, in my sole opinion, (a) snarky; (b) off-topic; (c) libelous, defamatory, abusive, harassing, threatening, profane, pornographic, offensive, false, misleading, or which otherwise violates or encourages others to violate my sense of decorum and civility or any law, including intellectual property laws; or (d) “spam,” i.e., an attempt to advertise, solicit, or otherwise promote goods and services. You may, however, post a link to your site or your most recent blog post.
You retain ownership of your comments. I do not own them and I expressly disclaim any and all liability that may result from them. By commenting on my site, you agree that you retain all ownership rights in what you post here and that you will relieve me from any and all liability that may result from those postings.
You grant me a license to post your comments. This license is worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free. You grant me the right to store, use, transmit, display, publish, reproduce, and distribute your comments in any format, including but not limited to a blog, in a book, a video, or presentation.
In short, my goal is to host interesting conversations with caring, honest, and respectful people. I believe this simple comments policy will facilitate this.
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