A Word on Haiti: Hope and Help

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As the people of Haiti wake up on the third day of the aftermath of the worst earthquake in 200 years on that impoverished island nation, I am moved to share some thought with you.

I grew up in California where earthquakes were, and are, as common as tornados in the midwest and hurricanes in the southeast. There really is nothing as humbling as feeling the hand of God shake the very ground that you stand on. It truly is a clear reminder that we are not in control. The strongest quake that I can remember was about a 6.4. The strength of an earthquake multiplies exponentially on the seismic scale as the number goes up. So, a quake of a 7.0 magnitude can, and did, have a devastating effect on a nation with poor construction and no preparation plans in place.

Here are a few facts. Haiti is roughly the size of Maryland in terms of land mass. It occupies nearly half of the Caribbean island of Hispanola. The other half is The Dominican Republic. 98% of the nation is Black. It is the second oldest independent nation in the western hemisphere next to the United States. In the late 1700‘s slaves revolted against their French slave masters. Having defeated Napoleon’s armies, they ultimately declared their independence in 1804. This created the opportunity for the Unites States to make the Louisiana Purchase. (It’s eerie how similar Haiti’s disaster looks like post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans). Further, Haiti ranks with Afghanistan and East Timor in terms of poverty and lack of infrastructure. 50% of its citizens are under 18 years of age. 39% of them are under 15. Their clean water, sewage and electricity and a stable government has been lacking for years.

My request to you is to pray, promote and pledge. Pray for lives to be saved and for favor of the rescue workers. It’s no secret that Haiti has a spiritual history rooted in the occult (Voodoo, Santeria, etc). Some have suggested that this disaster is a direct result of God’s wrath. I don’t know. I do know that now is an opportunity for the Truth and Love of Christ to be made clear amidst the suffering. Pray for God’s mercy. Next, promote the clear message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to your circle of influence. As the signs of the times unfold (earthquakes, tsunamis, snow in Dallas, wars, terrorism, financial decline, diseases, etc.) it is clear the the Lord is coming back. Finally, pledge (or pay outright) a financial commitment to a relief agency like The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army or Care. Even if it’s just one dollar, do something for “the least of these”. If your church or ministry is committed to sowing into the relief effort in Haiti, please participate.

We are blessed here in the United States. God has shown us favor. We should not take it for granted. Please receive this message with the intent that it was written: in love.

~ Matt Anderson

Mastering Marketplace Ministry

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I’ve heard it said for years “it’s about ministry not industry” or “it’s about relationship not religion”. I understand that these are expressions of folks desire to be genuine in living out their faith. But being business minded and actively involved in the marketplace is not a bad thing. In fact God is just as concerned about the wealthy mogul as He is about the welfare mother.

The problem occurs when there is a lack of godly leadership in the marketplace. This void allows all sorts of unethical and secular ideologies to enter into the process of the marketplace. Many see the poor management, greed and manipulation of the leadership of organizations like AIG, Enron, Bear/Stearns and others. This causes them to associate wealth with wickedness. The Lord never intended for industry to be devoid of ministry influence. In fact, Kingdom principles should guide every area of life. This way we can see integrity and honesty active in the marketplace. Without it, we are left to a dog-eat-dog environment where no one really wins.

The question still remains “is poverty a sign of holiness?” Many believe that poor and handicapped person has more of a right to access the attention of Jesus than a healthy and wealthy person. The widely held view is that a well to do person like a Warren Buffet or Oprah Winfrey is less in need of a Savior than the person on the corner begging for change. After all, they have all of their material needs met to the point of overflowing. They drive Rolls Royce Phantoms, live in 30,000 square foot homes and perhaps wear jewelry that is worth more than most people make in 10 years. But, Jesus is just as concerned for the soul of a troubled multi-millionaire, professional athlete pitchman like Tiger Woods as he is for the homeless person.

In Luke 18:35 we find the encounter between Jesus and a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. As Jesus was approaching Jericho, Bartimaeus tried to catch His attention by shouting over the noise of a tremendous crowd “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” Jesus asked the blind beggar what he wanted Him to do for him. Bartimaeus told Him that he wanted his sight back. Jesus extended mercy to the beggar and said “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”

In the next chapter, chapter 19 of Luke, we find a wealthy tax collector by the name of Zaccheus who also couldn’t see Jesus so he climbed up in a tree to get a better view of the approaching Messiah. Jesus looks up in the tree tells the despised tax collector that He must stay at his home. The people grumbled that Jesus was going to be the guest of a sinner, but Zaccheus had a change of heart in this encounter. In Luke 19:8 he said “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” His conversion because of His connection with Jesus allowed many people to be helped through his wealth and resources. In Luke 19:9 and 10 Jesus said to him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

In both instances, the people tried to keep a person from connecting with Christ. One was poor and the other rich. Money wasn’t the issue. Their heart was the issue. Once the wealthy Zaccheus’ heart was convicted he became compassionate and gave half of all he had to those in need. It is quite probable that Bartimaeus benefitted from his conversion. Money only makes us more of who we already are, however, an encounter with Christ can convict and convert to draw out compassion.

Whether you a person is looking for a multimillion dollar tax shelter or you’re living in a homeless shelter, God cares about you. Jesus was just as concerned about the soul of the wealthy tax collector Zaccheus as he was for the blind beggar Bartimaeus. Jesus cares for the up and in as well as the down and out. That is marketplace ministry. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Equipping the Next Generation of Leaders

Leadership training and mentorship is an important art that starts at home. It is critical that we prepare for the transfer of power, wisdom and legacy by pouring into our children so they become solid adults.

Today my youngest son, Nathan, left for boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. This US Marine Corps training program is supposed to be one of the toughest boot camps in the world. I was proud to see my baby boy begin to cross the threshold of manhood, but I was sad to see him leave. Nate is my buddy and I enjoy his company. I wasn’t so concerned about the physical training that he will have to endure because he’s always been an outstanding athlete. I am concerned and prayerful about the very real possibility that he could end up on the front lines in Afghanistan or Iraq.

In my our pivitol father-son conversation I did my best to prepare him mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for what would undoubtedly be one of the greatest challenges of his lifetime. I told him that I was proud of him that he had made this decision to serve in the military, especially while our nation is at war. It was a tough, yet warm, conversation that I had with Nate as I prayed for double of my anointing to be transferred to him and officially handed him the baton of manhood.

I reminded him of Joshua 1:1-9 where God told the new leader of the nation of Israel that his father figure, Moses, was dead. While I am very much alive and kickin’, Nate, like Joshua, was being separated from his mentor. I charged him with drawing on everything that I had taught him growing up as he would need to develop the same Godly warrior spirit that Joshua had. The two words that stuck out in the passage of Scripture were “courage” and “strength”. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to press onward in the face of danger and difficulty in spite of fear. Nate smiled as I gave him the best fatherly advice I could give him. While I was wondering about his smirk, he chimed in that the motto of the Marine Corps is honor, courage and commitment. I, too, began to smile as I realized that the Holy Spirit guided me to the right Word for him as I echoed that ancient text for a modern circumstance. I further reminded my departing warrior that the Word says that he must “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Mediate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you proser and succeed in all you do.” (Josh. 1:8)

Just like a Marine prepares for battle through training, strategy and weaponry we must prepare for the battles in our lives. We must remember to lock and load the Word of God. Is is the ammunition that we will need daily to succeed in every battle. Without it, we remain unarmed in a hostile world. Make sure you are equipping the next generation of leaders in your life with the Word. For the battles that they will inevitably face in their lives, will require courage, strength and a skillful command of God’s Word.

With my son Nate

Reaching All (well, alot of) The World!

Traditional media continues to face decline in the environment of “new media”.  The web offers us more and more opportunities to reach folks around the globe.  Unfortunately, the church still is waaaayyyy behind when it come to online technology.  The Great Commission says “go into all the world”.  We’ll most of us will never use our passports (if we have one) to travel the world spreading the Good News.  However, the web remains an uncharted frontier for media missionaries.  Now is the time to get on board.  I read something recently that said as much as 80% of churches don’t have websites.  That’s rediculous in an age when most of the folks in pews have online access on their smart phones and drive cars with GPS capability.  Wake up church!!  The world is passing you by.  Well, I just thought about something:  is anyone really reading this because, after all, they are not online….. or are they.  Holla back at me.  ~ Pastor Matt

As The World Turns

The world is getting smaller. With the increasingly crowded landscape of personal technology, sharing thoughts and ideas with people from diverse cultures has become a simple daily ritual.

I just returned from the beautiful island of Nassau, Bahamas for the Global Leadership Summitt. This annual event, sponsored and hosted by international leadership expert Dr. Myles Munroe, drew hundreds of delegates from nearly fifty nations to learn biblical principals of leadership. It was a stimulating experience that afforded my wife and I the opportunity to exchange ideas with people from South Africa, England, The Carribean, Canada, Russia and many other nations. Now, we’ll stay in touch around the cyber coffee table on our smart phones, through blogs, and social networking sites. It’s great to stay connected! The world is smaller than we think!

The Power of Creative Thinking

Creative thinkers are those individuals who are slightly off. Some are more “off” than others, but, nonetheless, they seem to be somewhat out of sync with the world as most people know it. They seem to hear music that no one else hear or see things no one else can see. They are tapped into a realm that has yet to exist. The late President John F. Kennedy delivered it best in his borrowed quote. “Some people look at things the way they are and ask why. I look at things the way they could be and ask why not?” Creative thinkers refuse to get locked into the rhythm of monotony that confines their ability to reach places that have never been reached even if it means being considered an outcast.

Just think about some of the most celebrated creative thinkers the world has ever known: Beethoven, Einstein, Martin Luther King, Jr., Van Gogh, Bill Gates. While some may have been perceived to be more unusual than others, they all have one thing in common; they refused to just accept things the way they were. They reached beyond possibilities, grasped probabilities and made them realities.

There are three things that I believe can help each of us maximize our creative potential. They are experience, environment and exposure. Our personal experiences can actually fuel our faith in realizing what we are capable of. Just look back at all of the things that you’ve been through. While they are past tense, the good news is you made it through! Those experiences made you stronger and have further equipped you to exercise your creativity.

Secondly, our environment can help or hinder our creative thinking process. Sometimes we need to move away from the familiar to a place that allows our minds to stretch past the place of comfort. Just think of a dog that has been on a 10 foot leash for years. Then, one day, the owner releases the dog to roam free in the yard unrestricted by the familiar limitation of the chain. The dog, because he’s been so used to limited freedom, won’t travel past the length of the lease he has been so accustomed to even though he is free. When we free ourselves to roam past our creative limitations of our familiar environment we can begin to see, hear and tap into things that we never thought we could.

Finally, exposure helps us to see what is possible. Meet new people. Travel to new places. Scour the web and television for unique things. Learn about other disciplines that have nothing to do with your profession. If you are a plumber, learn about computer design. If you are cashier, learn about the medical profession. If you are garbage man, tap into information about ancient art. Reach into the realm of the unfamiliar and expose yourself to new ideas. They will, inevitably, influence your creative thinking process and cause you to explore new possibilities. You’ll be amazed at how stepping off the beaten path can help you find a new direction on your road to destiny. Stretch your mind. Become a creative thinker!! You were designed to be creative, after all, God is creative. “In the beginning, God created….” (Gen. 1:1). That’s My Story and I’m Stickin’ to It!!