Saving
First
Baptist:
Making hard decisions
easy so God’s people can help
their home church experience
some healthy growth again.
Saving First Baptist:
23rd Psalm
Renovate 2015
We Love America
The Church must be reminded that
it is not the master or the servant of
the State, but rather the conscience
of the State. If the church does not
recapture its prophetic zeal it will
become an irrelevant social club
without moral or spiritual authority.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
TWO WAR STORIES
RD
23
Psalm
Saving Private Ryan
LIE DOWN
Empathy fatigue
vs.
“Empathy energy”
(1) The Lord [self-existent] is my
Shepherd [my keeper-companion]
(2) Makes me lie down
LIE DOWN NIGHTLY
89% of people
have chronic
stress syndrome
(University of Maryland study)
LIE DOWN NIGHTLY
• Jesus has a “red-eye”
empathy for you
• Your will be done– Matt.
26:42
• (1) He makes me to lie
down [crouch down] in
green pastures
ENERGIZING
EMPATHY!
(2) Makes me lie down
[crouch down] in green
pastures
LIE DOWN DAILY
“70% of pastors stated
they were burned out,
and they battle
depression beyond
fatigue on a weekly and
even a daily basis.”
(Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul)
LIE DOWN DAILY
Jesus was the
master of
vacating
stress
JESUS:
“DAILY STRESS VACATIONS”
•
•
•
•
Matt 8 – The storm sleeper
Matt 13 – The beach goer
Matt 15 – The mountain topper
John 4 – Starbucks by the well
Come apart by yourself to a
deserted place and rest awhile
– Mark 6:31
LIE DOWN DAILY
Passive fitness
Muscular fitness
Endurance fitness
- Dr. Kenneth Cooper
WORKOUT FOR THE
SOUL
(2) Leads me [Run with a
sparkle] beside the still
waters [of rest ]
LIE DOWN WEEKLY
(3) Restores [returns]
my soul [to breathe]
• When is your Sabbath?
• When is your 1 in 7?
• When is your Sunday?
LIE DOWN WEEKLY
• Is your Sunday on
Monday?
• Is your Sunday on Friday?
Restore my soul
(To self again)
th
4
My
Tour
of
Duty
When the country is in chaos, everybody
has a plan to fix it – but it takes a leader
of real understanding to straighten
things out. - Proverbs 28:2 MSG
GET UP TO THE VALLEY & LEAD
(3) Leads – panting run
(4) Walk – “next step” behave
(4) Valley – gorge (root: pride)
(4) Shadow – grave/jail/desert
(4) Evil – harm
(4) Rod – authority
(4) Staff - responsibility
(4) Comfort – to sigh
Get Up To The Valley
Though I walk
through the
valley of the
shadow of death I will fear
no evil because (in Christ)
I am the baddest warrior in
the valley. (Tattoo on a U.S.
Soldier in Afghanistan)
GET UP TO THE TABLE & LOVE
(5) Prepare – Set in a row
(5) Enemies – Pressure
people
“Love is the only force capable of
transforming an enemy into a
friend.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.
But I say unto you love your
enemies.
- Matt. 5:44
GET UP TO THE TABLE & LOVE
(5) Table
(5) Enemy
(5) Head
(5) Cup
(5) Overflow
Acceptance
Attack
Authority
At-one-ment
Attitude
TABLE FOR 5
• Lord of Hosts
• You
• Your Spouse
• Faithful
• The Enemy’s Empty Chair
GET UP TO THE HOUSE &
CELEBRATE
(6) Dwell to sit down to judge/
to take the high ground/ to
quiet
(1,6) The Lord- self existent
LIBERATING FORCE
• Church Praise
• Class Plants
Saving
First
Baptist:
Making hard decisions
easy so God’s people can help
their home church experience
some healthy growth again.