By Cliff Knechtle

For thousands of years philosophers and theologians have struggled with the classical problem of why an all-loving and all-powerful God would allow evil to exist. In all that time they have never come up with a complete answer.
Neither will I be able to answer that question completely. But as Christians we must think about this issue and, I think, we can approach an answer.

First, some have tried to solve the problem of evil by simply saying God doesn’t exist. Evil and good are simply two aspects of reality that war against one another. But if there is no God, there is no Creator to create the ultimate values of good and evil. And if there is no good and evil,the problem of suffering is gone too. If God does not exist, our moral indignation over what we think is wrong is simply personal prejudice, subjective feeling.Bertrand Russell said, “There is no God, therefore there is no good and evil.” But deep within us something cries out against the murder of innocent people, the abuse of children, the rape of women. We know these are wrong because our consciences rise up against them.

The conscience is actually a gift from the Creator who is just and who defines good and evil. The fact that a conscience exists indicates therefore, that there is a conscience giver. For without a conscience-giver, without God,we couldn’t tell what is good and what isn’t. In fact, just before Bertrand Russell died, he said, ‘To love is good. To hate is evil.” Isn’t it amazing that we as human beings have an innate ability and desire to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong?

Don’t make the mistake of using moral indignation as an argument against God’s existence. For if there is no God, there is no authority to define what is absolutely right and what is absolutely wrong. Suddenly the individual or society becomes the authority. Good quickly becomes that which is expedient, easiest to do, or economically beneficial. One society says racism or a reign of terror is best for the nation. Another society concludes that equality and freedom are just values. If there is no God to define justice and morality, each society is correct for itself.Everything is relative.

In Marcel Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past, a lady named Oriane must decide how to spend an evening. She can either sit by the bed of a dying man or go to dine in town. She has no foundation for morality. There is no choice between good and evil. The choice is simply between what she wants to do and what she doesn’t want to do. She chooses to go to dine in town because it takes less effort. There is a type of logic to her decision.She has limited resources in a short life. Why waste them on a dying man? Why not seize the evening for herself?

Jesus Christ steps into this cruel cycle of relativity and points to the values of love and compassion created by God to be enjoyed by men and women.Christ delivers us from the superficiality of a life of expediency and ushers us into a life committed to justice and truth. Deep within each one of us are the fragments of a conscience that long to embrace the values God created for us to enjoy.

Second, Genesis 1 clearly communicates that when God created, all his creation was very good. God did not create evil, suffering or death. He created us to enjoy himself, each other, and to celebrate his gift of life. Genesis 3 is the tragic record of how man and woman chose to reject God. The Bible, history books and the morning newspaper record how an unmeasurable amount of evil has followed in the wake of human rebellion against God. The vast majority of this carnage is a direct result of human choice.

A student at the University of North Carolina protested, “Where is God in Ethiopia? Does he not hear the screams of babies as they starve to death?Why has God done this?”

I responded, “How can you blame God for starving babies in Ethiopia when the best-selling books in the United States are on dieting, on how to take the extra fat off? It is not God’s fault that people are starving today. The earth produces enough food right now to give every person 3,000 calories a day. The problem is that some of us hoard for ourselves so that others of us go to bed starving at night. It is a cop-out to blame God for human irresponsibility. If a person gets drunk, drives his car across the median, and sends your friend to an early grave, will you blame God? Do you blame God for Hitler’s seven million murders? That would be escapism.The vast majority of human evil and suffering is a direct result of human irresponsibility.”

God created us to love him and each other. I deeply love my wife, Sharon.Suppose all I had to do to hear her say, “I love you, Cliffe,”was to push a button in her back and out it would come. That wouldn’t be love. That wouldn’t be a relationship. It would be a programmed response from a computer. A relationship demands love. Love requires a choice. It cannot be forced. God created us in his image. That means when God commands,we can obey or disobey.

God gave me a hand. I can use this hand to pick up a gun and shoot you or I can use this hand to feed hungry people. God gave me a mind. I can use my mind to build a bomb or to find a cure for cancer. If I blast people into oblivion and then blame God, I am an escape artist. God did not force me to travel down either path. I chose to abuse the gift of a mind that God gave me. Evil is one of the consequences of the freedom God has given us. I preach Christ because I want people to use their freedom to choose good.

Third, in light of the fact that human beings rebelled against God and created enormous suffering, why doesn’t God punish us now? C. S. Lewis said, ‘The question is not ‘Why do the innocent suffer?’ but rather Why don’t we all suffer more?’ ” At the time of Noah, God judged people by sending a flood because every inclination of their thoughts was only evil all the time (Gen 6:5). God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of the people’s wickedness. God used the Jewish nation to judge the Canaanite nations for sacrificing their babies and indulging in temple prostitution. Then God used the Assyrian and Babylonian nations to judge the Jewish nation for its idolatry.When some people told Jesus about those whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices and about the eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them, Jesus replied, “Do you think these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Lk 13:1-5).

Jesus promised to return and to justly judge the peoples of the earth. Christ will destroy sin, evil and injustice when he comes in power and great glory.Why doesn’t God end all evil now? Why doesn’t Christ end human history now?The Bible reveals, “The Lord . . . is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9).I do not know when or why God chooses to judge and punish people today.But I do know that he is patiently waiting for us to humble ourselves before him and to receive his forgiveness and eternal life. Now is the time to choose. When he returns, judgment will begin.

Fourth, at the University of Maine a young man painfully asked, “My younger sister fell on the concrete next to a pool. She broke some bones.When she was just about healed, she fell again and broke some more bones.Her bones were nearly mended when she stumbled and broke another bone. What’s the story? Is God playing a sadistic game with my little sister?”

Babies are born with multiple birth defects. Genetic disorders plague many of us. An earthquake levels a city, and thousands lose their lives in the rubble. The Bible teaches that there is not always a one-to-one correspondence between sin and suffering. When we human beings told God to shove off, he partially honored our request. Nature began to revolt. The earth was cursed.Genetic breakdown and disease began. Pain and death became part of the human experience. The good creation was marred. We live in an unjust world. We are born into a world made chaotic and unfair by a humanity in revolt against its Creator.

Fifth, the book of Job reveals there is a personal being named Satan who works to bring pain, disaster and death into the lives of people. If a person suffers and is angry with God, frequently that is misplaced anger. God is the giver of life. Satan is the destroyer, the one who tears down life. Often pain is not the direct result of sin but rather the handiwork of Satan. Paul, for example, wrote to the Corinthians, “There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me” (2 Cor 12:7).

Sixth, in Jesus, God stepped into this world marred by human rebellion and the destruction of Satan. When Jesus was confronted by pain and disease,he brought healing through the use of a miracle. He did not use his supernatural power to feather his nest but rather to heal the sick and raise the dead.

Jesus commanded his followers not only to trust him in all circumstances but also to love those who bring them pain. Jesus said, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also…. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:39, 44). This type of trust in God and love for all people produces Christlike character. Paul writes, “Suffering produces perseverance; Perseverance, character”(Rom 5:3-4).

C. S. Lewis writes, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” The amazing truth taught in Scripture is that God can take suffering and pain, and produce something good and beautiful. Many people have told me how God used pain and tragedy to wake them out of spiritual lethargy and bring them to a point of decision for Christ. Aleksandr Solzhenitsvn writes, “Bless you, prison, for having been in my life.” The prison wasn’t good. But God could bring good out of it.

The question each one of us must answer is, “Will I allow suffering to drive me to Christ for salvation and the power to be Christlike in character, or will I allow suffering to drive me into bitterness and despair?”

Seventh, the great news of the Bible is that God cares so deeply for hurting people that he has provided the solution for suffering and death. Jesus commands us to be agents of compassion and justice in a decaying world.To fight pain and suffering is not simply an option for a follower of Christ.It is an expression of his love for God. John writes, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 Jn 3:16-18). Followers of Christ use science, medicine, law, business, education and any other tool to alleviate suffering, prolong life, promote justice, and enhance the quality of life.

The great news of the Bible is that God is a suffering God. He suffered in Jesus Christ. God is not a philosophical notion floating in space. God is a personal being who became man in Jesus of Nazareth. He died on a cross to provide the ultimate solution for suffering and death. His solution is forgiveness and eternal life. Christ rose from the dead. Over a period of forty days he appeared to over five hundred people. He ascended to his Father in heaven. He promised to come again to destroy all evil, suffering and death. He will transform this chaotic, unjust world into an orderly, just world. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev 21:4). If there is no all-knowing, all powerful God who stands at the end of human history, justice shall never ultimately win.The wrongs will never be made right. Evil, suffering and death triumph.

But Christ taught that history was ultimately God’s story.

The question is, “Have I accepted God’s solution to the problem of suffering? Have I accepted Christ?” I cannot hide behind the question,’Why does God allow suffering?” But I can embrace God’s solution for suffering by putting my trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life and allowing Christ to thrust me into a hurting world to administer his love, forgiveness and healing.

Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;
He’ll make the road smooth for you.
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!

^4-6John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.

^7-8As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”

^9-11At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”

These are the first 11 verses of the Gospel of Mark.  Many believe that this was the first Gospel written. Mark was composed in the 50’s or early 60’s A.D. by John Mark, a early missionary companion of Paul (Acts  12:12;25 15:37). Mark probably wrote the Gospel in the regions of Italy and his intended audience is strongly believed to be the people of these regions. This scripture portrays Jesus as an active, purposeful, powerful, servant sent from the Father. Although it is the shortest Gospel, it is rich, succinct and intense. There are no birth narratives it goes right to the point in the first chapter, it declares that the Good News of Jesus Christ is “the Message!”

Although we’re inundated these days with text, emails, voice mails and tweets of all kinds, no other message you’ll here is as important as this one. This Message of Jesus gives us perspective on all of the others we may receive. It is the best message you’ll ever receive. The Message (Gospel) of Jesus Christ begins here.

As we study the the Gospel of Mark in our Summer Life Groups at PSCT, I pray we come closer to the powerful servant-savior Jesus Christ. Make sure you’re part of one of our Life Groups. For meeting times and places email lifegroups@parkslopechristian.org .

Pastor Luis

If there’s one thing that can create havoc in your relationships, it’s falling into hidden relationship
traps. And if you stay in those traps for long periods of time or just keep falling in them and you can’t
figure out why or how…Your relationship can end up feeling empty and could even end. We were reminded of these sneaky, hidden relationship traps as we watched the 2010 Winter Olympics over the past two weeks.

During one downhill skiing competition, there was one place in the course that seemed to cause several of the competitors to get off balance, lose time and some fell. It was a problem for many skiers because
this irregular rut (as some commentators called it) in the course came up by surprise. They weren’t aware of it until it was too late. What was clear was that those who skied the best times in this event, had completely
avoided this area during their run. So it is with those sneaky, hidden relationship
traps. The couples who don’t fall into them have happier relationships than those who do.

These traps are sneaky and hidden because like the problem on the ski slope, we don’t see them coming before we fall right into them. And then while we’re in these traps, we often can’t even see that we’re in them, let alone find a way to get out. Usually something happens to bring us out–but sometimes not.

Sometimes the issues never get resolved. We just get busy with something else and the issue is buried, only to come back up at a later time. Now, of course, we all fall into these traps every now and then because we’re human (and they can be different for everyone). But the happiest couples don’t stay there
when they do and they figure out ways to not fall in them very often. For them, quickly getting out of these traps becomes a habit—or avoiding them altogether.

So what are these traps?

Here are 3 common sneaky, hidden relationship traps that we’ve certainly fallen into and we’re
guessing you or your partner have too…

1. The “Defending” Trap

Defending comes so natural and easy to so many of us when we think…

*we haven’t been treated fairly
*we haven’t been understood
*we’re afraid we won’t get our way
*we’re not appreciated
*someone thinks differently than we think
*we think we’re right and the other person
is wrong

Defense rises inside us so quickly we don’t even have time to recognize it before we’ve said or done something that pushes the other person further away. That’s why we call it sneaky and hidden.

Our defending seems to come from someplace deep inside and we don’t in any way feel in control of it.

If defending is a pattern for you and you want to stop it (or at least slow it down), start recognizing what you do when you get hooked and then breathe. It might mean that your stomach, jaw or neck tightens, you feel yourself want to fight or the opposite–run away, and you may stop breathing. Taking a breath will allow some space for conscious action instead of unconscious action from habit.

2. The “Blame” Trap

How easy it is to blame the other person for something you see as a problem! And if we don’t blame the other person, we blame ourselves–and continue to blame ourselves. The Blame Trap is sneaky because,
again, we can fall into it easily, automatically and without conscious thought. We easily fall into it because it’s usually such an old pattern inside us that we don’t even know we’ve fallen
into it even after we have. An example of the Blame Trap is when you find yourself saying “you never…”
or “you always…” Instead of “you never” or “you always,” you might use a phrase like “I’m wondering
if you’d be willing to talk about_____?”– even after you’ve caught yourself in the
blame trap. You can find more what we call “Magic Relationship Words” to help you climb out
of this trap at http://www.MagicRelationshipWords.com

3. The “Taking Your Partner for Granted”
Trap

This trap is an easy one to fall into after you’ve been together for awhile. It’s sneaky and hidden because many of us slide right into it without thinking. It’s easy to say things to your partner that you would never say to anyone else because the other person would be “hurt” and maybe take it wrong–and your partner
supposedly wouldn’t.

Yeah, right!

Somehow, there’s a rationalization that after you’ve committed to one another, you can
speak to each other any way you want or ignore what your partner does that’s “right”
in favor of pointing out what’s wrong. When you fall into this trap–and it becomes
a habit–your connection, love and respect for one another starts to erode.

If you’ve seen yourself fall into this trap, make a conscious effort to turn it around and act in ways that build your relationship instead of tearing it down. The point is to see where and how you
fall into any of these traps, as well as when the situation shows up.

Then take a deep breath to stop you from automatically reacting in old ways.

Give yourself the space to make another, more empowering choice. You can learn to avoid these hidden relationship traps. If you want more love in your life and relationships, we invite you to experiment with some of these ideas.

Our best,
Susie and Otto Collins

Happy New Year!

In preparation for God’s movement in our lives PSCT will be on a 21 day fast to seek God’s direction in our lives and the church. We will be joining hundreds of churches throughout the country in a movement called Awakening. Please join us. Information and instruction are at back.  We’re excited about what God is going to do!

Here is background on fasting:

• What is fasting? Abstaining from something, usually food, for period of time for spiritual purposes.

• What does the Bible say?

–      Biblical examples:  Moses (Exodus 34:28; Deut. 9:9,18), David (2 Samuel 12:16), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4); Esther (Esther 4:16), Daniel (Daniel 1:12), Anna (Luke 2:37), Paul (Acts 14:23), Jesus (Matthew 4:1-2), the early church (13:2).

–      Jesus placed fasting on the same level as financial giving and prayer (Matthew 6:1-18).

–      Jesus said that there is a time for fasting (Matthew 9:15).

–      Paul says we should give ourselves at times to prayer and fasting (1 Corinthians 7:5).

• What is the purpose of fasting?

–      The primary purpose of fasting is to focus on God and to center our attention on Him.  In doing so, we glorify God (Zechariah 7:5).

–      Outer fasting is to lead to inner prayer, worship, and devotion.  We “fast on food so we can feast on God.”

–      Fasting is not for personal glory or any other selfish motives (Matthew 6:16-18).

–      Secondary purposes of fasting:  fasting can reveal non-essential things that control us and take precedence in our lives (1 Corinthians 6:12); fasting can increase the effectiveness of prayer (2 Samuel 12:16); fasting can bring guidance from God in decisions (Acts 14:23);  fasting can bring revelations (Acts 13:2); fasting can help our physical well being (Daniel 1:12); fasting can aid in concentration; fasting can help bring deliverance for those who are in bondage.

¨   But these benefits come only when fasting is our attempt to diligently seek God.

• What are the different types of fasting?

–      absolute fast:  no food or water for a period of time (Exodus 34:28; Esther 4:16)

–      normal fast:  only water, but no food or other drink (Nehemiah 1:4)

–      partial fast:  usually only water, juices, and sometimes fruit (Daniel 1:12)

–      Lent fast:  giving up something specific for the duration of Lent

–      other things to fast from:  people, media, telephone, certain activities/habits, etc.

Erma Bonbeck once wrote, “There’s nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.” Many of us probably remember the wonder and awe that we felt on Christmas as children. Consequently, we can easily connect with Erma’s sentiment. We can connect with it in a positive way as we re-live some of those childhood Christmases in our memories. We can also connect with it in a negative way, knowing that, over the years, many of our Christmases have been met with too much pain, cynicism and callous familiarity. The wonder and awe has a way of evaporating, doesn’t it?

I believe Bonbeck hit upon a truth that Jesus taught his disciples during his ministry. The gospel of Luke tells us:

“But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” – Luke 18:15-18

Jesus said that in order to receive God’s kingdom we must receive it as children. In order to be a part of and to perceive it around us we must be as children. Could it be that for us to receive Christmas in it’s fullness and enjoy it’s awesomeness we need to experience it as a child? Childhood a unique time in life.  A child’s world is usually devoid of the world’s pressures and responsibilities and whatever pressure they might feel is quickly dissipates in fun and a singular moment of wonder.  Our purest time of enjoyment and impression is as a child.

May we all once again come to Him as little children, awe-inspired by the power, grace and love of  God through Jesus our savior. In fact, may we share the response of those who witnessed  and heard about the birth of Jesus for the first time:
^“and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”(Luke 2:18)

In awe and amazement,

Pastor Luis

I came across this great article by Pete Scazzero. It has a good word for leaders and Pastors as well as all busy Christians during this season.

It is ironic that Christmas is often the time we as pastors find ourselves least centered on Jesus. With the emergence of social media and new technologies, this problem has reached new proportions.

The following is an adaption of my top 10 lessons for leadership applied to this Advent season.

Be yourself.
You and I are uniquely crafted by God to lead. That means we cannot do what others can. You may be able to do more or less. The great challenge of leadership is to calmly differentiate your “true self” from the demands and voices around you. Discern the desires, vision, pace, and mission the Father has given as you lead. Take off Saul’s armor. How much activity can you sustain without losing your soul? And remember, “to live unfaithfully to yourself is to cause others great damage” (Rumi).

Your first work is to be contemplative before God (to be with him).
Our goal during this season is to lead people to Jesus and help them center on him. But you cannot bring people where you have not gone in God. We are not CEOs or even preachers first. We are called to be contemplatives first (Psalm 27:4). Above all else, cultivate a pure heart before God, loving him.

I like what Thomas Merton once wrote: “Untie my hands and deliver me from sloth. Set me free from the laziness that goes about disguised as activity when activity is not demanded of me and from the cowardice that does what is not demanded in order to escape sacrifice.”

Practice Sabbath.
Take a 24-hour period each week to Sabbath – to stop, rest, and contemplate God. You are not God. This essential spiritual formation practice is not something to drop during the celebration of Christ’s coming. I take from 6:00 p.m. Friday to 6:00 p.m. Saturday at a minimum. Large spiritual issues are at stake, especially with regard to trusting God to be in control. Relinquish the ministry to Jesus.

Embrace the gift of your limits.
Remember that “a man can receive only what is given him from heaven” (John 3:27). You will be present to your spouse and children in proportion to what you’ve received from being in God’s presence. It takes time and effort to think through thoughtful gifts with meaning for your family and key leaders. I encourage you to make sure you have the margin in your life to do that.

Wait on the Lord.
This is your life. You will finish the end of your days waiting on the Lord.  This is the most important work there is if you are to allow your soul to grow up and be what God wants you to be. Be sure to carve out time for this.

Don’t neglect ministry to yourself.
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16).Investing in your development is your first ministry. This includes monthly and quarterly retreats, utilizing the gift of therapy along the way, finding a good spiritual director, and seeking mentors at different stages of the journey. It is the most loving gift you can give your church. What does this mean for Christmas? Take a few moments now to ask God what you need to remain connected to him over the next few weeks.

Lead out of your vow of marriage.
Scripture is clear about marriage between one male and one female as a taste of Christ’s free love for his bride, the church. And central to this marriage vision is the sexual relationship. It is essential, not peripheral, to your spiritual formation and discipleship as a Christ-follower.

Live what you preach.
Good sermons take a lot of time to gestate. If the sermons aren’t changing you, they will not transform anyone else. This is both a joy and an agony if fresh revelation from Scripture is going to come through the unique prism of your life. This never changes, whether you have been preaching for six months or 30 years.

All the work of pastoring is holy and sacred.
It took me 19 years to learn this hard lesson, and I am still learning it. Preparing budgets and job descriptions, hiring, firing, planning a good meeting, handing in reports, confronting conflicts, etc. is every part as holy as prayer and Bible study. Be sure to fight against the sacred/secular split first in your own life and then in the life of the church. Recover a biblical theology of work and spirituality.

Things are not as they appear.
So often what looks like a blessing is not. What looks terrible in the short run is, very often, a rich gift. When you think you are going forward, you may be actually going backwards. What appears as success, oftentimes ends up being a failure and setback. Failures will teach you much more than success every time.

The pressures of Christmas can distract us from what’s most important. I hope these 10 lessons will help you focus on Christ and enjoy this holiday season.

Pete Scazzero

As a train’s source of energy and direction, the locomotive plays a vital role. However, unless a locomotive connects to other cars on the track, it is relatively useless. A train’s value comes from its ability to transport massive amounts of cargo, and doing so requires the locomotive to link up with dozens of freight cars. Traveling by itself, a locomotive would arrive at its destination empty-handed. In that case, its journey would be nothing more than a waste of fuel.

Leaders are like locomotives in that they’re blessed with drive, energy, and vision. However, until leaders learn the art of connection, their influence remains minimal. In isolation, their talents accomplish little, and their efforts are squandered.

Let’s look at practical ways whereby leaders can make meaningful connections with others.

8 Steps for Connecting with People

#1 Don’t Take People for Granted

Weak leaders get so caught up in the vision of where they’re going that they forget whom they’re trying to lead. Instead, leaders would be wise realize that connecting to people and developing them are the surest ways to gain influence. Results happen through relationships.

#2 Possess a Difference-Maker Mindset

A hesitant and indecisive leader doesn’t enliven the hearts or imaginations of people. On the contrary, leaders who influence and inspire have a difference-maker mindset. They connect with others by passing along an infectious confidence in their ability to succeed.

#3 Initiate Movement Toward People

Freight cars sitting on the railroad tracks won’t go anywhere by themselves. They will rust and collect dust unless a locomotive makes contact and connects to them. Similarly, most people stay parked due to self-doubt, fear, or absence of vision. It takes the connection of a leader to tap into their potential and rouse them to action.

#4 Search for Common Ground

Anytime you want to connect with a person, the starting point should be shared interests. If you’re attentive to the hobbies, histories, and habits of those you lead, then you will find ample areas of common ground. Launch out from these areas of agreement to build rapport.

#5 Recognize and Respect Differences

We are capable of finding common ground with others, but at the same time we need to acknowledge that we’re all different. The greatest influencers realize that differences ought to complement rather than clash. When you demonstrate regard for diverse personalities and meet people on their terms, they will appreciate your sensitivity and connect with the understanding you’ve shown.

#6 Learn the Key to Others’ Lives

People have core motivations that vary drastically, and a leader has to discern them to forge a connection with others. Generally, the key can be unearthed by examining what a person has already done in life and by discovering what he or she aspires to do in the future. Once you’ve found the key, do not exploit it. Turn the key only when you have the person’s permission, and always use it for his or her benefit – not your own.

#7 Communicate from the Heart

Nothing repels people like a phony leader. Be authentic when you speak, and align your actions and words. People respond to passion, and they will latch onto a vision when it’s communicated directly from the heart.

#8 Share Common Experiences

Shared experiences cement a relationship. For this reason, it’s wise to be intentional about eating out with teammates, inviting them to join you on an errand, or taking in a play or ballgame together. The more time you invest in those you lead, the greater the connection you will forge with them.

Summary

One is too small of a number to achieve greatness. No one ever accomplishes alone what he can do in partnership with others. If you’re looking to grow as an influencer, start by strengthening your connections with the people around you.

About

John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author who has sold over 16 million books. EQUIP, the organization he founded has trained more than 2 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and audiences as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and ambassadors at the United Nations. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell was named the World’s Top Leadership Guru by Leadershipgurus.net. He was also one of only 25 authors and artists named to Amazon.com’s 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame. Three of his books, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Developing the Leader Within You, and The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader

I’ll begin reading “Fearless” this week. How about joining me?

Pastor Luis

I’m on one of my favorite Islands in the world, Puerto Rico, “La Isla del Encanto”,  with my good friends Rev. David and Gigi Ramos and I’ve enjoyed some excellent food here. Among the great dishes Puerto Rico offers is “Mofongo”, a garlic-flavored plantain dish served with pork, chicken or sea food, with a delectable sauce. I  have this all the time in the States but it just taste better on the Island with friends.

Food plays a prominent role in scriptures,  references include, Jews celebrating liberation from Egypt with the Passover meal, the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion and the Apostle John chronicling the voice of Jesus as he says:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” -Rev. 3:20

The “new birth” is likened to partaking a meal with Jesus. Something happens when we have a meal with others. Intimacy grows among those gathered at the table. Life is shared,  and love and friendship have fertile ground to grow.  I would be the first to admit that I don’t always think of fellowship when I’m hungry, my mind gets focused on gulping down my food and satiating my need. Why do we have to wait for vacations and special occasions to sit down together? With a bit thought and minimal planning we can share the best of God’s provision with others. Here are some things we can do:

• Make it a point to have lunch with someone at least twice a week.
• Buy lunch for someone in need and sit with them.
• Bring back family dinner around the table (not around the television).
• At least once a month have dinner with a close friends, people you enjoy spending time with.

I suspect God has many things to reveal to us around the table.

My Mofongo de Pollo, Isla Verde Restaurant, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Pastor Luis

Moca, Puerto Rico