10 Things I have learned in 3 years as lead pastor

This past Sunday marked my third year as pastor at RiverCity Church.The following is a list of the top 10 things I've learned as a Lead Pastor:

10 - Sunday mornings do not determine my self-worth.

An older pastor once said to me, "Andrew, remember this one thing. It will help you a lot. You are not as good as your best Sunday, and you are not as bad as your worst Sunday." As a pastor, it is easy to base your self-worth on Sunday performance. If you have a great Sunday, you feel like the most successful man. If you have a bad Sunday, you feel like the world's biggest failure. I have learned to defeat this emotional roller coaster by embracing #10.

9 - Always drink a cup of coffee, but never drink two.

On Sunday mornings, I always stop and get a small coffee from Panera Bread. One Sunday, I decided to skip coffee. I ended up preaching at half-speed the first service and almost fell asleep during the second service. The following Sunday, I drank too much coffee and preached a fast sermon with jitters. One Panera coffee is just enough to get you through two services. 

8 -Great preaching doesn't build great churches, but great leadership does.

Preaching is extremely important to pastoring, but there is more to it than that. I discovered that what I do Monday through Friday is just as important as what I do on Sunday. Leading my staff, inspiring my leaders, balancing the budget, communicating vision, and spending time with people are essential to building a quality church. 

7 - Keeping paced.

I carefully schedule my week to include study time, business, people, and rest. I want to pastor for 40 years, not four. I must include rest and recreation to meet my long-term goal.

6 - Have good friends.

I am blessed to be surrounded by strong friendships. These friendships did not just happen, but they were personal investments. Friends keep me balanced, grounded, and relaxed. 

5 - Involve my family.

My kids are a part of my ministry. I make it a point to involve them in what I do so they never feel like they have to compete for my attention. They love coming and being involved. 

4 - Listen to my wife.

There are times my wife has better insight than me. She was not raised in a pastor's home so she sometimes has a different perspective. She made me change the color of the church sign.  It would have been ugly if I did not consider her opinion. Good thing I listened.

3 - Take risk.

Nothing of value comes without risk. I cannot settle for comfort, but I need to know how to operate in faith and some discomfort. Everything from increasing staff members, purchasing a building, to adding a Sunday service involved taking a risk. 

2 - Not everyone is going to like me.

I cannot base my self-worth on whether or not people like me. Some people will not like my style, personality, decisions, messages, etc. My job is not to be liked, but to accomplish God's plan for my life. I am okay if people leave my church because they don't like me. I no longer take it personally. I only want the approval of ONE - God. 

1 - Be myself.

What you see is what you get. I would be miserable if I tried to be someone else. Who I am at the pulpit is the same as who I am on my day off. I think the church prefers someone who is genuine over someone fake or rehearsed. It's better to connect with real people than phonies.

I believe these 10 lessons I learned can apply to just about everyone, such as a business man or woman, government worker, construction worker, college student, or office assistant. I look forward to learning and sharing  more in the years to come.

Always Growing,      

Pastor Andrew Huson

Church Stuff

CHURCH STUFF

Over the next several months, I will write a series of blogs examining this organization we call "church."  Why does the church exist? Why and how often should I attend church?  Why and how much should I give to my church? How should I act at church?  How do I get involved with my church?  How do I build relationships at church?  How do I know when it is time to leave a church?  How do I properly leave a church?  It is my goal to tackle these topics in a Biblical, practical and thought-provoking manner.  My writing will be based on non-negotiable Biblical facts and my expectations of the church I serve.  These blogs will be an important tool for unity and progress as we journey together.

Why does the church exist?

Growing up, I attended church almost every day of the week.  My dad was a pastor so I attended every service, Sunday school, Royal Rangers, and a Christian school that was located at the church. During my four years at Bible College, I was a little burned out on church so attended occasionally until I was hired by a church my senior year. 

                I am a very driven and focused person.  I do not like to be a part of anything that wastes my time or has no purpose.  I expect the same out of church.  I did not attend during college because I could not find a church that driven with my same level of determination. 

                My grandpa was a focused and driven church planter whose passion was to see lives changed.  My grandpa gave me a painting of a Brazilian farmer that hangs in my office.  The farmer had no money, no power, and no influence.  The painting captures my grandfather’s passion and his purpose in church – people!  My grandpa was driven to reach the people like the farmer because he wanted them to know the life-changing power of God.  There was nothing in it for my grandpa.  He would not get rich off the farmer. He would not gain position as a mega church pastor off the farmer. 

                Today, we see too many pastors more concerned with what the church can do for them rather than what they can do for the church.  They want to make money, have influence, and get a high position.  As a pastor, this breaks my heart.  The purpose of the church is not to stroke a pastor’s ego, but to fulfill God's work. 

                I am going to skip the Biblical theology for the purpose of the church. You can refer to the 16 fundamental statements of truth of the Assemblies of God for that.*  I want to give you my opinion and our church’s philosophy on why we exist.

Life Change

The church’s purpose is to see lives change for the best.  The church is a conduit of God's power to people.  If someone comes to our church feeling lost, I want them found in Christ Jesus.  If they have an addiction, I want them freed.  If they feel hopeless, I want them filled with purpose.  If someone is new to the Bible, I want them to become grounded in the Word of God.  If their marriage is broken, I want to see it restored.  I believe that a church should be a place where change is evident.  Our success is not based on charts, financial reports, or building size.  Our success is measured by the number of lives changed.

Shape Culture

Society wants to stamp out the role of the church and claims that we are no longer necessary.  Wrong. Christians play a vital role in our culture in terms of morality.  Without the church, you will see a collapse of morality and goodness.  The church and those who are a part of it shape the attitude of our cities, state, nation and world.  The Word of God changes the hearts and minds of people. 

 

Send Out Disciples

As a pastor, I see myself as a coach to other ministers.  I am here to inspire, train, and send disciples to a lost world.  Our goal is not to increase the number in church attendance, but to ensure that people are making a difference in the world.  If the church does not send people to the mission field, it is dying.  The mission field can be the workplace, the streets to feed the homeless, the prisons to teach a Bible study, or to Africa to care for orphans. We must be a sending-church. 

 

These are just some reasons why our church exists. As your pastor, I want to share my views on the topic of church.  I love the church and believe in the church. We must not become a purposeless, stale, and dying church.  We must be purpose-filled, life-changing, and thriving Christians who fervently serve our church and community. 

 

 

*For the theological and scriptural bases of the church's existence you can check out this link.  (http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Statement_of_Fundamental_Truths) 

Juggling Act

I am a professional juggler! Yes, I know I am called to and paid for the title of pastor, but I have decided what I really am is a juggler. I should have gotten my degree in juggling instead of Biblical Literature. I juggle study, staff, budget, preaching, prayer, service planning, administration, counseling, conflict management, mentoring, marriage, 3 kids, an infant (as I write this blog with one hand I am changing a diaper with the other-serious), home upkeep, yard work, personal budget, car care, kids homework, and family time. On top of that I have dreams and desires I want to work toward and see come to pass. I am a professional juggler!

You are a professional juggler! Pastors are not unique. All of you have an equal number of responsibilities on your plate. Job, family, dreams are all juggled by each of you on a daily bases. Some of you have lists that make my list seem like a breeze.

The question is how do you and I keep balance in our lives with so many things we must juggle every day. It is a question I ask myself and others constantly.

Last week I went on a hike. As Tuesday came to an end I was feeling frustrated, burnt out and out of balance. I felt like I was keeping a few things airborne, but was dropping more than juggling. It was time for a recharge. This is the key to keeping the juggling routine successful. You must keep recharged.

In life, there are things that drain you and things that recharge you. If you are continually being drained and not being charged you will eventually be a failed juggler. Something or someone will become the victim of your depletion. Usually your spouse or your dreams.

So, I took a hike. You see I know what charges me.

        -I have friends that when I spend time with them I feel charged

        -I have activities that charge me (shooting, riding my motorcycle, hiking, yard work,  

          trips with my family, ministry travel)

        -Time alone with God not in ministry preparation

As I looked at my life and evaluated my drainage I came to the conclusion that what was lacking of the three was extended time with God. I just needed a word. I re-prioritized and off I went to take a hike. During the three hour hike, God charged me up and gave me the word I needed for this season.

Understand, you are your chief encourager. You are the person who is responsible for staying recharged and encouraged. No one else will do this for you. You have to recharge! Prioritize the things that charge you.

We are all jugglers! In order to be successful jugglers we must pay special attention to our battery level. Are you on full or empty? We must do the things that charge us in equal proportion to the things that drain us.

Love ya all,

PA

The Holy Spirit Factor

We  have a huge assignment.  We have a seemingly impossible job to accomplish.  God has called us to be about world evangelism.  To reach to the furthest and most dark places in our world.   As a pastor the enormity of my task often leaves me discouraged.  How will I reach my lost neighbor?  How will I reach that lost teen-ager?  How will I help that struggling family?  It seems, at times, that it is not even worth trying.  I might as well bunker down, stock up on food and ammo and wait for the end.  God has not called us to this kind of existence.  God has not called us to be exclusivists, pacifists, pessimists or pewists  (I made up that word.  DEF: one who only sits in a pew/church and does nothing). 

I have been thinking a lot about this whole evangelism thing.  Why does it seem so difficult, unnatural, and stretching at times?  Well, I have the answer.  We are forgetting the Holy Spirit factor. 

Too many Christians are running on empty.  We are just making it.  We are taking it a day at a time.  We are saved, but there is nothing exciting or contagious about our salvation.  There is no overflow.  So, we simply exist as Christians while a world around us goes to hell.  We make occasional guilt-driven attempts at evangelism that most often end unsuccessfully.  We then blame it on the hardness of people around us and again isolate. 

I think that we need to take care of the core issue.  We are running on empty.  God never intended for you to run on empty.  He gave us a cure for this - the Holy Spirit. 

When you are saved you experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  It is an amazing thing.  He brings confidence of your salvation, conviction of sin, and stakes claim to your life. 

I am Pentecostal!!!  This means I believe in a subsequent work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believer.  It is the overflowing of the Holy Spirit.  When this happens to you and I we are filled with boldness and power to accomplish the task at hand - evangelism of the world.  It is the Holy Spirit Factor.   The overflowing of the Holy Spirit makes evangelism natural, powerful and effective.  If you read the first seven chapters of Acts you will see a group of cowardly disciples turned into a band of warriors.  It was the Holy Spirit Factor. 

God wants to fill you fresh and new.  D.L Moody was asked why he spoke on the need for the continual filling of the Holy Spirit to which he replies, "I need the continual filling of the Holy Spirit because I leak."  I right this blog to encourage you to take time to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  If you are continually filled I guarantee you that you will like the things that begin to flow from you and so will the world around you. 

FYI: My blogs are written without edit or rewrite.  They are intended to simply be a raw expression of my thoughts.  Please excuse grammar and spelling. 

The Art of Stress Management

Stress has forever been part of the story of mankind. Stress was born the day that Adam was put into a deep sleep and his rib removed to create Eve. (Kidding) If you look through the Bible it is impossible to find a Bible character who did not deal with circumstances that would bring great stress. Can you imagine Abraham's stress as he insisted it was the right move to uproot his family and leave Ur. Can you imagine Joseph's stress after he was falsely accused of raping his bosses wife. Can you imagine Moses' stress as the Israelites would not stop complaining to him about every last problem. Jesus was under such stress that he sweat drops of blood.

All of us have stress! Different seasons of life bring different levels of stress, but the underlying issue is always there in some form. (Except when you are on vacation in Hawaii without kids) Whether it be school, career, marriage, kids, money, or health stress in a part of life. I cannot say that I always carry my stress well, but there are some things that I am learning.

Pray! I don't say this because I am a pastor, and I don't even say this out of religious obligation. I say this in the most raw, unritualistic way possible. Take the time just to lay stuff out before God. It is like a release valve. It brings perspective and it brings relief.

Play! I have things that I do that drain me, and I have things I do that recharge me. If I am stressed it is because I am doing too much of what drains me and not enough of what recharges me. If I am feeling particularly stressed I will take a ride on my motorcycle or go to my secret spot and shoot my gun. I also take the time to retreat with my family from time to time. This gives time to relax and it gives a light at the end of the tunnel during stress filled times. There are also people in my life that when I am around them they recharge my batteries.

Push! I do not back down on my purpose. If Satan sees that stress will get you to give up on things that are important (ministry, family time, church) he will make sure you always have just enough stress to keep you away from the significant parts of your life. When stressed I minister more passionately and study more fervently just to make Satan mad. I evaluate and make sure I am pushing in the important areas and letting go of the unimportant areas.

There are other things I should do like exercise, but I watch TV instead. I find a good workout of my thumb on the remote as I change the channel gives me a solid workout. Oh, my staff tells me that I am a stress eater, but we won't get into that.

Anyway, the art of stress management is a work progress in my life. I know it is an area many of those in the church I serve are facing this week. Unmanaged stress can be destructive to your marriage, children, etc. I pray God gives you unique ways to deal with your stress.
Pastor Andrew Huson

Challenging Quotes

As I got to my office this morning I was inspired to pull out a little book I have owned since I was just a kid. The book is called "Challenging Quotes for World Changers." It was my favorite book for years, and I still enjoy pulling it out from time to time. It always challenges and stretches me. I want to share 10 of my all time favorite quotes from my all time favorite book. These quotes help me to keep perspective and set direction. I pray as I share these quotes they challenge you as they have again challenged me.

  

 In eternity there is nothing from this life that will have been more important than the people you and I reached for Christ.

~Mike Downey

That man is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

~Jim Elliot

I will open the Sudan to the gospel or die trying.

~Rowland Bingham

God's work done in God's way will ever lack God's supply.

~Hudson Taylor

If we are going to wait until every possible hindrance has been removed before we do the work of the Lord, we will never attempt to do anything.

~T.J. Bach

Attempt great things for God. Expect great things from God.

~William Carey

If Jesus Christ be God and died for men, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.

~CT Studd

God, I pray, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn up for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life but a full one like Yours, Jesus Christ.

~Jim Elliot

Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.

~Bob Pierce

Every person ought to pray at least one violent prayer a day.

~Gordan Lindsay

As a church it is imperative that we keep focused on our mission. Our mission is not to build our own kingdom, but to build His Kingdom. There is a lost world that surrounds us. Let us always be a church that is about them and not about us. Each of us play a part in the evangelization of our world. Find your part - step out boldly - make a difference.

The Power of Choice- ABORTION

 

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you

life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

God has given each one of us a great power - it is the power of choice. Each choice that we make sets into motion a ripple effect. Each decision that we make leads us down a pathway that brings about life or brings about death. 

The life and death may at times will be physical. The choice to step in from of a train will bring about the instant result of death.  The choice to do a drug may bring about the slow result of death. 

The life and death at times will be relational. The choice to neglect your marriage will bring about the death of  marriage. The choice to neglect friendships will bring about the death of community. 

The life and death at times will be spiritual. The choice to disregard your times with the Lord will result in death of your faith. The choice to discount church attendance will bring about death in your foundation and purpose.

With every choice that we make there will be a subsequent and equal effect. It is the power of choice. God has granted man the freedom of choice and the pleasure of living under its consequence. 

This week we marked the 40th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision to legalize the killing of unborn babies in the United States. It is a decision that has led to great, heart-breaking consequence. A ripple effect of death. 1.2 million babies are aborted every year in the United States. Over 50 million aborted since the choice that was made by our nation to legalize murder of the innocent. 

Do we have the "right to choose"-  absolutely, but at what consequence? What is the ripple effect caused by our choice? I heard someone say this past week, "Abortion is necessary, can you imagine if we had 50 million more mouths to feed in this country?" 

As a pastor I am apolitical. I do not represent a party. I do not publicly support a party. I do not ride an elephant or a donkey. Our church does not represent one party, but we welcome and have both democrat and republican. Abortion is not a political issue, but a moral issue. I will proudly stand up and say I am for the rights of the innocent child. 

We may not be able to change the law of the land, but we can change the hearts and minds of the people. We can extend love and help to the mother faced with the choice. We can love the broken, hurting , and confused. We can make a choice that will lead to a ripple effect. Maybe that ripple effect will save a baby or two!

-Old Sacramento Shooting-

January 3. 2013

How involved is God? As a pastor, who has studied and enjoys theology, my brain often entertains these types of questions. I absolutely believe in the existence of God, but how involved is God in the everyday of our lives? Does God chart out our every breathe and every move or did God set in motion this world in which we live and leave us to our own demise? There are scriptures that seem to support either argument. So where do I stand on the issue - I am glad you asked!

This past Monday Shawna and I decided it was time to buy Elsie a Big Girl bed. We got on Craigslist and found the perfect bed in West Sacramento at the perfect price. I got in my car and drove to West Sacramento to pick up this bed. Monday was New Year's Eve and traditionally we would be going to Old Sacramento for the 9pm fireworks show with our kids. Last year the traffic getting out of the garage that we always park in was horrible. While in West Sacramento I had a brilliant idea. Let's park on this side of the river and walk across the bridge into Old Sac thus missing all the traffic. As we drove to Old Sac that night Shawna and I debated the idea and as we begin to exit into Old Sac decided to pull back onto the freeway and try parking in West Sac. Follow me here! Every year we park in the same garage. The walk from the fireworks to this garage takes us right down the street where the New Year's Eve shooting took place.

If you have not followed the story a man in a bar begin shooting. He killed two people and wounded two people before he too was shot. His shooting rampage reportedly took him from the bar to randomly shooting down the street. The very street we would have traditionally been walking down.
Now, back to our question. How involved is God in the everyday of our lives? A chain of events throughout my day led me to park in a new place avoiding a deranged shooter. If we would not have decided to buy a bed earlier that day, who knows what the outcome would have been. We probably wouldn't have been shot, but we would have been in the middle of the chaos and confusion.

Here is what I believe:

1) God does not control our every decision and our every move. We are free to make our own decisions and live with the consequences of our decisions. To a great extent God did set this world in motion and is not controlling each weather pattern, marriage, financial decision, and accident. (Matthew 5:45)

2) God is involved as we invite him to be. Did God speak to me and tell me to park in a different place? NO. Did God have his hand in my parking in a different place? ABSOLUTELY! As we walk with God he directs our steps even unknowingly. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

So the answer, in my opinion and experience, is somewhere in the middle. I thank God for the chain of events that led to a different parking spot. I thank God that He answers my daily prayer to direct my steps and protect my family. Now, what if I would have been in the middle of it? I am confident God would have placed me there for a purpose. If there was no purpose/reason then he would not and did not direct my steps to be on that road.

This does not answer the ultimate question that always arises in these conversations. Why do bad things happen to good people? Maybe I will tackle that one next.