by Clarence E. Stowers | May 5, 2008 | Bible Journey
I’m in the process of going back
through the Bible viewing it through the eyes of a leader. Here are my
thoughts from the first seven chapters of Matthew (come join me on this journey):
- Leaders make mistakes. God can redeem leaders. (1:6)
- It’s all about obedience. Joseph "did what the angel of the Lord
had commanded him." When was the last time you heard from God and did
what he told you to do? (1:24)
- I may have positional power, but God is always more powerful. (3:11)
- The way I live my life is dictated by the amount of time I spend in the Word of God. It is my sustenance. (4:4)
- Time is running out. I need to embrace the urgency. (4:17)
- Part of my responsibility is to look for the ministry potential in others. (4:19-20)
- My leadership should produce peace. (5:9)
- My actions will speak louder than my words. (5:16)
- God doesn’t like it when there’s division and anger between leaders. (5:22)
- I need to follow through with my commitments. (5:37)
- People will persecute me. I need to pray for them. That’s difficult for me. (5:44)
- God wants me to be me. He wants us to be real–not fake. (6:5)
- There are some actions people don’t see, but God still does. (6:18)
- What I do with my money will impact my heart. Interesting that God
didn’t say it the other way around. Makes me think disciplines with
time and money impact the condition of my heart. (6:21)
- As a leader, I need to prepare for tomorrow, but I shouldn’t worry about tomorrow. (6:34)
- If I’m a good leader, my ministry will bear good fruit. The measure of my success is not the input but the outcome. (7:17)
- The win isn’t for people to hear the message–the win is life application. (7:24)
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 30, 2008 | Politics
Does Dr. Wright hurt or help Barack Obama?
Ok, yall pulled me into this political/religious hot potato. I’ve thought long and hard about this and eventually knew I would have to deal with this situation. So, here we go…
Telisha, to answer your question, Dr. Wright does hurt Obama and it’s unfortunate. Is it fair? Nah. The media, the Clinton camp, and the republicans have been playing the "politics by association" card when it comes to this issue. Clearly, if you’re a rational, critically thinking person and have listened to Dr. Wright’s ENTIRE sermons and put into context the sound bites that have been played continuously, you will determine that what Dr. Wright says and believes is not and does not have to be synonymous with Obama’s views.
However, the problem is simply that everyone does not think critically and scrutinize the information they’re being fed and who’s serving them this media meal. No some, if not many people in this country, are sheep; content to formulate an opinion of a candidate based on a 10-20 second sound bite of "the man, standing next to the man."
I get what Dr. Wright was saying, and for the most part, he was speaking the truth. I understand what he said and where in his psyche his comments originated. But when it comes to this politics game, more often than not, whatever is said by a candidate or a perceived surrogate, is taken at face value by most, and true understanding gets lost in translation.
The problem that you have is that those that take issue with Dr. Wright’s statements – a certain percentage of our Caucasian brothers and sisters simply lack the ability to understand where Dr. Wright is coming from and the impetus for his comments. Culturally, they’re simply not in a position to "get it." And probably won’t ever "get it." In their world, African-Americans exist on TV and possibly at work. That’s it. With such limited exposure, they’re not and have not been intimately exposed to our culture, our norms, values, struggles and the unique variables at play when it comes to being black in America. So there’s gonna be a disconnect. And Obama’s adversaries have played on this disconnect to a tee.
Personally, I have no problem with Dr. Wright defending himself and his life’s work. That’s not my issue. The problem I have is HIS TIMING. I refuse to believe that Dr. Wright is in some way clueless to the fact that Obama, and to a greater extent, African-Americans have a GOLDEN, LEGITIMATE, AND REALISTIC chance to put an African-American face to the most powerful office in the world. Dr. Wright HAS to recognize this. So why is he making his "last stand" now? He HAS to know the political implications of his deeds and words. Furthermore, what really gets me is that if Dr. Wright, in all his years of knowing Obama, CARED about the man, he would stand down and table his retribution for a later date.
Finally, whenever the electorate needs a distraction, the "powers in control" "Wag the Dog." Wag the Dog is film starring Robert De Niro, about a Washington DC spin doctor who distracts the electorate from a U.S. presidential sex scandal by by hiring a Hollywood producer (played by Dustin Hoffman), to construct a fake war with Albania – GET THE DVD.
The media needs this created controversy as a diversion.
1. DIVERSION TACTIC: We’re in a RECESSION – gas prices were "quietly" raised 12 times in a row; foreclosures are @ an all time high; food prices are through the roof; utilities prices have and are going up; college tuition’s rising & they’ve reduced grants & loans; houses are more difficult to purchase; nationally, housing prices have declined 12%; credit card companies are struggling & forcing those w/good credit to pay for those who defaulted. How do you get people’s mind off the REAL ISSUES – DIVERT THEIR ATTENTION.
2. DIVERSION TACTIC: Keep people paying attention to the campaign equals more ad revenues. Without question Barack’s candidacy was so taken as joke by the pundits that they did not feel the masses would take to him at all. So now with the very large amount of especially college educated whites voting for him in high numbers this has scared the crap out of the political establishment. Furthermore, I find it funny that someone can take a speech made several years ago and make it an issue today.
There you go…care to comment…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 29, 2008 | Other Stuff
I’m
about ready to roll out an FAQ page for the blog. But, before I do
that, I’m curious to know your questions about my blog, the Bible, quagmires, conundrums, oxymorons, my ministry or
my life. For this purpose, assume nothing is off-limits. Of course, I’m
not guaranteeing I’m actually going to respond. That’s the risk you
take.
It’s your turn. What are your questions? C’mon, let me have it…
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 28, 2008 | Leadership, Vision
When you talk about “hearing from God,” often people look at you with disdain or suspicion. Why? Because it’s so subjective & nebulous. I’ve discovered there are a few “tell-all” signs that signify you make have or have not heard from God.
Are you ready? Let’s go!
If you feel confident that you can accomplish what is in front of you with no problem at all…then you didn’t hear from God.
If no one is angry at you…then you didn’t hear from God.
If you don’t have to ask anyone to sacrifice to make the vision come true…then you didn’t hear from God.
If religious people are not angry with you, gossiping about you and/or leaving your church…then you didn’t hear from God.
If you have the money in the bank to do what God has asked your church to do…then you didn’t hear from God.
If every step is perfectly designed and nothing happens to totally throw you off along the way…then you didn’t hear from God.
If someone doesn’t try to talk you out of what you are about to attempt…then you didn’t hear from God.
If you don’t stay up at night thinking about the vision…then you didn’t hear from God.
If your vision is in contradiction to God’s Word…then you didn’t hear from God. (And no, you didn’t get a “special revelation” that gave you permission to trump His Word!)
If you know all of the answers…then you didn’t hear from God.
Those are just a few things that came to mind. 🙂
by Clarence E. Stowers | Apr 27, 2008 | Vision
One of the questions that is often asked of me by pastors, church leaders, and corporate leaders is, “Where do you get your vision?”
My answer usually seems to frustrate them because…well…it’s simple. Leadership (and vision) is as easy as listening to God.
- Vision does not come through a committee. Good ideas may come that way. Much needed discussion may come out of a meeting like that…but not vision.
- Vision does not come through a conference. You may get INSPIRATION…but not REVELATION. I think of of the sad things in conference world today is pastors will attend a conference, go home & then try to be EVERYTHING except for what God called them to be.
- Vision does not come out of books. Once again–excellent ideas do. Wisdom comes from reading. You can seriously be challenged and stretched by reading…but vision isn’t in the pages of the next best seller.
- Vision does not come from trying to repeat what has been successful in the past…that’s not vision, that’s the leader being a victim of previous success.
- I still say that passionate, white hot, hell charging, world changing & people inspiring vision comes from intentional and uninterrupted time with Jesus…in HIS Word, seeking HIS face through prayers–staying connected with HIS Holy Spirit throughout the day.
So when people ask me, “Where do you get your vision?” My answer is always the time…I meet with God & I don’t move until He tells me to move…but WHEN He tells me to move I go until He tells me to stop.
Leadership is as easy as listening to God. I always advise pastors and church leaders to get on their face and stay there until God says otherwise. I have NEVER made a bad or wrong decision when I clearly heard from God and followed–EVER!
So how do you know when your vision is from God? Next post…
