1 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,520 This is lead to serve with Ed Taylor, a leadership podcast. 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,280 Welcome to another edition of the Lead to Serve podcast. 3 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,880 I'm grateful you've been with us for all of these weeks now. 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,920 My name is Ed Taylor. I'm the pastor here at Calvary 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,880 Church in studio, as you well know. 6 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,200 For this season, Pastor Bob Clay Camp. 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:29,400 Welcome, Bob. Great. 8 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,200 Good to be here. Glad you're here. 9 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,640 Glad you're making the time. I know it's not easy with 10 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,240 everything that's going on and we get to serve together here as 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,640 we have for the last 4 1/2 years here at Calvary Church in 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:44,920 Aurora, Co. We're in Season #5, as you well 13 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,360 know of the Lead to Serve podcast, so I really appreciate 14 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,520 all your feedback, your texts, your emails, your phone calls. 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,040 Thank you for forwarding it and getting the word out, even the 16 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,560 reviews. We are so grateful. 17 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,600 We could use a lot more reviews, by the way. 18 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,040 So I know you keep hearing it and hearing it, and you intend 19 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,920 sometimes Marie and I do that. Marie's my wife. 20 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,880 Sometimes we do that with Yelp or something and we just forget 21 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:11,480 to do it. We need to do it. 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,280 Do it When you're thinking about it, put a good review. 23 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,960 If it's a bad review, just e-mail Bob and Bob will take 24 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:20,440 care of it and he won't make any improvements he needs to make so 25 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,600 that we don't have bad reviews. But if they're good, put them up 26 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,520 on the podcast. If they're bad, really let us 27 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:29,120 know. We'd like to hear what your 28 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,160 feedback is so we could grow in the grace of God too. 29 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,040 We want this to be a meaningful and quite frankly, we haven't 30 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,080 really had bad, bad reviews or bad input. 31 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,040 There's been some input on improvement and we appreciate 32 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,240 that or something we could do better. 33 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,320 That's great and because we want, we want it to be 34 00:01:46,320 --> 00:01:50,400 effective. But at the same time, we're just 35 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,120 in a studio together across from a desk with two microphones in 36 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,680 front of us, talking about ministry, talking about life. 37 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,880 It's not scripted, although we do have a few notes written down 38 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,640 and some topics to cover. It's not scripted. 39 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,880 So what you're listening to is what it would be like if we were 40 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,680 at a pastor's meeting or a staff meeting or if we were back in my 41 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,840 office talking about, hey, Bob, come in and let's talk about 42 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:16,280 this. Or what do you think about that? 43 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,600 That's what the podcast is. And you know, our goal is to 44 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,040 help you grow in your servant leadership so that you might 45 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,080 glorify God and everything that you do. 46 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,440 And you know the tag, right? The better serving you are, the 47 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,400 better leader you'll become, and the better leader leader you'll 48 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,600 become will give you a broader depth of servanthood. 49 00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:41,480 So these these times we have on podcast are short, but they're 50 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:46,920 designed to discuss important topics that'll help you serve 51 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:48,520 the Lord better. No matter where you are. 52 00:02:48,920 --> 00:02:54,400 You could be at home single, married, single parent, kiddos, 53 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,160 your CEO or you just started in ministry. 54 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,200 Wherever you are, God is ready to be with you. 55 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:07,640 And we are on week at #9, I think 9. 56 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,840 And here's the topic. I like this one. 57 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,280 This is an interesting topic, kind of changes, kind of changes 58 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,120 a little bit from where we were, but also hits it pretty well. 59 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,880 Because if we're talking about finishing our race and running 60 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,400 our weight race, this one kind of hits row and that is this #8. 61 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,280 Go where you're invited. Go where you're invited. 62 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,640 Many, many times we see Jesus being invited to various places 63 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,480 and he goes as a representative of God. 64 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,640 The Father is God in human flesh. 65 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,800 He goes like, like for example, he was at the wedding in Cana. 66 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:47,360 Why was he at the wedding in Cana? 67 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,920 Because he was invited, that's why. 68 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,960 And he went. And it was a dynamic, wonderful 69 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,240 time. And so in a general sense, if 70 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,480 you want to be more effective, which is the theme of this 71 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,840 season, and really quite frankly, it's the theme of the 72 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,720 entire podcast, we want to be more usable, We want to be more 73 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,720 effective and we want to talk very practically of how to do 74 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,480 ministry better. If you want to be more 75 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:19,399 effective, you want to learn how to go where you're invited. 76 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:22,440 What are your thoughts? Well, there, there are so many 77 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,960 opportunities that we can have, but God has given us the Holy 78 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,840 Spirit to give us a sense of rightness, whether we should 79 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:35,800 step into the opportunity or pass on the opportunity. 80 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,560 And it's not based upon how you feel about it. 81 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,000 It's based upon what is the right thing to do in this 82 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,680 situation. And God, give me, give me the 83 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,160 leading, because some things are awkward, Some things you know 84 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,800 that if you do it, you're going to end up getting pushed back. 85 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:56,000 And I don't want pushback. I don't need pushback in my 86 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,000 life. But what is the father impacting 87 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,480 you to do in this situation? Do it. 88 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:07,760 And you know, sometimes the invitation, like, I like when I 89 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,200 finished up ministering in Windsor, the very next day I got 90 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,960 a phone call from the UK saying, can you come over and help us? 91 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:20,240 And I I never say yes. Usually right away I said, you 92 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,040 know get you know we'll get back with you. 93 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:27,440 So my wife and I prayed about it and we really had a sense from 94 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,680 the Lord that yes we are two step somehow step into the 95 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,920 opportunity. We didn't have the resources but 96 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:39,680 we were to do it. And those opportunities that 97 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,840 come to you aren't just what it looks like on the surface there, 98 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,160 it's it's the tip of the iceberg. 99 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,800 And so, but you'll never find out the whole iceberg until you 100 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,200 take that initial step and just commit to go. 101 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:58,160 And then got to be with you in in the like Jesus did. 102 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,960 And so many occasions when he even took the dinner that 103 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,120 Matthew offered with all the publicans and sinners that were 104 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,720 there, it was a joy to him. But he knew they were going to 105 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,040 be pushed back. Again, as we're talking about 106 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:11,880 these things, we're talking about anything. 107 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,080 We're not suspending common sense. 108 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,280 So don't suspend common sense here for when you hear the 109 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:20,960 phrase, because it's a phrase. It's just a catchy phrase to 110 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,680 help you remember that these divine appointments from the 111 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,960 Lord, you should go where you're invited. 112 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,200 Like you, you should step into them. 113 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,360 But let's not suspend common sense to this to the plate, like 114 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,520 you can't do everything, so you can't accept every invitation. 115 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,280 You can't go to every invitation. 116 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:43,000 I think of an invitation to a ceremony that's between a man 117 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,560 and a man saying they're getting married. 118 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,480 That's not a wedding. And if you're invited to that, 119 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:51,000 especially as a pastor, you can't go like that's that's just 120 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,920 that's dishonouring God. Like it's a blasphemous. 121 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:58,560 So don't, don't suspend common sense here where you are in a 122 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,920 place where, well, you know they invited me to the satanic 123 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,280 ritual. No, no, no, don't go where 124 00:07:04,280 --> 00:07:06,800 you're invited. It's probably a good chance that 125 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,440 you're not going to go there. You know you're going to be led 126 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,440 by the Holy Spirit. You're going to use common 127 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:12,880 sense. You're going to make your 128 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,960 decision as unto the Lord. So setting that aside, though, 129 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,320 what I'm thinking when I'm thinking about when I hear this, 130 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,000 that men and women need to hear, need to understand pastors, 131 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:31,840 leaders, whatever is many times we don't go where we're invited 132 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,720 because we don't want to deal with the drama of that 133 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,880 invitation. For example, if I go there, 134 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,520 those people left our church a long time ago. 135 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,240 They're very mad at me. So if I go to that party, 136 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,400 they're going to be there. And, you know, I just don't want 137 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,600 to deal with it. Well, there's a lot of other 138 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:55,400 people at that party and you should make your decision based 139 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,560 on what the Lord wants you to do, not avoiding something, 140 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,960 avoiding drama. I'll give you an example of how 141 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,040 this was developed in my life when I moved here, when I moved 142 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,800 to Colorado to plant the church, I was green as green could be. 143 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,640 I didn't know anything about anything in regards of 144 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,600 overseeing a church or leading a church in that respect. 145 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,720 I had served at my sending church as a as a singles pastor 146 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,400 for almost three years. But I wasn't on staff. 147 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,800 So I go to work, work in the world, and then I'd come and 148 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,240 teach on Thursday nights and do different things as a lay 149 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,200 leader, a lay pastor or I was a licensed pastor actually there. 150 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,039 But I worked full time. So when I moved here, I didn't 151 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:39,120 understand the politics of ministry or the difficulty. 152 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,640 I didn't know. I I got, I got a taste of it, 153 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,400 but I wasn't the responsible one so I didn't feel the full 154 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,320 weight. So when I was here first year or 155 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:53,480 so, I am walking down the aisle of Costco and back then the 156 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,800 Costco's were very empty because the population was much less 157 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,760 than it is today. And I there's a brother there 158 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,800 and I say, hey brother, so and so he was an assistant pastor in 159 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,720 another Calvary here in town. Hey brother, so and so how you 160 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,040 doing? And for the next 10 minutes, he 161 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:14,520 just ripped Calvary Chapel. He ripped his feet past her. 162 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,480 He just because he had been let go for misappropriations or 163 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:18,840 something, he got something happened. 164 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,400 I don't remember the details. And I must have just hit him the 165 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,080 week. And I don't know anything about 166 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,520 like I didn't. I've never been in a Costco 167 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,360 where somebody had cost me and like, I didn't like whoa, whoa, 168 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:39,320 whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. And and what, what, what God was 169 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,640 prepping me for because I called the pastor. 170 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,800 I said, what's going on? He says was what happened. 171 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,320 Can't give you all the details, but he's just really mad. 172 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,080 Oh, yeah, let me tell you how mad he is. 173 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:50,880 I get it. He says it was just pray for 174 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:51,720 him. We pray for him. 175 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,920 We moved on. And then over the years, as I've 176 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,720 seen people leave here upset at me, we weren't able to resolve 177 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,440 it. Or they just ran away and posted 178 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,120 things about me, slander me, whatever. 179 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,720 They never left the city. They just left the church. 180 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,520 So I still see him at Costco. I still see him at Sam's Club, 181 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,040 Walmart, whatever. And the Lord gave me this word 182 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:14,400 because it was awkward and I would want to avoid it. 183 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,320 And who wants to deal with that kind of drama? 184 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:17,920 Like I don't want to argue. I don't. 185 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,480 And the Lord gave me this word. He, he, I was. 186 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:23,360 It was just in daily DeVos. I was reading through the Book 187 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,600 of Joshua, and Joshua was told wherever the sole of your feet 188 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,320 tread, I've given to you. And the Lord said, That's you, 189 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,320 Ed. I have given anywhere you are in 190 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:32,640 the city. I've given it to you. 191 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:36,160 So whoever you meet, whoever you come in contact with, whoever 192 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,640 they used to be, whatever. If there's going to be any 193 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,320 drama, it's not going to be from you because I want you there. 194 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,600 So if you meet him in Costco, I want you there. 195 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,280 If they're at the same birthday party you were at, I want you 196 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,080 there. And I want you to step into that 197 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:55,080 with a sense of honor and respect for the role that you're 198 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:56,920 in. I want you to serve them, love 199 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,840 them, and don't let it become and it was a big It sounds 200 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,880 pretty simple enough, but it was a big deal for me because I 201 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,400 didn't know how to handle those things. 202 00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:08,000 So I would just deny invitations because I didn't want to deal 203 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,840 with the drama. Yeah, comfort zones are what we 204 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:18,600 enjoy, but we don't realize that they are valleys. 205 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:23,960 They are valleys with borders. And to step out of that into an 206 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,680 opportunity that's outside of your comfort zone is 207 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:33,360 threatening. It's insecure potential drama. 208 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:35,880 How am I going to deal with it? I don't need this in my life and 209 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:37,520 when we had of all kinds of reasons. 210 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:44,160 But comfort zones end up being quicksand because they don't 211 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,120 elevate you to the next level. Comfort zones pull you down. 212 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:49,520 Yeah. And they trap you. 213 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,600 I I like that illustration. Being in a valley or a rut with 214 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,440 walls, They trap you there. You never really get out. 215 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,200 You can't climb out and that this sense of this, the 216 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,160 excitement of this too. So that's on, that's a difficult 217 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:05,200 illustration of this. But again, if you're a leader or 218 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,240 pastor, like I know there's going, the longer you walk with 219 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,720 the Lord, the longer you stay in a particular church, the longer 220 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:16,520 you live in a community. You're just going to have messy 221 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,120 relationships. It doesn't have to be bad or 222 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,480 even antagonistic. You're just going to have messy 223 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,520 relationships. You're going to have former 224 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,080 neighbors that moved out, but they actually moved around the 225 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:27,640 corner. Or you're going to have people 226 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,120 that were in your church, or you're going to have somebody 227 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:31,920 that came to fix your heater and broke it. 228 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:36,120 Or like, it's just messy because life is messy, but as a 229 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,680 representative over the Lord, a spiritual leader to serve 230 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:44,560 better, we need to step into a situation like that and be ready 231 00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:48,080 to serve, be ready to check in on their family, be. 232 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:53,120 Whether they have tension or not, They still are human, They 233 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,120 still have issues. They still you're still a 234 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:56,600 pastor. You're still a leader. 235 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:58,200 You're still an elder in your church. 236 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,800 Why would why would you not want to go to little Johnny's 237 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,480 birthday party and see him blow out his candles and then just 238 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,000 minister to whoever's in the room? 239 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:08,720 I used to have a poster in my office. 240 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,120 It was a sailboat and the caption was calm seas never made 241 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:16,920 great captains. And the Lord puts things in 242 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:22,120 front of you to develop you. And because he knows that that 243 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:31,800 comfort zones are not healthy. And so it's not that you look 244 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:36,960 for drama, but it comes to you. I mean life that is that way. 245 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:38,680 It's going to be that way until your last breath. 246 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,200 There's going to be issues that the whole issue of retirement, 247 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,800 you know where you just going to, oh, I'm just going to like 248 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:46,880 settle back and play golf the rest of my life. 249 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,680 What a great life, dude. What about heaven? 250 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,200 What about treasure in heaven? What about, well, what's ahead 251 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,280 and what? What about the the spiritual 252 00:13:55,280 --> 00:14:00,360 quality of your life and all there's God uses, those 253 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:08,160 adversities, those trials, those challenges, those rough seas to 254 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:13,160 grow you, to develop you. Because anytime you forget 255 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:16,560 you're supposed to stay green, you'll end up rotting. 256 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,440 Did I hear you correctly? There's no retirement because 257 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,080 Marie and I, we have a plan. We're going to open up a Taco 258 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,000 shop in Playa del Carmen and we're going to sell tacos until 259 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,200 noon with we're going to make us enough money. 260 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,560 No, no, no. Carne asada. 261 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,440 Yeah, carne asada. But I mean, I guess we might 262 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,840 have to go to the market, you know, whatever the market 263 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,960 demands, and we're going to sell tacos until noon and then just 264 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,680 hang out and take a little nap, you know, siesta, and then get 265 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:50,840 up and enjoy our time. So are you Are you saying that's 266 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,080 not possible? Oh, anything's possible. 267 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,360 I was thinking in relation of going where you're invited, 268 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,760 where there isn't a dynamic of this where you're leading, 269 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,640 you're being led by the Holy Spirit, right? 270 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,120 You, God wants you a certain place. 271 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:11,720 And the default answer on an invitation is, yeah, I want to 272 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:12,800 be there. I want to do that. 273 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,680 I want to be available. It's it's that availability, 274 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,360 right? The characteristics of a of a 275 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:23,000 reusable person would be a spiritual person, a teachable 276 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,920 person, someone who's faithful. But then all those are really 277 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,560 not useful if they're not available, if they don't make 278 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,600 themselves available. And when I learn how to go where 279 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,640 I'm invited, I'm going to end up in places that not everybody's 280 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,080 going to understand, Not everybody's going to, like, not 281 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:42,120 everybody is going to, you know, I would never do that, right? 282 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,640 And you just like, no, the Lord wants me there. 283 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,000 And he, I don't know why he wants me there. 284 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,720 I'm not sure what he wants to do yet. 285 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:53,440 But if it's not sin, then like, like we have here, if we do 286 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,960 anything short of sin, if it's not sin, and I'm not approving 287 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:01,440 of sin, then I should develop a perspective of man. 288 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,720 This is probably from the Lord. I need to pray like you did with 289 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:05,760 your England. You don't know if you're going, 290 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,720 but your heart was there. Like, so like, yeah, I'm ready 291 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,560 to go. And then I look at reality and 292 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,520 well, if I'm going to go, then God's going to provide this and 293 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,960 he's going to give this And and as I pray, he's going to make it 294 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,400 clear to me. So it's more of the heart of the 295 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,640 matter where hey, Lord, I'm yours. 296 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,400 And when I first got saved and I'm, I mean that in general, for 297 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,440 all of us, it's like I'm going to go anywhere and do anything 298 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,120 for the Lord. And over time, I'm like, yeah, 299 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,760 you know, yeah, you know, it's too much. 300 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,880 And, you know, you people just phone it in and, yeah, you know, 301 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,680 I don't want to do a hospital visit. the Super Bowl's on what? 302 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,840 Seriously, What do you mean you're not going to do a 303 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:43,920 hospital visit? Well, the Super Bowl's on. 304 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:46,120 Oh, OK Yeah. Yeah. 305 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:47,720 All right. I mean, that tells me you're 306 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:48,920 hard. You're going to watch the Super 307 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,400 Bowl while somebody is. Well, how about this? 308 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,680 Why don't you go to the room and pray with them and watch the 309 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,440 Super Bowl with them? Like, why is there? 310 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,360 Why is it automatically a decision? 311 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:01,120 And I've watched this over the years. 312 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,720 That's not an example that's happened recently, but as the 313 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,040 Super Bowl just passed. But I've seen guys make that 314 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,119 decision like, Oh no, I can't. What do you mean you can't? 315 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,200 You said yes when you were born again. 316 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:17,800 You said yes, when you like this person can't get out of the 317 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,560 hospital bed and you'll be there after the Super Bowl is over. 318 00:17:22,319 --> 00:17:24,760 Well, well. And again, it's a it's a silly 319 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,560 illustration, but it actually illustrates A darkened heart. 320 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,600 Like this person needs encouragement. 321 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,840 This person needs a a pastor to represent the Lord. 322 00:17:35,120 --> 00:17:37,200 And I'm sorry, God's watching the Super Bowl right now. 323 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,600 You know, I can't, I can't make it because that's really what 324 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,600 we're saying. We represent the Lord and we're 325 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,720 going to schedule around it and I just can't make it. 326 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:48,520 Not good, no. It's not good. 327 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,760 Go where you're invited. I like what you also said, that 328 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,680 these opportunities, well, a couple things. 329 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,000 One, you know all these challenges and steps outside 330 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,760 trials, testings, adversity, they developed the character of 331 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:07,080 Christ in us. That's what God's doing in us as 332 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:11,080 we yield our lives to Him. But also, when you do end up 333 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:16,280 showing up to a place because you did take the invitation, I'm 334 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:21,840 reminded of of Romans 12 verse 18, if it's possible, as much as 335 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:26,480 depends upon you live peaceably with all men, and because 336 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,960 there's tension or messiness between you and me, I need to be 337 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,960 mature enough in my leadership in my servanthood not to allow 338 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,360 your problem with me to hold me back from being used by God. 339 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:38,560 Right. Yeah. 340 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:42,200 I mean in myself I'm a bit I'm I'm an introvert. 341 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:48,800 I'm I I get energized by being alone and stepping into a crowd 342 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:55,320 of people I don't know is awkward for me unless I can go 343 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:59,240 and I can have a purpose or something like that. 344 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:04,280 I mean I I remember when I first went to England I was invited to 345 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:10,280 this group of regional pastors in in the area and meeting at a 346 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:14,040 real super fancy hotel for a real fancy dinner. 347 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:18,080 And so I have to dress up because everybody's like dress 348 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:22,440 to the nines and I don't want to be there but I know I should 349 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:27,960 because I have to somehow interact and so and so I'm I'm 350 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,680 there, everybody's talking to everybody else and I'm by myself 351 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,000 and nobody's talking to me. Nobody's introducing themselves 352 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:35,520 to me. I'm kind of like the weird guy 353 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:38,880 that's there. Although I look like them, I'm 354 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:44,280 and I'm dressed up and all and then and then my phone goes off. 355 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:51,400 But I program my phone that when I got a call from the from the 356 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,160 United States it would play the Star Spangled Banner. 357 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:00,400 And so I'm there, standing, just awkward, and all of a sudden my 358 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,880 phone rings and it's the Star Spangled Banner and everybody 359 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,160 hears it and they stop talking and look at me. 360 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,240 And it's like, yeah, you know, it's like that old Southwest 361 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:18,720 Airlines want to get away. I mean, I, I, I it was, it was 362 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,240 terrible. But I knew I was supposed to be 363 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,840 there because it was no other way to start developing 364 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,840 relationships one by one somehow. 365 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,600 And so you just you walk into it, you just do it, and you see 366 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:34,640 what happens. There's a There's a sense of 367 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:39,120 yielding yourself to what God wants for you over and above 368 00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:42,080 what you want for yourself. And even as you describe it, 369 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:48,120 it's very strange or interesting that many pastors, even dynamic 370 00:20:48,120 --> 00:20:51,680 pastors, are very introverted. I don't know why, I don't know 371 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:55,120 why that's the case. Although they are able to adapt 372 00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:58,280 and be used probably supernaturally, to minister to a 373 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,280 large group of people, There's a tendency where a lot of pastor 374 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,080 friends that I have, I would have that same testimony that 375 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,640 they're more introverted than they are extroverted on that 376 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,080 scale. However, as you're describing 377 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:15,280 it, I can. I can see how the personality 378 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:19,800 type that we have becomes an excuse for not following the 379 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,880 lead of the, you know, So I don't want to go because of 380 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:24,960 these people here. I don't want to go because I'm 381 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,920 introverted and I get exhausted. These places I don't want to go 382 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:32,640 or I don't and it's subtle or not so subtle, but the end 383 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,000 result is I'm not going where I'm invited. 384 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:39,760 I'm not acknowledging that this may have come from the Lord, So 385 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,160 I'm not even praying about it. Let's say I get 10 invitations. 386 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,680 I I may not even pray about the 10. 387 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,240 I was like, no, I don't want to do any of them. 388 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:52,000 But I'm my heart is wrong. It's not whether I go or not and 389 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,240 it's not even whether my what my personality is. 390 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,280 It's it's the heart of the matter. 391 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,960 So much of our lives in ministry is very challenging because 392 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:02,520 they're heart issues. And as a pastor, I can't touch 393 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:03,920 your heart. I can't do anything about your 394 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:05,600 heart. Only the Lord can. 395 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,040 And I want the Lord to touch my heart. 396 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:12,560 And one of the things that comes through this sense of going 397 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:16,480 where I'm invited is, is the Lord wants me there, most 398 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,160 likely, or I or I wouldn't have got the invitation. 399 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:22,200 The Lord wants me there. Then I need to learn to be 400 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:26,120 following his lead to, like you said, stepping out of comfort. 401 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,840 But it comes out of a time of prayer, you know, And that's I 402 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,480 see a lot of this, these invitations with conferences or 403 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,720 teaching at churches or doing leadership development at 404 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,560 churches. Like I want to go where I want 405 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,080 to go where I'm invited. I I don't want to go where I'm 406 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,760 not invited or I'm not wanted. And on the flip side, you don't 407 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,440 force yourself into situations where you're not invited. 408 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:51,760 Right. And so that's, you know, Jesus 409 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,440 addresses that, you know, taking the higher seats, so to speak. 410 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:59,520 That's just as important because we can we can make things happen 411 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:03,800 and then say the Lord did it. And I I I don't. 412 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,880 I can't. I I can't say I'm innocent of 413 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:07,280 that. I've certainly done it before. 414 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:08,880 But I can't really live with myself. 415 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,640 I don't want to manipulate. I I don't want to be Jacob. 416 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,000 I want to be Israel. I want to. 417 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,440 I want God to do it. And so most of my conversations 418 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:21,360 are with him and and most of his answers are it's going to be OK, 419 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:22,440 son. Don't worry about it. 420 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,600 Like you're fine. Look to me, Follow me. 421 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:31,280 But this principle is super important where we want to learn 422 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,000 to be. And it doesn't even have to be 423 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,680 like, you know, we're thinking of an invitation to a party, to 424 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:39,040 a house. Just just an invitation into a 425 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,440 life. Will you come and see my mom at 426 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,840 the hospital? Will you come to my house and 427 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:48,560 pray for my daughter? Will you come over to this side 428 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,320 of the room? You know we're in the sanctuary. 429 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:52,760 Can you come over here for a minute? 430 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:54,400 Because I want to introduce you to someone. 431 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:56,280 I just want to go where I'm invited. 432 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:00,120 Which also reminds me that I need to be sensitive to listen 433 00:24:00,360 --> 00:24:04,360 for the Holy Spirit when he's inviting me, when he want, when 434 00:24:04,360 --> 00:24:06,800 and where he wants. Me, and it'll probably be 435 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,520 random. You probably won't get a word 436 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,120 saying on the next 10 minutes there's going to be this person 437 00:24:11,120 --> 00:24:12,720 that's going to come to you and ask you this. 438 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:16,800 Now it's all just instant, in season and out of season, and 439 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:22,720 you're conscious. Communication with the Lord is 440 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,480 essential to preparing you for those moments. 441 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,240 Well, even you being here today was the last minute I I was 442 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:33,240 looking at my schedule. I had some time spaced out and 443 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,920 yesterday I'm like, you know hey Kevin, are you going to be here 444 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:36,960 tomorrow? Yeah, I think I'll be here 445 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:38,400 tomorrow. Hey, Bob, can you be here 446 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,360 tomorrow And you're. Yeah, I think so. 447 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:44,240 And as you processed it, Yeah, let's do let's come together and 448 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:49,160 do some recording for a podcast. And you were invited and 449 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:51,760 requested and you're here. And this wouldn't even take 450 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,760 place if you didn't go where you're invited. 451 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:57,120 Right, it's true. I think you have to have an 452 00:24:57,120 --> 00:25:01,080 attitude like I want to step forward into new things and 453 00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:05,640 generally it's going to be a yes unless I get a check from the 454 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,480 Holy Spirit that there's something fishy about the whole 455 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,040 thing. And even then you still just 456 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,880 because it smells funny, it doesn't mean you're not supposed 457 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,640 to do it, it it just you have to have further information. 458 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,840 Well, we come to another ending to an episode of Lead to Serve. 459 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:26,680 So glad that you've chosen to join us. 460 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,520 Stay in touch with us. Leave a great review, Text me if 461 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:37,520 you have any comments or input 720-608-0012. e-mail me at 462 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,920 it@taylor.org. Until next time, this is the 463 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:44,280 Lead to Serve podcast coming to you recorded live. 464 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,600 But it is recorded from Aurora, Co, actually from the studios of 465 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,080 Grace FM. So pray for us in our radio 466 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:54,720 network that it will continue to reach many with the gospel of 467 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:56,040 Jesus Christ. God bless you guys. 468 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,360 Until next time. Thank you for joining us for 469 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:01,600 this episode of Lead to Serve with Pastor Ed Taylor, a 470 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,800 leadership podcast from Calvary Church in Aurora, Co. 471 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:07,200 If you have a leadership question you want to hear 472 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,560 answered on a Future Lead to Serve Podcast, please e-mail it 473 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,160 to Pastor Ed at Calvary, Co dot Church. 474 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,800 And if you like our podcast, please subscribe, rate or review 475 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,960 us on iTunes and share us with your friends on social media. 476 00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:23,160 Thanks again for joining us and we'll see you next time right 477 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,320 here on the Lead to Serve podcast.