My wife and I just returned from a conference in Bogota, Colombia where we taught pastors and their wives. We were privileged to serve with Juan Carlos Flores Zúñiga and his wife Orietta who arranged the conference through his organization. Lance Witt and his wife Connie were also on the teaching team. He served as the executive pastor at Saddleback for several years and now leads his own ministry. Vicente Castillo, a pastor from Mexico also taught.

We served over 75 pastors and their spouses and it was a humbling experience. These gracious people reminded me of 4 crucial leadership principles.

1. Leaders who grow must must cultivate a hunger to keep growing. I was amazed at how these pastors took prodigious notes as I spoke. Their desire to learn was palpable.
2. Godly leaders embody an attitude of gratitude. Although all the pastors showed appreciation, one brought tears to my eyes. He said many years ago an American missionary gave him a small new testament. That small bible became instrumental in his conversion. He said with great joy, “God bless America.” He viewed America as a tool in God’s hand to point him to Jesus.
3. The best leaders never stop sacrificing for the greater cause of the Kingdom. I learned that many of these pastors left good paying jobs as engineers, business executives, and other professional vocations to serve Christ full-time. Unfortunately, in America we are tempted to settle into a comfortable life-style in ministry and forget Jesus’ call to continual sacrifice.
4. God uses leaders who show child-like faith. I sat in a restaurant and listened to a pastor’s wife tell story after story how God had miraculously provided for them. She described God’s work with such freshness and enthusiasm that the Lord convicted me of my sometimes lack of this kind of faith.

Leaders must constantly remind themselves that these four principles really matter to God. And, He uses the most unlikely people and places to remind us, as He did for me.

For more Help and Resources for Pastors, visit Pastor Stone’s main site.

5/5, Wednesday. (this post is delayed by 5 days because I just returned and could post via wi-fi)

On Tuesday we traveled about 3 hours north from Managua to the mountains. We’re staying at an idyllic coffee plantation that almost seems out of place. It’s almost feels like a tropical paradise. When we arrived we realized that we had left the projectors that we use to project the Jesus film and the song lyrics. Sometimes even the best laid plans can go awry.

On Wednesday, we held our second pastors’ conference for about 125 more pastors and their wives. Because the plans kept changing, I’ve coined a new phrase for planning in Nicaragua, ‘etcha-sketch’ planning. You make one plan and then because it can change in 5 minutes, it’s as easy as clearing out the old etcha-sketch screen and starting over. Our schedule changed not by the hour, but sometimes by the minute because we had accommodate several surprise.

Ironically, Pastor Leo who served as the point for this conference, had a friend who hired someone to grade the dirt road right in front of the church… while we were teaching! Try speaking over a front end loader.

In the afternoon we taught break-outs for the men and women. I taught one session in Pastor Leo’s church that doubles as his house. While I taught, chickens roamed about on the floor, a rooster crowed just outside the tin wall, a dog wandered in, and smoke form the cooking fire filled the room. Yet, the men were riveted to my talk on forgiveness.

A final thought: I mentioned in the previous blog that one of our translators was not a Christian. This morning my wife led her to Christ! This 22 year old saw real Christianity in action and wanted what we had. Once she understood how to come to Christ, it was easy to step over the line of faith.

For more Help and Resources for Pastors, visit Pastor Stone’s main site.

The frigid temperature caused me to catch my breath and I squinted as my pupils adjusted to the intense lighting.   After hearing the respirator’s rhythmic sound, I glanced into the room to my right. I felt the sadness of two red-eyed parents as they gingerly held their child’s hand.  My heavy heart became heavier still as I entered the rarified world of a pediatric intensive care unit.

The surgeon had just completed my youngest daughter’s third brain surgery.  A few weeks prior, Tiffany had memorized a Scripture that she claimed for this surgery.  As a result, my wife and I soon received an unforgettable lesson in faith.

As we approached the curtained cubicle to our left we found Tiffany bundled under several white hospital blankets.  As I viewed the clear plastic tubes protruding from her head, nose and arms, my eyes filled with tears.  As she awakened our eyes locked.  Then in a pained, raspy voice she whispered these words: Fear not, for I am with Thee, the theme verse she had chosen from Isaiah 43:5 (KJV).

Those spontaneous words of simple faith from a five year old indelibly etched themselves into my heart.  My faith has never been the same since.

This incident occurred over 15 years ago. Tiffany has undergone another brain surgery since then as well as several other surgeries. She lives today and is a testimony to God’s grace.