Reality Check

Let’s face it. Most of us, well, all of us are subjective when it comes to evaluating ourselves. We can easily see and criticize the weaknesses in others, but not ourselves. We don’t usually say, “I need to change to make my marriage better.” It’s more like, “if my spouse would change our marriage would be better.” We don’t usually say “If I would manage my money better I wouldn’t have so much financial stress.” It’s more like, “if my boss would pay me more, I wouldn’t have the financial troubles I have.” A reality check is realizing that we need to take personal responsibility for our lives.

I think of King David, after he committed adultery and conspired to commit murder. He seared his conscience by doing what he wanted, not what God expected. He didn’t change until the prophet Nathan looked him in the eye and said, “You’re the man.” That is what you call a “reality check.” A truth that broadsides us back into reality.

A few years ago Pastor Kirk (my friend and mentor) did that for me. I had planted a church, with a group of friends whom I loved and still love very much, each of them are now doing some kind of ministry in church and several of them in full time ministry. No doubt, it was a great experience, but it just wasn’t working. In hind sight I can see I chose to plant a church for convenience, not that there’s anything convenient about it except, it was the only available opportunity that fit with what I thought I should do. Needless to say, and I won’t go into the whole story, we weren’t doing well.

When I was in the middle of this project, my wife, Janae kept saying to me, “you need to call Pastor Kirk.” To be honest the last person I wanted to speak with was Kirk Pankratz. I was embarrassed and felt like a failure. I didn’t want to tell Pastor Kirk, “my church is not growing, I’m depressed, we’re broke, my wife is mad at me. So I just wouldn’t call him.

Out of the blue, Pastor Kirk calls me. He invites us to come up and hang out with his family. Hesitantly, (meaning I couldn’t think of an excuse fast enough) I said yes. Now, the rest of this story is a divine reality check.

Kirk, asked me, “So, how’s it going?” I, the paragon of virtue that I am, begin to spill the truth. “Everything is great!” I said. I don’t even remember what else I said, but it was just more nonsense. Then, Pastor Kirk turned to Janae, as if I hadn’t said a word, he asked Janae, “how’s it really going?” She blurts out with no hesitation at all, “It’s horrible, and he is working himself to death. We are not growing, we are struggling financially, (code for Broke!) and he won’t stop!” all the while I am kicking her under the table.

There I am, in a heap, officially “reality checked.” I knew it was all true, and that my stubborn pride was hurting my destiny, my family, my team, and myself. Kirk and Nancy said something to me that was life changing. “…as long as you don’t give up on Gods plan for your life you’re not a failure.”

So here is a reality check for you. To change is not to admit you’re a failure but it is the true path to success. Don’t let pride and arrogance hold you back from your purpose in God. What ever needs to change, just admit your wrong, and change, and God will move quickly on your behalf. Consider yourself “Reality Checked.”

-David Gadberry

Wide Awake…and back on this side of the world

Well its 3:30 a.m. here in Oklahoma, and i’m wide awake.  I guess my clock is still on Africa time, the places i was it would be 11:30 a.m. almost lunch time, I hope I don’t get hungry too.  Thats all I need to start eating at 3 in the morning.

So, while I’m up anyway I thought I would share with you a lesson I learned in Rwanda.  After a great Pastors and believers conference, we were milling around and a lot of different people wanted to talk, you know, tell me what they had learned or received from the conference, thanking us for coming, etc.  One of my interpreters came to me and said there is a little mother who would like to speak with you before you leave.  I said ok, she waited for a long time, and finally we walked over to her, and I hugged her and said hello.  She begin to tell us that she had heard me talk about what we were doing for orphans, and she would like to tell me her story and see if I could help her.  She told me that her husband had died two months previous, and he didn’t leave the family prepared.  She has eight children, not uncommon for this culture and they were making it fine when dad was alive but now he was dead, and she had recently lost her job.  She told me that if something didn’t happen, she would not be able to feed her family or pay their rent.  She asked if I would help.  I wave of irritation came over me, because there was really nothing I could do, I thought.

I had the interpreter tell her that I wish i could do something, but the budget we have is very specific and I can’t take monies that are already committed and give to her, because they would be breaking my word to people I promised I would help.  I said, but i will do the most powerful thing I can do, I will pray with you.  by the way I do believe that is the most powerful thing I can do, however sometimes in a moment like this it makes you feel completely impotent, thinking of a need that is so immediate.  So I prayed with her, She cried, and I cried, I hugged her, told her I loved her, and walked away feeling like a hypacrite.  I was thinking, you love her?  then why didn’t you help her, I said to God, this is not right,  i know that my prayer avails much, but please don’t ask me to come to a place that has such need without enough resource to meet the needs I can, I broke my heart, I have to say it made me mad.  I walked back to my room, very frustrated, very angry, this little mother, has not options.

I asked her during the process can you go to your pastor and can help you?  She told me a story that is indicitive of Rwanda right now.  They do not want churches putting up temporary facilities because they are trying to set building standards.  If you don’t have the money to build a permanent facility and you don’t have the money to rent a hall you literally have to disband your church and meet in homes, so many of them are doing cells in homes, but many of them see this as to difficult and are disbanding.  Her pastor disband his church so right now she is without a church home.  So i recommended a church she should try, and then prayed and walked off.

As I was changing clothes, and getting ready to go eat, which felt like an indictment in itself.  I just failed to help a lady who was about to go in to a very difficult time and not be able to feed her family and here I am about to take my team to a restaurant and Eat together, and the cost of it would sustain this lady for a month or more.

As i’m changing, I’m asking, “why couldn’t I help this lady,”  and I believe God impressed on my heart, “why couldn’t you?”  My answer was the same I gave her.  “I don’t have it in the budget,”  The impression grew stronger, “who cares about the budget what do you have in your pocket?”  It dawned on me, the money I had in my pocket would go along way to helping her.  I only had what would equal about 20 or 30 american dollars, but I got inspired.

I finished changing, got my bag, and headed to the bus.  When I got on, I told the bus driver “find that lady, she is walking home, find her.”  No one accept my interpreter and the bus driver new what was going on, and I didn’t have time to explain, but I asked, who will give me, I cant remember what their money is called, but it was the equivalent of 9 or 10 dollars.  I said who will give 10 dollars, I didn’t say why, I didn’t say what it was for, No one cared.  I heard I give it, another Ill give it, and from the back of the bust to the front, people started handing me money.  American’s rwandans everyone.  Finally we rolled up on this woman, I said let me off this bus, and I ran out and met with her, and I apalogized and said there is something I can do, I can give you this.  I handed her this roll of money, I don’t know how much it was, but in her life it was a lot.  She cried and was so thankful, I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but I could sense her gratitude and her love.

This story made me realize that we as americans, we do care, we do want to help, but many times we think if we can’t solve the whole problem then there is nothing we can do.  I don’t know why I thought like that, I don’t know why I thought I have nothing to give, when I clearly did.  We must make it personal, we must realize, no we may not be able to fix it all but there is something we can do.  I am reminded of Moses, God said, “use what you have in your hand.”  I’m reminded of Gideon, “use your pitchers and trumpets, ‘what you have.’”  I’m reminded of Joseph, he used his gift of administration.”  I’m reminded of the new testament church, they used what they had.  Their homes, their love, their friendship, their money, just what they had.  Its amazing what God can do, and what He will make up for if we will just use what we have, and do something.

I really learned something that day, and I will carry it into my day to day activities in my world, because this means everyday, i can do something significant to help someone who needs my help.  Everyday, think about it……Every Day!

I love Jesus

David

What we can do

What we can do

How Can I Help? This is the question that many American Christians ask today. The emphasis is not on help but on I. In other words, what can “I” do about it? There are many issues, and when we really start thinking about all the things that need to be done, it can be overwhelming. In our world these issues are not small either, they are enormous it seems. There seems to be injustice everywhere. Injustice is when something is being done to a person they don’t deserve, it is assault on innocence.

I just got back from Africa and the issues there range from poverty, starvation, malnutrition to sex slavery and trade, abuse in every form, and corruption runs rampant through the continent. It is incredible however to see the Christian church alive and well there, and they are literally changing their world. You don’t have to go to Cambodia to find these types of issues. America has its own problems with foster kids, and prison recidivism rates, as well as homelessness and a plethora of abuses.

We all know how overwhelming it can be. We are in good company however. Gideon said, “what can I do?”, Moses said, “what can I do?” Esther said, “What can I do?” The truth is we can’t do everything, and we can’t change the world over night, but we can do something. One thing we can’t do, one thing we can never, ever be guilty of as the church, is doing nothing!

What can we do? What did God say to Moses? He said, “What do you have in your hand?” Moses had the equipment of his occupation, his staff. God is not asking us to do what we can’t He is asking us to do what we can. We have the equipment to do what He wants; we have the ability, skill, and talent. What we can do, is within our reach, it is no further than our next decision.

What can we do? Take responsibility. Realize, the issues that surround us everyday, whether locally, regionally, nationally, or globally are not going away, we can not hide from it, we must stand up and move out. There is a scripture in psalms 119:68 “you are good, and you do good; teach me your statutes.” David basically encapsulates the character of God in one simple statement, and then says, “Teach me how to be like you.” We’ve done well as the church at the first part, being good. We learn about how to grow and develop as a Christian and How to be spiritual, or at least appear that way. We need to begin to practice the second part, doing good. What worked in Cambodia and what is working for us right here in the metro of OKC, is coupling the two characteristics of God. Being good, and doing good. It is living the mission of Christianity, by being Christ to the world. We are spreading the message of Jesus, and we are doing works of kindness like He did, and these two things brought together, will change our world. What can we do? Not everything and we can’t change the world over night, but what the church must not ever be caught doing is nothing. Jesus did something and so can we. Lets tear down old thinking and limitations and then transform our minds, and actions to be that of Christ, and let the world know that in our churches the least of these are being effected and changed, because we are being and doing, what Jesus led us to do.

And the journey Begins…

Last Sunday night we had our last real meeting in preparation for our trip to Africa. Everyone is excited, but a little nervous. Its a big deal to arrange your schedule, get your family settled, make sure everything is taken care of while you are gone. Just packing and making sure you are taking everything you need is very tedious.

The Greatest challenge is to prepare yourself for cultural differences. Things are very different there than here, and it takes some adjusting. Thats why we train our people to have an attitude of learning, and not go in with all the answers but with some questions.

We are keeping our eye on the goal….”bringing hope to the forgotten children.” Whether it is the orphans in Uganda, or the children whose families were ravaged by genocide in Rwanda, it is our goal to bring hope to them.  In Rwanda we are bringing hope through medical clinics for rural area communities, and teaching and training spiritual leaders.  In Uganda we will be building an educational facility for the Watoto village.  In Ethiopia we will be rescuing girls from human trafficking and placing them with a ministry that can provide so much for them.

Most importantly we are taking the love of Jesus to people who so desperately need it.  Love in word, and action.  It is our goal to address injustice and make changes.  We will do what we can, and i believe if everyone would do that consistantly we will have real change in our world.

I am looking forward to connecting with the families and friends that we have and the ones we are going to meet.  Be watching this blog for day to day information and pictures as we go through this journey.

David

Did you change the world today?

Just about every evening, my wife Janae and I will ask each other, “did you change the world today?” Most of the time when people think about changing the world we think in terms of massive amounts of money, major world shaking projects, and political power and influence. What I have found to be true however is that most major world changing goes on every day with normal people who decide to live their lives with purpose and passion about making a difference today.

I am a Pastor and my wife is a teacher, so our occupations put us in position to truly, effectively change the world. The truth is however, I know a lot of pastors, and teachers who are passing up opportunities to change the world. We can all effectively change things for the better, but it is not something that happens automatically, or without intention and purpose.

A pastor can have opportunities to bring change, but get busy with urgent unimportant activities, and have day after day go by not having changed anything, or brought help to anyone. A teacher can get caught up in the day to day, and even be resentful of parents who wont help or kids who wont behave, and just do “the job.”

Every day everyone of us, no matter what we do, have opportunities to bring change, to help someone, to raise the bar, to care, to love, to change the world.

My wife works in a school system with great need. She has been working with her second graders on a presentation they were going to make. They had to make a report get their parents involved, and then present it in front of the class and their parents.

As it drew near many of them, because of the lack of parental involvement, didn’t appear to be ready. She could have given in to the status quo and accepted it as the norm, instead she made an impassioned plea to the kids, and let them know her expectations, and because she has spent time loving them, and going the extra mile caring for them, it has created an atmosphere of trust and respect. They arrived on presentation day and did an outstanding job. She has created in these kids a desire to learn.

Kids in these situations are many times aware of things that never enter the mind of kids who aren’t living in poverty. They’re aware of facts like “no one in their family graduating from high school or going to college.” She has inspired many of them in second grade to say, “I will finish high school and I will go to college.”

She has also brought a great change in many of the parents, getting more active with their kids, realizing how special their children are, and becoming proud of their accomplishments. She has a word for these kids who have been beat down, and had very little expectations placed on them. She calls them scholars, she says to them, “you are my scholars, you are brilliant, and you will succeed.”

So do what you can today, and when you go home tonight ask your loved ones, “did you change the world today?” With a little effort we can say, “yes, I did.”

-David

Revolutionizing Man-Kind

I am right now in the middle of a personal development program for men, called the Total Man Retreat. The theme revolution man-kind. Reintroducing men to what kindness is all about and how it is kindness that attracts people and helps us lead. Many men think kindness is weakness, but in reality kindness is strength.

Most men are known as harsh, mad, angry, and aggressive. These are the terms more readily used to describe a man. Its rare to hear someone say, that is a kind man.

We’ve heard from Dale Martin, Church of the Harvest’s Edmond Campus Pastor, about a good man. We need to see ourselves as good men, and we need to behave ourselves as good men. Relying on the direction of God, and not being afraid to be good, realizing that real men are good men.

We’ve Heard From Rev Spike Our OKC Campus Pastor about the revolution Cycle. How God wants us to surrender not just sacrifice. Sacrifice says i’ll do this for this outcome. Surrender says, I’ll do this because ive given my life to it, regardless of the outcome.

We’ve heard from Pastor Kirk Pankratz Church of the Harvest’s Senior Pastor. He spoke on the revolution of Kindness. What Kindness really is, we should overcome being “mad” men, We should learn what kindness is and understand what kindness does, and to please God your kindness can be simple and easy, it doesn’t have to be world impacting but day to day Kindness will impact the world.

Today, I am going to Speak on How to revolt. We must have a personal revolution, before we can lead one publicly. We must have purposed revolution, because revolution without purpose is mere rebellion. We must have the right motives in our revolution. A revolution must be led not said. We must count the cost for the revolution, and we must pay the price for our revolution.

So what are we revolting against? Personal issues of anger and frustration, so we can lead our families into fulfillment and peace. Against hate, bitterness, anger, and malice, so we can change the world. Against, wrong images of men, wrong identities of what it means to be a man. So we can lead in security that Character is prominent, integrity a major tenant, and Love our greatest motivation.

God wants us to be men, and he wants us to love our wives, love our children and attend to them, and quite frankly He wants us to change the world for the positive.

Simply, “Revolutionize Man-Kind”

David

“Let go my ‘ego’”

 

We need to empty our lives of the accumulation of ego. Things that appeal to ego, or pride are what caused Lucifer to fall, Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit, person after person in the biblical record to fail, and is what Lucifer tempted Jesus with in the wilderness.

Ego and pride ruin marriages. Tear down businesses. Steal opportunities and kill friendships. We can’t make the mistake that inflated ego and pride are synonymous with confidence. Actually they are the exact opposites. People who are carried away with ego and pride are insecure people. Secure people are confident. Confidence is calm assurance that I am who God created me to be.

Ego and pride are what keep people from repenting. Many times our status with others is more important than our status with God. We need to make a decision that our lives will be centered on Christ, not around our wants, fears, passions, or desires, but around His purpose, plans, and destiny for our lives.

Can you imagine what it would be like to have all the essential attributes of God; His power, glory, omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, and then give it all up, even for a season, and take on all the essential characteristics of man. Having to grow and develop, face temptations, limitations, and accusations. (Read Philippians 2:5-15 in the amplified).

It would be somewhat like a general in the military getting stripped of his authority and demoted to the level of a private with no authority. Jesus didn’t have his rank taken from him. He gave it. We are so busy trying to obtain rank in life that it would never cross our minds to strip ourselves of it. It would violate our ego and our pride. So how do we do it? First, we think like Christ thinks. We renew our minds according to His word. (Romans 12:1-2) Second, it takes action. (James 1:25) We need to obey especially when it hurts our pride and challenges our ego.

Several years ago, before I came to harvest I had a leadership conflict with a man on my elder team. I had to remove him from the team for behavioral issues. I was right in the situation, according to the bible and our leadership values. He was definitely in the wrong. It was a long, hard situation. Finally by the grace of God the whole thing subsided. The church moved on, we got healthy and had some great successes there. A couple years later we moved to another ministry, but I couldn’t seem to get past this hurt. I would pray, and study and my mind would go back to him, and how he hurt me and the church.

One night I was praying, and the Lord begin to deal with me about allowing my thoughts to be dominated by the past. I thought He was going to say, “You need to forgive him.”, but instead he said, “You need to call him and ask him to forgive you, ‘there are some things about that situation you could have handled differently’.”

My immediate response was, “no!” “Lord”, I said, “you know what he did.” Until He said, “David your life can not move forward until you get this out of the way, so be humble and apologize.” I begin to rehearse what I would say, maybe something like, “I don’t condone the way you acted but I could have handled it differently, I’m sorry.” To my ego that sounded great, I am reinforcing my judgment, yet doing what God said at the same time. I could here the Holy Spirit saying, “No, you are going to say, ‘I’m sorry that in our conflict I did not handle some things appropriately’.” And that’s it. I thought, “I can’t do this, it’s not right. The issue at this point wasn’t who was right or wrong, or even if I handled it right. The issue was if I didn’t get over it, I couldn’t move forward. I couldn’t be successful in ministry on a large scale. Thank God, he had me do this. So, I called him. I was expecting a cussing, literally. I thought He is going to tare into me. I was hoping to get an answering machine, but he finally picked it up. I told him who it was, and said, I’ve been praying and the Lord told me to call you. I just want to apologize because in our conflict I didn’t handle everything appropriately, and for that I’m truly sorry. I was amazed at his response. He said, “You know David, we did a lot of things wrong back then and I am sure it was hard for you to deal with. ‘Thanks for calling me’, he said, ‘and I apologize for my behavior’.” Wow! I was amazed, at his humility and how easy it was to change once you get pride out of the way.

One of my favorite scriptures in the bible is Galatians 2:20, especially as read from the message bible. “²⁰Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central…” So let’s empty our lives and take whatever action we need to help us move forward in the journey to turn things around. Forgive, release, but most importantly, Kill the ego and pride, and let humility lead you.

-David