E2E Article: What Does It Cost to Die?

By Bishop Charles Scott
A recent article in Business Week, Lessons of a $618,616 Death, told the tragic account of a family’s struggle with a terminal disease and the associated costly treatments extending the life of the husband. Terence Foley was diagnosed in 2000 with kidney cancer at 61 years of age. A Chinese historian who earned his PhD in his 60s (my kind of guy), Terence played 15 different instruments, spoke 6 languages fluently, was a father of 2 teenagers and a noted expert on dairy cattle. He died on Friday, December 14, 2007.

The total amount billed for the medical care over seven years to keep Terence alive was $618,616, two-thirds of which were spent in the last 24 months. There were approximately 4,750 pages of medical records from six hospitals, four insurance companies, three oncologists and one surgeon. The New England Journal of Medicine reports (cited in the article) that 31 percent of health care costs are spent on paperwork and administration meaning that approximately $191,771 had little to do with actually extending Terence’s life.

Once the cancer reaches the final stage an average patient diagnosed with kidney cancer (this type and stage) without any treatment lives three months. The average patient receiving the same treatment of Terence is 14 months. Terence was blessed with 17 months of life. In those 17 months Terence visited Spain, moved his son into his college dorm, celebrated his anniversary with his wife by a carriage ride through Philadelphia and spent Thanksgiving Day with his family.

If an economist were to evaluate this scenario, he would say that it cost $242 a day for Terence to die. If a loved one evaluated the same set of numbers, he or she would say it only took $242 a day for Terence to live.

What does it cost for a church to die?

What does it cost for a church to live—really live—not exist on life support?

How much Kingdom resource is expended that actually has nothing to do with the Great Commission?

What does it cost for each Christ-follower to participate in:

• Daily prayer,
• Periods of fasting,
• Consistent Bible study,
• Weekly worship,
• Community service,
• Godly relationships,
• Biblical stewardship, including faithful tithing?

What does it cost when church members are apathetic to basic discipleship and content to sit idle with a profession of faith that never impacts the harvest, never intercedes in prayer, never develops leaders and never builds strong relationships? What does it cost when churches never engage their community to lead the lost to Jesus, never feed the hungry, minister to the homeless and never reach outside their own walls? What does it cost when pastors compromise the power of the Holy Spirit for the methods of seeker sensitivity? What does it cost to keep denying the evidence of death and practice the rituals of religion?

What does it cost to stay alive? It will cost your time to devote yourself to a disciplined lifestyle of prayer, fasting and Bible study. It will cost your money (it is really not yours anyway according to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”) to tithe faithfully, support missions and give generously to those in need. It will cost your affections to surrender habits to holiness. It will cost your pleasures to develop mentoring relationships. It will cost your friendships to reach those who are unreached. It will cost your comfort to work when you are weary.

It will cost more to die than to live.

In the words of Terence’s wife, “He had a passionate willingness to endure discomfort for a chance to see his daughter and his son graduate from high school.” A man was willing to endure ceaseless pain for the love of his children. True biblical discipleship offers nothing less—a pure willingness to endure undefined costs for the fulfillment of seeing our next generations mature in their faith and reach their destiny. We must see that eye to eye.

Notes and Thoughts from Empowered 21 - Day 2

By Charles Scott

The Thursday night, April 8, service featured a message from Timothy Ross, the young adult pastor of the Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas. Timothy openly shared his personal testimony, but in a way that exalted the Savior instead of glorifying sin. How inspiring! People need to hear not just Timothy's message, but also the method he used. He never used gory, gutter-like, foul or slang language to talk about his past. Instead of dwelling on the sin, he focused on the power of Jesus to deliver. It was a classic message. [This entire service is currently available on streamingfaith.com.]

At 7:00 am Wayman Ming and I joined Karl Hargestam and the Swedish Pentecostal Bishop, Pelle Hornmark for a breakfast fellowship. It was a delight to converse on the various challenges and victories that face our sister churches. Pelle is an anointed leader of vision, dedicated to seeing reformation in the Swedish churches. Primarily, they face the threats of secularism and post-modernism. We look forward to seeing what God has in store for the Swedish Pentecostal Church and the PCG!

At 9:00 am we convened in the general session. Dr. Mark Rutland, of Oral Roberts University, presented honorary awards to many Pentecostal spiritual mothers and fathers. It was so wonderful to give gratitude to those who paid such a price so that we can stand on their shoulders and reach further into the glory of God. Dr. Rutland’s message was a masterpiece; each of you would be blessed to obtain a copy. [This entire service is also available on streamingfaith.com].

These highlights stood out to me:

• “What does power mean? Power means something different based on the context.” When Jesus spoke about power he spoke in relation to the Kingdom of God and Jesus spoke in the language of the Kingdom not in the language of man.”
• “What is the language of God? God speaks in God, not Hebrew or English; God speaks God. When spoke in God, man had no clue of what He was saying.”
• “We face a challenge in preaching because we are dirt talking to dirt about God.”
• “Jesus does not give us power to whack people; Jesus gives us power to serve people.”
• “The power of God is power to love, serve, give and die for the Kingdom.”

Many of the PCG family here joined for lunch at Zito’s Italian Restaurant. Robert Stearns, our dear PCG friend of Eagle’s Wings Ministries along with Jerry Dearman, pastor in Anaheim, California, Tom Bellatti, a theology professor at ORU and our new Swedish friends were our special guests. Professor Bellatti shared with the group how he heard Chaplain Lemuel Boyles present the PCG chaplain program and was so impressed with Chaplain Boyles that he wanted to know more about the PCG!

I missed the afternoon sessions due to my wife and daughter departing to St. Louis for the Girls’ Conference, but it was good to have some time together before they had to leave for this other ministry opportunity.

Five of our six PCG assistant generals are here enjoying the congress. Their personal reports will flow back to respective divisions and districts. Our MC students and staff have been blessed; hopefully they can share soon from their perspective. It is great to let our leaders, students and the PCG see the activity of the Holy Spirit around the world.

Tonight will be Holy Spirit-infused with Ron Luce, Lou Ingle and Jentezen Franklin as the keynote speakers.

And tomorrow... no early morning breakfast meetings(!).

In the first general session, Jack Hayford will speak on Empowering New Generations. Watch it online at www.empowered21.com starting at 9:00 AM CDT.

Notes and Thoughts from Empowered 21

By Charles Scott
This morning we attended the PCCNA meeting as a prelude to the Empowered 21 conference (which began tonight at 7:00 pm). Pentecostal/Charismatic leaders from around the world met at 7:00 am for early morning breakfast and fellowship at the First Watch Restaurant. It was great to connect again with a dear friend of the PCG, Bishop Jerry Macklin of the Church of God in Christ.

At 8:30 am we convened in the plenary session. Dr. Paul Leavenworth presented a case study on “Leadership Development.” Here are a few highlights:

• “The problem today is not a lack of leaders but undeveloped leaders.” Wayne Cordeiro
• Leaders emerge out of discipleship pools.
• Home-grown leaders ought to be raised up to fill needed positions in existing churches, church plants and missions.
• Establishing a leadership pool for both the future and for expansion requires intentional mentoring, sponsoring and coaching of younger, emerging leaders.

Here are some thoughts and questions from this section:

• What is a young leader?
• What is an emerging leader? How long does it take to “emerge?”
• When it time for a leader to dismount and make room for a new leader?

Discussions and opinions abound on these thoughts and questions, but the over-riding issue is the "how" of moving from theory to practical. The proverbial “When God says it is time” does not provide a model we can implement. This leaves us with a sour taste of more talk and less action, and it often comes down to the preference of the leader or those who vote in the leader.

What are your thoughts? How can we better raise and install leaders?

The small group discussion was a bit limiting due to lack of overall direction. Some progress was made in a couple of areas, namely the role of leaders with emerging leaders. Here are some highlights:

1. Intentional Identification – How are emerging leaders identified?
2. Intentional Embodiment – How are emerging leaders embodied in the organization?
3. Intentional Investing – How are we investing in emerging leaders?
4. Intentional Integrating – How are emerging leaders integrated in the process?
5. Intentional Interaction – How are systems of interaction with emerging leaders in place?

A highlight of lunch was an appearance by Ted and Gayle Haggard. Ted Haggard issued an apology to the PCCNA leadership for the shame, reproach and difficulty his actions brought to each member. He expressed that he has truly experienced grace and love from God, his wife, his children and the Body of Christ. It was a moving moment as Ted and Gayle expressed that marriage is for life, that God’s love never changes and that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin.

The afternoon session featured a presentation by Ron Luce. Ron challenged Pentecostal leaders to continue the fight for the next generation. He stressed the drop-out rate in the church and the imminent dangers facing this generation. We must be diligent to know the conditions of our flock, and youth are part of our flock! This is a great challenge and one that we are moving on in with partnership with Ron.

We will send you more notes from Empowered 21, along with the insight from Messenger College students, PCG leaders and pastors and the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Management Myths

By Charles Scott
There are multitudes of material available on these management topics: time, finances, relations, human resource, career, weight and the list goes on and on.

The truth is that we do not manage these things: we actually manage ourselves.

President Eisenhower wrote, “The history of free men is not written by chance but by choice, their choice.”

As leaders we pursue success but it is only attained by choice. We don’t manage time; it goes by second by second but we choose how time is spent and what is accomplished.

We make choices how money is spent; money is neutral but our choice how it is used makes it good or evil. So how can we improve in the way we manage ourselves?

1. I can only manage me. I have the power to choose how I act, how I respond, how I speak, how I think and how I live. I cannot manage everyone else and God did not call me to the Holy Spirit for everyone else.
   
   
2. I must know what is important. The leader must know their priorities. What is the most important area to spend your time? Where should the money you have be spent?
   
   
3. I have to say no. A leader cannot serve effectively until they know how to say no. Many leaders struggle with time because other people have failed to manage their time and create a crisis for the leader. In these cases much time can be lost. The leader must sometimes say “No” and not allow their time to be controlled by a faux emergency.
   
   
4. I must smile. In a recent conversation someone mentioned to me that they were told some incorrect information. They asked how they should respond. I replied, “Just smile.” There are times it is best to not try and correct certain people and not engage them in a useless and meaningless educational effort. Just smile!
   
   

Courage

By Charles Scott
Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors and let each New Year find you a better man.”

There is one word that will direct us into better things: COURAGE! We must have courage to admit where we are and courage to go where we should.

Courage is the determination to keep focused on priorities. The leader must consider, “What action would be taken if we had the courage?” We find courage from the Word of God. We gain courage from prayer. We exercise courage by integrity. We build courage through fellowship. We live courage by our values.

Courage is cultivated by time spent in the presence of the Lord. Time and time again, Jesus used the words, “Fear not.” The leader gains courage to confront fear from time spent with Christ. Courage is a statement that there is something more important than fear. Courage is a map of action leading to the priorities of life.

Courage cannot be learned. It is not a textbook subject. Courage is gained on the battlefield of life. Courage is revealed in the struggle, in the conflict, in the disagreement, in the hardship and the dark night of the soul. The leader who wants courage cannot sit behind a desk and think about it; they must go out and do it.

Courage will be required of the PCG over the course of the next year. This courage will understand that things are not straight-forward but sometimes there are detours. It has the wisdom to know when to let go and when to stand strong. It knows to release the anguish of guilt, to reject the naysayer and to resist the routine of yesterday. Courage will throw off the shackles of past mistakes and embrace a visionary future filled with the possibilities of God.

Courage is living in the blessing of God.

Help us plan the 2011 General Convention

By Bishop Charles Scott
We would love your feedback on the following:

1. Would you favor a conference forum with breakout sessions?
   
   
2. What type of sessions would interest you?
   
   
3. Would you prefer outside speakers for the main services?
   
   
4. Would you prefer department led services per history?
   
   
5. What are the most important areas for you in relation to general convention, i.e. what do you expect from the meeting?
   
   
6. What would you most desire from general convention?
   
   
7. What would you like to say about general convention?

Agility

By Charles Scott
The word “agility” has become a buzz word in these times of economic challenge for America. Those who can think quickly and move with agility will be able to find and sustain success in spite of problematic situations. Lee Colan speaks on what he calls FS2:

Flexibility – The leader must stretch their mind and thinking patterns. The leader must define what subjects are rigid and which are flexible. The leader’s mind and thought process must be likened to a work-out gym: many tools that have an individual purpose to build the thinking capacity.

Strength – Colan writes, “Regardless of the whirlwind of changing circumstances around you, continue to strengthen yourself and your team.”

Speed – The best way to quicken your decision making skills is to get prepared spiritually through prayer, study and analysis. Generally speaking the 80/20 rule holds true for leaders in a decision making situation: the leader will in all likelihood not have all the facts. A good rule of thumb is that if you have 80% of the facts and you have prepared yourself through spiritual disciplines you can make a good decision. Colan states that there are four steps in this process:

1. Identify the top 5 pieces of information you need and decide which four of these are highest in priority;
2. Next, identify the outcomes from the alternatives placed before you;
3. Harness your advisory team and listen to their advice;
4. Make a decision!

Colan concludes by reminding leaders how necessary it is to build an agile team. A strong team sees no obstacle as too big. A strong team is able to see creative solutions to overcome big problems. We may face big problems but we have a bigger God!