My Last Words

Dear Roger,

What are the key truths that guide your life? What words define you as a husband, Christian and pastor?

Love,

Rachel

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Dear Rachel,

These are the words that have guided my spiritual life, ministry and family. They are my life-messages. I would write them on my tombstone.

Love, 

Roger

Spirituality

• Everyone is just as spiritual as he/she wants to be.

• God never reveals the deep things of the spirit to the Christian who just stops by for a little chat.

• The greatest tragedy in the Christian church is the Christian who refuses to grow up.

• My life's prayer: “Dear Lord, please make me a spiritual father/mother at any price.”

• God uses everything that happens in our lives for the good purpose of molding us to look like Jesus.

Family

• You can never get back the time that you miss with your kids.

• You are most blessed if you and your spouse are intimate friends.

• Set your spouse free to be the person God wants her/him to be. 

• The greatest hindrance to intimacy in marriage is the failure to leave mom and dad.

• Protect your children by letting them know that relevant expectations come from you, and not from the church members.

• Take time to savor the little victories.

• Don’t ask for a pint’s worth of forgiveness if you’ve inflicted a gallon’s worth of hurt.

Church Ministry

• If you have a vision to help hurting people, you will always have a ministry.

• Be kind to everyone you meet, because everyone you meet is fighting a battle.

• When you see hurt, comfort it.

• A shepherd’s best work is done on the backside of the mountain when no one is looking.

• There are three levels of friends: acquaintances, close friends, and intimate friends. You need some of each.

• Always be preparing the next generation of leaders to step in and take over.

• There are two kinds of church members: the pillars who give 80% of the money, support and time, and the caterpillars who crawl in and out around the pillars.

• Life is tough: huddle up.

• Historically, the first generation fights the battles; the second generation enjoys the spoils; and the third generation gives it all back.

• Win at parish poker by knowing how many chips (depth of relationships) you have and the cost of using them (for the difficult times, for change)!

Preaching

• The worst sin a preacher can commit is to be boring.

• Put the cookies on the lower shelf where everyone can reach them.

• Never be longer than five minutes away from a good story or illustration.

• Take courses or classes in public speaking in order to become a master communicator, if necessary.

• Preaching the Bible paragraph by paragraph is the most effective way to teach Christians to grow and lay the groundwork for spiritual maturity.

• Study the Bible by using the accuracy principle, the background principle, and the common sense principle.

• Ask permission if you use your spouse or kids in a sermon illustration. Pay them money if need be.

• Be certain that you pray; gather your notes and check your fly before you step up to preach!

Church Finances

• It is a sin for pastor to tip-toe around the issues of materialism, money and stewardship.

• Don’t be shy about raising money. Pastors who raise money have the resources to help fulfill their dreams for the kingdom.

• Sometimes, the most important job that the pastor has is to raise money.

• Be sure you take care of home base. If you lose home base you have essentially lost the church.

• Have a team of expert leaders in place to ensure that church funds are handled honestly and effectively.

My Dad’s Words of Wisdom

• He who whispers down the well about the goods he has to sell will not have as many dollars as he who climbs a tree and hollers.

• Don’t sell your peanuts at the end of the parade.

• The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten.

• The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

My life verse

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."