I stood by his bed and the only thing that came to mind, “It’s hard to watch Superman die”. Well, he died this last Sunday morning. Armon Newburn went to heaven.

I’ve spent the last two days searching for the words to describe him. Hero…champion…legend…protector…leader. None of them are good enough, or big enough. Sorry, but the best I can come up with is Superman.

The obituaries will speak of the former District Superintendent, the Executive Presbyter, lifetime leader and preacher. He was a faithful husband, wise father and proud grandfather. He was the model for any position he ever held and for those who follow him. But for me, all I can come up with is, ‘Superman’.

He was my mentor, spiritual father and friend, and, and…I give up. I can’t find the words. Simply stated, one of the best gifts God ever gave me was Armon Newburn.

Superman died? No, he just beat me across the finish line. He won again.

See you soon, Superman. I love you. (I hope it’s alright that I said that to Superman.)

It is always a blessing to spend a Sunday morning in one of the great churches of the Assemblies of God…Jack Fork Assembly in southeastern Oklahoma. You’ve never heard of this mega church?

Actually, I’m not sure you will ever see it listed as a Top 100 church in anything. But ‘percentage of the community’ in Sunday morning attendance would have it easily in the Top 10. You see, Jack Fork Assembly of God is eighteen miles from the nearest business, a Sonic Drive-In. In Oklahoma, any building that is 18 miles from a Sonic is unheard of. Homes around this church are separated by miles, not just fences. The surrounding area is so sparsely populated, I am not sure anyone has ever attempted to project a number. My description of the community is not meant to be denigrating, but quite the opposite.

Last Sunday, I preached to about thirty people with half of them younger than 21. In relation to the size of the community, that is huge. In hopes for its future, the median age is exciting. In terms of apples to apples, we could only pray that every AG church mirrored this operation. Long before Convoy of Hope, this church was involved in compassion ministry by feeding and clothing many local citizens. Bus ministry? That old van travels the many miles every Sunday and Wednesday along mountain roads. Missions has been a priority while many such works would have never gotten beyond seeing themselves as the should-be missions recipient.

Perhaps you have heard me tell the Jack Fork story as I have challenged others across the nation to dream big for missions. In the more than twenty years I have known Pastor Ruth Deskin and her husband Doyle, I am conservatively guessing that this ‘little church in the Jack Fork valley’ has given more than $150,000 to Speed the Light, in addition to other needs. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as Pastor Deskin expressed deep regrets that hard times had limited them to give “only $6,000 this year” to STL.

As I drove away on that rocky, dusty road from Jack Fork, I was encouraged more than I can say. You see, churches like this across America are among the best in the Assemblies of God. These are the faithful leaders that are willing to work out of the spotlight where only the Lord knows they are there.

It sure was an honor to speak in one of the mega churches of our movement…Jack Fork Assembly of God.

I regret that Men’s Ministries is the weakest ministry in our church.”
 
This is a paraphrase of too many conversations that I have with too many pastors across America. My regret is that it is a reality in too many of our churches. It is a reality that contradicts the plan that Jesus illustrated when He recruited twelve young men and poured His life into them for more than three years with the expressed motive of building His church. That is Church Growth 101.

Jesus Christ was the leader of Men’s Ministries in His church.
 
Pastor, I have an exciting idea that will assist you in leading the growth of Men’s Ministries in your church and community. Follow our Lord’s Matthew 4:19 example by personally recruiting and training men to build His church.

As a matter of fact, challenge your men to “follow me”, their  pastor, to the National Men’s Ministries Leadership Conference in Branson, Missouri.

This is an incredible investment of your personal time and energy that could revolutionize the way your church “reaches, teaches and releases men to grow to their full potential in Christ”. Visit our website at men.ag.org for even more details.
 
I believe that this is one conference that will provide the opportunity to…

•  spend valuable ‘hanging out with guys’ time for you and your men
•  gain ideas that will energize your men’s ministry with a strategic plan throughout the year
•  challenge your men to commit to serving on the pastor’s team
•  help us see men’s ministries as so much more than a monthly breakfast

Please consider this a personal invitation to bring your men to what, I believe, will be one of the best leadership decisions you have ever made. I will be looking for you in Branson!

Only a schedule like September could have a guy looking forward to dental surgery. Three missions conventions, thirteen Light for the Lost banquets, and a men’s conference prepared me for the dentist’s chair and the three hour laser surgery that went with it.
 
Before you start reading between the lines, let me explain myself. I am not comparing the pulpit to the dentist’s office. I love the pulpit more than I can explain in a few words. It was the strain of the miles on the road and in the air, the dozen different hotels and too many days away from Pam that had me excited about the few days following the surgery. You see, I was very willing to sit in the dentist’s chair because that would lead to three days on the couch…doing nothing more challenging than ice cream shakes and spending precious time with my sweetheart.
 
Well enough of that. It is time to get back to the road and the pulpit. And I love it!
 
However, there is a lesson to be learned. There can be too much of a good thing. BALANCE is one of my favorite words and yet I never seem to practice it as I should. Maybe a few less days on the road and a few more minutes on the couch would be wise. I don’t think I want to “look forward to dental surgery” again.

I am really in a rut.
 
The bookshelves in my home, office and even the local bookstores are filled with variety. There are commentaries, novels, history books, how-to manuals, devotionals, and photo collections. And yet I continue to pull off biographies and autobiographies for personal reading purposes. I am really in a rut.
 
It is simply because I love to learn from the life experiences of successful people. I do at least look for variety in those I study. They are sports figures, historical characters, business gurus, theologians and heroes of the faith. I am not apologizing for this rut. As a matter of fact, I am convinced that some of the best lessons in life come from those that have lived it. Much can be drawn from both the successes and failures as well as the good and bad decisions.
 
One of the best is the book I just finished. Always By My Side, the new book by sports broadcaster Jim Nantz is one of the best I have ever read. It may not go down as a classic, but it is one of  the most effective presentations of how to deal with the peaks and valleys of what life brings. Although not written as a personal statement of faith, this is a warm, sensitive and sometimes humorous presentation of how no one is exempt from the good, bad, and ugly of life, but everyone can successfully deal with it. I would highly recommend it whether you are an avid sports fan or not.
 
Me, I am in a rut. I love to learn about other people in order to be a better person myself. The Lord knows how much I need to. No amens please! 

What a great gift I had yesterday. All day Sunday with my wife is a rare occasion. Sitting in church together, meals together and watching golf on a Sunday afternoon are significant times because they are so scarce on the calendar. And yet the Sunday out of the pulpit reminded me of how blessed I am to have the many invitations to preach.

As much as I enjoyed this weekend, it reminded me to thank those that make sure I don’t have too many weekends like it. You see, strange as it may seem, I am a bag of mixed emotions while sitting in the pew. When not preaching on Sunday, I am wishing I was. Therefore, thank you to so many of you that open your services and events to my ministry.

As a matter of fact, the last Sunday of this month was canceled recently and I am already dreading the ‘time off’. I may not be the best in the pulpit, but I am among the worst out of it.

tomgreene.agblogger.org

It’s happening. It really is happening. And this past Sunday was a prime example! And the Sunday before that as well.

Pastors across America are becoming aware of the benefits of strong Men’s Ministries in the local church. I had the honor of responding to the invitations of pastors to “please come and motivate my men to get off the church pew and pursue the adventure of men’s ministries”.

In both cases, it was inspirational as I personally witnessed men gathering around their pastor in a significant time of commitment. Their commitment was not only to the Lord, but to the man of God He had placed in authority over them. It is refreshing to see pastors modeling Christ as they look to their own and boldly challenge them to “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”.

I have never been more convinced that the best in men’s ministries is yet to come! Thank you for all you are doing to make it so.