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.)

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! 

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.

I can’t believe I did it. I had it on the calendar for almost a year. As it drew closer, I came so close to not following through. I overcame other pressing responsibilities, requests and even guilt, but I did it anyway. I still can’t believe I did it. Can I ever forgive myself?

I spent four consecutive afternoons stretched out on my couch in my dude room…watching The Masters tournament. There you have it. I confess. And I loved every minute of it.

You see, I have a problem. I am a lazy man. That is why I work so hard. I put in endless hours at my work, rarely take a day off, and I make myself take vacations. I do this because I do not want people to know how lazy I am.

I am not proud of this habit. As a matter of fact, I am determined to overcome it so that I might finish the race well. Last week, I felt I was about to hit a brick wall. Those four days were a good investment. As a matter of fact, please excuse me. I must go and mark next year’s calendar.

Don’t do as I do. Do as I say. Take some time for yourself occasionally.

I walked into the Louisiana Men’s Retreat recently and among my first greeters was Paul. Paul reminded me that we had met two years earlier at the same event. His next words were humbling as he informed me, “I am praying for you”. I regret that these are words that we say and hear often, but fail to understand the gift of prayer to a friend. The humility I felt when Paul spoke only grew with the rest of his announcement, “I am praying for you and have every day for the past two years”.

The humility brought on by this man’s gift of prayer bordered on embarrassment when Paul approached me as the retreat was concluding. He had purchased a copy of my book and asked me to sign it. I was honored to do so and as I handed it back to him, he turned it over to the back cover. I have rarely been so moved as he said, “I can’t wait to get home and show my wife the picture of the man that we pray for every morning”.

Paul, thank you. I am at a loss of words to properly express my gratitude for my southern Louisiana friend. The only way I can begin to repay you…”I am praying for you”.

“I am praying for you.” May these never be frivolously spoken words of spirituality, but rather a sincere commitment. I am sure that Jesus never gave a better encouragement to His disciples than when He promised, “I am praying for you”.