Prevent a Church Heart-Attack!

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         There's a lot of Sundays that I'll never forget; but there's one in particular that will always stand out. My wife and I just left the church and were on our way to grab lunch. Before we left the parking lot, my phone rang; it was my mom. She informed me that my dad was having a heart-attack. 

       When we arrived at the hospital, the doctor said my dad's main artery was blocked; the outlook was grim. Immediately I called on my church family, pastors friends, and twitter friends for prayer. The end result was a miracle; the doctor said the blockage (that would not move) miraculously broke loose. He put a stint in and today my dad is going strong. I am grateful. 

       The Bible calls the church a body (1 Cor. 12) with Jesus as the head. The ministry of the church is her heart; and the enemy is constantly trying to slow down the flow that feeds it. He knows when a heart isn't receiving a healthy flow, it affects the overall body. When the flow of ministry becomes blocked with distractions, frustrations or conflict, the productivity of the heart lessens; ministry becomes weak...and sometimes dies. 

       If ministry is the heart of our churches, then your lead team is the arteries; they are the ones who pour into the heart of ministry more than anyone else. Effective churches are effective because their heart (or ministry) is receiving a good flow of the essentials, which creates a healthy, functioning body of believers. 

     As a pastor, you must encourage, coach, and monitor the disciplines of your lead team; make sure the right essentials are flowing in their personal lives. Prayer, Bible reading, family time, and rest are just a few essentials that can determine the overall health of a lead team. Too often, I have talked with people who can't understand why their church body isn't functioning effectively; they don't understand the effectiveness of the body is tied to the health of the heart. When the lead team is crimped, the flow lessens and the body becomes weak. 

     The most dangerous thing about heart attacks is people can walk around for a long time, not knowing their arteries are blocked. Take the time and do a heart check on your lead team, and yourself. Make sure the disciplines and priorities are on target. Show your team how to both love Jesus and life. Have some fun! In doing so, your heart will remain healthy and the body will function accordingly. 

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