A Real Fire

Weekly Thought – May 5, 2015

Fred and Mary Alice married in June, 1937. Without money, a honeymoon was impossible. They boarded a trolley in downtown Nashville, rode to a Krystal burger restaurant and shared a slider, the little bite-sized menu item. In some ways, his mini-essays are wisdom sliders – bite-sized servings of thought.

A Real Fire

A.W. Tozer remarked that his flame might be small but it was real. It is important that the fire be authentic. One can start a forest fire with a single match, but can’t light a bonfire with a poster of a match, no matter how blazing the flame. A picture of a blowtorch remains a picture. The counterfeit life becomes old but the zeal of the dedicated life cannot be quenched.

Healthy Attrition

A certain attrition rate in leadership is healthy. The armed services actually look for a wash-out percentage… the Army has seven; the Marines have fourteen and it is rumored some drill sergeants think it should be as much as twenty-five percent!

We don’t focus on disqualifying people, but we should not keep people in our organizations who self-disqualify either by lack of character or gifts.

Making people aware of their shortcomings isn’t easy, but is crucial. I say this knowing how painful discouragement can be. It happened to me. I started out in voice lessons, hoping for an operatic career. Fortunately, I had an honest teacher. One morning after a lesson he said, “Fred, you have everything to be a successful vocal artist. You work harder than any of my other students; you have a great desire to sing well. You are only lacking one thing – talent. You are sacrificing to study with me. You can’t make it professionally, so don’t waste your life trying.”

He was so right and so courageous. He blessed me with his honesty. I went into business where I was talented.

Helping someone discern their gifts is one of the great joys. Assisting men and women to exit as well as enter careers is an act of wisdom.

Seminaries should discourage poor leaders before they assume pastoral positions and demonstrate their inabilities. Always remember what Spurgeon told his young preaching students: “Young man, if you can’t speak, you weren’t called to preach.” Certainly God can develop skills that are immature, but rarely does He call us to work for which He doesn’t gift us.

This week think about: 1) Who helped me recognize my strengths? 2) Where am I trying to follow a dream that may not be mine? 3) How real is my fire?

Words of Wisdom: “We don’t focus on disqualifying people, but we should not keep people in our organizations who self-disqualify either by lack of character or gifts.”

Wisdom from the Word: “For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29 NET Bible)

Political Positioning

Weekly Thought – April 28, 2015

Fred enjoyed taking an idea and chasing it down. As we enter into his “blogosphere” with his mini-essays, we get a glimpse of this mental exercise. Golf was one of his great loves, so inspiration from this sport is very natural.

We appreciate all who are part of the BWF community. Your interest, your encouragement, and your support are gratefully received.

Political Positioning

To place an individual in a position outside his gift for political purposes is leadership prostitution.
God has endowed each person with gift that will glorify Himself. When we use the person for our own political security without regard for their gifting we are taking something that should be honoring God and taking it for our own benefit.

I refuse to work outside my gift even though I have received a great deal of pressure to assume work expectations out of loyalty to my friend, the leader.

I have listened to many Sunday School teachers who definitely lacked the gift of teaching. They were organizational loyalists and caved into the pleadings of a friend who needed to fill the teaching roster. Sadly, even religious associations promote some to leadership out of expediency or “they deserved it” thinking. When they have none of the gifts necessary they either flail or fail. Or, they carry the title and someone else does the work. (more…)

Never Alone

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Brenda’s Blog – April 20, 2015

“Are your Mommy and Daddy in heaven? Are you all by yourself?”

Granddaughter Emma’s sweet questions were spoken with genuine concern. She was most interested to know why I didn’t have parents. As we talked about it, she asked “Did Jesus hold your Mommy’s hand when she went to heaven?”

Yes, I am the eldest in my line. No, I do not have living parents. But I am not alone. I have a Father who promised never to leave me.

Charles Stanley’s birth father died when he was just months old. He recognized as an older adult he had never called anyone “Dad,” or “Father.” Having grown up with a Dad who loved me through all the ups and downs, Stanley’s statement touched my heart. It gives me encouragement to know as a believer in Jesus Christ, Dr. Stanley had the privilege of calling the God of creation Abba which is translated Daddy.

Most of my friends have parents in heaven. The common denominator is a sense of loss combined with great appreciation. We laugh as we find ourselves saying and doing things which remind us of them. We approach decisions hearing their counsel. We honor their memories by telling their stories and building on their legacies. The journey from earth to heaven becomes shorter and we focus on the eternal more than the temporal.

Someday Emma will have a Gram who is taken by Jesus into heaven. I hope she remembers someone who trusted Jesus day by day, and loved her unconditionally. I hope she has stories of time spent building a relationship which will last for her lifetime. Most of all, I want her to know she is the daughter of a King who will never leave her or forsake her. She is His precious princess.

It Works

Weekly Thoughts – April 21, 2015

Fred blogged before blogging was cool (or even a word). Often in the middle of the night he awoke, grabbed his tape recorder, and created what he called “mini essays.” They capture a thought in post-size pieces. Two of them are shared and more will come. Fred is regarded as “timely and timeless” because his thinking fit way before and way after his time.

THANK YOU for praying as we begin the planning for the 2016 Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institutes.

It Works

Recently I attended a Guideposts seminar on “The Power of Positive Thinking in Business.” Attending was a very bright woman executive who was EVP of a large corporation. During the break she wanted to visit.

In the conversation she said, I used to be a Methodist but now I’m an all-out New Ager because it works for me. She said it with such emphasis, conviction, and triumph I wanted to learn more of her story but the break ended.

When I hear leaders claim God’s blessings on their efforts because “it works” I question their thinking. Many times we rationalize questionable methods as practical because “they work – human methods”.

Is “working” the real test of spiritual endeavors? My friend Warren Hultgren, the former pastor of the First Baptist Church of Tulsa, OK, pointed out to me that “working” is a faulty measure. After all, Moses got water after striking the rock twice… it looked like it worked. But he was denied access into the Promised Land for his disobedience. (more…)

Education Matters

Weekly Thought – April 14, 2015

Fred highly regarded education. Unable to attend college, he spent a lifetime studying. Often when he spoke at colleges he laughed about having to wear a “choir robe” because he had no doctoral hood. He exemplified a true student who encouraged others in the pursuit of wisdom.

The BWFLI schedule is developing well. Please continue to pray for us as we begin the planning.

Education Matters

President John F. Kennedy, addressing an assemblage of Nobel laureates at the White House, and said, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and human knowledge assembled for a White House dinner since Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

Education is not solitary. One of the reasons we get together is to pool our knowledge and experience. The purpose isn’t competition, but coordination. Each of us in the room knows something that the others do not. The stimulating challenge is the sharing until you realize what you did not know.

Our political environment demonstrates the necessity of true education. In a cynical moment Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Politics is the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.” In today’s complex world this opinion is proven false.

Aristotle believed that proper governance depended on the education of the youth. But what they learn is critical. Through formal education, each generation can build on the knowledge of the prior. I believe this is only true if we accept the principles that the knowledge produced. If we deny the principles, then we are starting to reinvent the wheel. And the preparation needed for leadership is lacking. (more…)

When the Light is Flashing, Help is on the Way

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Brenda’s Blog – April 7, 2015

“When the Light is Flashing, Help is on the Way.”

There is not much to do while standing in an empty elevator by yourself except read the instrument panel. The emergency button always draws my attention. This language particularly intrigued me.

Wouldn’t it be nice if God gave us a pulsating red sign of His presence and His aid? In times of great distress (even self-defined emergencies), we suddenly feel silence and aloneness. Philip Yancey wrote the classic, “Where Is God When It Hurts?” This universal question has no cultural or linguistic barriers. David, the Psalmist, agonized about the quiet times. He cried out from caves, courts, and chaos pleading for the Lord to show Himself.

Christians root in the belief that He is the God who is there, as Frances Schaeffer wrote. We do not serve a wooden idol, made by men’s hands. We have a transcendental, external God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever present.

So what do we do in those moments when the path seems dark and the voice doesn’t come instructing or even comforting? We do exactly what passengers on a stranded elevator do… sound the alarm, trust the message, and wait. We know He will never leave us nor forsake us. We may not have a flashing light, but we live in the light of His Word.

Dr. W.A. Criswell eloquently preached his theme of the “scarlet thread” which he followed from Genesis to Revelation. This thread is Jesus. And truly, the message in the Old Testament is “Help is on the way.” The New Testament assures us that “Help came in the flesh.” And joyfully, as we stand in the elevator today we see the scarlet thread and its message: “Help is coming again.”

In the times when heaven seems closed up and confusion controls, let’s stop and remember – the flashing light is Jesus and help is with us, not just merely on the way.

Living Influence

Weekly Thought – April 7, 2015

Fred believed in the impact of influence. He respected the wisdom of others and grew from their input. Now his accumulation of thought is helpful to multiple generations.

Thank you for allowing us the privilege of sharing Fred’s wisdom.

Living Influence

Influence never dies. You may talk to me about the imprint of your parents then say, “but they are dead.” No, they are not for you are still alive and their influence lives on through you – for better or for worse. We each ripple the pond of human life. Some make dainty circles while others make big splashes. Yet the movement of the water continues.

When my friend Dr. Julian Gumperz died in New York City, the newspaper headlined, “The awesome intellect of Dr. Gumperz is gone.” I disagree. It never will be completely gone as long as any of us who learned from him remain active and alive.

This is human immortality.

Once I was introducing dancer Ray Bolger at the Convention Center in Las Vegas. Therefore, I decided to catch his act the night before. It was one of the most touching, philosophical dance numbers I have ever seen. He came on stage with an orchestra out of sight and simply gave the signature dances of the greatest artists of all time. The audience, familiar with these performers, recognized Bill Robinson dancing up the steps, or Fred Astaire tapping from one surface to another. (more…)

Imperatives in Effective Speaking (Summary)

Weekly Thought – March 31, 2015

Fred outlined his Imperatives for Effective Speaking. This week we summarize the series. This Weekly Thought is longer than normal, but definitely a “keeper.”

Thank you for your feedback and the practical applications of his work. And as always, thank you for your faithful encouragement and support.

Imperatives in Effective Speaking (Summary)

Speaking to an audience is an awesome responsibility. The following points are touchstones for me.

1) Ready Your Attitude – Attitude colors every word, every gesture, and body movement. Anyone who feels the audience is fortunate in having them speak is prostituting the opportunity.

2) Your Material – A speaker’s self-respect and sense of responsibility should start with content. If there is no content, there is no reason to speak. Preparation is the price we pay for the privilege of speaking.

3) Be believable – If the audience believes the messenger, it is easier to believe the message. A truth that is not believed is useless. Ask yourself: “Can I make this truth believable?” If not, then wait to express it until you can.

4) Focus on the Audience – Always speak to the audience about a subject, not about a subject to an audience. The audience is the focal point. Know their felt needs and desires before you lead them to their real needs.

5) Create a personal touch – Personal communication is like a conversation eyeball to eyeball. This creates the feeling that I know you and you know me. Good communication is more than a function; it is a relationship. To be effective, it must be personal.

6) Create an enjoyable atmosphere – Take your subject seriously, but not yourself. Let people join in the enjoyment with you. Make sure it is more than entertaining – make it profitable. To be enjoyable, both the emotions and the mind must be stimulated.

7) Maintain human quality – Demagogues and con men sound like messiahs. They lack the reality of integrity. Respect others’ intellectual integrity by speaking person to person. Humor is a humanizer.

8) Utilize basic presentation skills: a) fire in the voice; b) develop good rhythm and cadence; c) adjust the pace of ideas and words; d) use a sincere tone; e) enunciate clearly; f) avoid affectations; g) use appropriate volumes for subject matter and size of the audience; h) practice natural gestures; i) choose words suitable for the subject; j) maintain continuity between words and subject.

9) Communicate with purpose – Before you try to communicate, determine what you want to happen at the close. I want to change or solidify attitudes into convictions and positively affect behavior.

10) Speak with power – When we speak for God, we should speak or communicate God’s message for God’s glory, not our own. The Spirit must convince; we can only be present. When we desire to be empowered we must have as pure a motive as humanly possible.

11) Pray before speaking – Prayer should be an ingredient of the preparation, not a sauce poured over it. If you have prayed adequately before speaking you won’t need to ask the audience to pray for you while you speak. They should be listening. Prayer helps me to exclude the extraneous – the ego licks, the hidden agenda items, and the subtle kicks.

12) Learn the sacredness of brevity – “Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and nudge me when I’ve said enough.” Never go beyond the allotted time. Don’t satisfy them so much they’ll never want to hear you again.

This week think about: 1) Which point jumps off the page? 2) How am I going to implement these imperatives? 3) When am I going to email BWF and tell them how I am using this material?

Words of Wisdom: “Speaking to an audience is an awesome responsibility.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom.” (Proverbs 10:31a – NET Bible)

Built To Last

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Brenda’s Blog – March 24, 2015

Built To Last

“Don’t attack the gates because they are reinforced – aim for the walls.”

The History Channel produced a series titled, “Ancients Behaving Badly.” They featured eight gruesome, terrible conquering marauders. Attila the Hun decided to go right at the Roman Empire by attacking one of their invincible forts. Their strategy was unique: ignore the gates and go for the walls. Why? Because the gates are the strongest part of the structure as they are reinforced for protection. The walls are vulnerable.

Where are you assuming strength? Where are you ignoring weaknesses?

I once drove past a house with bars on all the windows, as well as the front door. They were secure from outside invasion. What was the problem? A fire destroyed the house from the inside. They were confident in their provisions, but sadly not safe from interior destruction.

We build our gates to withstand anything that could come against us. We determine where entrance into our character, strategic planning, or lifestyle will be and build in extra strength. But too often it is the unprotected, unseen damage which wounds us. We must be vigilant and prepared on all fronts.

On the ready – ever alert – eyes wide open… these are phrases which describe how we should live. We cannot relax, thinking we have covered all our bases. How many times have you seen someone tripped up by a careless decision or a foolish move? They so very often didn’t expect to create chaos – they were blindsided. The vandals came through the wall!

The wise person is ever aware. 360 degree mirrors allow us to see ourselves from all angles. It is good to stop and take a good look, even risking the shock. When the challenges (and challengers) come we can be “locked and loaded” as they say in Texas.

Imperatives in Effective Speaking (Part 6)

Weekly Thought – March 24, 2015

Fred’s sense of reverence began early in his life. As the son of a Southern Baptist pastor, he recognized the respect for God. As a layman, he spent much of his life speaking to Christian audiences. He was known for his ability to bring Christian principles to the audience in down to earth terms.

Your support of our efforts to preserve Fred’s work while “stretching and blessing the next generation of leaders… to the glory of God” is greatly appreciated.

Imperatives in Effective Speaking (Part 6)

A) Be empowered. I’m speaking of spiritual empowerment. When we speak for God, we should communicate God’s message for God’s glory, not our own. This requires the presence of the Holy Spirit to own the communication. The Spirit must convince; we can only present.

Our motives must be as pure as humanly possible. We become stewards of the message, not the authors. Years ago after speaking five or six times at a men’s retreat I flew home expecting to be exhausted. But I wasn’t. As I thought about why not, it occurred to me… The pipe never gets tired because it doesn’t do the work, just the pump. That was the answer: I was the pipe, not the pump. The Spirit is the pump. As long as I remember to be the cleanest, clearest pipe possible, the message will flow. (more…)

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