Esther: The Deliverance of Israel in Captivity (Part 1)

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Artwork Credit: blogs.forbes.com

Editor’s Note: We continue our series of blogs for those who are reading the Bible with us cover-to-cover this year. Interspersed with our thoughts on our daily reading, we want to provide some tips about reading the Bible in general.

Esther: The Deliverance of Israel in Captivity

Risk is part of the territory of the leader. Esther proves that in this book of political intrigue and conspiracy. Until one is ready to sacrifice their life for the lives of others, accomplishment is just a thing of dreams. Esther can be studied in two clear segments. Today we will look at the first of those …

  • The Potential Jewish Holocaust Prepared By Haman (Esther 1-4)

In this section we can see that:

  • Political turmoil is the preparation used of God to thwart the plans of the enemy. (Esther 1)
  • Political conspiracy is the method used of God to promote the man of the Lord. (Esther 2)
  • Political hatred is the motivation used of Haman to exterminate the people of God. (Esther 3)
  • Political suicide is the risk used by Queen Esther to intercede for the people of God. (Esther 4)

There is a key lesson from this section of God’s Word: If you are unwilling to risk all you have, you will never achieve all you can!

It is our hope that this background information helps a bit as you read on in the Bible.

For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!


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How do you deal with difficult people?

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Photo Credit: studentlinc.net

If you have been in ministry for 1 day, you know there are EGR people – “Extra Grace Required” people. The truth is that some people are just beginning their Christ-likeness journey. While others within the fellowship have adapted a more Pharisaical approach to relationships. And then there are what Jesus described as the “tares amongst the wheat” – those enemies of our Lord whose purpose is to destroy the fellowship of faith.

How do you deal with difficult people?

““If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” ” (Matthew 18:15–20, ESV)

Jesus provided the framework, from which I have created this simple 5-step process when I come up against an EGR.

  • Presence – I attempt to live my life as if Jesus were present in everything I do. However, I fail, since I am human.
  • Prayer – When someone comes to me and “rubs me the wrong way” or criticizes me, I take those things to prayer, knowing that the problem may well be with me.
  • Personally – Once I have come to a place where I understand my motives and failures (if any), then I approach the person and ask for forgiveness and correct my behavior where necessary. If no forgiveness is needed on my part, I seek to come to a mutual understanding with the other person. (Some situations in the family of God must be handled under the “agree to disagree agreeably” position.)
  • Pastor – If no resolution happens but is needed, I ask a pastor to go with me to help bring resolution. This almost always resolves the situation. If I have a blind spot, I am open and willing to ask for forgiveness and correct my behavior. If the other person is at fault, I allow the other pastor to deal with that in a manner he feels appropriate.
  • Policy – If there can be no resolution, I ask the other pastor to follow the church policy.

This is how I handle EGRs. How do you do it?

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Transformed Talks Social Media With Brandon Cox

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith


In today’s episode, we explore the amazing world of social media for the Kingdom of God.

Matt’s guest today is Brandon Cox, who is currently a Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, where he oversees the content and online community of Pastors.com. Brandon helps shape the social communication structure of the church and the Purpose Driven network. He also oversees the team that receives and handles correspondence for Pastor Rick Warren.

Today Matt and Brandon talk about the opportunities the Internet afford the church that wants to reach its world in its generation. This is an exciting discussion

Toward the end of the interview, they will talk about church planting and how God is moving in Brandon’s life at this time. Beginning in July of 2011, Brandon and his wife Angie will be planting Grace Hills Church in Bentonville, Arkansas, a Saddleback Network church.

You can learn more about Brandon’s ministry by clicking this link.

You can also become a prayer partner for Brandon and Angie’s new adventure by using this link.

Matt encourages you to pick up a copy of Brandon’s book, Twitter for Ministry – A Guide to Expanding Your Ministry’s Influence on Twitter, and start working through this great resource. You can order a copy here.

We know you are going to greatly appreciate today’s interview.

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Nehemiah – Nehemiah's Spiritual Career (8-13)

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Artwork Credit: diannemalone.com

Editor’s Note: We continue our series of blogs for those who are reading the Bible with us cover-to-cover this year. Interspersed with our thoughts on our daily reading, we want to provide some tips about reading the Bible in general.

Nehemiah: The Rebuilding of Israel’s Security

We learn in this book that “one man can make a difference.” What is that difference in the book of Nehemiah? It is the rebuilding of a people by fortifying their physical and spiritual boundaries. Nehemiah explains the need for a burden and then a willingness to be the one through whom the burden will be removed.  Today we look as the first of the two steps outlined.

Nehemiah’s Spiritual Career Culminating In Renewing the Covenant In Jerusalem (8-13)

In this section we can see:

  • Worship is restored in Jerusalem through the Law. (Nehemiah 8 )
  • Confession is made in Jerusalem by the people. (Nehemiah 9)
  • Promise is given in Jerusalem through a covenant. (Nehemiah 10)
  • Life is reestablished in Jerusalem through residences. (Nehemiah 11)
  • Dedication is offered in Jerusalem by Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 12)
  • Separation is begun in Jerusalem by application of the Word of God. (Nehemiah 13)

There is a key lesson from this section of God’s Word: If you are willing to follow God’s heart and will wholeheartedly, he will embrace you and rescue you!

It is our hope that this background information helps a bit as you read on in the Bible.

For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!


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Casting Vision – Nehemiah Style

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Artwork Credit: huntingtoncopper.com

“Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. ” (Nehemiah 2:17–18, ESV)

Nehemiah knew how to cast vision. As he does so, we can see 5 elements in great vision casting!

  • Identify with those in trouble. Nehemiah says, “You see the trouble WE are in.” He wasn’t in trouble in the palace in Susa. He chose to come and be a part of the trouble.
  • Join in the work to alleviate that trouble. “Come, let US build the wall.” Great vision casters get their hands dirty and announce from the beginning their willingness to lead the work by doing the work.
  • Envision hope for those in trouble. Those in trouble can often no longer see any way out of the mess they are in. Great leaders cast hope, just as Nehemiah: “Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer SUFFER DERISION.”
  • Announce provisions already supplied to remove the trouble. Before we start to cast vision, God has already been in the mix (see Nehemiah 1). In order to lift the hearts of those in trouble, we will need to reveal how God has already been working for them. Nehemiah says, “And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good.”
  • Reveal favor that authorities have given those in trouble. The greatest problem in vision casting is the reality that life has been against those in trouble – most noticeably, people in authority. Nehemiah deflates this seemingly impossible obstacle by sharing how the king backed the plan: “And I told them … also of the words that the king had spoken to me.” When God gives a vision, he also sheds favor on the mission.

Note the response to Nehemiah’s vision casting: And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.” This is the result of great vision casting – people join and prepare, work and accomplish God’s vision, birthed in the leader’s heart to accomplish God’s glory!

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Nehemiah – Nehemiah's Political Career (1-7)

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Artwork Credit: dayofchange.org

Editor’s Note: We continue our series of blogs for those who are reading the Bible with us cover-to-cover this year. Interspersed with our thoughts on our daily reading, we want to provide some tips about reading the Bible in general.

Nehemiah: The Rebuilding of Israel’s Security

We learn in this book that “one man can make a difference.” What is that difference in the book of Nehemiah? It is the rebuilding of a people by fortifying their physical and spiritual boundaries. Nehemiah explains the need for a burden and then a willingness to be the one through whom the burden will be removed.  Today we look as the first of the two steps outlined.

Nehemiah’s Political Career Culminating In Rebuilding The Walls of Jerusalem (1-7)

In this section we can see:

  • The burden of Nehemiah becomes great before the Lord. (Nehemiah 1)
  • The blessing upon Nehemiah comes swiftly from the Lord. (Nehemiah 2)
  • The building of Nehemiah brings unity for the Lord. (Nehemiah 3)
  • The attacks upon Nehemiah cause pleas to the Lord. (Nehemiah 4)
  • The generosity of Nehemiah shames others before the Lord. (Nehemiah 5)
  • The conspiracy against Nehemiah brings resolution for the Lord. (Nehemiah 6-7)

There is a key lesson from this section of God’s Word: If you are willing to expose your heart to God, he will use you to become the solution to what breaks your heart!

It is our hope that this background information helps a bit as you read on in the Bible.

For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!

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Mobilizing a Missional Heart

Posted on June 5, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Artwork Credit: chuckk.sacreddigital.com

When a church recently asked me to help them “mobilize their church toward a greater involvement in evangelism” I shared with them …

Six Keys to a Missional Heart

  • Evangelism is about relationship 95% of the time. Therefore, we have to teach people to follow specific strategies (see “Cross-Cultural Ministry – Part 1 and 2” from last week):

1)    Love them unconditionally

2)    Pay for them passionately

3)    Accept them totally

4)    Treat them as the equals they are

5)    Befriend them by inviting them into our world

6)    Live in their world (culture)

7)    Love their world (culture) – easy to do when you start eating with them!

8)    Become a part of their lives – their daily / weekly routine

9)    Become a part of their families – their lives, events and loves

  • Evangelism is about the favor and power of God. Jesus was very clear in Luke 24.48-49; Acts 1:8 that without the power of God, there will be no effective evangelism. Therefore, we must teach people to follow the repeated model of Acts and gather the believers together for united prayer for power. When God provides that power, witnessing is natural to the Christ-follower. The Spirit enables us to witness effectively.
  • Evangelism is about being equipped to “give an answer for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15) We need to understand the Gospel so that we can share it. One of the most powerful tools for witnessing is our own story. In 401 (Our Missional Heart Training), we teach people how to share their faith and how to prepare their testimony so they are “always prepared” to witness of their walk with Christ. To this end, I have written “Growing Missional Leaders: Biblical Strategies to Reach Your World For Christ.” This book is both a resource for understanding a missional heart and a small group leadership-training manual for leadership teams, small groups, Sunday School classes, discipleship groups, and anyone who wants to learn and train men, women and teens to reach their world for Christ. I am currently writing the companion to this resource. It is entitled “Gathering Missional Leaders: Creating a Biblical Environment for Exponential Leadership Development” due out in the fall of 2011. This book looks at the issues involved in building a great team of leaders dedicated to the mission of God and how to focus them for deployment in your community and around the world.
  • Evangelism is about going where the fish are. (Matthew 4.19; Mark 1.17) “And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ” (Mark 1:17, ESV) Since I have been an avid stream fisher, I know that you can’t expect the fish to come to you. You have to go to them. The average fisher doesn’t go more than 50’ from a paved road, thus most seldom catch much. Therefore, we must train our people to do mission and ministry OUT THERE in the community. This means we have to cut back on the number of events we expect them to attend each week on campus. Coupling this principle with the previous one, we train our people to become “fishers of men.”
  • Evangelism is about entering and assisting our community care delivery systems. One of the most over-looked areas of evangelism, and one of the most cost-effective, is to simply enter the many care delivery systems of our community that are ALWAYS looking for volunteers. Boys and girls clubs, athletic programs, health clinics and hospitals, local schools, foreclosure assistance programs, etc., all look for people to help them deliver care and assistance to the community we live in. Taking the compassion of Jesus into those places is a natural for those of us who truly care for their city. Small groups and Sunday School classes can adopt one of these organizations and, as a team, surround and support them with a different kind of volunteer – a Christ-centered, self-sacrificing servant.

  • Evangelism is about restoring the adventure to witnessing. Most men and women today have lost the sacrificial adventure of the Gospel. They simply do not think about the Great Commission and the enormous significance of a life lived and sacrificed on purpose for the eternal cause of Christ. Therefore, we must restore the centrality of the Gospel (Luke 9.23-26; John 14.6; Romans 1:16-17, the counting of the cost (Luke 14.25-33) and the eternal gratitude and reward of the Master for such a commitment (Matthew 19.25-30; Luke 19.11-27).

These are 6 of the keys to possessing a missional heart. What have you found to help move people into the mission field all around them? Please post your thoughts.

Would you like more help with this? Dr. Smith has written an excellent book on this subject, “Growing Missional Leaders: Biblical Strategies to Reach Your World For Christ,” which you can learn more about here.

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Ezra – Ezra Rebuilds the Purity of the Worshipers (7-10)

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Photo Credit: kahlich.wordpress.com

Editor’s Note: We continue our series of blogs for those who are reading the Bible with us cover-to-cover this year. Interspersed with our thoughts on our daily reading, we want to provide some tips about reading the Bible in general.

After seventy years of captivity and a change of world powers, the weak and pitiful Israel is allowed to return to a destroyed and conquered land. There they begin to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem under the leadership of two men. In this book we learn that in order to maintain that which is built, the spiritual character of the people must also be rebuilt. We look at each of these two projects as we read this book. Now we discover how …

Ezra Rebuilds the Purity of the Worshipers (Ezra 7-10)

In this section we can see:

  • Ezra the priest arrives to establish a people for His name in Israel. (Ezra 7)
  • Ezra the priest arrives to provide for the people of His name in Israel. (Ezra 8 )
  • Ezra the priest arrives to purify the people of His name in Israel. (Ezra 9-10)

There is a key lesson from this section of God’s Word: You can have a glorious worship facility and still be ugly inside before God. Purity is essential if one is to approach a holy God.

It is our hope that this background information helps a bit as you read on in the Bible.

For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!



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Cross-Cultural Ministry (Part 2)

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Pastors Matthew Smith, Jacques Francios and Rafael Maria

(3 Languages, 3 Cultures, 1 Church in South Florida)

We continue our two-part series today with more strategic lesson learned on the American “foreign field.” As Melodee and I followed God’s leading for our lives, we found ourselves in multi-ethnic, multi-cultural ministries in Florida and back in Los Angeles.

What We Learned in Jamaican / Haitian / Dominican South Florida

Melodee and I have also worked with Jamaicans, Haitians and Dominicans in the Miami area, implementing many of the concepts above with similar results. While we were there, we were able to triple the attendance and reach and baptize many men, women and teens. Among the strategies we added here were:

  • A focused missional component

We intentionally began to reach out into the community, doing prayer walks and inviting our neighbors (those within a 1 mile radius of the church campus) to worship on special days – Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc.). These organized events encouraged the individuals in the congregation to be more intentional in their witness and brought many to faith in Christ.

  • A multilingual component

At first, the church was renting to a Spanish-speaking Dominican congregation and a second Haitian Creole-speaking congregation. Since we were all of like beliefs, we began the process of uniting the three congregations into one church. The unity we had when we met for worship, prayer and celebration was catching the attention of the reporters at the Miami Herald and the Sun-Sentinel, South Florida’s other major paper. This built excitement and great hope among the three language congregations.

What We Learned in Diverse Los Angeles County

We have also worked in a small church, where I was the intentional interim pastor in Los Angeles County. This church was predominantly Anglo upon our arrival. However, in a short time it became Hispanic, Black, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai and Estonian. One more key strategy was added in this congregation:

  • A visible multi-ethnic web presence

We wanted those who searched for a new ministry to see that we were like them racially. The pictures reflected the multi-cultural community we lived in. The posts were written in a “supra-cultural” tone, so that they appealed to all who read them. This built interest and was a successful magnet to draw seekers into the fellowship.

What We Learned Overall

As we continue to minister, we find the same principles work in every situation:

  • Love them unconditionally
  • Pray for them passionately
  • Accept them totally
  • Treat them as the equals they are
  • Befriend them by inviting them into our world
  • Live in their world (culture)
  • Love their world (culture) – easy to do when you start eating with them!
  • Become a part of their lives – their daily / weekly routine
  • Become a part of their families – their lives, events and loves

Those are the lessons God has showed us so far. What lessons has God taught you in cross-cultural ministry? Post them for all of us to see.

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Ezra – Zerubbabel Rebuilds the Place of Worship

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Artwork Credit: totallyfashion77.blogspot.com

Editor’s Note: We continue our series of blogs for those who are reading the Bible with us cover-to-cover this year. Interspersed with our thoughts on our daily reading, we want to provide some tips about reading the Bible in general.

Ezra: The Rebuilding Of Israel’s Worship

After seventy years of captivity and a change of world powers, the weak and pitiful Israel is allowed to return to a destroyed and conquered land. There they begin to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem under the leadership of two men. In this book we learn that in order to maintain that which is built, the spiritual character of the people must also be rebuilt. We look at each of these two projects as we read this book. First, we look at how …

Zerubbabel Rebuilds the Place of Worship (Ezra 1-6)

In this section we can see:

  • The end of the Babylonian captivity after 70 years of exile. (Ezra 1)
  • The return of the Israelites from captivity (Ezra 2)
  • The worship in Jerusalem restored by the Israelites. (Ezra 3)
  • The resistance to the rebuilding of Jerusalem. (Ezra 4)
  • The restoration of the Temple, which is resumed under the decree of King Darius. (Ezra 5-6)

There is a key lesson from this section of God’s Word: Even in captivity, God can move the world to give you freedom and release, if you trust him and draw close to him.

It is our hope that this background information helps a bit as you read on in the Bible.

For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!

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