Refresh, Rebuild or Reboot

It's important for a leader to know whether it's time to refresh, rebuild or reboot. 

Before I was a lead pastor, I hadn't noticed the cycles of church life like I did once I was "the guy in charge." The first Memorial Day weekend followed by the summer slump of June freaked me out. Where is everybody? Will they come back? What did I do wrong? I talked with a more seasoned pastor who told me, "This is normal. People need to get refreshed. They will be back. Now relax the tightness in your chest and make sure you get refreshed too."

I'm not a great guitar player but I play a little. One thing the pros told me is that if you have a well-built guitar, it's important to loosen the strings especially when you fly. At 30,000 ft. the altitude changes and pressure changes of a cabin can bow the neck of a guitar if you leave the strings tight the whole time. 

I've found the same thing to be true in life. We need to loosen the strings and get refreshed. When we've been flying high for awhile, the strings of our lives can bow the back, bow the neck and even sometimes, break the heart. 

Every sport has a season when they relax the strings, both literally and figuratively. Why? Because they know you can't keep the hamstrings tight all year long! That first string team needs rest. Those muscles need a break so they can be refreshed. The fans need a break. The coach needs a break. Then when they come back next season they have a refreshed hope and expectation for a new season. 

• Dad, your son needs a break from competition. Let him relax the strings and be refreshed.
• Teacher, your students need to loosen the strings in the mind. 
• Pastor, your church leadership needs to loosen the strings and be refreshed. Give the choir a break. Give the weekly chapels a break. Give the musicians a break. Give the staff a break.

Relax. Loosen the strings a bit so the necks will not be bowed. 

Then when they come back they will be refreshed. Even computer screens need to be refreshed!

Next time, we will look at the second word: rebuild.

Marginal Living

She asked me this morning, "How did you sleep?" Why? Because my wife and I know that not all sleep is equal. Ever had restless sleep? I have. Your eyes are closed, you're lying down and you're in that semi-conscious zone but you have these nightmares of running while someone is chasing you. So you wake up without feeling rested. Drat.

It's the same way with our souls. Jesus says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Mat 11:28-29 esv). All rest is not equal. 


Here, Jesus promises rest for the overloaded life. A lot of the baggage we carry, we weren't meant to carry and it's depleting our reserves--whether it's the baggage of: 

• Guilt - I should have done more. Now it's too late. My daughter is grown. My Dad has passed. Etc.
• Grudges - I can't forget what they did. 
• Penance - I must do more or God might not let me into Heaven
• Anger at God - I've been faithful all my life and so far God has not kept His part of the deal
• Savior-mentality - It's all up to me. I must solve the world's problems. I must win my family to Christ. I must heal the world. 

All of these are rooted in the idol of self. Notice how they all start with "I". Real Christianity does include responsibility. But it's a partnership: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me...you will find rest..." This kind of rest is one that is "found"--not obtained by straining in a solo effort. But found in relationship with Jesus. 


So unload your baggage and take His yoke. It's easy by comparison.