Bishop Chuck Murphy teaching on Theology of Stewardship
April 21, 2011
(click on each of these short video teachings)
1. Why Bishop Chuck Murphy avoided Tithing
2. When I Write the Check, it Stings
3. Tithing
4. In the Garden of Eden
5. A new willing heart is needed
6. Stewardship insights on Abraham
7. Joseph’s Dreamcoat Stewardship
8. Jesus’ Kingdom insights on stewardship
9. Stewardship insights on Joseph & Moses
10. Stewardship through Jesus’ Parables
11. Prayer on getting out of the boat financially
Join us on March 6th on Bishop Silas Ng’s 3-month Discipler123 process
February 23, 2011
http://discipler123.blogspot.com/
By Bishop Silas Ng
This is a sample of what will be starting on March 6th. 
Please join us for the 3-month campaign.
Discipler 123 Daily Devotion
DAY 1 – Choose Light, Away from Darkness!
Welcome to my new blog to support those who participate in our Discipler 123 Campaign. This one is DAY 1 and I publish this one on January 23, 2011 as a sample so that you know what this blog will look like. DAY 1 is for your daily devotion on March 6, 2011. I will publish DAY 2 on March 7, 2011. You may choose to follow my first blog which I started in July 2009 and today is DAY 522 and on 1 Samuel 31. The easiest way to go to my first blog is to type me name “Silas Ng” and have a google search. It will be on top of the list and the name of the blog is “Devotion on Fire”.
The site of this blog is:
http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com
The pictures attached were taken on January 23, 2011 during the Installation of our new Primate, Archbishop Onesphore Rwaje, with the presence of the President of Rwanda and his wife. Please pray for Archbishop Rwaje, his family and his new ministry.
Today’s Reading: John 1 Please read John 1 and listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ would like to tell you before reading my Spiritual Journal below. If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method you may click this link directly for the method: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to worship with us – You Are My All in All
Please click the links below to John 1:
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Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=CUV
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NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=NIV
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ESV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=ESV
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Message: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=MSG
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1: 14
Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=CUV
NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=NIV
ESV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=ESV
Message: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John 1&version=MSG
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1: 14
Welcome to Day 1 of my second blog!
May you feel the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ every time when you read His Word and may you be able to enter into a daily intimate personal relationship with Him!
I have been praying for months to ask Jesus whether I should start this second blog so that those who join our Disciplers 123 Campaign can have a place to start their daily devotion. It would be difficult to ask those who have not started their daily devotion to follow my first blog which has already gone through nearly half of the Bible. It would be easier for me just to write my first blog: http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com , but what I received from the Lord is to start this new one for you so that you can “STAY WITH HIM”!
What I heard from Jesus today is very simple and important: “Choose light, away from darkness!”
Jesus led me to count how many times the word “light” appears in John 1. There are seven usages of “light” and afterwards two of “glory”. After verse 14, I can’t find any usages of “light”. And then Jesus asked me to count how many references to “Jesus” or words similar to Jesus like “the Word”, “that light”, “Christ”, “the One”, “the Only”, “He”, “Him”, “Lamb of God”, “the Lord”, “Son of God”, “Son of Man”, “the King”. I was and actually still am speechless with tears flowing down on my face. I am feeling so strongly the love and presence of Jesus Christ our Lord here in this room with me. He said, “How many?” I typed it right now to answer Him, “67 times, Lord! It was repeated 67 times in just one chapter. I asked: “Why was I never aware of this, Lord?” Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you in the first day(one and a half year’s ago) in which you wrote your first blog that you are blind, my son?! You need the Light so that you can see and can see more and more clearly.”
So many people are in darkness, for they do not want to receive the Light. You can go to church weekly, thinking that you can get out of your darkness, or you can read the Bible as hard as you can be or take many courses to study the Bible, or you can be a leader in your church for many years; but only you know whether you are still in darkness or not. When you receive Jesus into your life as your Savior and Lord of life and when you have a daily intimate personal relationship with Him, then you should be in the true Light and not in darkness. Only Jesus can give you light for He is the Light!
Why did John use the name of Jesus 67 times in his first chapter? Because God told him to do so in order to tell us that Jesus is your only answer! Is Jesus just a historical name to you or is He really your Lord, your Savior, your King and your friend?
Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus… Come, Lord Jesus!
Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you Lord for such a powerful experience of enjoying your presence and your words. Help me to stay with you and in you daily as much as I can be. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Please click this link to worship with us – Shout to The Lord
Prayer items today:
For ACiC/AI
Bishop: Rt. Rev. Silas Ng (Michelle)
Network Leader: Rev. Peter Klenner (Jenny)
Network Leadership Team: Rt. Rev. Silas Ng, Rev. Peter Klenner, Rev. Ed Hird (Janice), Rev. Simon Neill (Jo), Rev. Ken Bell (Sonya)
Bishop’s Chaplain: Rev. Ed Hird (Janice)
Clergy Formation Advisor: Rev. Ken Bell (Sonya)
Administrator: Mrs. Zenia Cheng (Clarence)
Pray for our Rwanda bishops and Anglican Mission bishops:
The Most Rev. Emmanuel Kolini
The Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy, III (Margaret)
Pray for our ACiC/AI churches:
All Saints Community Church
Rector/Senior Pastor: Rev. Peter Klenner (Jenny)
Welcome! The purpose of this blog is to encourage those who join our Disciplers 123 to have a place to start their daily devotion – a wonderful and intimate time with Jesus.
There are three reasons for you to use this blog as your daily devotion:
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A healthy spiritual diet – One chapter of the Bible daily. We really need at least one chapter of Bible daily so that we are well fed.
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A good example of Spiritual Journaling – What I have committed for 1,189 days(the Bible has 1,189 chapters) to write this daily post is not for teaching purposes but this is my daily spiritual journal – I write down what I hear from Jesus and how I experience His intimate relationship with me each day. I have launched a wide-spectrum research on daily devotion and have found out that there are less than 10% of Christians that are having daily devotion. Out of that 10%, many having daily devotion are doing so because of guilt (they know that they are Christians and need to have daily devotion and feel guilty if they don’t do that), duty (they need to fulfill their duty as a Christian) or study(lots of Christians primarily use their daily devotion as a time to study the Bible). I do pray and hope that you will make up your mind to have a relational daily devotion so that you can have an intimate time with Jesus. I pray that you will write your own spiritual journal as well.
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An online discipler – One of the reasons that so many Christians do not have daily devotion is because they do not have a discipler. A discipler can help them build up this basic element of discipleship when they first become Christians. The best way for you is to have a discipler to walk with you for a certain period of time so that daily devotion become a good habit. Or, you may have a small group of two to three people to encourage and be accountable to each other so that you won’t stop your daily devotion. I offer myself as your online discipler to walk with you daily to enrich your spiritual journey. So, shall we start this journey with Jesus Christ our Lord
A healthy spiritual diet – One chapter of the Bible daily. We really need at least one chapter of Bible daily so that we are well fed.
A good example of Spiritual Journaling – What I have committed for 1,189 days(the Bible has 1,189 chapters) to write this daily post is not for teaching purposes but this is my daily spiritual journal – I write down what I hear from Jesus and how I experience His intimate relationship with me each day. I have launched a wide-spectrum research on daily devotion and have found out that there are less than 10% of Christians that are having daily devotion. Out of that 10%, many having daily devotion are doing so because of guilt (they know that they are Christians and need to have daily devotion and feel guilty if they don’t do that), duty (they need to fulfill their duty as a Christian) or study(lots of Christians primarily use their daily devotion as a time to study the Bible). I do pray and hope that you will make up your mind to have a relational daily devotion so that you can have an intimate time with Jesus. I pray that you will write your own spiritual journal as well.
An online discipler – One of the reasons that so many Christians do not have daily devotion is because they do not have a discipler. A discipler can help them build up this basic element of discipleship when they first become Christians. The best way for you is to have a discipler to walk with you for a certain period of time so that daily devotion become a good habit. Or, you may have a small group of two to three people to encourage and be accountable to each other so that you won’t stop your daily devotion. I offer myself as your online discipler to walk with you daily to enrich your spiritual journey. So, shall we start this journey with Jesus Christ our Lord
The Capetown2010 Videos are well worth watching
October 23, 2010
Dear friends in Christ,
You are encouraged to pray for our 29th Alpha Course ( and other Alpha Courses around the world) which is currently having its Holy Spirit weekend at a retreat centre. Please pray for our Youth and Young Adult Pastor Jill Cardwell who is giving leadership to the weekend.
Jill Cardwell St Simon’s NV Youth Pastor (click to hear her heart)
Uploaded to http://www.youtube.com
Jill Cardwell who has been with St Simon’s NV for 1 1/2 years, shares her excitement about youth ministry
Blessings, Ed Hird+
b) Deep Cove shoreline (click to view the beautiful scenery)
2)
Daily Devotion On Fire: DAY 430 – God Says No, I Say Yes!
bishopsilas.blogspot.com ( you can still sign up today for another 100 days of prayer with Bishop Silas Ng)
Bishop Silas Ng writes: “There is no better teaching I have heard than what our Chairman bishop, Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy, teaches about tithing. So you really need to see all the clips now from his talk of Theology of Stewardship last Saturday in our 1st ACiC/AI Regional Conference. That way at least, you will know why you need to tithe, though like many people you might still do what you want to do and not what God wants you to do”:
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Why Bishop Chuck Murphy avoided Tithing
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When I Write the Check, it Stings
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Tithing
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In the Garden of Eden
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A new willing heart is needed
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Stewardship insights on Abraham
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Joseph’s Dreamcoat Stewardship
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Jesus’ Kingdom insights on stewardship
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Stewardship insights on Joseph & Moses
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Stewardship through Jesus’ Parables
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Prayer on getting out of the boat financially
3a)
Reconciliation – Gospel of Reconciliation – Rwanda | The Lausanne Global Conversation
conversation.lausanne.org
By Antoine Rutayisire: Find and share articles, videos, research and links regarding Cape Town 2010 Congress Video on The Lausanne Global Conversation.
3b)
Ed Hird Dr Os Guinness is always well worth watching and listening to. A most original thinker. Click to watch these Lausanne 3 videos.
i) Truth – Why Truth Matters | The Lausanne Global Conversation
conversation.lausanne.org
ii) Dr Os Guinness video on Globalization, given at the Lausanne 3 Congress.
http://conversation.lausanne.org/en/conversations/detail/11428
conversation.lausanne.org
Dr Os Guinness said: “The rarest commodity in the west is attention, not gold, because in the West everyone is speaking, emailing, texting, tweeting, everyone is speaking, but no one is listening.”
3c) Ed Hird Bishop Cyril Okorocha of the Anglican Church of Nigeria shares at the Capetown 2010 Congress about Globalization: Worldliness and Renewal.
Globalization: Worldliness and Renewal | The Lausanne Global Conversation
conversation.lausanne.org
By Cyril Okorocha: Find and share articles, videos, research and links regarding Cape Town 2010 Congress Video on The Lausanne Global Conversation.
3d) Ed Hird an amazing video of Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi, of Jos, Nigeria, discussing life at the intersection of other faiths. He shares how he represented Christ in the midst of racial unrest and violence. “I have a gospel worth living for, and I have a gospel worth dying for.”
i)
http://conversation.lausanne.org/en/conversations/detail/11459
ii) A Fresh Approach To Witness – Bold Proclamation | The Lausanne Global Conversation
conversation.lausanne.org
By Archbishop Kwashi: Find and share articles, videos, research and links regarding Cape Town 2010 Congress Video on The Lausanne Global Conversation.
3e) Becky Pippert is the author of the best-selling ‘Out of the Salt Shaker’, and spoke at our Anglican Mission Winter Conference. Her books are well worth reading.
i) A Fresh Approach To Witness – Evangelism, Part 1 | The Lausanne Global Conversation
conversation.lausanne.org
By Becky Pippert: Find and share articles, videos, research and links regarding Cape Town 2010 Congress Video on The Lausanne Global Conversation.
ii) A Fresh Approach To Witness – Evangelism, Part 2 | The Lausanne Global Conversation
3f) Ed Hird Very insightful short skit
Bible Exposition: Drama “Letter” (Ephesians 1)
vimeo.com
In this drama, a group of Ephesian Christians await Tychicus’ arrival with Paul’s letter to their church. Fearful that he has been arrested at a Roman checkpoint on his way, they rejoice upon his arrival and begin reading the letter. Join the Conversation…
3g)
http://conversation.lausanne.org/en/conversations/
(There are many other Lausanne 3 videos available that you can check out for yourself)
Bishop Chuck Murphy & AMiA team were so helpful
October 16, 2010
1a) Ed Hird
ACiC Ordination Service (click to see pictures)
1b)
1st national Anglican Coalition in Canada conference (Saturday Oct 16th) (click to see the photos)
2a)
Bishop Chuck Murphy shares about Tithing
www.youtube.com
A most helpful sharing by AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy on a theology of stewardship. This talk was given at the 1st annual National Anglican Coalition in Canada conference: part 1
2b)
Bishop Chuck Murphy in the Garden of Eden
www.youtube.com
AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy’s talk on a theology of stewardship; Part 2
2c)
Stewardship insights on Abraham from Bishop Chuck Murphy
http://www.youtube.com/
AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy shares on the theology of stewardship; part 3
2d)
Bishop Chuck Murphy on Joseph’s Dreamcoat Stewardship
www.youtube.com
AMiA Lead Bishop Chuck Murphy draws stewardship insights from Joseph; part 4
2e)
Stewardship insights on Joseph & Moses from Bishop Chuck Murphy
www.youtube.com
AMiA Lead Bishop Chuck Murphy shares a theology of stewardship from Genesis & Exodus; Part 5
2f)
A new willing heart is needed: Bishop Chuck Murphy on Stewardship
http://www.youtube.com/
Until the heart changes, nothing changes in our stewardship, says AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy at the 1st Annual national Anglican Coalition in Canada conference; part 6
2g)
Jesus’ Kingdom insights on stewardship; Bishop Chuck Murphy
www.youtube.com
Jesus’ new covenant approach to internal stewardship; Bishop Chuck Murphy’s teaching on stewardship at the 1st annual national Anglican Coalition in Canada conference ; part 7
2h)
Stewardship through Jesus’ Parables: Bishop Chuck Murphy
www.youtube.com
AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy shares about the theology of stewardship at the 1st national Anglican Coalition in Canada conference:part 8
2i)
Why Bishop Chuck Murphy avoided Tithing
www.youtube.com
AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy shares his excuses for not tithing & how he began tithing his 1st 10% to God. He gave this talk at the 1st national Anglican Coalition in Canada conference: part 9
2j)
When I Write the Check, it Stings
http://www.youtube.com/
AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy shares why he tithes even though it still ‘stings’: part 10
2k)
3)
We want the Queen! Worship insights from Andy Piercy
www.youtube.com
Andy Piercy is speaking at the 1st national Anglican Coalition in Canada conference. He reminded us that there is a time for adoration. Andy will be preaching and leading music at our St Simon’s NV 9am & 10:30am Sunday devices
4)
Daily Devotion On Fire: DAY 423 – 12 Days Fasting/Day 12: A Breakthrough for ACiC/AI
bishopsilas.blogspot.com
The Anglican Coalition in Canada (ACiC) is a missionary movement focused on raising up vibrant and authentic Christians through organic congregations and a lifestyle of Christlikeness.
6a) This short video clip by Rev Edmund Ho is done in English.
Rev Edmund Ho shares about the new church plant Toronto Emmanuel
www.youtube.com
Rev Edmund Ho is the Rector of Toronto Emmanuel, a Chinese Anglican church plant with Asian Initiative and the Anglican Coalition in Canada/AMiA
6b) This interview is in cantonese.
Rev Edmund Ho Speaks about the Toronto Emmanuel Church plant
www.youtube.com
Toronto Emmanuel is a two-year old church plant. This talk is in cantonese.
http://www.torontoemmanuel.ca/
7)
Martin Davies shares about Church of our Lord (COOL) Comox
http://www.youtube.com/
COOL is an Anglican Coalition church led by the Rev Dr David Bowler, which focuses on seniors outreach in Comox
Prayer by Bishop Chuck Murphy on getting out of the boat financially
http://www.youtube.com/
AMiA lead Bishop Chuck Murphy concludes his stewardship teaching at the 1st Anglican Coalition in Canada national conference with a prayerful call to get out of the boat financially
Andy Piercy
Andy was on staff as worship leader at Holy Trinity Brompton in London from 1993 to 2006. During that time he accompanied Bishop Sandy Millar and Rev. Nicky Gumbel to Alpha conferences around the world and across the USA.
As well as writing and recording many of the songs used on Alpha and at HTB he has also produced CDs for Delirious, Matt Redman and Graham Kendrick. Previously he was the lead singer with a professional rock band, ‘After The Fire’, who had a number 5 hit single in the USA in 1983. Before that Andy spent 3 years as one half of a musical duo working as full-time evangelists around the UK.
He is now living in Charleston, SC and working as a Worship Development consultant with the Anglican Mission in the Americas. He is married to Judy and they have three daughters, Ellen, Holly and Laura.
“Andy has an amazing heart to equip and train both musicians and worship leaders. Whether it’s bringing encouragement, input to develop individual gifts or teaching to resource teams Andy is amazing. He has enormous experience and is a person I hugely admire and respect. I’d always listen very closely to anything Andy had to say!” – Tim Hughes, worship leader
The Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy
The Rt. Rev. Charles Hurt (Chuck) Murphy, III is a Missionary Bishop of the Province of the Anglican Church of Rwanda and a bishop of, and chairman of, the Anglican Mission in the Americas. He served as Rector of All Saints Church, Pawleys Island, SC for over 20 years, and was the one who convened and later chaired the First Promise Movement that led to the formation of AMiA. Bishop Murphy graduated from the University of Alabama, then studied under Dr. J.I. Packer of Trinity College in England before completing his theological training at the University of the South. He served several Episcopal congregations before being called to All Saints in 1982. Murphy has led Vestry Workshops, Leadership Training Conferences, and has taught on many subjects throughout the U.S. Murphy is the son, brother and brother-in-law of Episcopal priests. He and his wife Margaret have been married for over 40 years and they have three grown daughters.
The Ven. H Miller
H Miller currently serves as the Executive Director for the Anglican Mission in the Americas. Born in Phoenix, Arizona to a Canadian mother and a father from the United States, he studied architecture at the University of Southern California before going into vocational ministry. After attending seminary, he and his wife Shelly spent two years involved in leadership training with Youth With A Mission. During his service as Executive Pastor of a large church in Phoenix he was ordained a priest with the Anglican Mission. He served as rector of All Saints Anglican Church in Morehead City, North Carolina for five years before joining the Mission staff in 2008 as Director of Leadership Development. He and Shelly have two children, Murielle and Harrison and they live in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.
The Rt. Rev. Silas Ng
The Rt. Rev. Silas Tak Yin Ng is the Rector of Richmond Emmanuel Church, BC, and was consecrated as a missionary bishop in September 2009 Richmond Emmanuel was founded in 1996 and is now a thriving congregation of over 400. Silas also serves as the Network Leader and principal missionary of the Asian Initiative (AI), a targeted ministry designed to respond to immigration from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines to North America. Under Silas’ leadership, AI has become a visible and mission-oriented community, providing a significant witness of the love of Christ to Asians while planting congregations within Asian communities in North America. In addition to the strong presence of Richmond Emmanuel Church in the Vancouver area, AI is planting a daughter church of Richmond in Toronto – Toronto Emmanuel Church. Silas holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Music Department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and received his Masters in Divinity from Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary in 1987. He is currently participating in a Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California and expects to complete the degree in May 2011. He and his wife Michelle have two sons, Ignatius and Athanasius.
The Reverend Canon Dr. Allen Hughes
The Reverend Canon Dr. Allen Hughes is a canon missioner in the Anglican Mission in America. Allen earned a bachelor of arts from the University of South Carolina Honors College, masters of divinity from the University of the South Sewanee, and doctorate of ministry from Asbury Seminary.
He started a college ministry at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, planted a church in the Woodlands, Texas, and worked with Bishop T.J. Johnston to plant a church in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. He currently works for Chairman Chuck Murphy in the Anglican Mission and lives in Mt. Pleasant with his wife Louise and their three sons.
The Very Rev. Canon Mike Murphy
Mike Murphy serves as Episcopal Vicar to Bishop Chuck Murphy. Having broad experience in the business world as well as in the Mission as a priest, network leader, canon missioner, and member of the AMiAs Board of Directors, he is very interested in forming and planning new networks that can function in a fluid and dynamic fashion so that the number of networks can consistently expand. He has a gift for assessing various components of a range of strategic plans and identifying the consequences or domino effect – both positive and negative – as the Anglican Mission looks to the future. One of Mike’s unique strengths is identifying funding sources with an emphasis on ensuring long-term financial health within the Anglican Mission. He is also working to establish Cursillo, a short course in Christian living, within the Anglican Mission.
Honouring Our Young Leaders
August 17, 2010
By the Rev. Dr. Ed Hird
We don’t hear enough about the wonderful accomplishments of upcoming young leaders. In our ‘man-bites-dog’ media-saturated world, it is the ‘bad news story’ about youth that seems to get our attention.
The ‘Good Book’ is full of memorable stories about young people who made a difference when no one expected anything from them. Think about the young prophet Samuel in the Temple. Think about young David with his slingshot in front of an older and much larger Goliath. Goliath despised young David, saying: “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” And think about young Timothy, who was mentored by an older and wiser Apostle Paul.
Timothy was in an impossible situation in Ephesus, a port city in Western Turkey. The Apostle Paul had ‘parachuted’ Timothy into this troubled city to turn around a very confused and demoralized community. The problem was that the older, more sophisticated Ephesian leaders didn’t want 
Timothy around. They despised his inexperience, immaturity, and insecurity. Paul had to say to Timothy: “Don’t let people look down on you because you are young, but rather be an example for them in speech, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.”
As the historian Dr. JW Milne puts it, “Ancient culture generally admired age before youth.” Paul was saying to Timothy: “Don’t let anyone underestimate your worth and value.” As the well-known Dr. John Stott puts it, this “is a perennial problem. Older people have always found it difficult to accept young people as responsible adults in their own right, let alone as leaders. And young people are understandably irritated when their elders keep reminding them of their immaturity and inexperience, and treat them with contempt.”
Now what age was Timothy anyways? Scholars estimate that ‘young Timothy’ was probably around 35 years old. Michael Griffiths commented that “Young in ancient culture meant anyone young enough for military service; ie under 40 years of age”.
So how was young Timothy to get credibility with older people, as he attempted to exercise leadership? The Apostle Paul was clear that Timothy’s authority was not to come by pushing his weight around, by bragging about his credentials, or by laying down the 
law. Dr. John Stott wisely noted that “the great temptation, whenever our leadership is questioned, threatened, or resisted, is to assert it all the more strongly and to become autocratic, even tyrannical.” The Good book defines healthy leadership as: “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples.” Rather young Timothy was to gain acceptance by setting an example in the way he not only ‘talked the talk’ but also ‘walked the walk’.
One of the most powerful ways that young Timothy set an example was by not ‘throwing in the towel’ when he felt discouraged. Sometimes Timothy was discouraged, disappointed and distressed, but like Winston Churchill, he never ever gave up. Young Timothy had that essential leadership ingredient that some called ‘stickability.
The Apostle Paul also encouraged Timothy by reminding him that he was very gifted. “Don’t neglect the gift that God has given you”. It is so easy to focus on our weaknesses and neglect our God-given gifts and abilities.
The Apostle Paul said to young Timothy that if he devoted himself to keep growing in his God-given gifts, then everyone would notice how much that he had matured and progressed. One of the dangers with leadership is that we stop growing, and we 
lose that sense of teachability. The word ‘progress’ in the Greek means to ‘cut in front’ and is used of armies advancing or ships cutting through water. Progress contains the graphic picture of a pioneer cutting his way forward through obstacles by means of a strenuous effort, like a man blazing a trail through a tangled Canadian forest.
One of our bishops, Chuck Murphy, had us do an exercise to find out if we are more like pioneers or settlers. Bishop Chuck concluded by saying that God is looking nowadays for innovative pioneers who are willing to be trail-blazers and ground-breakers.
My hope for those reading this article is that we may seek to honour the upcoming young leaders who will trail-blaze our future communities.
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, Rector, BSW, MDiv, DMin
St. Simon’s Church North Vancouver
Anglican Mission in the Americas (Canada)
http://stsimonschurch.ca
-previously published in the North Shore News
-award-winning author of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’
http://www.battleforthesoulofcanada.blogspot.com
p.s. In order to obtain a copy of the book ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, please send a $18.50 cheque to ‘Ed Hird’, #1008-555 West 28th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7N 2J7. For mailing the book to the USA, please send $20.00 USD. This can also be done by PAYPAL using the e-mail ed_hird@telus.net . Be sure to list your mailing address. The Battle for the Soul of Canada e-book can be obtained for $9.99 CDN/USD.
-Click to download a complimentary PDF copy of the Battle for the Soul study guide : Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada
You can also download the complimentary Leader’s Guide PDF: Battle for the Soul Leaders Guide
Golfing Religiously
August 9, 2010
By the Rev. Dr. Ed Hird
A very intense business man went to the local doctor suffering from stress. His GP said to him: “I have a simple solution for stress. If you don’t golf, start. If you do golf, stop.”
Our Lead Bishop Chuck Murphy comes from Pawley Island, South Carolina, an area which has dozens of world-class golf courses. So naturally he loves to tell golf stories. While in Vancouver BC at an Anglican Celebration of Orthodoxy, he gave us one of his favorites: “Moses, Jesus, and an old man are golfing. Moses steps up to the tee and hits the ball. It goes sailing over the fairway and lands in the water trap . Moses parts the water and chips the ball onto the green.
Jesus steps to the tee and hits the ball. It goes sailing over the fairway and lands in the water trap. Jesus walks on the water and chips the ball onto the green.
The old man steps up to the tee and hits the ball. It goes sailing over the fairway and heads for the water trap, a fish jumps up and grabs the ball in its mouth. As the fish is falling back down into the water, an eagle swoops down and grabs the fish in its claws. The eagle flies off over the green, where a lightning bolt shoots from the sky and barely misses it. Startled, the eagle drops the fish When the fish hits the ground, the ball pops out of its mouth and rolls into the hole for a hole-in-one.
Jesus then turns to the old man and says “Good shot, Dad!”
Our local Seymour/Deep Cove area is a bit of a golf haven, with two golf courses: Seymour Golf & Country Club , Northlands Golf Course and two driving ranges: Takaya Golf Centre and Seymour Creek Golf Centre.
With three active sons in their twenties, I have had the pleasure of giving them golfing tips. I have many happy memories of caddying for my father at the UBC Golf Course. As a teenager, I had a membership at Langara Golf course and used to golf religiously three times a week. I even golfed in the snow which was quite a feat. Because my parents had paid for my membership, I remember feeling guilty if I wasn’t golfing enough!
My eldest son, who has worked over seven years at Safeway, wanted to be ready for a Safeway Golf tournament. After teaching my son everything I knew about golfing, I decided that it was time to go to the Parkgate Library and listen to the pros. Fortunately the library had dozens of golf books and videos. There is even a ‘Golf Rules & Etiquette for DUMMIES’ book! Every book and video had literally hundreds of helpful tips about one’s grip, a proper backswing, a proper stance, getting out of bunkers, and secrets of putting. From Jack Nicklaus to Arnold Palmer, all of them seemed eager to turn my sons and I into the next golfing superstar. You may be happy to know that after looking 
at many videos and books, I have decided not to quit my day-job. As professional golfers are away on tournaments for well over half the year, my wife would miss me too much. And then there is that little problem of getting it on the green.
One of the most fascinating golf books that I found at the library was The Way of An Eagle by Robert Darden and PJ Richardson. It features the stories of more than forty top golfers who shared the secrets of their success on and off the golf course. Common to all the golfers was a realization that golfing itself was not enough, that there was more to life, and that life could be discovered through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. All of these golfers had found a greater inner peace and serenity that carried them through the ups and downs of intense tournament life.
As a teenage golfer, no matter how well I did, it didn’t feel good enough. I struggled with perfectionism and performance-orientation. But now like the pro golfers in the Way of the Eagle book, I have found that my identity doesn’t come from how well I do. It comes from God himself who loves me no matter 
how well or poorly I play. God has given me an inner peace through Jesus Christ that nothing can steal away from me. As I help my sons learn how to golf, I pray that they may carry this message of inner peace with them wherever they go.
edhird
