For about a year, I lived in small town called Salem in Indiana. Salem had a thing called a town square and by that I mean, somebody built a courthouse and then thought to themselves, "Hey, we can drive around this!". Then people placed their businesses on each side, and from above, it looks like a square(actually, it's a courthouse, with a circle and a square around it.. When in Rome I guess..)' bingo, bango, bongo, they had a town square. I was working at a church there and for the first few months I did not have a vehicle. Lucky for me, I got to drive a fifteen passenger church van around everywhere(*wink*). One particular day, I was sitting in that church van, parked in a spot, around the town square, outside of the Salem Apothecary(killer milkshakes by the way), when I see Hulk Hogan's Dad(it probably wasn't) furiously shove open the door of the local biker bar and start pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. He was a good 6'5, and at least 65 years old with a skullet(only a party in the back), red leather pants and a Warrant T-shirt that had no sleeves. He was ticked, and it was clear he had already picked his battle. Then, another angry man emerged from the bar wearing a Lynard Skynard T-shirt and an AC/DC skullcap. It was clear he'd also picked his battle. Unfortunately for him, he did not look like a professional wrestlers Dad, and Hulkamania was about to run wild on him! Then the most amazing thing happened. The Hulksters Dad(it definitely wasn't), leaped and Bruce Lee kicked this guy into the street, ripped off his warrant t-shirt, and shouted, "Dig it Brother!". Okay, the last two things may or may not have happened but he did Ninja kick him, it was insane to say the least. Mr. Hogan had picked his battle and had been victorious. In the few weeks to come I had also picked a battle, a very different battle, but a battle none the less. I had been praying that God would send me broken people to minister to, and without fail, they came. There were, addicts, alcoholics, cutters, burners, suicide risks, even a few homosexuals sprinkled on top, and they were heartbroken and felt like no one was listening. I was, and began to love on them. The only problem with that was that this particular church seemed to ignore them and to be honest, did not want these kinds of people in their safe and comfortable, snow globe of a church. So I chose my hill, and died on it... "He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds." -Psalm 147:3 I stuck it out as long as I could, even met with some of those broken people at a local laundromat and told them about a Savior that wouldn't ignore them and would be a hand over their wounds. Then God opened another door and I went through it. But those people truly changed my life and taught me more about ministry than any bible college ever could. In my last blog, I ended with 5 tips to become an effective minister or even an effective leader for that matter. Here is number 6: 6.) Sometimes you have to be willing to die on the hill.. As a leader you Have to pick battles in order to move forward. Over the years I have picked many battles, and died on many hills, but I have also seen many lives changed because of the ability to break out of the mold, and out of comfort zones. I've also learned that when you are fighting for the right causes and are willing to charge the hill, there will be someone crazy enough to believe you, follow you, and die on the hill right next to you. I think it was Max Lucado that says. "There is no problem in a church, that can't be fixed with more people." There is no such thing as a leader without followers, and you can't have followers, if you are not willing to choose a hill. If your cause is to reach the lost for Christ, than there is always a battle to fight. If you are a minister or leader and can't remember the last time you were willing to die on a hill or you look behind you and realize you have no followers, it may be time for the Hulkamaniac to run wild in you! "A cowardly leader is the most dangerous of men." βStephen King
