Spiritual SWOT Analysis

By Mike Cox

Companies sometimes utilize a tool called SWOT analysis to assist in determining a strategy or to gain a better idea of the condition and/or the potential condition of the company. This tool can also be used to assist us in determining our spiritual condition. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

For our purposes we will evaluate our strengths from a spiritual standpoint. Have we grown spiritually year to year? What helped us to grow? How is our prayer life? Has that progressed, regressed, or maintained? How active are we in the work of the Lord? Whether it be in an assembly, taking care of the church building, taking advantage of the opportunities that may come our way to talk to someone about things pertaining to God. We can pose the same questions in relation to the weaknesses portion of the SWOT analysis. What are we doing to promote the cause of Christ? Can we do more, do we want/seek to do more?

What about our opportunities? What opportunities do we have to grow spiritually? We can think about what additional duties we might participate in. Are there opportunities to spend time encouraging others, primarily from a spiritual standpoint? (Galatians 6:2, Philippians 1:3-8) What about additional studies? Are there any opportunities to serve as a co-teacher or substitute?

What threats to our spirituality are there? Could it be our lack of growth? (Mark 4:19,20) Could it be the friends or other influences that surround us? Do we believe in the word of God and the promise of Heaven that awaits us if we are obedient? What level of desire to serve God do we have?

Sometimes analyzing where we stand and putting it in writing can help us visualize the condition of our spirituality. It can also help to us create a plan that will help us to grow. The planning can be easy, but the execution is often times difficult. Just as not every plan or strategy will work for every business or company, the same applies to each individual Christian. Our plans have to be such that it is fitting for us and one that we can achieve. Therefore, we must look at what we can do; we all may not be able to do the same things (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12). We also will have different weaknesses. In either case, we need to prepare ourselves to grow and to protect us from the snares of the devil. We can do this by putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) and evaluating the condition of the armor on a regular basis. If there is a crack in our armor (spiritual weakness) we need to fix that crack. Performing a SWOT analysis of our spirituality is one way that we can identify what we are doing a good job in and what we can improve on.

Star Wars

By Megan Berthold

As everyone was talking about resolutions in the New Year, I just couldn’t quit thinking about Star Wars. I am definitely a Star Wars fan, although this has not always been the case. I used to be one of those girls that would confuse Star Wars with Star Trek, not believing there was a difference. All that has changed now – I have seen the light (saber, of course). I can discuss with confidence the plots and characters and which episodes contain which events. What can I say? I’m a Mom of boys.

We recently saw Rogue One, the latest in the series. No spoilers here – promise! As we’re driving home, all discussing the movie, I became astutely aware of some similarities each movie share…more than each having the Death Star. And those similarities seem to translate easily to our walk as Christians. 

1 –  Rally Scenes. The comrades gather, a speech is given, hope is established, courage is restored, the forces are united to fight, the music swells and you get chills all over as they head to face their foe. In each of the rally scenes, there is a set goal, a definitive cause for which to fight, and they are willing to sacrifice for it. And although our lives certainly aren’t based on scripted plot lines, we are in a fight! Ephesians 6:11 tells us put on the full armor of God. Why? Verse 11 continues, “that you will be able stand firm against the wiles of the devil.” 

Are we willing to sacrifice for our fight? Am I willing to “sacrifice” fitting in to the culture around me, and dress modestly? To keep my thoughts and speech pure? To keep my eyes from the vulgar images about me (shields up we could say!)? If I believe in my “cause” as a Christian, I need to make sure my actions prove it. We need to listen to the “rally speeches” from the Word of God, firm up our courage, and resolve to go out and fight for the Lord, whatever the cost.

2 – Reinforcements. The good guys are being closed in upon, hope seems all but lost, and surrender or death appears imminent. But then, reinforcements come in and deliver the back-up needed and the day is saved. When plans are made, they are typically made as a team. Even when Luke flew to Dagobah to find and be trained by Yoda, he took R2D2 (see, I told you I know my Star Wars). Solo missions aren’t as safe, back-up is always a better plan.

The Lord knew we’d need reinforcements as Christians, and we’re blessed with the Church, with our fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are each other’s back-up, to encourage and lift one another up. First Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to “encourage one another and build up each other.” Hebrews 3:13 admonishes us to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” We need to ensure that we are “backing up” those around us, but also, be wise enough to know we don’t need to be flying solo.

3 – Good triumphs evil. It takes watching the Star Wars series in its entirety to see the full picture, but the “Force” does indeed overcome. And unlike movie cliffhangers, we know life’s ending. We know God has already won. Sin and death have been defeated. There won’t be any kooky plot twist, or alternate ending. The Lord has conquered, and we have been given the opportunity to be conquerors with Him. But we must do our part. We must put Him on in baptism, follow His Word, and live faithfully. 

So join with me in resolving to rally up our faith and zeal for the Lord, in being better reinforcements for our brothers and sisters in the Lord (and being willing to ask for help as well), and in reaffirming our trust in the Lord that He’s got this. No extra “force” required. 

Keeping Up Appearances

By Christy Ganchero

A few months ago, I made a big mistake in my grooming routine – I over-plucked my eyebrows. I am sure most of you didn’t notice (my husband didn’t!), but to me it was devastating. In a frenzy, I bought a bunch of eyebrow makeup and started applying home hair-growing remedies to my brows. For the first few weeks, I was paranoid that everyone would notice my flaw. I spent more and more time watching YouTube tutorials and applying makeup, to the point that I started arriving late to work. I didn’t realize how important my physical appearance was to me until I felt that I’d lost it.

Around week three of my eyebrow drama, I reread this passage:

“I desire then that in every place the men should pray… likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but what is proper for women who profess godliness – with good works” (1 Timothy 2:8-9).

I’ve read this passage countless times in my life, but I never felt convicted about Paul’s admonition to women until the eyebrow incident. You see, I had been taught that as long as you did enough “good works,” then you are allowed to braid your hair, wear gold, and buy costly attire. The physical manifestation did not matter as long as one’s heart was in the right place. However, the more I read this passage, the more I realize that the outer adornment of the physical body and our good works are inversely correlated. Meaning, the more that we focus on what we look like on the outside, the less we are able to adorn ourselves with good works.

Thinking about my situation, I could tell that my obsession with my appearance was affecting my priorities. I was arriving later to work, I was spending more money on makeup, and I was focusing my thoughts on my looks throughout the day. Do you know what suffered? My morning study time, which was cut short because I prolonged my makeup routine. My relationship with my coworkers, who had to pick up my slack at work. My focus during services, because I was thinking about others’ perceptions of me. All of these good works suffered because I was thinking about my appearance.

Am I suggesting that we should throw away our gold jewelry and makeup? Not necessarily, although it would be a small sacrifice for gaining Christ (Phil 3:7-8). Rather, we should actively look for ways that we can put aside physical adornments for spiritual ones. How long do you take to get ready in the morning? Consider ditching a morning habit so that you can pray more. Do you purchase makeup, accessories, or clothing that is unnecessary or costly? Maybe donate the money instead, or give your unneeded items to help those in need. Instead of devoting our time and resources to how others will see us, let us focus on how we see others and their needs, which will lead us to grow in good works. May God help you and me to become godly, humble women as we seek His kingdom.

The Patterns of Sin and Faith

By Tristan Ganchero

Like most people, I follow set patterns of behavior almost every day. I wake up around the same time, eat the same thing for breakfast, and drive the same route to work. There might be some days where everything in between waking up and sitting down at my desk at work is a blur of activity. On those days I might stop and ask myself, “How did I get here?” After some thought I’d be able to explain how I arrived at work or school because it’s the same thing I do every day.

What about when I find myself in sin? My first response to the question, “How did I get here,” might be, “I don’t know.” But sure enough, if I gave it some more thought, there would be a pattern of behavior that resulted in this sinful situation.

One such pattern is: Seeing, Desiring, Taking, and Hiding.

Consider three examples from the Old Testament: Eve (Gen. 3:6-8), Achan (Josh. 7:20-21), and David (2 Sam. 11:1-5).

Genesis 3:6-8  God told Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but Eve saw that the tree was good for food. She desired to be wise, took the tree’s fruit, ate, and gave some to her husband to eat as well. Then, they both hid from the presence of the LORD.

Joshua 7:20-21  God had told Israel that everything in Jericho was devoted to destruction, but when Achan saw the spoil, he desired (coveted) the spoil for its value. He took the spoil for himself, even though it belonged to the LORD, and then he hid the spoil inside his tent.

2 Samuel 11:1-5  During the time of year when kings went out to battle, David stayed home and saw Bathsheba bathing. He desired her beauty (this is implied in his actions), had his servants take her to him, and then spent the rest of the chapter trying to hide his adultery.

The consequences of their sins were serious: suffering, death, and more importantly, a broken relationship with their Creator. We will face the same consequences when we keep our eyes fixed on what we shouldn’t be seeing, desiring what we shouldn’t be desiring, taking what we shouldn’t be taking, and hiding from the LORD.

What’s the solution? If we realize that we are hiding from the LORD because of this pattern sin, then we need to step out of the darkness and into the light by repenting and confessing our sins (1 Jn. 1:6-9). Then, rather than engaging in the pattern of sin, we need to busy ourselves with the “pattern of faith”: We need to fix our eyes on Jesus and see Him as our King (Heb. 12:1-2). We need to desire Jesus for His wisdom, value, and beauty (Col. 2:3; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Is. 33:17). Finally, we need to take hold of the hope that we have in Him and hide (take refuge) in the shelter He provides (Heb. 6:17-18), never straying from the message of our great salvation, eagerly waiting until that Day when Jesus returns and reveals the glorious hope that the faithful have been longing for - eternal life with Him.

The Holidays

By Damien Tucker

The holidays. A time where we exchange memories, gifts, and food in celebration of the season. As many people are reminded, we have family out there – some of whom we want to see, some of whom we do not. For those that we do, we smile and embrace as we welcome them into our homes. However, for the ones we don’t, there is always an air of disappointment. It’s not only with the “In-Laws”, but also with family with whom we have fought verbally and have disagreed with. Yes, it is in every family and, yes, some of our conflicts with them have been drawn out for years. Despite having our differences, be they over minor issues or major, we are still family. All such things should be set aside during this time, as the purpose of this time is not to be reminded of why we may not agree or see eye to eye. Rather, it is for us to come together and embrace what it means to be family.

As we are told in 1 Peter 2:1, things like malice and contempt are to be put aside when we are dealing with anyone in our life. In regards to our spiritual family, we are further called to reconcile our differences with one another before we gather together. “Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matt. 5:24) This scripture is not only calling us to make peace with our brethren, but to prioritize it over even worship to God. You cannot worship Him excellently if these things beseech your mind and cloud your thoughts. This means we must bear with one another, in accordance with Colossians 3:13, and forgive each other of our transgressions against one another.

It is also wrong for us as Christians, as well as being out of holy character, to hold grudges against our blood brethren. We are called to be like God, always willing to forgive. From this, you can say, as Christians, we are called to be different from the world. Unlike others, who hold on to their anger and scorn, we are commanded by God to let go of such feelings, no matter what the circumstances are or how it has affected you, because God has done the exact same for us.

Therefore, this holiday season, I implore you to emulate Christ and put aside the personal differences you may have among your spiritual and physical families. Eat, exchange gifts, and be merry, for all we have has been given to us by the Lord.