"Seven Questions with Dr. Henry Blackaby"

1. In a day where there seems to be little vision and leadership in the local church, what has been the key to your success as a leader?

1. Staying thoroughly in the Scriptures – for all things

2. Teaching—teaching—teaching!!!

3. A shepherds servant heart and life.

2. Current statistics show that pastors have a hard time of managing their time and therefore their devotional time suffers. Please share your method or habit of daily devotional time.

1. Time along with God – is priority #1, nothing interferes!

3. In your opinion, what is the key to a pastor developing relationships with their membership?

1. Do it! In their homes—in their workplaces

2. Keep a shepherd’s heart, not a CEO lifestyle.

4. Southern Baptists are involved in the “Everyone Can, I’m It” evangelism campaign. While serving as a pastor how would your church emphasis outreach and baptism

1. Evangelism is a spontaneous byproduct of discipleship

5. What is your greatest passion?

1. Christ!

-Col. 1:27, "God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

-Col 2:2-10, "I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding, and have the knowledge of God's mystery--Christ. In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the strength of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. For in Him the entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily, and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority."

-Col 3:1ff, "So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God."

6. If you could tell a person beginning a new pastorate one key to a successful ministry, what would that be?

1. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

2. Love God’s people as He does.

7. Many churches struggle because there is unresolved conflict in the church. What has been your method of maintaining peace or dealing with conflict?

The members’walk with God will determine their walk with one another.

-Gal. 6:2, "Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

-1 Cor. 12:12-31, "For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body--so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. So the body is not one part but many. If the foot should say, "Because I'm not a hand, I don't belong to the body," in spite of this it still belongs to the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body," in spite of this it still belongs to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? Now there are many parts, yet one body. So the eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" nor again the head to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, all the more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next, miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages? Do all interpret? But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way."

-1 Cor. 1:1-9, "Paul, called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will, and our brother Sosthenes: To God's church at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord--theirs and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God for you because of God's grace given to you in Christ Jesus, that by Him you were made rich in everything--in all speaking and all knowledge--as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Scripture is from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Dr. Henry Blackaby is the co-author of, "Experiencing God". Dr. Henry T. Blackaby is the founder and president emeritus of Blackaby Ministries International, an organization built to help people experience God. For more information on Dr. Blackaby visit his website or his daily devotional