Barnabas File

Missional or Attractional?

2012-01-25T09:47:00.000-06:00

Choir at Olive Branch Fellowship, MS

When those who care talk about church growth anddevelopment today, two terms are tossed around—“missional” and “attractional.” In very simple terms, a missional church isone that understands that it exists to be part of the mission of God and that asignificant part of that mission is outward focused. In fact, sometimes the term “externallyfocused” is used for this approach. Thisis the “go and tell” emphasis. The attractional church is concerned about whatgoes on within its walls or within the faith community and seeks ways to bringpeople in or attract them to the church meetings. This is the “come and hear” emphasis.

Traditional church growth efforts have tended to be aboutattracting the unchurched through special events, unique ministries, andquality worship. In recent years, themissional orientation has arisen as a corrective to this methodology bychallenging Christians to look outside their fellowship and be on mission forGod. Usually these two are juxtaposedto one another and the dichotomy is emphasized. Perhaps the healthier attitude is “both/and” rather than “either/or.”

Churches do want people to come to regular times ofworship, nurture, and fellowship. Thisis focus of Hebrews 10:25—worshipping, equipping, and encouraging oneanother. On the other hand, if we are tobe the salt and light that Jesus called us to be (Matthew 5:13-16), believersmust be present and active in the world.

Writers like Findley Edge and Eddie Hammett introduced meto the terminology of “the gathered and scattered church,” but this seems to bethe way that the people of God functioned in the New Testament. They went about their daily business, sharingtheir witness through their lives and helping others. Sometimes the “scattering” was involuntary asthey suffered persecution. No matterwhat they did in the world or where they found themselves, they always madegathering for worship, prayer, and encouragement a priority and they invitedthose that they encountered in their daily walk to join in their fellowship.

An over-emphasis on one or the other is unhealthy. We have often seen some version of this signin churches: “Gather to worship; departto serve.” This is still the Kingdomway.

Unified But Not Uniform

2012-01-22T17:29:00.002-06:00

In the current issue of Outreach Magazine, Pastor BobbyGruenewald of LifeChurch.tv suggests four themes in the future of thechurch. One of the themes he identifiesis, “The church of the future will become more unified.” Gruenewald believes that as the church of the21^st century realizes that there are many other belief systems and philosophiesthat offer various paths to God, Christians will come together around thelordship of Christ and become “more like the church Jesus started.”

I might argue that Jesus really started a movement not achurch, but I understand what Gruenewald is saying and agree with the sentiment. Followers of Christ, no matter what theirbackgrounds, should be able to find their commonalities as they address theneeds of the world. This can only be agood thing. Making a commitment to overlookthe secondary differences that divide us and find ways to work together inmission and ministry can only bless the Kingdom of God. However, if Gruenewald thinks that this willmean we will more uniform in the way we do church, he is missing the real pointof unity.

We are too far down the path of contextualized ministryto expect everyone to do things the same way. If anything, we have learned that by sharing the gospel in manydifferent ways, we can reach many more people for God. Although each person has a common need forGod, the way in which God speaks to that person is unique. Believers are called to join with others inworship and ministry, but this can still lead to a great deal of diversity inpractice and belief among worshipping communities.

As Christians learn to work together, they build up andencourage one another. This isespecially true when we share our various experiences and learn from oneanother. There are several blessingsthat will come as we learn to respect one another’s differences even as we findnew ways to work together.

First, we will develop a greater appreciation of the richworship experiences practiced by those of different ethnic backgrounds. These experiences embody the struggles andvictories of God’s people down through the ages.

Second, we will come to see that those of a differenteconomic background will perceive God’s action in the world in a variety ofways. This provides a differenttheological lens by which to interpret scripture.

Third, we will recognize that as Christians from variouscultures work to reform their societies, they often adopt methodologies thatmay seem strange to us, but we will also find that we can learn some lessonsfrom their strategies.

Fourth, we will understand that in the global church eachtradition has something to offer that enriches the whole Body of Christ. We will come to really understand that the churchis more than the sum of its individual parts.

Although we are called to serve the same God, we bringour own unique experiences to that service. Effective service in the Kingdom of God is based on faithfulness notconformity. We can learn much from oneanother.

“I Have Sinned”

2012-01-18T14:22:00.000-06:00

According to an Associated Press story, Kansas HouseSpeaker Mike O’Neal has apologized for an e-mail he sent earlier thismonth where he quoted Psalm 109:8 in reference to President Obama: “May his days be few; may another take hisplace of leadership.” The next verse (which he did not quote) says, “May hischildren be fatherless and his wife a widow.”

O’Neal apologized last week, saying he did notintend to offend anyone. He said the Bible verse was meant to call for Obama tobe defeated in the upcoming election. His response included this statement: “Iunderstand the debate over the verse interpretation, about which I haveexplained and for which I have repeatedly apologized to the extent anyonemisconstrued my intent or was otherwise offended.”

SpeakerO’Neal has adopted what has become the response when one commits an error. Basically the speaker is saying, “If you wereoffended by what I said, I am sorry that you interpreted what I said in such away that you offended.” In other words,the problem is not with the one who committed the offense but the one who wasoffended.

Althoughhis original statement was inappropriate and offensive in itself, O’Neal is ingood company in the way that he phrased his “apology.” How many public leaders, celebrities, andchurch leaders have we heard say the same thing—putting the problem on the onewho challenged the offender’s actions rather than taking responsibility for thoseactions?

WhenDavid took Bathsheba for himself and then orchestrated the death of herhusband, the prophet Nathan confronted him with his sin. The King’s response? “Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”(2 Samuel 12:13) David did not say, “Nathan,if my actions have offended you, I’m sorry.” He acknowledged his grievous mistakes and owned the burden of hissin. Further study will indicate thatthis is not the only time that David acknowledged when he did wrong in thesight of God. He embraced his sinfulhumanity and sought God’s forgiveness more than once.

Whether the crime is murder or calling for another's death, the one who pursues either has made an error. Itis never easy for anyone to say, “I’m sorry for my sin,” or “I made a mistake.” This is especially difficult for a leader. But the inability to acknowledge one’s errorsin judgment or morality will always be a burden to the person who will notaccept personal responsibility. Admittinga mistake is painful but it is the first step in reestablishing one’scredibility.

Knowing When to Change

2012-01-17T18:01:00.000-06:00

In Great by Choice, Jim Collins and Morten Hansen makethis observation:

“Conventional wisdom says that change is hard. But if change is so difficult, why do we seemore evidence of radical change in the less successful comparison cases [in theresearch study]? Because change is not the most difficult part. Far more difficult than implementing changeis figuring out what works, understanding why it works, grasping when tochange, and knowing when not to.”

This is a significant finding and one that those of us inthe church should reflect on! We realizethat change is necessary at times, especially if something is no longereffective. Too often we spend timepropping up things that no one really wants to support. But if something is basically sound,productive, and has a committed core of support, we should not rush to changeit.

A pastor friend once proposed that his church ceaseSunday night services because only a few people showed up and the servicerequired several hours of staff preparation each week. He had a visit from a delegation of upsetchurch members urging that the service continue. He asked the group, “Will you come regularlyif we continue this service?” The consensusreply was, “We can’t make that kind of commitment.” The pastor then asked, “Then why should we dothis service?” One person summed up thegroup’s attitude:”Well, we just want to know that it’s there if we decide tocome.”

We don’t need to continue those things that have outlivedtheir usefulness and in which people are no longer invested. This is not a matter of numbers but ofeffectiveness. There are things that aregoing well in our churches and some that would go even better if we tweakedthem a bit. Adjustments in time,leadership, format, or preparation could make a great difference.

Perhaps the key question is, “Is this building up thekingdom of God?” If the answer is “No,”it is time to change. If the answer is “Yes,”let’s get on with it and do it well.

Serve to Lead

2012-01-12T11:15:00.001-06:00

In his commentary The EarlyChristians Letters for Everyone, N. T. Wright provides a wonderful insight onwhat it means to be a servant leader. His comment is based on these verses:

“Ihave a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it's like to be aleader, in on Christ's sufferings as well as the coming glory. Here's myconcern: that you care for God's flock with all the diligence of a shepherd.Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculatingwhat you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously. Not bossily tellingothers what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.” (1 Peter 5:1-3, The Message)

Wrightpoints out that such leadership is not based on knowledge but practice. He says, “I would rather belong to a group ora fellowship where the ‘leader’ had no idea about ‘leadership,’ but wasout-and-out committed to God and to the gospel, than one where the person incharge had done three or four courses on ‘leadership’ but found it left littletime for studying scripture and for praying.”

Thepoint is that real leadership comes out of the practices of one’s life—both internaland external. The best leader doesn’tthink so much about what to do but who he or she is becoming in relation to God. This requires taking the time to gain theeternal perspective, patience, and insight provided by spiritual practices. Asa result, the leader is prepared to do what is necessary to serve others. The “doing” comes out of the “being.”

Inthe course I teach for Central Seminary entitled “Formation for ChristianMinistry,” we probably spend more time on spiritual practices than on thetechniques of being a minister. We learnabout spiritual disciplines, keep a journal, and learn to reflect on where ourstories intersect with the story of God. We also do some personality inventories that help us to understand ournatural tendencies in work, communication, and interaction with others, but Ihope we always interpret the resulting insights through the lens of what itmeans to be a fully committed follower of Christ. As we know who we are in relation to God, webecome people God can use. I agree with Wright (and Peter) that this isthe path to true leadership.

Becoming an Organic Church

2012-01-11T18:00:00.001-06:00

In discussing church development, we often categorizechurches by size. The most commontaxonomy is Family size (1 to 50 participants); Pastoral size (51 to 150participants); Program size (151 to 350); and Corporation size (351 plus). Now this may seem a little artificial andthere are other ways of addressing church size especially in relation totransition, but such categories are useful tools in considering how churches goabout organizing themselves and functioning as they grow in number ofparticipants.

We often think about the barriers that churches encounter asthey move from one size or stage to another. One of the most difficult transitions takes place when the church movesfor the pastoral to the program stage. In the pastoral stage, everything generally flows through one person—thepastor. This does not mean that thepastor makes all the decisions, but he or she is usually the nexus of thecommunity with lay or part-time staff members leading the church activities andministries. In the program model, thereis an amalgam of groups, activities, etc., with leadership provided more byfull-time paid staff or empowered lay members. The pastor becomes the “up front” person and coordinator of all thesefunctions.

A friend and I were discussing the transition from apastoral size congregation to one with more diverse leadership andministries. Neither of us was verysatisfied with the “program” label since we both agree with Reggie McNeal’sidea that a missional church leaves behind program development and concentrateson people development. We started talkingin terms of an “organic” stage. (I know that there are those who have anorganic approach to church starting and development which emphasizes agrass-roots effort to reach non-believers, disciple them, and grow them intochurch leaders. We are not talking aboutthat concept.)

We are talking about the church that is ready to grow beyondthe pastor stage, develop the systems necessary for healthy church functioning,and then allowing them to work. Theidea, of course, comes from the human body with its various systems—the digestivesystem, the respiratory system, the circulatory system, the nervous system, thereproductive system, the skeletal system, etc. The church has various systems as well—the worship/praisesystem, the pastoral care system, Christian formation/nurture system, theoutreach system, the assimilation system, the social ministry system, themanagement system, and so forth. I am not interested in providing analogiesbetween these various systems and those of the human body. I will leave that task to others. The point I make here is that a growing churchis made up of a number of interdependent systems just as a healthy body is madeup of various interdependent systems.

In a healthy body as in a healthy church, each system has apurpose. Just as Paul wrote about theimportance of each part of the body (1 Corinthians 12), each system in thehuman body carries out its specific function--providing locomotion, oxygen, resourcesfor cell replacement, or energy. In the church each system carries out anecessary function like member assimilation or drawing members closer to Godthrough worship.

In the body, systems are expected to work together andcomplement one another. Paul also writesof the interdependence of the parts of the body. In a healthy human body, there are majorproblems when systems do not work with each other. Lack of coordination of the bodily systemscan lead to death!

One of the interesting things about systems both in the bodyand in the church is that we rarely think of them or even notice them when theyare functioning properly. When was thelast time you stopped and thought about breathing (although you will now that Imentioned it) or digestion (unless you have a stomach ache)? The same is true of the church. Most of us expect the doors to be opened onSunday morning, the lights on, the choir or praise band in place, a planned timefor worship, and a good biblical message. When we refer someone to the pastor for counseling or to the appropriatestaff member for a particular need, we expect that ministry to beavailable. We don’t think about thesevarious components unless something misfires.

Realistically, we realize that a healthy body and a healthychurch don’t just happen. Human bodiesonly grow if they function properly by getting the care and resources theyneed. The same is true for churches;they require intentional care and ample resources to move from the pastorallevel to the organic level. Wheneverything works together, the church is a wonderful thing!

So, what’s a good alternative name for the corporationchurch? I will be thinking about thatone.

What Ever Happened to . . .?

2012-01-08T17:05:00.000-06:00

I cannot remember when I last used a Kodak product. On theoccasions when I get photos printed from a memory stick at the local drug store(which seems less and less frequently), I have found that they do not use Kodakphotographic paper but a Japanese product. Even so, it came as something of a surprise when I heard the NationalPublic Radio story stating that the Eastman Kodak Company was selling off itspatents to produce revenue and was contemplating Chapter 11 bankruptcy filling.

The 131- year-old company was such an American icon that itgave us a phrase that we have all used—“This is a Kodak moment.” I can remember when my folks bought me asimple Kodak black and white camera for me when I was in elementary school so Ican take pictures of family and friends. I moved on to an 8 millimeter Kodak movie camera and created my ownmasterpieces. I used Kodak film to take35 mm slides while I was in Vietnam and still have a dozen metal casescontaining hundreds of those little pasteboard squares emblazoned with theKodak logo. But things changed.

The company faced significant changes in the marketplace--Instantphotography, cut rate film from Japan, digital photography—and failed torespond or adapt to these challenges. Was it hubris, bad choices, or ignorancethat did the photographic giant in? Perhaps a combination of all three and more.

Many commentators are asking if the Kodak debacle might havelessons for the church. Will people wakeup one day and realize that they can’t remember the last time they have walkedinto a church and it has not really made any difference to them? Will those of us who love the church come torealize that we are no longer connected to the real needs of the world aroundus? Is there a danger that we may cometo the point that we think that what we do is indispensable and that there willalways be a “market” for the Christian faith, so why change?

I won’t try to answer those questions, but they do give mereason to stop and reflect.

A New Approach to Church Development

2012-01-08T14:04:00.000-06:00

Overthe last 50 years, a number of consulting firms have emerged with a primaryfocus on church development. Organizationsemphasizing capital development (fund-raising) were in the vanguard, but manyothers have emerged, especially as denominations have down-sized the servicesoffered to local congregations. Thesenew groups offer strategic planning support, conflict management, searchcommittee orientation, leadership training and other services to churches,judicatories and faith-based organizations.

Manyof these consulting firms have not only taken the place of denominationalentities, but they have generally adopted the programs and processes of thosedenominational entities. In other words, they are simply building on andrepackaging old techniques. Although providingworthwhile services, they have remained mired in the old denominational mindsetof bigger is better. They have generallyadopted an organizational, mechanistic approach to church development.

A new type of church consulting firm has emerged in the last twentyyears. This type of firm recognizes theimportance of personal development, spiritual formation, and relationships inchurch development. Very often theirleaders have come out of a counseling and pastoral care background. They would tend to agree with the idea atthe heart of Patrick Lencioni’s book Getting Naked: A Business Fable about Shedding the Three FearsThat Sabotage Client Loyalty. Hecontends that relationships are at the core of effective consulting and that themost effective consultant is one who adopts an approach of vulnerability andhumility. This person recognizes that heor she has as much to learn as they have to teach.

Thisnew type of church consultant has adopted a relational model of churchdevelopment. This approach is seen inthe way that this consultant operates. He or she seeks to facilitatecommunication among leaders, congregational members, and God. One approach used to facilitate such communicationis appreciative inquiry—encouraging the telling of stories and experiences sothat people can identify commonalities, strengths, and successes.

Anotherpart of this consultant’s work is to lead a congregation in spiritualdiscernment. This requires taking thetime to listen to one another and for the voice of God through prayer,reflection, and worship. In addition, the consultant recognizes the value ofdeveloping groups to not only identify what needs to be done but to provideaccountability.

Therelational consultant may employ coaching techniques to develop leaders or toassist groups to follow through on their decisions. As in any coaching relationship, the coachingconsultant realizes that he or she does not have the answers, the client orclients do. The consultant providesdirection, insight, and action by asking good questions.

Veryoften the relational consultant helps client churches and organizations topursue strategic capability rather than strategic planning. Strategic or long-range planning takes a lotof time. Once it is done, the church is often too tired to pursue the plan or itfinds that the context has changed in such a way as to make the planobsolete. The relational consultanthelps the church to discover what it does best and to marshal all the resourcesto pursue those opportunities.

Somewill dismiss this approach as too “touchy feely,” but the relational consultantknows that he or she is in the people development business. Programs come and go, but empowered peoplekeep on making a difference.

Time for a Change in Organizational Life?

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

I once worked with an associate who said that whenever Iwalked into his office with a certain smile on my face his first thought was, “I am about to be stretched again.” Flexing our physical, mental, and spiritualmuscles to reach that which is just beyond easy grasp requires that we intentionallyinvite change into our lives. Somecoaches encourage clients to adopt “stretch goals” that are a little beyondtheir reach and will call for focused personal development. How does this apply to organizations andchurches?

My experience is that most pastors inherently have this “stretchreflex.” All entrepreneurs do. Bytheir very nature, these leaders see the potential in their church members individuallyand collectively. They also see theneeds of the community and the world. Therefore, pastors instinctively want to stretch their people in newdirections. This is change and often means pain!

Leaders of other organizations recognize that the climate inwhich they work is in a constant state of flux and they will either change ordie. A little pain is the cost not onlyof survival but of success.

Change happens when someone acknowledges that there is a cleargap between reality and vision--where we are now and where we want to be. A stretched rubber band is a good analogy. If you loop a rubber band around your two hands and then begin to move them apart, youwill feel some tension. To apply this to the work of a visionary leader, theleader provides just enough tension to create some discomfort without snappingthe rubber band. This requires knowingboth the quality of the material and how fair it will stretch. If we go too far there is a problem and weloose the whole thing.

If you say this is more of an art than a science, I wouldcertainly agree. It is one thing to “casta vision” or work with a church or organizational team to develop a visionstatement. It is quite another thing tocreate the tension that moves the congregation or organization into the changethat has been envisioned.

Casting vision is one way to encourage congregational ororganizational change, but this process usually only happens after thecongregation or organization has already become aware of the need forchange. This may come as the result ofseeing what others are doing, membership decline, change within the communitysurrounding the church, differing priorities among the leaders of theorganization, or conflict within the congregation. Occasionally, the impetus to change comesfrom a growing awareness of the biblical mandate to ministry in the name ofJesus to an underserved people group, to refocus from internal needs toexternal needs, or to shift from program development to people development.

Whatever the cause, an awareness develops that not only canwe be more as individuals in our service to God but that we can do more for theKingdom of God if we are willing to take the risks, experience the tension, andmake sacrifices required. When thishappens, it is time to either change or die.

Time for a Change in My Personal Life?

2012-01-03T13:50:00.000-06:00

A friend once said, “The only one who wants change is awet baby.” From personal experience, Iknow that is not true. A pre-pottytrained child would often rather run around with a full diaper than have itchanged! I think it is safe to say thatfew of us really desire change, not matter what our age.

Sometimes change is thrust upon us, but very often wehave control over whether we will change or “make a change” or not. So how do you know then it is time forchange? Let me address first personalchange and, in the next blog, organizational change. What are some signs that we need to makechanges in our lives?

Perhaps the most common motivation for change is fear.Some would question that this is an effective motivator, but fear of loss orimpending death can be very motivational even if negative in nature. When a person is told by his or her physicianthat some life style changes are in order to avoid incapacity or death, onlythe foolish person will ignore such advice. If one finds himself or herself in a situation that threatens bodily oremotional harm for self or others, change is mandatory. Infact, if we know that minors are in danger of physical or sexual abuse, we arecompelled by law to take action.

Another reason for change is personal discomfort. If our circumstances are such that we areuncomfortable to the point of not being able to function properly, we areusually motivated to make change. Thismay come as the result of participation in a workplace setting, a personalrelationship, or a group, but when we dread facing a particular person orsituation and we cannot resolve our discomfort, we must consider some type ofchange as an option.

On a more positive level, we might seek change as part ofa vision for a better future for ourselves or others. Parents often grieve over their children leavinghome to go to college, enter the military, or take a job in another city andyoung adult children may feel some of that apprehension as well, but both facethis change as part of the “leaving the nest” process that will hopefully ledthe child into a place of independence in society. From these momentary sacrifices anddiscomfort one expects to see some reward.

Another positive motivator of change is an awareness thatone’s gifts and skills might be used more effectively in anothersituation. Even if one is relativelycomfortable in the present place of service or employment, he or she may cometo realize that there is a situation that needs what the individual has tooffer. This assumes, of course, that aperson is sufficiently self-aware to know what they do best.

The good news is that there are people who can help usthrough these changes. They may befriends, family, and colleagues who do so on an informal basis. We can also call on professionals likeministers, physicians, counselors, and coaches to assist as we walk throughlife changes.

Whatever the impetus for change, it is a necessary partof our lives.

What Motivates Baptists to Work Together?

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

When I was a Baptist campus minister, I often attended meetings wherespeakers said, “Missions is what holds Southern Baptists together.” Missions was proclaimed as the primarymotivator for working together and some would even proclaim that SouthernBaptist missions was “God's Last and Only Hope” (the title of abook by Bill Leonard) to “save the world.”

Historically,missions has been a great motivator for Baptists. The Southern Baptist Convention was born outof disagreement over who could be a denominationally supported missionary;missions was more important than one’s views on owning slaves. “Save the missionaries” was the rallying callfor the creation of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. In churches where people disagree about everythingfrom the style of worship to the color of the carpet, missions support has beena key unifying factor.

Iam not sure this is still the case. Whenchurch members have the freedom to choose where their mission dollars will go,the choice may tend to divide rather than unite. Which group will provide our missionspeakers? What mission curriculum willwe use? Who will our church partner withto do mission trips? In recent years,churches that once gave a tenth of their budgets to cooperative missionendeavors have both cut that amount and decided to use mission dollars forprojects that the church controls. Members have taken note and exercise more control over where their contributionsgo, often supporting causes with no denominational affiliation.

Soif missions no longer motivate us to work together, what does? Although we say that Baptists agree on soulcompetency, priesthood of all believers, separation of church and state, andBible freedom, I think we all know this depends on which Baptist you happen tobe talking to at the moment. As onefriend commented recently, “It seems to me that the challenge is that whatidentifies us as Baptists . . . doesn’t do a lot for others. Most of those we would like to reach couldcare less about these [things].” Orthodoxy—right belief-- no longer seems to be a motivator.

Sowhat is the alternative? Perhaps it isorthopraxy—right practice. On my bestdays, I think that Robert Parham of ethicsdaily.com may have the best idea,calling together “Good will Baptists” who can unite around Luke 4:18-21:

“The Spirit of theLord is on me,
   because he has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
   and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’sfavor.”  Then he rolled up the scroll, gave itback to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue werefastened on him.  Hebegan by saying to them, “Todaythis scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

In other words, perhaps we can be motivated to work together bythe mission that Jesus claimed for himself and, by implication, hischurch. In using this passage inconnection with the New Baptist Covenant meetings, leaders were trying to findcommon ground for all Baptists, but these words are appropriate not just for Baptistsbut for all Christians. And that may notbe a bad thing.

So what holds Baptists together? What do you think?

Looking in Two Directions

2012-01-01T14:35:00.001-06:00

Our preacher this morning pointedout that in ancient Roman mythology Janus is the god of beginnings andtransitions. He is usually depictedas a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past; therefore, thefirst month of the year is named January. This is a time when we reflect on the past year by producing top tenlists of the “best of” while setting goals and making resolutions for thecoming year.

During 2011, I had plenty of opportunities toreflect on the past as I attended funerals of friends and colleagues who havemeant a great deal in my life. Althoughthere is always much to celebrate in the lives of these individuals, funeralsare also times of nostalgia, seeing old friends, and thinking about bothblessings and opportunities missed.

Looking forward is an opportunity to considerpossibility and promise. I find that Ido this as I watch my grandchildren grow, learn, and encounter newexperiences. I often wonder how theworld they live in will differ not only from the one in which I grew tomaturity, but the world of today. I alsoreflect on the future as I work with seminary students. Whether they are mature learners or youngadults, I am inspired by the potential that I see in them for ministry.

This year Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is lookingin two directions. CBF will continue tocelebrate its past—twenty years of existence—and take at least two significantsteps into the future. At the GeneralAssembly in Fort Worth in June, participants will receive the report of the 2012Task Force that will recommend how the Fellowship will function in comingyears. Most observers also expect that someoneto succeed Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal will be selected by thattime. As a person who invested over tenyears in the work of the Fellowship as coordinator of the Tennessee CooperativeBaptist Fellowship, I feel that I have a stack both in the past and in thefuture of CBF.

The Fellowship stands at a defining point. As much as we value what has happened in thelast twenty years, the successes of the past make little difference in meeting thechallenges of today and tomorrow. So welook back and celebrate the past, but we open our eyes to present realities andpray for wisdom to address the needs of the churches and the world in effectiveand meaningful ways.

As the preacher pointed out this morning, thereis joy in anticipation and in seeking, but this means that we must let go ofthe familiar in the process. That isboth exhilarating and scary!

The Journey that Never Ends

2012-01-01T10:33:00.000-06:00

Onceupon a time a person found a job (or position, if you wish) in a particularcompany and stayed in that system (hopefully with some promotions) for fortyplus years then retired. I think it ispretty evident that is no longer the reality in which we live. Most peoplechange not only their jobs but their careers several times in their lifespan,and the frequency of this is increasing.

The number of career changes one can expect is unclear andsome of this is based on definitions but the figures generally range from three andseven times in one’s lifespan. By mypersonal estimate, I have had five careers—U.S. Army officer, campus minister(in three locations), denominational administrator (in two different settings),educator, and life coach. Granted that Iwould consider most of these under the overall theme of Christian ministry, theresponsibilities, preparation, knowledge, and skills for each is different enough to classify each of these as different “careers.”

I think that the average person can expect to have anumber of jobs and/or vocations in the 21^st century. Even if you have the same position (which isunlikely), your responsibilities will change with the needs of the organizationand your developing abilities.

The challenge of the 21^st century is thatmost of the careers or positions available now did not exist even ten yearsago. Some of the titles of new positionsassembled by Fast Company magazine are interesting and exotic. Here are somesamples: Director of Emerging Thought, Chief Imagination Officer, Visual Executive Officer (VEO), Minister ofEnlightenment, Insight and Futuring Manager, and Chief Academic Officer (of a business). Social media consultant Randy Schrum offersthe following: Social Media Consultant and Services, Google Listings and Mobile WebRanking Services, and Online Reputation Management Services.

Of course, most positions will not be asunusual as these, but there are some interesting new positions in fields weencounter daily that are created as various disciplines intersect. For example,in health care there are positions that link statistics with health, biological studies, and pharmaceutical research. There are career counselors that workespecially with people who have disabilities. Physicians, physicists, and engineers are working together in new waysthat are sure to produce new job specialties.

Even in the church, we can expect to see somecreative expressions of ministry both within and outside the local church. Many ministers with an entrepreneurial spiritare developing new combinations that link social service, worship, counselingand Christian formation.

How does one prepare for this dynamic future? No matter what happens, I believe that thereare certain skills that will serve a person well as they adapt to career change.

First, each of us should cultivate our communicationskills, both written and oral. Grantedthat much of the Internet culture is based on images and texting has setaccurate spelling back a hundred years, the ability to put togetherunderstandable sentences and paragraphs to convey ideas is stillimportant.

Second, the greatest challenge that many face todayis to develop and practice good relational skills. This should be attributed entirely to theInternet and the online gaming culture. Too often organizations have adopted a “silo” approach that has isolatedpeople and made them experts in their own areas with little need forothers. Even introverts can and mustlearn to work well with others.

Third, a person needs to be able not only to readbut to comprehend, analyze, and apply. Books are plentiful and written material is readily available on theInternet, but one must be able not only to read the material but to determineits accuracy and usefulness. Justbecause it is in print does not make it a fact. No matter what your job, the ability to understand and critique writtenmaterial will be vital in an age of information overload.

Fourth, everyone needs some basic organizationalskills. I will admit that this does notcome naturally to some people, but being able to pay one’s bills, find importantpapers and keep appointments makes life easier! Perhaps the most important of these organizational skills is personaltime management—learning to put time into those things that are reallyimportant to our overall health and happiness.

Fifth, although some will not want to hear this, aperson will find it difficult to function in today’s society without somedigital skills. Using computers, Smartphones,and Internet-connected devices comes easier to some of us than to others, butif one fails to learn at least some basic skills in using these tools, he orshe will have a difficult time pursuing any profession.

Although the job situation will continue to evolve, theperson who identifies his or her abilities, develops appropriate skills, andpersists in the search will be able to find useful and remunerative work . . .or create their own!

Charles M. Roselle

2011-12-29T11:47:00.002-06:00

In the spring of 1970 I got on a plane in Nashville to return to FortWorth after an interview for a position as director of Baptist studentministries at Middle Tennessee State University. I was in my last year of seminary with a wife, small daughter, and a baby on the way. I had a good visit in Murfreesboro and was impressedby Glenn Yarbrough, the state director of student work for Tennessee, who hadinvited me to consider the position, and the local committee. As I boarded the plane, I recognized CharlesRoselle, the director of National Student Ministries at the Baptist SundaySchool Board. I had met Charlie once, soI went over and reintroduced myself and asked if I could sit with him. Charliewas not only the director of NSM, but he was the former director of studentwork in Tennessee (and I could not imagine that I would hold that Tennessee position one day!). On the way back toLove Field, I “bent his ear” and learned what I could about MTSU and studentwork in Tennessee. As I made the decisionto accept the position In Tennessee, I considered my time with Charlie aprovidential affirmation to pursue this opportunity. I thought about this encounter when I learned that Charles had died on Wednesday.

I liked Charles Roselle. He had the good sense to not only accept the veterans who flooded thecampuses after World War II as leaders, he also encouraged them. Charles had a warm, accepting style that madehim a good BSU director and a great mentor for college students. His charm and communication skills made him asuccess as state director in Tennessee. Mostof all, I appreciated the fact that Charlie knew himself—his strengths andwhere he needed help. Whenever I thinkof Roselle, I think of Ed Rollins. Charlie was a great people person and was in his element meeting withstate directors, denominational leaders, and agency heads. He brought Rollins to NSM to run the day today operations. Charlie was “Mr. Outside”and Ed was “Mr. Inside.” They were awell matched team that trusted and supported one another.

As a new student director, I admired Charles Roselle becausehe was not only the leader of National Student Ministries but he was a personwho had “paid his dues” as a local director and a state director. He had the good sense to know that he couldnot “tell” state directors of student work what to do; he encouraged andpersuaded them to work on cooperative projects for the common good. When you talked with him about working withpastors and local committees, you knew that he understood the territory. As I had the opportunity to do some specialassignments for NSM, I came to admire his vision and his politicalastuteness. I also admired Charlie as ahusband, father, and church leader. Heset a good example for me in all three areas.

After his retirement, I had the opportunity to work with Charlie, Ed Rollins, Joe Webb, and Tom Logue in setting up the BCM/BSU Advancement Fund to benefit collegiate ministry in newer conventions. Spending time with those guys was always a highlight in my schedule. They enjoyed teasing each other and reminiscing about the ministry they loved.

In the last several years, I have only seen Charlie a few oftimes, but he continued to be alert and expressed interest in me, my work, andmy family. He leaves a great legacy.

Thank you, Charles Roselle, for a life well lived.

A Strange Way to Save the World

2011-12-22T18:01:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, my wife,our daughter, and I were returning from the memorial service for a friend ineast Tennessee. Stephanie, our daughter,was providing our music from Pandora on her iPhone. A song came up that I had probably heardbefore, but the words suddenly got my attention. “A Strange Way to Save the World” is writtenfrom Joseph’s perspective and points out the incongruity of the birth of theSavior in Bethlehem. Joseph voices hiswonder at the strange way that God has chosen to work. Imagine, God was placing the plan for thesalvation of the world in the hands of a teenage girl and a village craftsman!

The song reminds me that our Godworks in unusual and paradoxical ways more times than we imagine. So many of us are obsessed with planning andcontrol that we rarely leave time and space for God to intervene in our lives. Is this because we do not really believe thatGod might break through the ordinary, mundane things of life? Are we so satisfied with the way that we aredoing things that we don’t think that God can improve on our plans?

As I reflect on my own spiritualwalk, the challenge for me is to be more open to the intervention of the Spiritof God into my life. I am sure thatthere are many times that I have missed a blessing that God had for me becauseI was too organized, busy, or self-assured. I need to leave more space for the Spirit to step in and surprise me!

The lesson of Bethlehem is thatGod works in simple ways that sometimes seem foolish to us but accomplish God’spurposes. As the writer of Job noted, “God’s voicethunders in marvelous ways; God does greatthings beyond our understanding.” (Job 37:5)

As it was then, so should it be today.

In the Name of Jesus

2011-12-12T13:50:00.001-06:00

A friend recently shared with me a book writtenabout 20 years ago by Henri Nouwen entitled In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. Nouwen was one of the most prolific andpopular spiritual writers of the latter 20^th century. He wrote more than 40 books and taught atNotre Dame, as well as at Yale and Harvard. For the 10 years before his deathin 1996, he was part of the L Arche Daybreak community in Toronto, sharing lifewith people with developmental disabilities.

After his move to this community, Nouwen was askedto address a group of clergy on the subject of leadership. This little book contains the material hepresented as part of that assignment. The underlying theme for Nouwen was the lessons he had learned in movingfrom a high-profile academic setting to a chaplaincy role among “the least ofthese.”

Using the biblical passages on the temptation ofChrist (Matthew 4:1-11) and Peter’s callto be a shepherd of God’s people (John 21:15-19), Nouwen identified the three temptationsof contemporary Christian leadership, the appropriate response to each, and thespiritual discipline that empowers each the response.

The first temptation is to be relevant. Byrelevance, he refers to the tendency of many of us today to depend on thefindings of sociology, psychology, anthropology, and other disciplines to thepoint that we say, “We can take care of ourselves. We don’t need God.” The response to this is a call to answerJesus’ question, “Do you love me?” If wedo, we will depend on power in God and not ourselves. Nouwen states, “Many Christian empire buildershave been people unable to give and receive love.” The spiritual discipline undergirdingthe way of love is contemplative prayer in which we look to God forunderstanding, acceptance, and guidance.

The second temptation is to be spectacular orpopular. This is the temptation topursue individualism at the sake of true community. The response is the task to “feed my sheep.” We must acknowledge that we need one anotherand support one another on the Christian journey. A true servant leader understands that he orshe needs the people as much as they need the leader. The spiritual disciplines involved areconfession and forgiveness, necessities for healthy community life.

The third temptation that Nouwen cites is to covetpower. He suggests, “Maybe it is thatpower offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love.” Perhaps it is easier to BE God that to love Godand easier to CONTROL people than to love them. The challenge is to understand that the true servant leader will findhimself or herself led into “unknown, undesirable, and painful places.” The discipline supporting this is theologicalreflection. In using this term, Nouwencalls for a lifestyle based on the Word of God—“a deep spiritual formationinvolving the whole person—body, mind, and heart.” He points out that such thinking is hard tofind among ministers!

Nouwen summarizes in this way: “My movement from Harvard to L’Arche made meaware in a new way how much my own thinking about Christian leadership had beenaffected by the desire to be relevant, the desire for popularity, and thedesire for power.” Instead, God callsChristian leaders to “a life of downward mobility” embodied by prayer,vulnerability, and trust.

Nouwen’s words challenge is to review our approachto leadership in light of a different standard. They are more meaningful because of the life and example of the writerhimself.

What Really Counts?

2011-12-11T13:29:00.001-06:00

I caught the end of an interview with a Tennessee Titansplayer prior to the game with the New Orleans Saints today. The interviewer had just asked some questionabout statistics. The player’s replywent something like this: “Look, thePackers are last in defense, but they are 12-0. Those who are depending on statistics won’t be playing after December.” In other words, the numbers we often countdon’t always determine who is best at the game.

When it comes to the church, we spend a lot of time onstatistics—How many were in worship? What were the contributions? Arewe meeting budget? These can serve as measuresof a church’s progress, but the real danger comes in letting these statistics bethe sole determining factors in the choices we make as the people of God. Toooften we are called on to make decisions that protect the “bottom line”—decisionsbased on what is expedient rather than what is faithful to the mission that Godhas given us.

I will confess that I have personally made decisions thatwere expedient. They seemed right at thetime, but as I think back now I realize what I gave up in making thosedecisions. Those are the ones that comeback to trouble me. On the other hand, when I have occasionally made a decisionthat was the right thing to do regardless of the consequences, I have not regrettedit. Certainly, decisions based onconviction can have negative results but they are worth it!

So what should we be counting in the local church? We need to identify, encourage, and keeptrack of those who are doing meaningful ministry in the community. We should consider how much money we areinvesting in ourselves versus what we are investing in larger kingdomprojects. We can take a look at ourmembership and see if we are unconsciously excluding some who should be part ofour fellowship. We need to find ways tomeasure spiritual formation and growth in discipleship among our members. We must be honest in considering how long ithas been since we took a stance for the common good that went counter to ourcommunity’s prejudices.

These are things that will “keep us in the game” for thelong haul. They are what count in measuringfaithfulness.

“There are always options, Captain.”

2011-12-08T12:39:00.001-06:00

I readily admit that I am a fan of Star Trek. The original series started when I was inVietnam, so I was not even aware of it until it had been on the air for aseason. When our children were young, wewere regular viewers of Trek reruns in the afternoons after I picked them upfrom school. Needless to say, my consciousnesshas been affected (warped?) by favorite characters and quotes.

One quote that has stayed with me was one that ScienceOfficer Spock often told Captain Kirk when the challenge was the greatest: “There are always options, Captain.” Although there is a certain optimism in thisstatement, we must acknowledge that not all options are positive. For the most part we do have choiceswhatever our circumstances. ViktorFrankl, the survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, said that he made two choicesduring his imprisonment—he would do his best to survive and to learn from theexperience. He did not have a choiceabout being imprisoned, starved, or forced to work as a slave laborer, but hedid make a choice that he would not be dehumanized.

Although the choices we make are interior, they impact ourbehavior and our perception of reality. One of the greatest gifts that a life coach provides to a client is the encouragementto identify, articulate, and pursue choices. Clients sometimes need to be reminded that they have the power to makedecisions about their own lives. They are competent and responsible persons. The choices they make determine both longterm and short term consequences. One’s choicestoday may not show an immediate impact or result, but they do make a difference,changing one’s life over the long term.

The blessing and the curse of our God-given free will is theopportunity to make choices. If we makethe right choices, we will be blessed and bless others, even in the midst ofadversity. If we make the wrong choices,we accept the consequences and, hopefully, have the chance to learn fromthem.

What are the options for you in your current situation? They are there. You only need to identify them.

Not Business as Usual

2011-12-07T09:53:00.001-06:00

Although the church is not abusiness, there are valuable resources from the business world that can be veryhelpful to those who lead churches, judicatories, or faith-basedorganizations. I welcome the insights ofpeople like Patrick Lencioni, Jim Collins, Seth Godin, Daniel Pink, and otherswho provide information and ideas that give us a new perspective on what we aredoing as believers. Of course, anywriter, speaker, or leader—secular or sacred—needs to meet the tests ofsoundness and integrity but people like these often provide us with “bestpractices” that challenge us to do more. They call us to do not just the minimum but to be better.

Christians are called to do morethan the bare minimum in their lives and kingdom service. The little book of James is a valuableresource as we consider the criteria by which our lives and ministry should beevaluated. In James 1:22-25, we findthese words:

"Donot merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyonewho listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looksat his face in a mirror and,after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. Butwhoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continuesin it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed inwhat they do."

James holds us to a highstandard. In a very few pages, hechallenges us to be better than the world. Because of our relationship with God, we should settle for nothing lessthan the best in our lives, relationships, and service.

The words of James call thechurch not just to provide the bare minimum required by law or to follow the “bestpractices” of the world but to go further and pursue kingdom practices. We should not only meet the basic personnelpolicies required by law or match the best standards that effective businessesuse but go beyond and adhere to higher standards.

For example, churches and churchrelated ministries ought to have the most progressive personnel policies and benefitsavailable. We should be in the forefrontof providing maternity and paternity leave policies that encourage healthyfamilies. We should be encouraging ouremployees (and our members and supporters as well) to follow good healthpractices. We should be providing theresources that help our employees do their jobs well and develop theirskills. In short, rather than thinkingabout the least that we can do to meet the minimum standards, we should bewilling to go beyond.

This calls for good stewardshipof resources by those in decision-making roles. It also expects those employed by the church or organization to be wiseservants of the ministry.

We serve the One who knows notonly our actions but the desires of our hearts. We have “looked in the mirror” and seen what God requires of us. We cannot look away and forget what we havebeen called to show the world—excellence not mediocrity.

Spirituality “R” Us

2011-12-05T12:54:00.001-06:00

According to a person who has the opportunity to observewhat is going on in theological education across the country, there are anincreasing number of students in graduate theological education who haven’tgrown up in the church, so they need spiritual formation while in seminary. I don’t question the need, but I question thepremise that those who HAVE grown up in congregations have been spiritually formed. This is an unwarranted assumption. Some have and some haven’t.

I spent almost thirty years working with college anduniversity students. Many came from strongchurch backgrounds. They were regularparticipants in worship services, youth programs, and summer campingprograms. Many were healthy, growingbelievers, but many had much to unlearn.

Although most of these young adults had sat through hoursof Bible study, they did not know how to study the Bible for themselves. They knew what their pastor or youth ministerbelieved, but they had never thought through the implications of perceiving,understanding and living biblical truth. They could parrot beliefs that were not their own, but they did not knowhow to make up their own minds about spiritual beliefs and practices. It was not unusual for them to come to thecampus minister as the “spiritual expert” to explain things that puzzled them.

Many did not know how to pray. Certainly, they could pray in public and werewilling to do so when asked, but as they approached God their requests wereusually superficial and lacked confidence. They might use beautiful phrases but this only meant they had heardsomeone else use the words; they had no idea what those words meant as oneaddressed a Holy God. They had the formbut not the substance.

They also had a lot of unlearning to do about racialequality, the role of men and women in the church, and social justice. I don’t blame them for this. They were products of the churches from whichthey had come.

The joy of working with college students came from seeinga student question the traditional interpretation of a passage for the firsttime, expressing a prayer that reflected the deepest longings of the heart, orbecoming aware that there were people in the world who needed not only the wordof God but the hand of God’s people. This made the job worthwhile.

In some ways, perhaps it is easier to work with those whohave not had a church background! Withthose folks, the “unlearning curve” is rather shallow and everything they learnis new and exciting.

"Perfect Love Drives Out Fear"

2011-12-04T17:01:00.001-06:00

This past Friday night Dr. SallyHolt, who teaches Christian ethics at Central Baptist Theological SeminaryTennessee, arranged for her class in Murfreesboro to meet for dinner with arabbi who teaches at a local university and the imam of the local mosque. Herpurpose was to simply engage everyone in a time of informal dialogue in anon-threatening setting. She was kind enoughto invite me to participate. Thediscussion touched on a number of topics, and I came away with many ideas, buttwo things particularly stimulated my thinking.

First, the imam provided a goodinsight for our students who will serve local congregations. He pointed out that their situation is verydifferent from that of ministers just a few years ago. At one point when a pastor stepped into thepulpit on Sunday morning, there was apretty good chance that the congregation was rather homogenous—they probablywere born and raised in the local area, most were of the same ethnicity, andfew had been exposed to people of other faiths. The Christian minister of today can expect to speak to people who “areprobably not from around here,” who have traveled widely, and may well havegrown up in another Christian tradition, a non-Christian faith, or no faith atall. Such circumstances require a ministerwho is conversant with other cultures, faiths, and perspectives and is willingto engage the ideas found there.

This is a good insight. As we discussed this in class the next day,one student pointed out that in order to engage the “other” we must understandour own faith first and this takes work! The temptation is to adopt a type of reductionism that distills themajor tenets of our faith or that of others into the lowest common denominator. We seek similarities where there are none andassume that words have the same meaning in different contexts. This does not facilitate real learning orunderstanding. The engagement that theimam called for requires commitment, something that most of us are not willingto make.

The second insight came from therabbi. He pointed out that in theWestern context, both Hebrew and Christian scriptures have been exposed toacademic study, discourse, and deconstruction for a number of years. They have been examined in light of their originalsocial and cultural contexts as well as their linguistic characteristics. This has provided us with deeper insights aswe pursue the path of ministry in the Jewish and Christian contexts. He suggested that, as a result of a growingIslamic presence in Western cultures, the same thing will happen with theIslamic community in relation to the Koran and will open up new opportunitiesfor dialogue.

As we consider the future oftheological education, perhaps we should be providing more opportunities forinterfaith dialogue and discussion about the nature of our authoritativedocuments. Such interaction mightencourage our Muslim friends to examine and learn more about their book andshare it with us. It might alsostimulate us to be more creative in finding ways to communicate our faithcommitment to others.

If we honor and respect the integrityof our traditions—Jewish, Christian, and Islamic—we might engage in profitable dialogueabout the nature of community in our respective traditions, what we each see asauthoritative, how our faiths deal with evil and suffering, and so many othertopics. If we are going to effectivelyminister in this context where God has placed us, such interaction isindispensable. If we approach with thespirit of I John 4:18 (“perfect love drives out fear”), we have nothing tofear.

Thought Partner

2011-12-01T13:30:00.001-06:00

I was in a meeting several years ago with a person whocalled himself a “thought leader.” Supposedly,a thought leader is someone who has innovative ideas that offer a new orunusual perspective in a situation. This person may well have fit thatdescription, but I still am not sure I fully understand the concept.

In his new book Growing Agile Leaders, Bob Dale introducedme to the idea of a “thought partner.” Thisis a concept that I can understand. Althoughin many ways a thought partner serves as a coach for a person, he or she mayalso slip into the roles of mentor or consultant from time to time. Dale pointsout that the thought partner not only provides the optimism, encouragement, andfeedback of the coach, but he or she has a certain level of expertise orexperience that “offsets blind spots and knowledge gaps.” He suggests that this may also be a propheticor even mystical role.

Coaches always walk a fine line between coaching andconsulting. Last year I listened in ona panel discussion with three experienced coaches where two of them franklyadmitted that they had no reservations about crossing the line and becoming aconsultant or mentor if the client’s situation required it. I must admit that I have done this with onelongtime client but only with his permission and with the understanding thatthe final decision on the action he will take is his and his alone. He is free to accept, reject, or modify mysuggestions or observations. He welcomesthe opportunity for a different perspective from time and time, seeing me as a “partner”in his ministry.

In addition, I am fortunate to be involved in a peer coachingrelationship in which the other person and I have become real “thoughtpartners.” We not only help each otherdevelop personal, spiritual, and professional goals and hold each other accountablein pursuing them, but we freely share resources and ideas as well. Having a “thought partner” both facilitatesand expands the coaching conversation.

Do you have a “thought partner”? Now might be a good time to identify and workwith one to move your life and ministry along some new paths.

Changing Priorities in Giving

2011-11-28T11:03:00.001-06:00

Let me tell you a story about some friends of mine. This Christian couple are longtime church members.The husband’s family practiced the tithe (ten percent of one’s income BEFOREtaxes, of course), believed that the church was the “storehouse” of God’s tithe,and taught him the same. The wife’s family were church donors but not tithers,but when they married, the couple decided to be regular contributors to thechurch, always giving ten percent of their income.

The church they have attended for years was a generoussupporter of the denominational missions program at one time, usually sending more than tenpercent of its undesignated gifts to the denomination for “missions” (thatincluded not only domestic and foreign field personnel, but seminary support,benevolences, etc.). In fact, theirchurch was one of the largest supporters of the denominational work in thestate.

Something interesting happened several years ago,however. The church found that it needed more money for church-basedministries, so the decision was made to cut back in missions giving. The cut was small at first, but once thechange was made, it was easy to continue reducing the amount that went to “missioncauses.” This really had nothing to dowith changes in the direction of the denomination but was determined more bylocal needs. Today, the church givesabout 2.5% of its undesignated gifts to “mission” causes outside the immediatecommunity. Members have the choice ofgiving plans and can support the missions program with which they are mostcomfortable—the old-line denomination or a new organization of moderatechurches.

There is another interesting twist to this story. My friends still give more than a tithe oftheir income, but only a small portion of that funding goes to the local church—about35% and part of that goes to a capital campaign. It seems that when the church felt that itssupport for external missions was optional, my friends decided that they hadpermission to redirect some of their gifts to what they perceived as worthymission causes.

I thought of my friends when I read a short item in “CenturyMarks” in a recent issue of the Christian Century. The article discussed charitable giving andclosed with this observation:

“[C]hurch members are not likely to increase givingtoward institutional maintenance. Tostimulate increased giving, church leaders need to convey a vision that engagespeople both inside and outside the congregation.”

These words certainly seem to address the decision madeby my friends to support causes that have a greater vision for mission andministry beyond the local congregation. I wonder how many people are like my friends.

Planning or Preparation?

2011-11-18T10:29:00.001-06:00

Each year churches and other Christian groups spend agreat deal of time on strategic planning. They consider their environment, assess their resources, and make goalsfor three, five, or ten years into the future. Unfortunately, most of this is wasted effort. Current realities change so quickly that itis difficult to know what will happen next week much less years into thefuture.

What’s the alternative? In Great by Choice, the new book by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen, theauthors address the question, “Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty,even chaos, and others do not?” Theanswer is not simple, but an illustration early in the book reflects some ofthe characteristics of organizations that prosper in uncertain times.

The authors tell the story of the competition betweenRoald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott in 1911 to reach the South Pole. Amundsen’s team succeeded, reached the Pole,and returned home safely. Scott’s team finallymade it to the Pole, only to find the flag of Amundsen’s native Norway plantedthere, and died in the return trip. The difference was in the preparations thatAmundsen made. He trained his team forthe physical stress they would face, he learned from others (such as theEskimos), he chose his equipment carefully, he developed redundant systems forsafety, and he did thorough research. Insummary, he made good use of his resources and prepared for theunexpected.

What does this mean for the church? Drawing from Collins and Hansen’s approach,let me suggest four things that we need to do.

First, we need to develop our people so that they will beprepared to lead and minister. Thisinvolves helping them discover their gifts, embrace their talents, developtheir skills, and exercise their opportunities. We do not need programs to face the challenges that are around us butgifted, motivated, caring individuals.

Second, we need to learn from others. This includes the churches that may not be likeus (even the megachurches), business leaders and consultants (like Collins andHansen), and socially conscious entrepreneurs. Their experiences can give us the insights we need to prepare for thechanges that will certainly come our way.

Third, we need to face the reality of the world we findourselves in. The church no longer holdsa preeminent place in society. Our “competition”is not other denominations or megachurches but a secular society that oftendoes not value what the church has to offer. The game has changed, and we must be willing to accept the challengesthat brings.

Fourth, we need to be clearly focused on ourmission. We need to know what businesswe are in and pursue that business. Doesa specific activity contribute to the growth of the kingdom of God? If not, whyare we wasting our time on it?

Although we may not know what challenges or opportunitiesthe coming weeks or months may bring to the church, we can start developing ourpeople, learning from others, facing reality, and sharpening our focus in orderto ride that wave.

The Importance of People Development

2011-11-12T13:28:00.001-06:00

A couple ofyears ago, I read Missional Renaissance by Reggie McNeal. McNeal calls for several shifts in emphasisfor the church in the 21^st century:

· Froman internal to an external focus.

· Fromprogram development to people development.

· Fromchurch-based to kingdom-based leadership.

The one thatparticularly got my attention was his strong appeal for the church to move froma program-driven focus to a people-centered focus. He suggests that the effectiveness of amissional church is based more on the quality of its people than the quality(and quantity) of its programs.

In the past,we often operated out of this mindset: “Here is what we have for you. Come and plug into it.” We accepted programs that were developedelsewhere and forced them to fit our context. The question we need to be asking is, “Where are you in your Christianjourney and how can we help you live for Christ each day?”

Thedifference is between an industrial approach and an organic approach. The industrial, “one size fits all” approachassures church members that an activity is good for them and they should joinwithout any questions asked. The organicmodel assumes that each person is unique in the eyes of God and has specialneeds and opportunities. By recognizingthis uniqueness of each individual, we are also recognizing the unique natureof every fellowship of believers.

McNeal notes:“People don’t go tochurch; they arethe church. They don’t bring people to church; they bring the church topeople.” Wherever a believer is, there the church is present. As we develop and form people who arefollowers of Christ, we are building up a church uniquely fitted to serve thecommunity in which it is located and the people around it. What we do with our people makes adifference.

New Metrics

2011-11-12T13:14:00.001-06:00

As I am involved in discussions with pastors and otherchurch leaders, a question that surfaces frequently is “How do you measure successin the church?” Traditionally, we haveused the “nickels and noses” (giving and attendance) approach. Some measure their success by baptismal rateand others by the numbers involved in Christian education programs or weekdayministries.

Many leaders are moving beyond these metrics because they donot always reflect what the leaders are really seeking to form—committed followersof Jesus Christ. Several years ago,Willow Creek church commissioned a study that revealed (it was called REVEAL)that the church was not achieving its goal: “Willow Creek exists to turn irreligious people into fully devotedfollowers of Christ.”Some used this as a basis of criticizing the church andits methodologies. In reality, thechurch should be praised for being willing to ask the hard question, “Are wereally doing what we say we are doing?”

Writers like Will Mancini in Church Unique and Reggie McNealin Missional Renaissance have pointed out that the old measures no longerapply. The challenge is to find whatwill take their place. How does onemeasure spiritual formation and maturity?

In Growing an Engaged Church, Albert Winseman suggests thatthe answer comes from engaging people in the church. He states that each person wants the answersto these questions: “What do I get?” “What do I give?” “Do I belong?” and “How can I grow?” If these questions areanswered, members will show gains in life satisfaction, serving, invitingothers to become involved, and giving. These are all spiritual outcomes that are measurable.

I am not sure that this is the best or only answer, but ifwe want to see our people grow, then we must clearly identify our desiredoutcomes and the methodologies to achieve them. We must be more explicit about what is expected of a follower of Christand then provide opportunities for people to pursue those things. You can’t hit a target unless you know whatit is.

New Sources of Leaders

2011-11-08T12:34:00.002-06:00

Where will we find the next cohort of church leaders? Traditionally, our leaders grew up in thechurch, were nurtured by youth ministries and collegiate ministries, respondedto “the call” to ministry, and then prepared themselves through graduatetheological education. Although therewere certainly exceptions to this pattern, most current leaders followed thispath.

Of course, this is no longer a truism. A recent article fromLeadership Network addresses significant changes in church leadership. Two items caught my attention. First, the article states that “an increasingnumber of key implementers and team leaders are coming from business vs.ministry backgrounds.” I agree and couldadd that many are coming from other backgrounds as well, such as education andthe not-for-profit sector. These folkshave unique skill sets that are needed by the church at this particular pointin time, and their selection for such roles should be encouraged.

The author goes on to say “seminary training and ordinationdon’t address every leadership need in burgeoning ministries.” Inreality, we are talking apples and oranges here. Ordination does not equip anyone to address aneed but affirms that the people of God (usually a congregation) recognizes thatperson’s giftedness to perform a task and, through the act of ordination, is “settingthe individual aside” to pursue that task as a minister of the faith. No matter where a person begins his or herjourney to church leadership, ordination is not a formative factor. On the other hand, seminary training ortheological study makes a difference in a person’s leadership in the church andshould be provided in some way. Forexample, if a church calls a particularly gifted educator to lead theirchildren’s ministry, he or she still needs some understanding of doctrine,biblical content, and the nature of faith formation to do that job in achurch. The church should seek out waysto provide that type of preparation for those lacking a theological background.

The second item in the article that got my attention was thestatement that “less formal ministry training” and “more ala carte, on-the-jobtraining” is a trend. Although thearticle points out ministry leaders who are self-taught, this does notnecessarily mean that a person should eschew formal theological training or theassistance of informed Christian educators to develop those skills needed to dotheir jobs more effectively. Although wecan learn much from our peers, isn’t it possible that seminaries and other theologicalinstitutions might provide some assistance? After all, most of these institutions recognize that they are called toserve the churches through the formation of ministers and leaders. This assistance could be provided in variousforms--on-line classes, on-site instruction at the church, directed studieswith seminary professors, or mentoring or coaching brokered through the seminary.

I have two hopes. I would hope that churches could see theseminaries as partners in ministry rather than irrelevant “preacher training schools.” I would also like for seminaries to seethemselves as resource centers for the churches, willing to adapt deliverysystems to meet the needs of the churches. Hopefully, we are all going in the same direction. Why can’t we help each other on the journey?

Reimagining Theological Education: Cooperation

2011-11-07T09:29:00.003-06:00

If you haven’t noticed, theological education in NorthAmerica is going through a “shake-out” process. I learned this week of one free-standing denominational seminarythat is negotiating to become the divinity school of a college in the samedenomination. Other seminaries are combiningor closing their doors. Those thatsurvive with find new partners and strengthen their relationships with oldpartners.

New approaches to theological education like those beingoffered by Central Baptist Theological Seminary require contextualization andcreativity, but they will fail without cooperation. Healthy, flexible, and supportive partners areneeded for these efforts to be successful.

Partners assist theological institutions in a number ofways. For one thing, partners—church,judicatories, other institutions—link the theological schools with potentialstudents. Seminaries and divinityschools are exhibiting flexibility by offering programs to educate lay orlicensed ministers (such as Central’s Foundation program), train bivocational ministers, and educatestaff and laity within the walls of the churches. The endorsement of a judicatory or churchalso provides credibility to the theological institutions. Churches and judicatories often providefinancial assistance for students as well.

Partnerships do not end there, however, but can includerelationships with other educational institutions, not-for-profitorganizations, and other theological schools. Such relationships can be mutually beneficial for all concerned. The Wisconsin center of CBTS has prospereddue to its relationship with the Housing Ministries of American Baptists inWisconsin.

Theological institutions are also finding value in ecumenicalrelationships. Somedenominationally-related institutions did not start out to do this, but theyquickly found a responsive clientele in students from other denominations. This is not only aids the viability of theinstitution but it enriches the learning environment for all of thestudents. In a world where faith issuesare becoming both important and divisive, people of faith must respect, teach,and support one another.

Finally, theological schools need the cooperation ofdonors. For the most part, alumni oftheological institutions are not their best supporters, but one is sometimessurprised by both the resources and generosity of former students. Present and former students are also a linkto other donors—individuals, churches, judicatories, and foundations. As my friend John Gravley often points out,seminary students don’t pay for their own education; they provide only a partof the funding needed. Theologicalinstitutions need friends who are willing to step up and provide the financial resourcesto form competent and creative ministers.

Theological education continues to change rapidly but itwill flourish if its leaders, students, and supporters embrace contextualization,creativity and cooperation.

Reimagining Theological Education: Creativity

2011-11-04T11:18:00.002-05:00

The decentralized model of theological education thatCentral Baptist Theological Seminary is offering not only in Tennessee andWisconsin but through the Access Program depends on three things: contextualization, creativity, andcooperation. This post addresses creativity.

In August 1967, Rita and I packed all of our worldlygoods into a station wagon and a trailer and left Alabama for a sojourn ofthree years in Fort Worth, Texas. Inorder to get a seminary degree in those days, a person needed to relocate (unlessfortunate enough to have a seminary in their backyard) in order to get aneducation and a degree. This meantfinding a new job (for at least one family member), a place to live, and a newchurch (where you would serve either as volunteer or paid staff). This also meant leaving behind family andfriends (although some people we knew had made the same trek) and a churchcontext that we were very familiar with and we deeply involved. Was it worth the effort? Yes. Theeducation and the friendships were valuable. Could it have been done anotherway? Perhaps not then but now there arealternatives. Through initiative likethe Tennessee center, we are taking a new look at the old paradigm and comingup with creative alternatives.

One new approach is fully accredited centers like thoseCentral has established in Wisconsin and Tennessee. Other seminaries pioneered this approach and,for those seminaries that want to survive, this will become more common in thedays ahead. Seminaries partner withchurches, judicatories, or other institutions to create these centers. Students can now stay where their extendedfamilies, jobs, and places of ministry are located and still get a degree.

Another option available to students now is online study. At present, the Association of TheologicalSchools allows students to take up to two-thirds of their course work for the Master of Divinity degree online. The remainder must be taken inresidence. The goal of Central is toeventually offer all classes online although one-third of the classes still must be completedonsite in Shawnee, Murfreesboro, or Milwaukee. This provides students a great deal of flexibility in their scheduleplanning. Are there some courses thatare more appropriately taught in a classroom setting rather than in a virtualenvironment? That question is still openfor debate not only among theological educators but all educators who considerthis alternative pedagogical approach. Iwill reserve my opinion for another time, but this creative approach iscertainly increasing the options for theological students.

Since many of the CBF-related seminaries are not large enoughto offer specializations in youth ministry, children’s ministry, worship andsimilar areas, some theological institutions are offering certificate programsthat offer training in these areas. Someare for credit and others are non-credit continuing education. They often combine classroom and onlinecomponents. Whether a person has atheological degree or not, these special training opportunities are a creativeway to meet the needs of both ministers and the churches they serve.

Seminaries are also finding other ways to respond to theneed for continuing education or lifelong learning. The Doctor of Ministry degree, first offeredin the 1960s, is a structured approach to continuing education that requiresacademic rigor while taking seriously the needs of a specific ministry setting. Central has recently launched such a programhosted at the Shawnee campus. Centralalso offers a Master of Arts in Missional Church Studies that builds on theMaster of Divinity degree. Otherseminaries offer degrees that seek to address the need to acquire specificknowledge, techniques, and skills for a particular ministry. All of these may not necessarily be offeredin every place where a seminary has a teaching site and some may be unique to aparticular setting. For example, I wouldlove to see the Tennessee Center take advantage of area resources and one dayoffer a Master’s program focused on entrepreneurial leadership.

Of course, seminaries like Central continue to offerresources to lifelong learners through access to regular classes taught at themain campus or centers but may also go to churches, universities, or othersettings to make these classes accessible.

Some of these ideas are new but others have been aroundfor years and have only adopted new delivery systems. Whether old or new, varied approaches increaseboth the accessibility and the effectiveness of theological education. Those theological institutions that are notafraid to try something new while maintaining quality instruction will not onlysurvive but prosper in the years ahead.

Reimagining Theological Education: Contextualization

2011-11-02T10:15:00.001-05:00

For the past six years, I have had the opportunity towork with the leadership of Central Baptist Theological Seminary to “create abridge as we walked across it.” Thebridge is the Murfreesboro center of CBTS, now known as “Central BaptistTheological Seminary Tennessee.” Ourgoal has been to offer quality graduate level theological education that isaffordable and accessible. During theseyears, we have offered thirty-four classes, enrolled some forty individuals,and graduated six students with the Master of Divinity degree.

Although now fully accredited, the model of theologicaleducation we offer in Tennessee is still something of an experiment. The ongoing viability of that experiment iscontingent on three things: contextualization, creativity, and cooperation. I will address the first here and the othertwo in subsequent posts.

In our situation, contextualization can mean many things,but I believe that it begins with recognizing who our students are and whatkind of churches they represent. Most ofour students are pulled in at least three ways if not more. Our typical student is married with children(some out of the household), holds down a regular job during the week, andserves a church in a paid or volunteer role on the weekend. Of course, there are students who arefull-time ministers seeking to complete a theological degree and they havetheir own stresses. The churches thatthese students serve range from small family-sized churches to large downtowncongregations with many variations and examples in between. Thestudents are Anglo and African American, men and women, and represent at least fourdenominations.

What do they have in common? They are passionate about their call toministry. They are highly motivated tobecome properly equipped for that ministry. Their churches are looking to them for leadership. And they have manyobligations in their lives.

In order to effectively serve them (and their churches),we offer classes in a non-traditional format. Our classes met on weekends, usually Friday nights and all day Saturday,on four weekends spread throughout the semester. We also offer online classes through theShawnee campus that allow students both accessibility and flexibility in theirscheduling.

Although some of our instructors come from the maincampus in Shawnee, we most often enlist qualified adjuncts from the area. Thecombination of using both Shawnee faculty and local adjuncts strengthens ourprogram. Career faculty from the main campusbring a strong teaching background, ministry experience in varied contexts, andan understanding and commitment to the overall mission of the institution. This helps to build the “one seminaryconcept.”

Like our students, our adjunct professors have other “lives”as well—college instructors, counselors, and ministers of congregations. All either have their terminal degrees or arein the process of receiving one. Threeof our adjunct instructors are retired ministers and bring years of experienceto their teaching. Every one of ourinstructors brings real life experience to the table, and this is essentialsince most of our students also carry lifetimes of experience with them aswell.

A helpful aspect of using local adjuncts is that theyoften come out of churches in the area where they either serve on staff or inlay leadership roles. This means thatthey understand the worship, polity issues, and ministry challenges of churchesin the middle Tennessee and surrounding areas.

One of the greatest assets of contextualized learning isthat students have the opportunity to use immediately what they are learning. This is true not only in the field educationor ministry praxis part of the curriculum, but also in courses that deal withbiblical and theological content, counseling and caring ministries, spiritual formation,and ethical practice. Instructors oftengive assignments that challenge students to find ways to integrate theirlearning with their present ministry situations.

Our experiment in Tennessee will be sustainable only ifwe recognize the needs of our students, our churches and our area, providingthe educational resources that speak to this particular context. WE do this by exercising creativity andfostering cooperation. Those are ournext topics.

Leading and Managing

2011-10-26T09:50:00.001-05:00

Seth Godin does good work. Not only does he provide alternatives to old ways of doing things, hereminds us not to neglect proven concepts. In a recent blog post, he wrote about the differences between managersand leaders. He said:

“Managers work to get their employees to do what they didyesterday, but a little faster and a little cheaper. Leaders, on the other hand, know where they'dlike to go, but understand that they can't get there without their tribe,without giving those they lead the tools to make something happen. Managers want authority. Leaders takeresponsibility.”

Godin goes on to point out that we need both managers andleaders, but he shows his bias when he says, “It helps to remember that leadersare scarce and thus more valuable.”

Although I understand his sentiment, I have to disagree. I would say that both are valuable, but onlyif they understand their respective roles and both accept the responsibilitiesthat go with those roles. Certainly weneed visionary leaders who will move us to the next level, but leaders are onlyleaders if they have followers. Thesefollowers must be encouraged, nurtured, and empowered. Not only must they be given the tools theyneed to do the work, but they must also have the freedom to use them.

We have many examples in the Bible of leaders who prosperedfor awhile but then lost their “edge” because they forgot what made themleaders. David was blessed by God andenergized the people of Israel, but his hubris led to poor moral choices thatundermined his leadership.

Managers have the gifts to make things run smoothly. They know how to use resources wisely andmake sure everyone knows what they need to do. The Achilles heel of the manager can be the inability to adapt tochanging conditions. Once the structureor organization is in place, they are not inclined to change it.

Managers are akin to the “stewards” we read about inScripture. They had a great deal ofresponsibility and often ran large estates for their masters, but they had to remembertheir place and that their role in the economy was limited.

The bottom line is that we need both. Many great leaders havefallen because they were not able to turn the vision into a workablesystem. Many competent managers havedriven the organization into the ground because they had limited vision. Leaders and managers need each other. Together they move organizations forward.

Some Assembly Required

2011-10-24T11:14:00.002-05:00

As parents who have faced the task of putting together atoy on Christmas Eve can attest, “some assembly required” is anunderstatement. The job usually takesmuch longer and produces more sweat and frustration that we expect. My friend David Cates used this illustrationin his sermon yesterday, challenging us to the task of “being builders.”

David’s sermon and illustration got me to thinking aboutthe fact that all of us have the opportunity to build something—a life, afamily, a church. Often we have thechance to do all three. As we do so, wediscover that there are both internal and external aspects to building.

Internally, we have to do the hard work of clarifying ourpurpose in life—as a person, a family, or a church. This comes as a result ofknowing our values, discovering our strengths, and then setting ourcourse. As we do the hard internal work,we achieve external results.

At the same time, there are external concerns we mustaddress. We are part of a community, andwe must determine how that community can either help or hinder our progress inbuilding. We are impacted by our cultureand exegete it to find resources to help in our task. Finally, we count the cost and make adequateplans to “pay the price” needed to build a life, a family, or a church.

As David observed, “As we practice building, we getbetter at it.” What are you building?

Reconceptualization not Reorganization

2011-10-20T16:12:00.001-05:00

In response to my recent blogpost on the way forward for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a friend suggestedthat I was dealing with reorganization of the national entity. Actually, I am suggesting not reorganizationbut reconceptualization. Whenever a newleader comes on board, the first step usually taken is to reorganize. Reorganization gives the impression that thingsare being changed and thus improved. Wrong! Too often this is just rearranging the various parts without addressingbasic values, strategies and systems. The same thinking provides the same kind of results. New thinking presents new results.

If the Cooperative BaptistFellowship is not only to survive but prosper, it is time to go back to thedrawing board and identify the values, strategies and systems that define amissional judicatory. For the last twodecades, CBF has attempted to gain credibility with churches and otherdenominations by doing the things that a denomination is “supposed to do”—sendmissionaries, endorse chaplains, support theological education, develop aretirement program, and provide Christian education resources to churches. I applaud the efforts that CBF has taken inrecent years to work with churches so that they might become missional and toidentify new strategies to further that goal, but it is not enough.

Let me suggest five things that a21^st judicatory needs to do to be truly missional.

First, it will perform apathfinding function. Someone needs tobe out there on the cutting edge finding new ways forward, cutting new trails,and discovering what has been hidden. Thisis the research and development function that should be part of every churchand judicatory that hopes to be around in a decade.

Second, a 21^st centuryjudicatory will do the hard work of aligning entities—churches, individuals, NGOs—inorder to accomplish a common goal. Ibelieve that this is what Rob Nash presented in his address to the 2011 GeneralAssembly in Tampa: “These field personnel tonight are being called out ofnetworks focused on particular ministry in particular parts of the world asmuch as they are being called by CBF ‒ or they are creating those networks in order to do thisthing to which God has called them.” Alignment is tough, dirty, grassroots work but it pays off.

Third, 21^st century judicatories will beempowering entities. They will be “opensource” organizations, encouraging all parts of the entity to create vital andinnovative ways to solve problems. Theywill identify the lowest common denominators necessary for cooperation and thenget out of the way. This is the approachthat Dee Hock fostered in creating the VISA organization and that he explainsin Birth of the Chaordic Age and One from Many: VISA and the Rise of the Chaordic Organization. A few common principles and processes unitea diverse, worldwide financial service.

Fourth, 21^stcentury judicatories will expect its leaders to be coaches. They will not have the answers, but they willhelp others to find the answers they need. There are tremendous resources in every congregation that can benurtured to full bloom with the right kind of encouragement, but it takespatience and humility.

Fifth, althoughthe term has become a cliché, networking will be an essential part of the 21^stcentury judicatory. Whether these areoriented toward missionary-sending, resource development, theological educationor a multitude of other activities, networks will be the engines of goalachievement in the future. This is anarea where the current CBF organization has shown great success.

These commentsare not meant so much as a critique of the current situation as they are an encouragementto seize the opportunities that lay before us. These words from Jeremiah seem appropriate to our situation: “’For I know the plans I havefor you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plansto give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

2011-10-17T11:03:00.001-05:00

In a recent Harvard Business Review blog post, Ron Ashkenas asked thequestion, “Where have all the leaders gone?” Admitting some nostalgia for the past, he nevertheless points out thelow confidence ratings for the President, Congress, corporate leaders, andleaders in most segments of society. Hegoes on to comment on the large sumsspent in recent decades on leadership development programs and wonders if weare getting our money’s worth.

Ashkenas suggests two possible reasons for the growing perception of leaderineffectiveness. Both may haveimplications for church leaders as well.

First, he suggests that “the velocity and volume of issues that leadersare confronted with today has increased substantially.” Leaders have always faced problems andchange, but both seem to come more rapidly today with increased means ofcommunication, short attention spans, a desire for “quick fixes,” and a growingconsumer mentality even in the churches. There is little time for reflection and analysis about one issue beforethe leader is forced to move to another issue. This is especially tragic for the leader of a religious entity who needsto reflect on biblical and theological principles in making decisions.

May I suggest some responses to this situation? For one thing, a leader must learn to delegate. There are capable and informed people in thechurch—both clergy and laity—who may be better equipped to deal with certainissues. Give them that opportunity. Leaders must also let the technology thatoften intrudes on their lives work for them. Learn how to use e-mail, texting, and various applications to help youorganize your digital input. Wiseleaders will also adopt coaching principles that will help people to makedecisions for themselves. Rather thatcoming up with a quick and often uninformed answer, learn how to ask goodquestions that will help people to discover solutions for themselves. Finally, make time for reflection andprayer. No one will give you thistime. You must carve it out foryourself.

According to Ashkenas, a second reason for diminished confidence could bethat “many of today’s leaders are overly concerned with the reactions of theirstakeholders.” Certainly a leader needsto listen and be responsive, but the latest brushfire can often obscure thehorizon that the leader must keep in view. Leaders must learn to categorize the comments and “advice” theyreceive. One way to do this is to asksuch questions as, “Is this something that I need to address?” “Is this something that someone else canaddress?” and “Is this something that no one needs to address?” Choosing the right category requires bothself-confidence and a commitment to the overall vision of the church ororganization. This means that the churchleader must learn to be a non-anxious presence amid the tumult ofcongregational life.

Despite the challenges of our time, I am convinced that the leaders arestill there. You may very well be one ofthem.

Keeping in Touch

2011-10-14T11:22:00.001-05:00

A friend recently shared with me thesewords from German theologian Helmut Thielicke:

“The gospel must be preached afresh and toldin new ways to every generation, since every generation has its own uniquequestions. The gospel must constantly be forwarded to a newaddress, because the recipient is repeatedly changing his place of residence.”

Please note that Thielicke doesnot say that the gospel message itself needs to be changed, watered down, ormade more palatable for a new generation. He is saying that if we are to communicate the gospel effectively topeople of a new time and culture, then we must be willing to answer thequestions generated in that environment, use the images and metaphors that areunderstood by the people to whom we are speaking, and speak in such a way thatwe can be understood. The core messageis the same, but the way it is presented varies.

This is one reason that thoseof us who are communicators of the gospel should be students of ourculture. Although contemporary culturemay not be as “God haunted” as it once was, people still have existential and theologicalquestions that may be addressed by the gospel. These questions include (but are not limited to): “Why am I here?” “Is there a meaning and purpose to life?” “How am I to relate to those around me?” “What is my responsibility to and for others?”“Is community necessary and what forms the basis for a generative community?” “What is our relationship to the createdorder?”

Good literature, poetry, art,and music are ageless and speak to all generations despite significant changesin values and perspective. Even more enduringis the message of God’s love and desire for relationship with humankind. The “old, old story” is certainly worthy of anew hearing, and we must use the best skills at our disposal to assure that itis properly presented.

Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic

2011-10-12T09:11:00.000-05:00

I was introducedto the phrase above when I was a campus minister and doing research on youngadult values and expectations. The ideahas stayed with me and I have found it helpful in explaining what happens in anumber of organizations when they “cast a new vision,” “organize to be moreeffective,” or make some other change that is more cosmetic than significant.

In a recent blog,the Rev. Linda Grenz, publisher and CEO of LeaderResources, takes a look at theEpiscopal Church and challenges congregations to ask questions that will leadto change that is more than cosmetic. She points out,

“Organizational systems theory says that asystem is designed to produce what it is producing. If you like what the systemis producing but want to ‘improve it,’ tinkering with the system enables you toproduce a better result . . . faster, better, cheaper. But if you don’t likewhat the system is producing, you have to change the system.”

Grenz goes on topose some interesting questions based on this idea, including:

Where is God at work in the world around us and, if we had no structuresor ways of being the church already in mind, what would we create to alignourselves with and participate in doing God’s mission?
Who are we, who do we say Jesus is andhow does that shape how we live and “are church?”
Are church buildings, as we currentlyenvision them, essential or the best way for us to create sacred space forpeople to worship and…?

She also suggests this exercise for churches—“Write downeverything you do, look at each item and ask: If we stopped doing this, wouldwe still be the church?”

Withall of the challenges that churches and judicatories face today, would this notbe a good time to consider some of Grenz’s questions and obtain clarity on the question,“What business are we in?” Too often weseem to be in the business of survival. We assume that if we can just get a newpastor, pledge next year’s budget, or introduce a new program, we will beOK. Such an approach hardly does justiceto the charge that God has given us to do Kingdom work. Isn’t it time for a change?

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

2011-10-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

Are you familiar with TED talks? These are relatively brief presentations bythought leaders that stimulate, inspire, and encourage. At the Annual Fall Gathering of the AlabamaCooperative Baptist Fellowship yesterday, one of the breakout sessions wastitled “CBF Meet TED: Inspiring Storiesfrom and for Our Movement.” Hosted byChris Aho, the session featured three short presentations to stimulate, inspire,and encourage participants.

All of the presentations were helpful, but the presentationby Jamie Mackey, minister to students at First Baptist Church, Huntsville,Alabama, particularly caught my attention. Jamie identified the four ingredients of a healthy student ministry—relationships,Bible study, ministry, and fun—and explained their importance. He made some application to other types ofministry as well—senior adults, campus ministry, etc.

As I listened to Jamie’s presentation, Irealized that these are the ingredients for any effective Christian ministry. They apply in the local church, in communitywork, and in judicatories.

First,relationships are essential to healthy, growing ministries. The time invested in getting to know oneanother, telling stories, praying together, and sharing experiences provides astrong foundation for everything else that takes place.

Second, Bible study gives us not only atheological rationale for our work, but it also provides the images, language,and inspiration that sustain us when the going gets rough. There is nothing new under the sun, but theBible shines its light on all of our experiences.

Third, I would define ministry here as the waywe practice or live out our faith, especially in the world around us. Community and Bible study are not ends inthemselves but result in changed lives that impact the place where God has putus. As God’s people, what we do is notultimately to benefit ourselves but others.

Fourth,” fun” means different things to differentpeople, but I think we can all agree that fun facilitates creativity, relief oftension, and a bit of mischievousness! What does this have to do with the workof ministry? No one is going to staywith anything very long if there is not a little fun involved. If we are too rigid, we stifle the work ofthe Spirit. Real innovation comes out ofspontaneous, free-flowing experiences. All of us dread committee or team work wherethere is not a good balance of task and relationship. A little fun gets the creative juicesflowing.

How does your ministry stack up to thesecriteria? Thanks, Jamie, for giving us somethingto consider.

The Way Forward for CBF—Another Look

2011-10-03T14:21:00.001-05:00

With the announced retirement not only of ExecutiveCoordinator Daniel Vestal but also long-time leader Terry Hamrick (who has atleast three different titles on the website) and the upcoming report of theHull Committee, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is entering a significant timeof transition. Plagued with financialshortfalls in the past year like so many judicatories, some hard decisions willhave to be made about future mission, organization, and services.

Although I no longer hold a leadership position withinCBF life, I am a supporter and feel that I have a stake in the future of theorganization. As I think about thefuture of CBF, I suggest that we need to consider two major areas—competition andopportunities.

Who are the competitors of CBF? The “knee jerk” response would be theSouthern Baptist Convention, but this is yesterday’s competitor. Those related to the SBC have made theirchoice about the path they will follow and that path has its own opportunitiesand challenges. Individuals may stillchoose to leave an SBC church and join a CBF church, but churches will not makethat choice. Certainly, many churcheswill continue to support both SBC and CBF and the strength of that support mayebb and flow, but those same churches are also looking toward other partnersbeyond these two entities.

The real competitors for CBF will be determined by thepath that the organization chooses to follow in the future. If it continues to be a globalmissions-oriented entity (not necessarily a missionary-sending entity), thecompetition may be groups like Wycliffe Bible Translators, BucknerBenevolences, World Vision, and Habitat for Humanity. The good news is that these can also bepartners if clear relationships can be developed. If CBF continues to provide congregationaldevelopment resources and services, the potential competitors (and at the sametime partners) are groups like the Center for Congregational Health, TheColumbia Partnership, The Upper Room, Smyth and Helwys, Pinnacle LeadershipAssociates and so many others.

The key will be the answer to this question: “What does CBF bring to the table that makesit a desirable and viable partner?” Manyof the organizations mentioned above have ready access to churches already anddo not need or desire CBF as a gatekeeper. What is the value that CBF can add to the partnership?

The opportunities ahead for CBF are both internal andexternal. Externally, CBF needs torelate constructively to organizations like ethicsdaily.com (the Baptist Centerfor Ethics), the Baptist Joint Committee, Baptist Women in Ministry, Passport,and the fifteen theological institutions because they are providing some thingsthat CBF either cannot or has chosen not to provide to the churches. Theywill provide a “Baptist voice” in politics and culture, innovative ministries forspecific groups, and theological education for clergy and lay leaders.

Internal opportunities are numerous. One would be an increased use of the Internetand web-based platforms to unite, equip, and educate CBF constituents. Great strides have been made in this area,but more needs to be done. Anotheropportunity would be to look for staff with non-traditional experience and training. Although CBF will probably continue to seethe local churches as the organization’s primary constituency, this does notmean that the entrepreneurial leadership needed for the future will necessarilybe found in the churches. A thirdopportunity would be to disperse CBF staff across the nation and theworld. Leaders with variousresponsibilities could enrich the life of CBF if they were scattered around,serving not only as resource people but relationship builders. What would CBF look like if the majority ofits staff became “field personnel”?

Some say that crisis brings creativity. I would not want to characterize the presentsituation in CBF life as a crisis, but it is certainly a time that calls forcreativity.

Commercialization of Ministry

2011-09-30T18:13:00.001-05:00

I am a terrible salesperson. When I believe in an organization, I readilyparticipate in it and support it, share its value with others, and ask them tosupport it as well, but I am not naturally inclined to push people to buy or investin something. An entrepreneur must beable to do this—not only to envision and create but to market or “sell” aswell. As I have written in other blogs, Ihave a great respect for entrepreneurs and I believe that the future belongs tothose organizations and individuals who can create and provide quality servicesand resources for the churches. Thosewho provide such services and resources will (and to some extent already have)replace traditional denominational structures.

Even so, I often find myself concernedabout the commercialization of ministry. When I walk through an exhibit hall at a religious gathering and hearcomments like “But this is where our product is better” or “You don’t want to dealwith that company because . . . ,” I react negatively. These are the marks of a competitive spiritborne out of crass commercialization. This is the same kind of rhetoric we hear applied to automobiles, tennisshoes, cell phone service, and insurance policies.

Is such competition becoming to those whoare representing their work as a ministry intended to further the Kingdom ofGod? Undoubtedly, it is natural for entrepreneurshipto lead to competition. If we believe inour product or service, we want to convince others to take advantage of it. This religious marketplace is unfamiliarterritory for both service providers and purchasers and the secular marketplaceoffers little guidance on how to proceed.

Inthis competitive environment, how does a church go about choosing theorganizations with which they will partner or which group’s resources orservices they will purchase? Here are somesuggestions.

First, what is the vendor’s theological perspective? Are you comfortable with their stance? Do they clearly articulate theirunderstanding of God’s work in the world, the nature of humankind’srelationship to God, and the role of individual believers in ministry? For example, many of us will be concerned notonly about a group’s attitude toward the role of women in ministry and thechurch but the language they use in their materials. Are they gender inclusive in word and deed?

Second, what are the core values of thevendor? Is there clarity about theirreasons for existence? Do these reasonsextend beyond the motivation to make a profit? Certainly, those who provide a service or resource should be properlycompensated, but does the organization exist just to provide jobs for itsemployees or to serve some worthy ministry objective?

Third, what are the value-added aspects that theorganization brings to table? Thisincludes things like quality presentations and materials, clear experience andexpertise in the field, a proven track record, and exemplary customerservice. With so many vendors offeringsimilar services, customers (including churches) have a choice and the “littlethings” mean a lot.

New paradigms bring both newpossibilities and new dangers. Aschurches make decisions about those with whom they will partner or from whomthey will buy services or resources, they will have to walk a minefield that isoften covered by the fog of “hype,” taking careful and thoughtful steps.

People of the Story

2011-09-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

As people of faith, we are part of astory. You may choose to begin thatstory with the Garden, but I usually start with the covenant that God establishedwith Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3: “I will make youinto a great nation, and I will bless you . . . and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God was calling out a people who would dowhat God does—bless others. The end ofthe story is found in Revelation 21:1-3: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth . .. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling placeis now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people,and God himself will be with them and be their God.’” God’s people find themselves in perfect unionwith God at the end of the story.

A lot happens to humankind and it relationship to God betweenGenesis and Revelation, but the theme continues—God is calling out a people whowill be on the mission of God, bringing all people to God. At the center of God’s call to create such apeople is a story. It is the story ofGod’s call and humankind’s response. This is the Gospel story.

Now the beauty of the story is that youdon’t have to have a high IQ, a theological education, or any education at allto understand the story. The story canbe told to children in Africa, to illiterate farmers in the jungles of SouthAmerica, or to people on the islands of Malaysia. As long as we stick to the essentials of thestory, anyone can understand it. Children can understand it. Mentally challenged people can understand it. The gospel cuts across human boundaries ofculture and education because it is essentially a story.

This is a seamlessstory. There is not a neat divisionbetween the Old Testament and the New Testament (or as some say the oldcovenant and the new covenant). We oftenuse that to deal with problems of interpretation, but it is all one story. Like any good story, many of those who werepart of it did not know the next chapter or the ending, but they had faith thatit would all work out as God promised. Weare part of that story and although we know the end, our part in it is stillbeing played out.

In the Formation forChristian Ministry class that I teach for Central Baptist Theological SeminaryTennessee, I take the time to tell my story during the first class. I do not do this because my story is soremarkable but because I want students to see how my story links both to God’s storyand that of God’s people and so they will be empowered to consider their storyin the same relationships.

No matter who wereare or where we live, God’s story is part of who we are and hope to become. Let’s keep telling the story.

Learning About Leadership from Experience

2011-09-13T13:31:00.003-05:00

In a previous blog, I shared thisquote from Harold Geneen: “Leadership cannotreally be taught. It can only be learned.” Mostof the time, leadership is learned in the crucible of action. When a person is thrust into the midst of asituation where he or she must act, the stage is set to learn aboutleadership. Although effective leadersdraw on their values, skills, and past experiences, they can use the challengesof their present assignments to hone their leadership abilities and grow asleaders. There are several ways to dothis.

First, an effective leader willmake time for reflection. Socrates said,“The unexamined life is not worthliving.” As busy as he was, Jesus foundtime to retreat for prayer and meditation. Each of us, whether leader or not, needs time to be alone to think,meditate, and/or pray. As we do so, wehear another voice that gives insight and clarity to the difficult situationswe often find ourselves in.

Asecond way to grow as a leader in times of challenge is “just in time” training. No matter how much time one spends in formaleducation or workshops, opportunities will emerge that require new skills orknowledge. This may come in the form ofreading and personal research. Theleader may also avail himself or herself of a mentor to teach the skills neededor take advantage of seminars or online courses. “Just in time” learning gives the leader theopportunity to try out new skills and knowledge immediately in real worldsituations and reinforce what has been learned.

Peer groups are a third source oflearning for leaders, especially groups of individuals who are dealing with thesame issues. The help comes not so muchin advice offered but in the clarification that comes from questions, theencouragement of others who are going through the same thing, and the resourcesshared by others.

Fourth, a leader can benefit frompersonal coaching. Whether this personis called a personal coach, a life coach, an executive coach, or a leadershipcoach, a trained coach comes alongside in order to help the leader follow hisor her own agenda. The coach helps theclient assess his or her situation, determine the direction the client wants togo, consider the client’s resources, assist the client to develop his or hergoals and action steps to reach those goals, and provides encouragement andaccountability as the client pursues the desired change. A good model for coaching to deal with one’scurrent issues is the Leadership Coaching Project of Pinnacle LeadershipAssociates which will begin with a three day retreat in November and continuewith six months of coaching.

All of these strategies take timeand commitment, but they will help leaders not only to survive but to prosperas they face the challenges that come their way daily.

Learning About Leadership from Reading

2011-09-13T11:09:00.000-05:00

When I was in grade school, ourschool library had a series of books that told the stories of famous people—everyonefrom Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Edison and beyond. Each provided information about the subjects’formative years, their adult lives, and their impact on other people andsociety. Although published in the1950s, the series was not limited to white American men, but also featuredwomen, Native Americans, and African-Americans. For the most part these were morality tales that promised if you workedhard and helped others, you would be successful in life. The perspective might have been rather narrow,but such reading did introduce me to the joy of learning about leaders throughreading.

Reading biography andautobiography provides significant insight about those who have gone before us--thefamous, the infamous, and the obscure. Suchreading gives a ground-level perspective on great national and internationalmovements and often helps us to gain a better understanding of why certainactions were taken and others avoided. We are also given the opportunity to reflect on the consequences of thesubject’s action or inaction.

Of course, one could argue thatthe autobiography or memoir is a biased narrative. We have come to accept that the politicianwho has left office or the person who has been a leader in business, industry,or other public position may use their book to “settle accounts” or providetheir “spin” on events. Although I havenot read his book, I would imagine that Dick Cheney’s new book, “In My Time:A Personal and Political Memoir” falls into the category. Those aspiring to office also usually write(or get help writing) their “back story” in order to introduce themselves tothe public—Barack Obama, Sara Palin, and Rick Perry come to mind.

Even so, the personal memoir gives us a sense ofthe person as he or she wants us to perceive him or her—formative experiences, definingmoments of life, and values embraced. This is their life narrative and explains tous how they perceive leadership and the way they exercise it.

Biography, the story of a person’slife written by someone else, is by no means objective or impartial, but it veryoften is more balanced. Most reputablebiographers try to get a 360 degree view of their subject by getting input fromothers. Interviews and research provide thewriter with the viewpoints of other observers or participants and often placesthe person’s life in the political, international, cultural, or economiccontext of the time in which they lived. I realize that some biographies are “authorized” by the subject, so wemust take that into consideration as we attempt to learn more about the personand their leadership style and choices.

Those books who promise to giveus “leadership lessons” from the life of a particular individual should be readwith caution. Most of the time, theauthor begins with his or her own point of view on leadership and imposes it onthe life story of the subject. If someincident in the subject’s life does not fit the author’s pattern, it isrejected. Such books tend to take anarrow rather than a broad view of a person’s life.

As we read about the lives of thegreat and small, we not only learn from their experiences, but we are alsochallenged to reflect on our own lives. How do we make choices? Who andwhat do we value? What is the legacy weleave to others? All are good leadershipquestions.

Can Leadership be Taught?

2011-09-09T09:46:00.001-05:00

When I wasin seminary, we were asked in one class to introduce ourselves and share ourvocational goals. I remember one student’sresponse: “Well, I guess I want to be adenominational leader.” His statementhas always stayed with me not because of its audaciousness but its naiveté. Onedoes not become a leader by willing oneself to be one or even acquiring aposition of authority. The nature ofleadership is such that one can be placed in a position of leadership but neverreally become a leader. Many pastors,CEOs, and Presidents of the United States have learned this the hard way.

What is aleader? Peter Drucker once said that “aleader is a person with followers.” Inother words, you are a leader if people respond to your leadership. Real leadership is often recognized onlywhen it is effectively exercised. Peoplewill tell you that they are not looking for a leader, but they respond whensomeone challenges and inspires them to accomplish a goal. Others who say they are looking for a leader onlywant someone who will cater to their preconceived ideas and prejudices. They would not know a leader if he or shewore a sign around the neck saying, “Leader.”

Perhapsleadership is only recognized when it is effectively exercised. Harold Geneen commented, “Leadershipis practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” When someone really functions as a leader,those being led respond and suddenly realize that this is the type of person theywere seeking all along, they just could not articulate their need. This is why leaders often emerge only intimes of change or crisis.

Even though effective leaders maynot emerge until they are placed in positions that challenge them, theirpassion to create, do, and serve moves them in that direction and often placesthem in the right place at the right time. In most cases, leaders emerge because they have been good stewards ofthe resources placed in their hands as managers or workers within theorganization. The best denominational leadersare those who have served faithfully in “the trenches” in churches ordenominational agencies or have been effective leaders in other organizations. In those roles, their commitment to thevalues of the denomination has been manifested in their daily work, so theirresponsibilities are increased.

This does not always happen, ofcourse, but when a person is placed in a place of significant responsibilitywithout having learned the skills that will make him or her a true leader,failure or stagnation often results. Geneen also said, “Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned.” Leadership is learned in the effectiveexercise of responsibility—no matter how great or small. It is learned in the proper use of what Godhas placed in our hands not matter what it is. The words of Jesus in Matthew 25:48 embody this idea: “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tellyou, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters ofmine, you did for me.’”

Throw the Rascals Out!

2011-09-08T13:06:00.000-05:00

The political races of 2012 are well underway withpoliticians and interest groups at every level jockeying for position. As they dream their dreams of victory andhone their strategies, do they realize the disillusionment and anger at thegrassroots level? I am not talking aboutthe members of the Tea Party, but the ordinary voters who are fed up with boththe Congress and the President. Whilepeople are struggling to pay their bills and keep their homes, our electedrepresentatives in the state capitals and in Washington seem to be living onanother planet.

Please understand that I will vote for President Obamaagain. His leadership has not beenperfect, but he took office at one of the most difficult times in our historyand the expectations of his supporters were unrealistic at best. The challenges he inherited wereoverwhelming. He has often spent toomuch time on analysis and appeasement, but his administration has made somewise decisions about the economy and foreign affairs that deserve praise.

Legislative bodies on the both the state and nationallevels have wasted their time on trivial pursuits like outlawing Sharia law,making it more difficult for our teachers to do their jogs, and passing laws that penalize illegal workerswho are being hired by our local business people because they want and needtheir labor. Both the Congress and thePresident have made sure that they take their vacations while thousands ofAmericans are losing their homes, being “downsized” and struggling to pay theirbills. This is not a time for “businessas usual.”

The greatest advantage for many candidates in 2012 willbe that they are not incumbents! Theirqualifications may not be any better than those in office now but the fact thatthey are not presently in office may well assure their victories. It’s time to wake up!

Cultures in Conflict

2011-09-05T19:29:00.002-05:00

In January, I began reading the Sister Fidelma mysteries byCeltic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis writing as Peter Tremayne. Now 19 books and two collections later, Ihave read the complete series. The mostrecent is entitled The Chalice of Blood. Just to review, Fidelma is a dalaigh or advocate of the ancient law courtsin seventh century Ireland. She is alsoa member of a religious order and sister to the king of Muman, one of the fivekingdoms of Ireland in that period.

Although the background of the series is the growing conflictbetween the Roman and Celtic churches, over the course of the series there isalso definite character development for Fidelma as she falls in love with theSaxon monk Eadulf (her partner in crime solving), marries him, has a child,wrestles with her true calling, and finally decides that she must choose thelaw over the religious life. Along theway, she and Eadulf face and overcome charges of murder, she experiences postpartumdepression, and she comes to terms with a sometimes difficult temperament. Behindall of this melodrama, however, are major questions about how cultures interactwith one another, the place of intellectual discourse in the discovery oftruth, and the evil done in the name of faith.

When Fidelma and Eadulf meet, she is already known andrespected as an advocate of the law. Although she has chosen the religious lifefor some measure of security, she is not into “proselyting” and wears her faithloosely. Eadulf, a hereditary magistratein his own homeland, was converted from paganism as a young man by Irishmissionaries but has embraced the ways of Rome. As they come to know each other, they also learn lessons about the worldin which they live and their shared commitment to find some stability in achanging world.

Fidelma and Eadulf experience not only the clash ofCeltic and Roman Christianities, but the conflict of the various cultures theyencounter in Ireland, on the British Isles, on the continent of Europe, and inRome itself. They often find themselvesinterpreting and exegeting not only the laws but the customs of the lands inwhich they travel, trying to do some good as they walk an often difficult path. They respect the cultures they encounter butrecognize the real differences in each.

Fidelma has a great respect for all learning. Although the books often go too far inextolling the virtues of the people of Ireland and their legal system, it isclear that Fidelma (and the author) value all cultures. When fanatical Christians resort to burningthe books of pagans and heretics (including some classical writers as well asancient Irish texts), both Fidelma and Eadulf are appalled, realizing that theloss of any learning makes everyone poorer. As one character says, “Fear the man who has only one book.” The more points of view one has the opportunityto consider, the more informed the final decision.

Another key factor in the books is the desire for power,even among those of Mother Church. Abbots, various church leaders, and ordinary clergy often resort tolying, theft, extortion, and even murder to accomplish the “greater good.” Arguing that ends are more important thanmeans, they often abuse both their power and those they have been called toserve. Have things really changed thatmuch?

The author knows the historical context and uses it wellnot only as the setting for the stories but as a means to carry themalong. I look forward to other offeringsin the further adventures of Fidelma.

The Power Based Life by Mike Flynt

2011-09-02T12:22:00.001-05:00

When timesget tough, what is the source of your strength? In this readable book, Mike Flynt suggests twelve strategies to identifyand maximize sources of personal strength. As a Christian, Flynt begins with one’s relationship to God, who God hascreated each of us to be, and the joy of building on those discoveries to createa life. He uses personal examples, biblical references, and stories abouthistorical and sports figures to illustrate his strategies for operating out of one's "power base."

There islittle new in the book but what sets it apart is the author himself. Expelled from college before he could competeas a football player in his senior year, Flynt went on to construct ameaningful life with a loving wife and family, success as a strength coach, andthe founder of a company. He alwaysregretted his failure as a college athlete, however, and returned to Sul RossState University, his alma mater, to compete in collegiate football at the ageof 59. This story is told in the book TheSenior, but the present volume testifies to the growth of a man who observes onhis return to play that he had changed more than the game had!

Flynt’s philosophyof life centers not only on his faith in God but also an understanding that one’sgrowth is based on building on one’s strengths and “coachability.” The chapters on visualization and dealing withadversity are especially helpful to one who is a life coach or who is beingcoached.

This is aquick read but the insights are valuable.

Disclosureof Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher throughthe BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I wasnot required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are myown. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Not Everybody can be Steve Jobs

2011-08-31T09:37:00.003-05:00

Unless you have been on a mission trip to Mongolia or experiencingpower failures from hurricanes, earthquakes, or tornadoes, you have heard thatSteve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple due to health issues. Many articles extol his virtues as a visionaryand speculate on the future of one of the world’s richest companies with hisleadership. There will undoubtedly be anew round of books on “The Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs.”

I am a late convert to the Apple faith. I began to give in a bit when I purchased aniPod several years ago and enjoyed its flexibility and portability. The iPad may have pushed me over the edge. A generous donor recently provided the fundsto purchase iPads for Central Seminary faculty, and I am afraid that I havebecome an enthusiast. I would not besurprised if an iPhone is not in my immediate future and even an Apple computersomewhere down the road.

But back to the wizard of Apple. Steve Jobs is a unique individual. Many seek to learn from him, but most of usdo not have the emotional or psychological makeup to be him. By most accounts, Jobs can be mean, abusive, driven,and irrational—typical words associated with genius along with creative andinnovative. If you have the patience toput up with some one with these characteristics, you will reap great rewardsbut most of us would rather observe at a distance. I do think that there are some things we canlearn from Jobs.

First, recognize when someone else has a good idea andrun with it. Jobs and Apple did notcreate the computer mouse, pod casting, or the touch screen but they recognizedtheir value and integrated these innovations into their products. Just because we didn’t create something doesn’tmean we can’t adopt it or adapt it for our situation.

Second, hire good people. Although he could be alternatively critical and complimentary, Jobsfound good people for his team and challenged them to be better. We might not adopt the extreme measures thathe used, but we can surround ourselves with good folks, listen to them, andencourage them to do good work.

Third, trust your gut feelings. Jobs typically eschewed market research andfocus groups and gave the public what he thought they needed. And it worked (most of the time)! Apple has had great successes, but it hasalso experienced its flops. Sometimes wedo need to go with our instincts, but we must be prepared to fail with gracewhen something does not work

Fourth, don’t be afraid to let go of a success to move toon to something better. The iPhonekilled the iPod for all practical purposes. The iPod became an application for the iPhone and the iPad. Although iPods are still on the market, butthey certainly don’t sell like they once did. Jobs saw something better and moved on even if it meant wounding aprofitable product. Letting go of thefamiliar and reaching out to the unknown is a real test of leadership.

Will there be another Steve Jobs? Probably not. But one certainly shook things up for the rest of us.

Recycling

2011-08-30T19:36:00.001-05:00

We recycle at our house. We are not fanatics about it, but we do collect the plastic, cardboard,cans, glass, magazines and newspapers after they are used and take them to aplace where they can be repurposed.

I don’t think about this much, but I became very aware ofit when I had to find a new place to take all of our recyclables today. The old location was not properly used, sothe store told the county they would have to pull the collection containers. We had been gathering things for a couple ofweeks, so it was time to dispose of it. SoI filled up my car and made my way to one of the county “convenience centers”to dispose of my “stuff.”

As I began to unload, I was impressed once again at howmuch packaging material we had accumulated from groceries, mail deliveries, andclothing among other things. Practicallyevery thing we purchase comes in paper, cardboard, and plastic and it wouldoccupy a great deal of space in the county landfill over the course of ayear. All of this is not the leftoversof our consumables, but just the packaging! This did cause me to stop and consider, “How much of this is reallyneeded?”

I don’t write this to appear righteous, though I did hearsomeone else who was depositing their items today talk about “saving theplanet.” This is just a drop in thebucket when it comes to making a difference in our environment. I realizethat we have to do a lot more than recycle to be good stewards of God’screation but perhaps it a small step. Many more are needed.

Pastoral Transition

2011-08-30T08:28:00.001-05:00

Our congregation is going through pastoral change. Our pastor of nine years was called to achurch in east Tennessee. On his lastSunday in our pulpit, he wisely chose to share with the worshipers thediscernment process that led to his decision to leave. As we listened to how he had considered hisown gifts and calling in the light of the new challenge, we had the opportunityto consider how this might apply to our own lives. I don’t think I have ever heardthis done before, and it was certainly refreshing.

So we are in a time of transition. The reaction of church members covers thespectrum. Many grieve the loss of aminister that they had come to love. Aneffective pastor walks with us through the difficult times of life—birth,death, sickness, job transition, family challenges—so it is natural to misssuch a person.

Others experience some uncertainty. A good pastoral leader provides stability tothe congregation at large during the changes of organizational life—selection oflay leaders, developing and funding budgets, making staffing decisions, conductingcapital campaigns. Even if one does notagree with every leadership decision made by the pastor, he or she is a steadypoint of reference during times of change.

Many will miss thoughtful and challenging messages basedon scripture. When it is clear that thepastor has not only studied the text but let it flow through him or her, thewords spoken have much more meaning and impact. We all hope for such preaching during the interim.

And, of course, there are always those who welcome thechange because they think we can probably do better! I have not personally encountered such aperson, but I am sure they are out there. After all, we are Baptists!

For most of us, however, there is gratitude for the pastand anticipation for the future. We seekGod’s leadership and meditate on these words from Jeremiah 29:11: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plansto prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Perception is Reality

2011-08-29T08:28:00.001-05:00

While driving last week, I was listening to a publicradio broadcast on debunking conspiracy theories related to 9/11. The guests pointed out several theories thathad been put forward and proceeded to present the information they haduncovered to disprove these ideas. During the broadcast, listeners repeatedly called in, saying in effect, “Idon’t care what your facts are. Therewere sinister forces behind the destruction of the World Trade Center and theattack on the Pentagon.” At the end ofthe broadcast, the guests had to admit that no matter how much research they did,some would still believe what they wanted to believe.

In recent blogs I have commented on the way we perceiveboth reality and past events. Due to ourexperiences, influences, and training, we have developed certain ways to lookat the world. These filters determinehow we observe, process information, see patterns, and draw conclusions. What are some of these filters?

One is prejudice. If we feel that our way of life is threatened, especially by those whoare not like us, we will see everything that an individual member of that groupdoes as designed to do damage to us and what we hold dear. We develop and commit to stereotypes thatsustain such prejudice.

Another is fear. Closely related to prejudice (which can grow out of fear), threats toour lives, property, or status can cause us to either withdraw or attack. Even if the threat is not real, our visceralreaction is the same and we often react irrationally.

A third filter is belief. If we have constructed a network of beliefs and values with which we arecomfortable and help us to make sense of the world, we resist anyone who callseven a small part of these into question. Usually our systems are so tightly organized that we fear that if even onepart is questioned or shown to be wrong, the whole thing will fall apart.

Finally, power is an important filter. If the way we perceive things gives us powerto control or influence, our perspective becomes the tool that assures us thatthings will be used in the way that furthers our cause.

I realize that we need history, story, myths, mentalmaps, and worldviews to allow us to function from day to day and give our livespurpose and meaning. My concern comeswhen our perception of reality harms others. Unquestioning commitment to a dysfunctional perspective can lead todivision, hatred, and even genocide. Isit time to ask some questions about the way you perceive reality?

Co-Active Coaching: A Review

2011-08-28T13:36:00.001-05:00

One of the most useful tools for someone seeking to understand thenature of life coaching is Co-Active Coaching, a book by Laura Whitworth, KarenKimsey-House, Henry Kimsey-House, and Phillip Sandahl. They define co-active coaching as “analliance between two equals for the purpose meeting the client’s needs.” They emphasize that coaching is more of arelationship than a methodology with the coach and the client acting as co-creatorsor collaborators with the goal of benefitting the client.

The four cornerstones of co-active coaching emphasize the client’snatural creativity and resourcefulness; the client as the source of thecoaching agenda; the need for the coach “to dance in the moment” (go with theflow); and the importance of addressing the client’s whole life in the coachingrelationship. This approach is intendedto assist the client to deal with fulfillment, balance, and process in his orher life.

For those who have been trained in either a very structured orfaith-based approach to coaching, this book presents a more intuitive perspective. Both the coach and the client are encouragedto enjoy the journey of coaching. At thesame time, this edition of the book provides a number of tools to further thework of coaching. This includes morethan 35 exercises, questionnaires, checklists, and reproducible forms. There isalso a CD containing sample audio coaching sessions, and printable forms fromthe Toolkit.

If you are a coach or a trainer of coaches, Co-Active Coachingmay well provide you with a different point of view or add new facets to yourcoaching practice.

What if you have the wrong map?

2011-08-27T08:14:00.002-05:00

I rarely usemaps anymore but have become very dependent on a GPS. When the voice directs me to make a turn onroad that isn’t there, I realize that my unit has not been updatedrecently. It may be a cutting edgetechnology, but I should avoid mistaking what is in its software for reality!

Alan Roxburghintroduced me to the idea that we should not mistake the map for reality. Ourmaps—whether paper or digital—are only representations of reality that lack therichness and vitality of the real world. When we mistake the representation for the real thing, we miss the realjoy of the journey.

We shouldreexamine periodically the maps we use to help us interpret the world. Early on in our marriage, I discovered thatmy wife and I had different ideas about how housekeeping duties should beaddressed. Neither of us were right orwrong, we had just been raised to think that the wife does certain things andthat the husband does other things—but those things differed in our homes oforigin. In reality, we still negotiatethose understandings today which indicates that we don’t give up our mapseasily!

Our mentalmaps determine our expectations and practices at work, in the community, in thefamily, and in the church. Each of usgrew up with the idea that “this is the way things are done.” The problem is that no one had exactly thesame mental models. We adopted themodels or maps to which we were exposed.

In a bookentitled In Over Our Heads, Robert Kegan writes, “We’ve discovered that adultsmust grow into and out of several qualitatively different views of the world ifthey are to master the challenges of their life experiences.” Our maps may remain the same, but the territorychanges. If we continue to follow theold maps, we will never arrive at our destination. In fact we may find ourselves wanderingaround for a long time until we stumble upon the place we seek.

So do ourmental maps really match the territory? In church, are we planning ministries and outreach programs for a populationthat no longer exists? For manychurches, Wednesday night activities still work, but this is usually in spiteof the fact that the night is no longer protected by the society at large. Many of us grew up in communities whereteachers did not assign students homework on Wednesday nights because it was “churchnight.” The same can be said forSundays. We are no longer surprised whencommunity or children’s activities are scheduled on Sundays during traditional timesof worship. Some churches have embracedthis and started offering worship and Christian education at other times suchas Saturday evenings.

We shouldpull out our maps from time to time and evaluate how well they reflect thereality of the culture and times. Thisdoes not mean that our old maps were bad or poorly drawn, but it does mean thatthey are now only reminders of the way things were and are no longer helpful tonegotiate the world in which we live. Perhaps it is time to throw out some of those maps in our cars that haveoutlived their usefulness and update our GPS units.

History May not Be What You Think It Is

2011-08-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things that I learned as I studied history incollege (and as I have continued to read it) is that there is no such thing asan objective historian. Even the most conscientiousscholar brings certain perspectives, presuppositions, and paradigms to his orher research. This may well determinewhat the researcher deems important and may either aid or encumber thediscoveries made.

If this is true of history scholars, it is certainly trueof each of us as we think about our own history. Although our memories may be very vivid, theymay not necessarily be accurate. Weusually see only one side of events, even those events that we experienced personally. Our feelings about people and our place inthe world provide the filters through which we see the events of our past. We also impose interpretations that help usmake sense of the past but they are our interpretations.

The person who says “This is not the church I grew up in”is not only saying something about the present but also about the past. Certainly, the church has changed due to theinflux of new people and the departure of the old due to death, relocation, orchoice. The thing that the speaker maynot realize is that the church that he or she perceived in “the good old days”was not necessarily the church experienced by others at the same time. The teenager, even the one who is activelyinvolved in the congregation and its youth ministry, does not see the churchthe same way as that the middle-aged mother who teaches Sunday School, thelong-term pastor, or the embattled chair of the deacons does! There is a lot more going on than one personcan perceive from a single point of view.

Very often we create our history out of our present dayneeds, picking and choosing the events and people that provide the support weneed right now. This is not necessarilyunhealthy, but we should do this with a measure of humility, realizing theexpectations we bring to the task. Werethe “good old days” necessarily that good?

Learning about Leadership

2011-08-24T08:45:00.001-05:00

“This church just does notrespond to leadership.” The voice on theother end of the phone was that of a pastor whose vision for his church hadbeen defeated in a business meeting the night before. He had not been helped by an enthusiastic supporterwho had recommended that the plan be accepted by a two-thirds vote!

As I remember, my response wassomething like, “It depends on the type of leadership.” Leadership is a complex concept. The way it is exercised and accepted is basedon context, culture, attitudes, history, and personal needs andexpectations. Leadership is astewardship to be handled with care and humility. To do otherwise leads to marginalization oralienation and conflict.

One mistake my friend made was tothink that the primary measure of his leadership was a vote in a businessmeeting. If a leader, especially one ina church, thinks that getting an affirmative vote on the floor of a businessmeeting validates one’s leadership, he or she has grossly miscalculated. Leadership is measured much more by theauthority conferred by the people rather than the authority assumed by theleader.

To be a real leader requires aconnectedness to those who are a part of the group. Certainly, the leader thinks, dreams,encourages, and cajoles, but the best leader is one who carefully cultivates afuture that the people come to desire and are eager to pursue. If the future is only the leader’s project,people may well be reluctant to embrace it. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “A leader is best when people barely know the leader exists.When the leader’s work is done, the aim fulfilled, they will say, ‘We did itourselves.’”

A Time to Remember

2011-08-22T10:10:00.002-05:00

Washington’s new memorial to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. opens to thepublic today. The opening of this memorial offers us an opportunity to reflect notonly on a man but a movement. Everymovement needs a person who will step up and make the sacrifices necessary tobe not only the spokesperson and spiritual leader but the lightning rod for criticismand potential harm. Dr. King was such aperson, but we need to remember those who worked with him and throughoutsociety in the 50s and 60s.

Some were the “shocktroops” of the movement who put their bodies and lives on the line for whatthey believed. Rosa Parks, freedom riders, workers with organizations likeCORE, SNCC, and SCLC, students, religious leaders and ordinary men and women—bothblack and white—stood up for an unpopular cause. Even the President, Attorney General, andother national leaders lagged behind these citizens in taking a stand for civilrights.

There were others whosupported the cause in their own way, often working behind the scenes to changeattitudes as well as laws. Theseincluded many white leaders both inside and outside the church who saw the demonicnature of segregation and sought to change a society.

Several had a greatinfluence on me. Louie Farmer, thedirector of the Baptist Student Union at the University of Southern Mississippiwhen I was a student there in the early 1960s, was certainly not an activist,but he put a copy of T. B. Maston’s The Bible and Race in my hands and gave methe impetus to begin formulating a different perspective on race. Harold Kitchings, pastor at UniversityBaptist Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, did not complete his doctorate in ethicsat New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, but he conducted informal seminarswith a college sophomore that added additional insights to my emerging consciouson racial equality. Others like RobertU. Ferguson, my pastor during teen years, were working with local anddenominational structures to change attitudes, and he was a strong influence onmy attitudes.

Farmer, Kitchings, andFerguson will not be mentioned when the King Memorial is dedicated, but they werepart of the movement that Dr. King led. They brought the movement down to the individual level, making a differencein my life and the lives of many others.

What’s Your Future Story?

2011-08-15T19:02:00.001-05:00

In Medici Effect, Frans Johansson identified the process by which innovationoften comes from bringing experts from different fields together to provideunique perspectives on an issue. This processhappened this week as the insights of two individuals—an entrepreneur educatorand a theological educator—came together to reinforce an idea that I addressedin a previous blog.

At the Willow Creek Leadership Summit last Thursday, Len Schlesinger, president of Babson College, explained, “If you can’t predict thefuture—and it seems increasingly you can’t—action trumps thinking.” In other words, if you can’t predict thefuture, create it. There comes a certainpoint where continuing to amass data makes no difference; it is time toact. You will never have enough informationand the crucial moment for action must be seize. Schlesinger said, “Stop thinking about whatyou want to do and start thinking about what you want to do next.”

On Sunday morning, Molly Marshall, the president of CentralBaptist Theological Seminary preached at our church. As she talked about “Hoping with God,” shereferenced pastoral educator Andy Lester’s comment that each of us has theopportunity to “craft a future hope.” Wecan spend a great deal of time reflecting on the story of our past that wecannot change or we can write our future story. God has placed in our hands the resources to do this. Dr. Marshall went on to explain how this isdone as part of the Christian community.

I wrote last week that history doesn’t always repeat itself. I pointed out that we should not becomeattached to any method, program, or emphasis because it may be transitory. The statements of Drs. Schlesinger andMarshall reminded me that God has given us the responsibility for ourfuture. Events may cause us to adapt orchange our trajectory, but those decisions are in our hands. We have been uniquely gifted by God to make adifference in the world. Let’s get onwith it!

History Doesn’t Always Repeat Itself

2011-08-06T15:27:00.002-05:00

In a recent blog, Seth Godin pointed out that “historydoesn’t always repeat itself . . . but it usually rhymes.” Most of us grew up with the world view thathistory tends to be cyclical—wars, famines, economic disasters—tend to recur ona regular basis. The players may bedifferent, but the circumstances are pretty much the same. This worked pretty well for us when we weremuch more tied to a low tech, agricultural culture. Godin points out the new reality that thenext “big thing” may look very different from the last one, bringing with it anumber of unexpected consequences.

For example, when we started using pagers, did we reallyexpect that they would be replaced by compact “communicators” that we call cellphones? Cell phones (and smart phones) havebrought a whole different kind of wireless connectedness to our culture—text messages,instant pictures and videos, and delivery of music, movies, and other media—allin the palms of our hands. All of thishas changed so quickly that we hardly remember how we were limited to wiredmedia—landlines, faxes, etc.—only a decade ago. Of course, this will pass quickly into something else that we can’t evenpredict at this point.

Those of us in the church tend to think in cycles aswell. Too many of us are “waiting forthe parade to some around the square again” so that the methodologies thatworked in past decades will be relevant again. Don’t wait. It’s not going tohappen. Not only has the way we dochurch changed, the expectations that people have of church have changed. Certainly, they still desire to come closerto God in worship and grow in discipleship, but the delivery systems havechanged even as the context has changed.

The lesson for us is not to become too attached to aparticular way of doing something. AsGodin says,

“Most of the time, we’re dealing with a moment, a step ina trend. We fail when we fall in loveand believe there is no next step.” Sowhat’s the next step for the church?

What is a “Great” Church?

2011-07-29T14:39:00.001-05:00

In my last post, I stated that most churches will settlefor being “good” rather than “great.” Sowhat does a great church look like? I amnot talking about numbers. Being a greatchurch has nothing to do with numbers—people attending, services offered, fundsreceived. A great church is characterizedby the willingness of its members and leaders to pursue certain tasks.

A great church both prays to God and listens for God’sresponse. Great churches have memberswho are willing to lay their concerns, hopes, and fears before God and to bepatient enough to listen for an answer. Thismeans that the church is willing to hold everything loosely —ministries,budgets, leaders—and place it all in God’s hands.

A great church values its people as their number oneresource whether they are children, adults, or retired people. A concerted effort is made not only to teachthe Bible but to apply it to life. Leaders listen to members and discover where God is at work in theirlives and then the church comes alongside to encourage them in their ministry,whether it is within the walls of the church or outside those walls.

A great church recognizes its strengths and builds onthem. They embrace who they have beencalled to be. Such a church does not tryto become something that God has not called it to be but uses its God-givenstrengths—people, context, facilities, funds—to be all that it can be.

A great church is willing to take risks and court potentialfailure in order to be the presence of Christ in its community. A great church is not concerned about beingunpopular or standing over against the popular consensus but in doing what Godhas called it to do.

A great church continually seeks ways to improve the waythat it does things, whether it is member care or food services. Great churches realize that the core remainsthe same, but everything else is in flux. A church that wishes to be great takes advantage of the changes in itscomposition, community, and culture in order to become more effective in itsmission.

A great church is willing to learn from the young, theold, the seeker, and the outsider. Eachbrings a certain kind of wisdom to the table that gives the church insight andunderstanding about its mission.

A great church seeks to pursue God’s vision for thechurch. This keeps the church focused onwhat is really important, avoiding wasting time on peripheral issues. This type of church is not afraid to ask thequestion, “Does this have impact for the Kingdom of God or not? If not, let’s not worry about it.”

Great churches may not be large, popular, or prosperous,but they will clearly be God’s people on mission in the world.

Why Most Churches are Good but Not Great

2011-07-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

In Good to Great, Jim Collins and his team sought outcompanies that moved from being good at what they were doing to becoming trulygreat. They pointed out that “Good isthe enemy of the great.” In other words,people will praise your organization for providing quality but not exceptionalproducts (or programs or services), and most will be satisfied with thatstatus. Why take the risk to move to thenext level when you already have acceptable results?

I have thought recently about how many good churchesthere are. These congregations provide solidpreaching, well-planned worship, comprehensive Christian education, competent pastoralcare, and helpful ministries, but they are not exceptional. They are shackled by their own expectations ofwhat church ought to be and limited in their Kingdom vision. What keeps them from being great?

Good churches are satisfied with the acceptable ratherthan the exceptional. They do what is necessary to “cover all the bases” sothat the community will think well of them but they rarely are willing to go tothe next level and provide something that is truly exceptional.

Good churches tend to major on minor issues. They arevery concerned that things be done correctly whether those things are importantor not.

Good churches value security over service. They have a low level of risk tolerance, sothey are unwilling to try anything that may result in criticism from within thecongregation or from the outside community.

Good churches are more concerned about maintenance than mission. They would rather take care of what theyalready have than reach out to embrace the unfamiliar, fearing embarrassment oruncertainty.

Good churches would rather invest in programs than inpeople. They have the mindset that theright program will answer all their problems, so they sell their members onprograms rather than asking members what they need in order to fulfill God’scalling in their lives.

Good churches prefer to stay with the familiar ratherthan embrace innovation. When one isinnovative, there is always the possibility of failure and good churches cannottolerate failure.

My friend Bo Prosser has noted, “Very few churches willthrive in the 21^st century because we are too nice to sweat, tooproud to cry, too stubborn to change, too sophisticated to laugh, and too busyto celebrate.” Unless we loosen up abit and respond to the leadership of the Spirit of God, we will always be goodchurches but never great ones.

What Lens Do You Use?

2011-07-26T11:12:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday our pastorMichael Smith preached on Luke 15:11-32, the parable we usually refer to as “theprodigal son” or “the loving father.” Hereferred to it as “the indispensable parable.” Mike’s approach was that this text tells us a lot about the family ofGod and provides a lens for us to use as we read all of scripture. This is a good insight. Although it may be unconscious, I think thatmost of us tend to look at scripture through the point of view of a particularscripture text or texts.

For example, if you read theBible through the lens of John 3:16, you see the unfolding thread of God’s planof salvation from Genesis to Revelation. If you read it though the texts dealing with the Lord’s supper, youprobably are more sensitive to passages about the formation of the people ofGod throughout the Old and New Testaments, and God’s desire for unity, sharing,and love in that community of faith. Ifyou read the Bible from the perspective of the Book of Revelation, you will be thinkingabout the return of Christ and what that means for believers.

I tend to read the Bible throughseveral texts, but the one in my mind most often is 2 Peter 3:18: “But grow in the grace andknowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now andfor ever. Amen.” To me, this ismore than a mere salutation at the end of a letter. The passages speaks to me of the potentialthat God has placed in every believer to learn, grow, and develop not for hisor her own sake but to a part of God’spurpose in the world. As a result, allscripture for me points me to the grace of God and the wonderful riches thatcome from spending time in the scriptures.

What’s the text that provides your lens in reading the Bible?

Heroes with Character Issues

2011-07-23T10:42:00.001-05:00

On Friday, I saw my third superhero movie this summer(Transformers: Dark of the Moon doesn’tcount). Captain America: The First Avenger follows Thor and GreenLantern. To be very candid, none ofthese is a groundbreaking film like Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, or thefirst Iron Man. If you peel away all the CGI and explosions, there does seemsto be a common factor. Each title herois dealing with a character issue. Thor,an alien (or, if you wish, a small “g” god) has problems with humility. He is irresponsible, self-centered, and overlyambitious. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) istrying to face his fears. His test pilotfather died in a plane explosion, and he wonders if he will go the sameway. And Captain America (Steve Rogers) isbasically a good man who receives his powers primarily because he is a nice guy,an idealistic man in the body of a 98 pound weakling. Once he has power, how will he use it?

I think it was the creators of Marvel Comics who decidedseveral decades ago that we did not want our superheroes to be perfect. Certainly, the superheroes they created possessedabilities “far beyond those of mortal men” and women, but we could relate tothem more if they had to deal with certain shortcomings. Other comic creators picked up on this aswell. In fact, we have come to the point that many superheroes are almost antiheroes. For example, think about the alcoholic,womanizing Tony Stark (Iron Man) and the obsessed Bruce Wayne (Batman). In these recent movies, we come away wonderingwhether we really should trust them or not.

Evidently, we don’t want our heroes to be perfect. We wantthem to struggle with issues. Does this mean that we can’t accept anyone beingperfect? Because of our own flaws, canwe relate better to a mythical figure with feet of clay? This may be, but I think there is anotherconsideration as well.

For me the struggles of Thor, Hal Jordan, and SteveRogers remind me that with great power comes great responsibility. One of the challenges that humanity began toface in the 20^th century was the great power that we had unleashedwith the weaponization of atomic energy. The ability to create and destroy has grown exponentially since that discovery. As individuals and as nations we often findourselves with more power than we know how to control and in exercising thatpower, we often unleash unexpected consequences. We are victims of our own achievements.

As we consider our superheroes and antiheroes, we maydiscover a great deal about ourselves.

Surviving Change

2011-07-21T12:09:00.000-05:00

Change is designed to produce stress. Not all stress is bad, of course, butmanaging our stress is always important, especially during times ofchange. There are some things to keep inmind that may make change more tolerable if not enjoyable!

First, pray. Ifyour change was voluntary, you have probably been praying all along fordiscernment. If it was involuntary, youhave undoubtedly been praying for patience and strength. Either way, you would do well to continue tonourish a healthy prayer life. Make it adaily practice and invite others to join you in prayer during this time of change.As you share specific prayer requests, you will also more clearly articulate thethings that are causing you concern or fear.

Second, take care of yourself. This is not the time to give up your regularexercise program or drastically change your diet. If you have a routine that works well for youand promotes physical vitality, keep it up. If you don’t, this might be a time to start something.

Third, keep family ties strong. As you experience change, your spouse andchildren will as well, especially if the change involves geographic relocation,new place to live, or a change in work schedule. The more you talk about these changes andnegotiate new routines, the less stress you all will experience.

Fourth, move ahead. Once you have made the decision to make a change, do it! Your mind will already be on your next placeof work or ministry, so at best your attention will be divided with yourpresent position getting the lesser part of your time and attention. No matter what you do, hanging around willnot make things easier for you or the organization you are leaving.

Fifth, be prepared to accept discomfort. Acknowledge that change is hard, even if youhave chosen it. Allow yourself to acknowledgediscomfort and some level of grief.

Seeking Change

2011-07-19T16:03:00.001-05:00

Few of us have to seek change. Change generally happens whether we seek itor not, but how do you know when you need to the initiator of change in yourlife? If you are attuned to your own emotions,you probably think that you know when you need a change, especially in the areaof work or ministry.

Perhaps you lack enthusiasm for the daily routine. When you started, there was plenty to be doneand you have faced the challenges that your present situation offers, handledthem well, and things have become rather routine. Perhaps you find yourself increasinglydisengaged from the day to day operations around you. You have gone beyond delegation toabdication. You are not simply handingoff responsibilities to others; you don’t particularly care if they get done ornot. Or maybe you have a feeling ofrestlessness and wonder what’s happening elsewhere.

None of these offer valid justification for making achange in your present work or ministry role. Before you do anything, you need to get a new perspective on what ishappening around you and make sure that you are not missing something thatshould be addressed where you are. Talkto a friend who will be honest with you and get his or her perspective. Often it is better if this person is anoutsider to your organization who can offer you a dose of reality. You may receive an insight here that willencourage you to reengage your present situation with new enthusiasm.

Once you have a second opinion and still have “itchyfeet,” start thinking about your real motivation for wanting to move. Are you looking for an easierresponsibility? Probably not or youwould stay put. Are you seekingincreased compensation? A bigger salaryand/or benefits are not justification for geographical relocation. Rarely does a person come out evenfinancially in a major relocation. Areyou seeking new responsibilities that will stretch you and allow you to learnnew things? If so, you may have found agood reason to make a change.

A lay friend of mine recently commented, “The one thing I've found about thechanges I've gone through in my life is that after I've gone through the changejust how much I enjoyed the journey. It's always brought me closer to God andmade me a better person.”

Thejourney is all about learning, growing, and making a difference. If you are ready to enjoy the journey, youmay be ready for a change.

Accepting Change

2011-07-18T08:53:00.002-05:00

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to supervise avery gifted colleague. From time to time, I would suggest a project that mightmove him into a new area of responsibility or competency. After one such conversation, hecommented: “Look out. I’m about to be stretched again.”

Although some people thrive on change, most of us wouldsay that we would rather avoid it. Welike things they way they are—comfortable, predictable, easilycomprehended. The reality of life,though, is that very few things are settled once and for all. Children grow up, economic situations vary,sickness comes and organizations evolve. Even if we don’t care for change, it is often forced upon us.

We may resist change, but getting out of a rut and doingsomething different may be the best thing that can happen to us. I recently was given an iPad. I probably would not have purchased one, butI must admit that I had been fascinated by the device for some time. Getting used to the iPad has caused me tolearn a new interface, a different way of manipulating information, and somenew digital resources. Quite honestly,it is a lot of fun!

Change may be forced upon us, but perhaps we can learn tolook at it as a gift that opens new challenges and opportunities. At first wemay feel a sense of loss and disorientation, but we can embrace it and learnwhat it has to teach us. Only the loveof God lasts forever; everything else changes.