I'm trying to wade through the reading materials I collected at the Leadership Summit. Just finished Craig Groeschel's It. I still have John Burke's book Soul Revolution to read. Then I'll probably tackle Bill Hybels' classic Courageous Leadership.
I was very impressed with Bill at the Summit. It was my first time ever hearing him speak and I admit I was impressed with his humility...and passion to encourage, embolden and even inflame church leaders to become kingdom leaders. There's a difference.
Church leaders tend to focus on the local entity or organization and its processes and programs. Kingdom leaders maintain a much broader, more eternal perspective, of which the local body is a part. I like this idea, and am thinking through its implications for leading people into ministry.
27 August 2008
12 August 2008
Leadership Summit was awesome
Last Thursday and Friday I participated in Willow Creek Community Church's annual Leadership Summit...via satellite...in Portsmouth, NH; along with 140 other host sites around the world. The host church was a superb host, and the faculty speakers were great. Especially since they were authors I have recently read: Craig Groeschel, John Burke, Chuck Colson. Efrem Smith, a regular contributor to Rev! magazine and pastor of an inner-city "hip-hop" church in Minneapolis, MN; and Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek, also spoke. Our senior pastor described the summit as a vitamin B12 shot. I liken it more to a blood transfusion! Lots to think about and process, but one of the main themes that wove throughout the two days--and I'm not entirely sure it was planned this way--was: "Get out of the boat. Stop playing it safe. Get out of your 'climate-controlled Christian cul-de-sacs'." That last one came courtesy of Gary Haugen, another speaker, who founded the International Justice Mission. If you can only go to one conference, go to this one: next year's summit is August 6-7, 2009.
22 July 2008
Are you happy? Are you human?
I check out NASA's picture of the day, and occasionally the organization has something really cool. Today's "picture" is actually a video (runs a little over 4 minutes), but well worth the short view.
Check it out.
Check it out.
21 July 2008
I am such a deviant!
I recently watched two movies, one to preview for my youngest, and the other to see of the advance hype was warranted.
The Spiderwick Chronicles had some "jump" scenes and probably is not a good film for younger kids, especially those prone to fear monsters in the shadows. But it's a good (though not accurate) adaptation of the five-book Chronicles series. My youngest (11.5) has read all five books (I read the first two yesterday--they're that easy to read. And they are very entertaining because they incorporate a lot of creatures from fantasy literature. It dawmed on me as I read the books, and leafed through the companion field guide (a "faithful" reproduction of Arthur Spiderwick's compilation, which serves as the focal point for the books and the movie) that this film would be an excellent springboard to talk about spiritual things. We Christ-followers focus so much on what we see--while doing lip service to the super-natural--that it helps to be reminded that throughout human history, there have always been stories about unseen, magical, mystical creatures all around us. So where did the stories all come from? Did one person one day come up with them and manage, just manage to dupe a bunch of people? Or can it be possible that, as WB Yeats said in The Celtic Twilight, there are unseen people all around us, some ugly, some mischievous and some beautiful.
The other movie I watched was The Dark Knight. It was a good movie, but I didn't think it lived up to the hype (contrary to the irrational ravings of practically every other person on the planet). Not as tight as the first movie, it ran much so long because the director wanted to work with two villains, not just the Joker. Frankly, the movie should have ended when newly-appointed Commissioner Gordon visits Harvey Dent/Two-Face in the hospital. That would have been set up a sequel perfectly! Bale's voice-over as Batman got a bit old. It's not like he's wearing anything over his mouth that would alter his voice! Did I enjoy the movie, yes. Was the acting good? Yes. Was Health Ledger's portrayal of the Joker noteworthy? Yes. Does all this--or should it--automatically warrant the hype about an Oscar for Ledger? No. And it definitely should have carried an R rating!
I liked Hancock much better.
The Spiderwick Chronicles had some "jump" scenes and probably is not a good film for younger kids, especially those prone to fear monsters in the shadows. But it's a good (though not accurate) adaptation of the five-book Chronicles series. My youngest (11.5) has read all five books (I read the first two yesterday--they're that easy to read. And they are very entertaining because they incorporate a lot of creatures from fantasy literature. It dawmed on me as I read the books, and leafed through the companion field guide (a "faithful" reproduction of Arthur Spiderwick's compilation, which serves as the focal point for the books and the movie) that this film would be an excellent springboard to talk about spiritual things. We Christ-followers focus so much on what we see--while doing lip service to the super-natural--that it helps to be reminded that throughout human history, there have always been stories about unseen, magical, mystical creatures all around us. So where did the stories all come from? Did one person one day come up with them and manage, just manage to dupe a bunch of people? Or can it be possible that, as WB Yeats said in The Celtic Twilight, there are unseen people all around us, some ugly, some mischievous and some beautiful.
The other movie I watched was The Dark Knight. It was a good movie, but I didn't think it lived up to the hype (contrary to the irrational ravings of practically every other person on the planet). Not as tight as the first movie, it ran much so long because the director wanted to work with two villains, not just the Joker. Frankly, the movie should have ended when newly-appointed Commissioner Gordon visits Harvey Dent/Two-Face in the hospital. That would have been set up a sequel perfectly! Bale's voice-over as Batman got a bit old. It's not like he's wearing anything over his mouth that would alter his voice! Did I enjoy the movie, yes. Was the acting good? Yes. Was Health Ledger's portrayal of the Joker noteworthy? Yes. Does all this--or should it--automatically warrant the hype about an Oscar for Ledger? No. And it definitely should have carried an R rating!
I liked Hancock much better.
14 July 2008
On praying
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Our guest speaker yesterday cast a vision for the new community-based student ministry to be started in our area, targeting primarily unchurched kids. It will be a chapter of the LifeBridge ministry in Wolfboro, New Hampshire. The speaker commented at one point about the need for patience with some of the kids, which sparked a thought which I developed a bit in my journal. I include some of that here.
When we pray for patience, are we really focusing on ourselves and not on what God wants to accomplish in our lives? Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, and I suppose we should always purpose to produce such fruit. But desire, effort, willpower--and prayer--don't produce such fruit. The Spirit does.
We typically pray for patience in the context of a trying situation, whether from circumstances or another person. It's in the middle of such a trying time we breathe the prayer: "God, give me patience." Why do we ask for it? If we're honest with ourselves, we want to endure the situation until everything goes back to "normal," when we are again comfortable, perhaps even in control again.
Instead of asking God for patience--how often do we pray for the other fruit?--which comes naturally from God's work, perhaps we should pray for open eyes and a soft heart to learn the wisdom God has for us in the middle of the situation. What can we learn from it or from the person we're dealing with? What can I learn about God? About me? "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
I'm not suggesting we never pray to avoid things such as sin, temptation, etc. But we live in a broken, sinful world, among broken, sinful people. And guess what? We are broken, sinful people! So if the "state of the union" is such, we will always, in the course of events, run into situations that arise from the consequences of that brokenness and sin.
Maybe we should focus less on praying the fruit out of the ground, and instead make sure we're doing our part to keep the ground fertile for growth to occur.
Lord, may I be a diligent husband of my heart-soil.
May I focus my efforts on the work of self-care so that my heart becomes the fertile ground where Your Spirit may plant and grow and produce good fruit.
May I stop wasting time praying for a result that will come naturally, but requires time and work (mine and Yours) to produce.
May I focus on Your work, not out of performance, "works," duty or obligation. But out of Your power which works in me.
May my prayer remain aligned with Your purposes and not my sinful desires.
Amen.
Our guest speaker yesterday cast a vision for the new community-based student ministry to be started in our area, targeting primarily unchurched kids. It will be a chapter of the LifeBridge ministry in Wolfboro, New Hampshire. The speaker commented at one point about the need for patience with some of the kids, which sparked a thought which I developed a bit in my journal. I include some of that here.
When we pray for patience, are we really focusing on ourselves and not on what God wants to accomplish in our lives? Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives, and I suppose we should always purpose to produce such fruit. But desire, effort, willpower--and prayer--don't produce such fruit. The Spirit does.
We typically pray for patience in the context of a trying situation, whether from circumstances or another person. It's in the middle of such a trying time we breathe the prayer: "God, give me patience." Why do we ask for it? If we're honest with ourselves, we want to endure the situation until everything goes back to "normal," when we are again comfortable, perhaps even in control again.
Instead of asking God for patience--how often do we pray for the other fruit?--which comes naturally from God's work, perhaps we should pray for open eyes and a soft heart to learn the wisdom God has for us in the middle of the situation. What can we learn from it or from the person we're dealing with? What can I learn about God? About me? "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
I'm not suggesting we never pray to avoid things such as sin, temptation, etc. But we live in a broken, sinful world, among broken, sinful people. And guess what? We are broken, sinful people! So if the "state of the union" is such, we will always, in the course of events, run into situations that arise from the consequences of that brokenness and sin.
Maybe we should focus less on praying the fruit out of the ground, and instead make sure we're doing our part to keep the ground fertile for growth to occur.
Lord, may I be a diligent husband of my heart-soil.
May I focus my efforts on the work of self-care so that my heart becomes the fertile ground where Your Spirit may plant and grow and produce good fruit.
May I stop wasting time praying for a result that will come naturally, but requires time and work (mine and Yours) to produce.
May I focus on Your work, not out of performance, "works," duty or obligation. But out of Your power which works in me.
May my prayer remain aligned with Your purposes and not my sinful desires.
Amen.
04 June 2008
Spiritual life rhythms
Some friends loaned me their copy of the 1992 movie Thunderheart, starring Val Kilmer, Graham Greene and Sam Sheppard. Kilmer plays a tough undercover FBC agent assigned to a murder investigation/clean-up on a Sioux reservation in the Badlands of South Dakota. During his tenure, he discovers the murder is part of a cover-up of a federal negotiation for drilling rights on the reservation.
For some reason, I enjoy movies about Native Americans and their ancient ways. Not so much because of the mysticism and animism of the various religions, but because Native Americans understood and understand what living with the land really was all about. I think this is what God had in mind for Adam and Eve in Eden. I don't think God meant for us to use the earth without any thought to the consequences of our actions.
Graham Green's character in the movie encouraged Kilmer's agent (whose family tree included Sioux blood...all the way back to Wounded Knee) to "listen to the wind; listen to the water." Apart from the obvious reference to the pantheistic god system the ancient peoples held, the idea that we can experience creation with all five sense is intriguing.
We watch a sunset and think "Cool." And we can hear the wind in the trees. One can even smell rain approach in the air. You can touch the velvet nap of moss on tree trunks. And of course, there's the eating: fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc. [I do eat meat, too.]
We recently visited our home church in Connecticut (we still think of it as our home), and the pastor is working through a message series on the spiritual disciplines, what he's calling "spiritual life rhythms." I like the word rhythm instead of discipline. Discipline carries an obligatory connotation, but rhythm suggests the ebb and flow of life, of breathing. Our spiritual journey with Jesus should be alive and breathing, not dead, cataloged, labeled and indexed. [Doctrine is important, don't get me wrong, but it's not the end.]
Between this idea of spiritual rhythms and the Native Americans' understanding of living on earth and with God's creation (whether they acknowledged him), gives me a new way to think about my walk with Christ.
For some reason, I enjoy movies about Native Americans and their ancient ways. Not so much because of the mysticism and animism of the various religions, but because Native Americans understood and understand what living with the land really was all about. I think this is what God had in mind for Adam and Eve in Eden. I don't think God meant for us to use the earth without any thought to the consequences of our actions.
Graham Green's character in the movie encouraged Kilmer's agent (whose family tree included Sioux blood...all the way back to Wounded Knee) to "listen to the wind; listen to the water." Apart from the obvious reference to the pantheistic god system the ancient peoples held, the idea that we can experience creation with all five sense is intriguing.
We watch a sunset and think "Cool." And we can hear the wind in the trees. One can even smell rain approach in the air. You can touch the velvet nap of moss on tree trunks. And of course, there's the eating: fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc. [I do eat meat, too.]
We recently visited our home church in Connecticut (we still think of it as our home), and the pastor is working through a message series on the spiritual disciplines, what he's calling "spiritual life rhythms." I like the word rhythm instead of discipline. Discipline carries an obligatory connotation, but rhythm suggests the ebb and flow of life, of breathing. Our spiritual journey with Jesus should be alive and breathing, not dead, cataloged, labeled and indexed. [Doctrine is important, don't get me wrong, but it's not the end.]
Between this idea of spiritual rhythms and the Native Americans' understanding of living on earth and with God's creation (whether they acknowledged him), gives me a new way to think about my walk with Christ.
27 May 2008
"Holy Discontent" disappoints
I know, I know. I'm still working through Foster's Celebration of Discipline, but I picked up Bill Hybel's book, Holy Discontent out of curiosity and finished it faster. It reads that easy.
The book is structured much like what I imagine Hybel's messages are like at Willow Creek. But I confess I was disappointed. There was no new ground: just a restating of stuff that's been written by many people. Hybel's basic point is: people give themselves when they can't stand a situation anymore and just have to do something about it. Um. Duh?
Hybels cites Moses, Nehemiah, and Popeye as examples of people (or characters in Popeye's case) with what Hybels' calls "holy discontent." The problem is that Hybels states that this discontent releases a positive energy that drive a person to act. Hybels warns we must make sure our goals and work align with God's, that we must make sure we prayerfully ask God to bless our efforts.
But doesn't that put the cart before the horse? Shouldn't we discover what God wants us to do and then pursue that, rather than ask God to bless our plans? Granted God can work through our passions, but I'm not comfortable letting my emotions (even anger) about something be the bellweather for my life's work.
And what about that "positive energy" stuff? Shouldn't we be more concerned with the Holy Spirit; God Almighty living in us and through us? But "positive energy"? Sounds like Hybels has compromised a tad in the post-modern direction.
Hybels has had a lot of good things to say over the years, but I don't think Holy Discontent is one of his better outings.
The book is structured much like what I imagine Hybel's messages are like at Willow Creek. But I confess I was disappointed. There was no new ground: just a restating of stuff that's been written by many people. Hybel's basic point is: people give themselves when they can't stand a situation anymore and just have to do something about it. Um. Duh?
Hybels cites Moses, Nehemiah, and Popeye as examples of people (or characters in Popeye's case) with what Hybels' calls "holy discontent." The problem is that Hybels states that this discontent releases a positive energy that drive a person to act. Hybels warns we must make sure our goals and work align with God's, that we must make sure we prayerfully ask God to bless our efforts.
But doesn't that put the cart before the horse? Shouldn't we discover what God wants us to do and then pursue that, rather than ask God to bless our plans? Granted God can work through our passions, but I'm not comfortable letting my emotions (even anger) about something be the bellweather for my life's work.
And what about that "positive energy" stuff? Shouldn't we be more concerned with the Holy Spirit; God Almighty living in us and through us? But "positive energy"? Sounds like Hybels has compromised a tad in the post-modern direction.
Hybels has had a lot of good things to say over the years, but I don't think Holy Discontent is one of his better outings.
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