Rational and Reasonable...

That's what I think most people want government, at all levels, to be. But yesterday I was reminded of a lesson taught and learned long ago.

During my late teens through my 20's I had a dear friend and primary mentor, John. He was twice my age, and vastly more experienced. Some of the most important things I learned during that time were from him. We often spent long hours talking, sometimes just the two of us, often a small group of friends. During one of these conversations I was on a rant to the effect that government usually makes the right decisions (OK - I was not only young, but also foolish).

John leaned back, looked over his glasses and asked me what he had done during his Army service. "You were a radio/radar repair technician."

Then it hit me. Drafted right out of college during WWII, John had been a graduate in Modern Language, fluent in Spanish and German, and able to get along in Italian. (For the younger crowd, during that war, were were fighting Germans and Italians) He was also profoundly color-blind.

Not so much now, but at that time, electronic components had color codes. Being able to read the color codes was vital to doing the job well and correctly. The Army in its institutional wisdom took a man fluent in the language of a major enemy and put him in a job slot for which he was physically unqualified.

We always need to be praying in the direction of our government being rational and reasonable, but betting in that direction is probably unwise.

Jesus Manifesto - Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola

Both a devotional and a challenge, Jesus Manifesto is at once easy reading and difficult doing. The authors call Christians to put Christ at the center of everything they are and everything they do, as the cause and end, as the reason and the result. They remind us that if we truly understand what and who He is, we really have no choice.

Christianity began as men and women closely and clearly focused on Jesus and His example. It evolved (perhaps a better word, devolved) into systems, bureaucracies, and dogmas. Most religious systems, bureaucracies and doctrines can stand by themselves without any content of, or reference to, Jesus. But without Jesus at the center, it is not genuine Christianity. This book constantly reminds us how far we have departed from the origins of our faith, and how important it is that we return.

This book is important reading for both decision makers in the church, and for people in the pews. Decision makers, so that they can refocus their churches on the author and perfecter of our faith, and the people in the pews so they can understand genuine Christianity and discern the difference between that and the counterfeits all around them.

I greatly enjoyed this book, and recommend it highly.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

A Conversation About Ten Things...

Tim Schrader  wrote a blog piece that was carried on Catalyst - "Ten Things That Drive Me Crazy About Working For A Church." Tim Stevens, Executive Pastor at Grainger Community Church wrote a great response you can read here.

For some reason, this happened to trip my trigger. So, in further response...

<rant>

1. Churches can be toxic workplaces, just as secular employers. They can also be the most exciting and fulfilling place to be in the entire world. Just as in the secular workspace, the difference boils down to the leadership. Tim Schraeder has apparently been in places with weak or ineffectual or disengaged leaders; Tim Stevens is in a place with strong, visionary and effective leaders. (Of course, he is in that number at GCG)
2. If people are being burned out, it is because they are not seen as valuable by their leaders. If people are allowing themselves to be burned out, it is because they don't see themselves or their families as being valuable or important.
3. If resources are considered before vision and commitment, there will never be enough resources. Resources flow toward clear vision and burning commitment.
4. If people fear and resist change it is because change has never resulted in improvement and progress. This is a leadership failure at some level.
5. We always want to pray about things, and we never want to act without thought and preparation, but in the end, sooner rather than later- we MUST act.
6. Meetings can be enriching and effective, but they can also drain the life and joy out of everyone. The difference is distinct purpose, clear and reasonable agendas, and concern for everyone's time.
7. If we are trying to do too many things, leaders have not shown the courage to choose the best over the good and say "NO" to someone- or several someones. (Thank you Andy Stanley for saying this so well and so often).
8. Hypocrisy is a grave fault in anyone or any institution. It often results from unclear vision. Trying out several styles, methods or approaches is not hypocrisy, but at some point you have to figure out what is working and is in agreement with your vision.
9. We ought to be looking at other churches; also businesses, other non-profits, and just about everything in culture. There are going to be some good ideas that we can use to expand the Kingdom. However, if we are blindly looking for a magic bullet instead of prayerfully seeking good ideas, we need to refer back to "hypocrisy"- see #8 just above.
10. People leave churches for many reasons. Some we ought to be concerned about, if they are leaving because our church is ineffective, or not being true to the Scripture, or we are allowing gossip,divisiveness, or sinful attitudes to exist in the Body. But, there are some people who leave because the Spirit is calling them to a different place of service; some who are leaving the area. Those we happily wave to and wish them well. There are also occasions when we see people go who find we have no place for unrepentant sinfulness, prejudice, or stubborn refusal to join our vision or take part in the Kingdom work we have staked out. We also happily wave to these folks, but with a prayer for their hearts.

</rant>

Let me make sure everyone understand - I work in the greatest church I have ever experienced. I am blessed to work with people, both paid staff and volunteers, who love God and each other, and who are making a real impact for God in our community. But, I have seen enough of the other kind of both church and secular workplace to make my experience at Argyle even more special.

Anyone with additional thoughts?

Out of my comfort zone...

It's entirely possible that God wants us to spend a lot of our time out of our comfort zones. It seems that the times I feel the greatest satisfaction are those when I have really stretched myself and done something that makes me feel really insecure and uncomfortable.

A couple nights ago I was leaving the church, and as usual I was the last one out, just before dark. I stopped in the parking lot and got out of the car to check something and as I was returning to my car a man walked up to me from behind. The combination of the surprise and his hurry spooked me a little.

He held up a $20 bill- "I need a ride just down the road and I will give you $20 to take me there."

• First thought- what kind of scam is this?
• Second thought- this guy looks like he needs the money a lot more than I do.
• A distant third thought- he needs more than a ride.

I told him to get in, that I would take him where he needed to go and to put his money away. He had a hard time understanding that I was willing to help him and not take his money.

As we rode we talked. He mentioned that he had been to our Singing Christmas Tree. He mentioned that he had grown up in church as a minister's son. He mentioned that he had disappointed a lot of people. He mentioned that he wished that he could get away from the drugs and alcohol that were dominating his life, but it seemed an impossibly large task. He mentioned that he wished he could be good enough for God to love him again, but he was afraid that hope was long gone.

OK God- the hard nudge isn't necessary; even I can field this one. And I'm really glad I was paying attention to Ken on Sunday.

We talked about how God loves us, regardless and unconditionally. We talked about how all of us disappoint God and other people all the time- just some more than others. We talked about how he doesn't have to turn his life around overnight, he just has to make the one next decision in a way that will please God; and the one after that; and the one after that. We talked about how you eat an elephant- one bite at a time. We talked about how drugs and alcohol are reactions to one of two things- filling that emptiness we all have that only God can properly fill, or trying to escape a memory or a hurt that only God can properly heal. We talked about a lot of things out of my comfort zone, and out of his for that matter. Finally, we prayed.

Is his life better today than it was then? I don't know. I may never know this side of glory. But, that isn't my assignment. My assignment is to speak God's truth and let Him worry about the outcomes. No matter how uncomfortable I am.

The Noticer - a book by Andy Andrews

There are some things you encounter that seem so simple, so obvious, that there is no surprise in them. Wonder and admiration perhaps, but no surprise. A lever is simple and obvious, but when applied in the right place and at the right time, can apply tremendous force, moving the seemingly immovable.

This book is about a human lever. Jones, just Jones, seems to turn up at pivotal times and "notice" things and offer a fresh "perspective" - simple things that have been overlooked but offer hope and inspiration to people who need both. Telling the truth in love, Jones opens eyes and hearts and changes lives.

Simple is sometimes dismissed as trivial. The observations and advice Jones gives are as simple and compelling as the parables of Jesus, which are anything but trivial. But simple and compelling in concept aren't always simple in execution. Knowing what makes sense for us and then actually doing it seem to be disconnected for so many of us. But, knowing the right path is the first, indispensable ingredient.

I enjoyed this book. It can be a quick read, easy to pick up and put down, or you may prefer linger over and savor it. You likely will end up doing both.

Disclosure of material interest.

Book Review- Derailed, by Dr. Tim Irwin

This book is about train wrecks. Trains are conceptually simple- big loads on a defined path between an origin and a destination, pulled by a powerful engine, driven by someone with skill and knowledge. But, sometimes, the thing goes off the rails with a lot of noise and destruction.

Irwin argues that some train wrecks in human endeavor happen because of a fundamental failure of the leader- the skillful, knowledgeable train driver. He argues that this failure is usually not one of intelligence or ability, but of character.

When we hear of a character fault, we often think of dishonesty. After all, we have the recent examples of Enron, Tyco and others. Think again. Irwin illustrates his point using six high profile corporate leaders whose failures were not of honesty or integrity. Rather, their problems leading to derailment were such things as arrogance; failure to recognize and compensate for their weaknesses; failure to seek or heed advice; insensitivity to others, including both subordinates and fellow leaders; lack of trust; lack of courage.

I was once told that you are getting into serious trouble when you start believing your own press releases. I was constantly reminded of that as I read the six stories of leadership failures. All of these people are bright and accomplished, with a history of success. But they all jumped the tracks and many people, employees, vendors, customers and shareholders alike, were caught up in the tangled steel.

I liked the metaphor of derailment and enjoyed the actual case studies, but the pacing in the beginning seemed slow. Irwin spent a couple chapters telling me what he was going to be telling me, instead of just telling the stories. Good ideas and good writing stand on their own and do not need to be sold or explained to me. I am glad I continued to read past the awkward beginning, but I was certainly tempted to put the book aside.

There is one sad thing about this book – the people who should be reading and heeding it are just the ones least likely to.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/2

Behind a mask...

Was reading an interesting blog today- "I am what I tweet?" Basically, the blogger is talking about how people project an image of themselves through their Twitter postings, and how we form opinions of them based on their postings.

Duh! The technology is evolving, and our ability to reach across the globe as easily as we reach across the room is growing, but there is nothing new here. People have always formed their opinions about us based on how we present ourselves, in public and in private. If I am a grouch it will come across whether I tweet or talk. If I am upbeat and inspiring, I will be that way pretty much across the board, on Blogspot or the sidewalk.

God, please give me the grace to be a refection of You in my life. My life without You is pretty sorry (Jeremiah 17:9). Please let people see through me to Jesus.

This is a great read...

and you should spend a few minutes to enjoy it- a short interview with Robert Schuller.

Robert Schuller and The Crystal Cathedral have been around so long they have become cliche. Many of us (me included) never realized the impact he and his ministry have had on the direction of the church in America today.

I would love to hear some feedback and opinions.

A downright scary thought...

just occurred to me. Jesus said He would build His church and that it would be successful and effective (Matthew 16:18). That means if an organization is calling itself a church and is not successful and effective, it must not be a church- it must be something other than a church.

People hearing the Gospel, being transformed by it, and their lives being changed are a church. People excited by what God is doing in them and through them is a church. People telling their friends about the transforming power of the Gospel is a church. People seeing the power of the Holy Spirit in action is a church.

Anything else is... well, it's not a church.

An interview with Ed Stetzer...

Ed Stetzer is President of Lifeway Research and a well-respected author and observer of the church scene in North America. This is an interview with him reviewing some of his research findings in a new book, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches That Reach Them.

This research supports something we see intuitively at The Church at Argyle about 20-somethings

• They are turned off by people or things things that are not genuine
• They highly value close personal ties
• They are spiritually open but skeptical
• They seek cross-generational relationships but resist being dominated or talked down to
• They seek truth but won't take things for granted- they want to explore their beliefs in depth

What does this mean? It means that we can't assume that the disconnection from the church of large numbers of our young people is a "phase" they will grow out of in their 30's and 40's. It means that we need to spend time and energy nurturing relationships with them, to model Christ for them, to earn their attention to the message of the Gospel. It means seeing them as equals, if not as peers, in our lives and communities.

Sometimes the truth hurts...

Listening to a podcast involving Dr. Ed Stetzer about 20-somethings in today's church, I heard something that is both true and disturbing. (Very close paraphrase- may not be an exact quote)

"Most churches, given the choice, will choose their traditions over their children."

I am so glad that my church isn't doing that- or at least not in an overt way. God help us to continue to make decisions based on reaching as many people as possible, most particularly our children, with the Gospel of Jesus. Please God, don't ever let us choose our tradition or our comfort zone over loving the people you put in our sphere of influence.