Being a child of the 70s, I grew up hearing the cultural cries, “Do your own thing”, “If it feels good, do it,” and, “Don’t conform to the establishment.” Individualism became a cherished value. Pop culture absolutely loved eating the meat of slaughtered sacred cows. I must admit, when I hear “that’s-the-way-we’ve-always-done-it” I become like a shark smelling blood in the water.
Our individualistic spirits morphed into entrepreneurial-pioneer spirits and we re-shaped the “establishment” to become more responsive to needed change. The journey from 70s child to being a leader looking to the mid-21st century, I realize the “establishment” is now the “establishment” that I helped establish. I also realize our methods can’t be static and we need an entrepreneurial-pioneer spirit active within us to embrace our contextual challenges effectively. So, how do we manage the contrasts between individualism and unity in a God-honoring way?
We must unify around the same core mission. Jesus prayed to Father-God, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22,23, NIV). Methods vary but THE mission does not.
We must unify around the same core beliefs. I Corinthians 1:10 says, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (NIV).”
We mustn’t move the ancient boundary stones. Proverbs 22:28 says, “Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers.” While this refers to property lines and inheritance, it communicates a principle of the danger of moving hard parameters established and followed by hundreds of generations based upon truths in the Word of God.”
We must seek a current vision. When a group of people come together to seek the voice and revelation of God as revealed in scripture and in the activity of the Holy Spirit, they should come to a unified vision. Obviously, when we battle over how to catalyze transformation because of diversely opposed directions, somebody’s filter is clogged up with foreign matter.
We are individuals, but we ought to be observing the same challenges, reading the same Word, and hearing the voice of the same Spirit. We will always express ourselves in different ways, and that is good, but we must also find those common threads that connect us and identify us with the same core mission.
Let us be one.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
80/20 is Just a Fact of Life
I get frustrated sometimes with all of the administrative work necessary to do the three or four objectives of my passion and call. I am constantly trying to find ways to streamline the administration so I can spend more time on my passions. In the creation story, we see administration and organizational support tasks are very much a part of the preparation for the execution of our plans. From Genesis, chapter one, we can learn an organizational lesson in understanding how God organized creation.
On the first through fourth days, God organized creation. He established light and darkness, land and seas, and he created the vegetation to sustain life. During the first four days of creation, God created and organized an environment to host the life he would create on the fifth and sixth days.
Obviously, to me, the life created on the fourth and fifth days were the point of creation, particularly the creation of human beings. God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over…all the earth (NIV).” The narrative’s focus quickly turns to the importance and the role of humankind. One of two things happened (and perhaps a little of both); either God created mankind to lead, manage, and steward this creation on God’s behalf, or God created the earth and all that is in it as an environment to sustain the object of his creation—mankind. I think it is the latter, though the former is a responsibility of humankind as the primary contribution toward their sustenance.
God created this world and us out of the love and desire of a Father. He spent 83% of his work week creating the environment that would employ, sustain, and nurture us and he spent 16% of his work week creating the object of his creation (us). Let those among us who do not understand the value of rest and personal time note that God spent 14% (one day) of his total week doing whatever God does when he rests.
It is interesting that the Pareto Principle, a.k.a. the 80/20 rule, seems to apply to this situation. So, following the example of God, do not be discouraged when you spend 80% of your time preparing and developing the environment for the 20% of your work that fulfills the passion of your calling. You are in good company, and, that is just the way things work.
One more thing…God himself modeled the importance of rest—follow his example.
On the first through fourth days, God organized creation. He established light and darkness, land and seas, and he created the vegetation to sustain life. During the first four days of creation, God created and organized an environment to host the life he would create on the fifth and sixth days.
Obviously, to me, the life created on the fourth and fifth days were the point of creation, particularly the creation of human beings. God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over…all the earth (NIV).” The narrative’s focus quickly turns to the importance and the role of humankind. One of two things happened (and perhaps a little of both); either God created mankind to lead, manage, and steward this creation on God’s behalf, or God created the earth and all that is in it as an environment to sustain the object of his creation—mankind. I think it is the latter, though the former is a responsibility of humankind as the primary contribution toward their sustenance.
God created this world and us out of the love and desire of a Father. He spent 83% of his work week creating the environment that would employ, sustain, and nurture us and he spent 16% of his work week creating the object of his creation (us). Let those among us who do not understand the value of rest and personal time note that God spent 14% (one day) of his total week doing whatever God does when he rests.
It is interesting that the Pareto Principle, a.k.a. the 80/20 rule, seems to apply to this situation. So, following the example of God, do not be discouraged when you spend 80% of your time preparing and developing the environment for the 20% of your work that fulfills the passion of your calling. You are in good company, and, that is just the way things work.
One more thing…God himself modeled the importance of rest—follow his example.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Do you know what you don't know?
It is interesting that we actually pay big money to be tortured. Gym memberships and personal trainers, coaching, ... and yes, higher education! Those of you who know me well know that I am in the final run on completing my masters degree. You know, so very well, because I complain so much about it. It really has kicked my back-side up and down the street for two years.
Funny thing, a masters degree costs a lot of money and it is a lot like torture. The slow and constant drip of books, writing assignments, posts, etc. Every day off, every formerly free block of time. But, this has helped me grow more than anything I've ever done. You see, I thought I knew a lot about leading organizations (i.e. churches) and people, but as I experienced more life I came to know what I did not know; hence, the masters journey.
We see it every day. People who don't know what they don't know. It is a sad sight. Its sad to see a leader leading away and making decisions that affect peoples lives, livelihood, and eternal spirituality who just don't know what they don't know. They mean no harm... they just don't know what they don't know.
Over the intense journey of the last four or five years I discovered some things that I did not know. It was only then I could fix them. Enter: the back-side kickers, be they professors, coaches, trainers, mentors, or teachers. They help us know what we don't know and then help us to know it.
Interesting, the more you try to know what you don't know, the more you wonder what you still don't know that you don't know. Carry on wayward sons ... that is why we never, never, never stop learning and challenging ourselves to grow.
((view or subscribe to this blog at aGoodDeposit.com))
Funny thing, a masters degree costs a lot of money and it is a lot like torture. The slow and constant drip of books, writing assignments, posts, etc. Every day off, every formerly free block of time. But, this has helped me grow more than anything I've ever done. You see, I thought I knew a lot about leading organizations (i.e. churches) and people, but as I experienced more life I came to know what I did not know; hence, the masters journey.
We see it every day. People who don't know what they don't know. It is a sad sight. Its sad to see a leader leading away and making decisions that affect peoples lives, livelihood, and eternal spirituality who just don't know what they don't know. They mean no harm... they just don't know what they don't know.
Over the intense journey of the last four or five years I discovered some things that I did not know. It was only then I could fix them. Enter: the back-side kickers, be they professors, coaches, trainers, mentors, or teachers. They help us know what we don't know and then help us to know it.
Interesting, the more you try to know what you don't know, the more you wonder what you still don't know that you don't know. Carry on wayward sons ... that is why we never, never, never stop learning and challenging ourselves to grow.
((view or subscribe to this blog at aGoodDeposit.com))
Friday, March 12, 2010
Mission Accomplished
It is hard to watch someone you love move to the other side of the world, especially when that someone is your beloved daughter. It is something that most every parent of those on international missions assignments, international students, etc., feel.
Paris is a long way away and presents communications problems because of the 6 hour time difference. In the evenings when Joyce and I are home and would like to communicate, Kelly is in bed. In our mornings she is in the throes of the intensity of an afternoon work schedule.
Letting go is always hard, but rather than be sad and weep over the sense of loss, we, rather, rejoice in the goodness of God. We are thankful for our daughters and we are always proud when they yield in obedience to God's call upon their lives--even when it involves a move to the other side of the world. I've got to say I would have preferred her mission having been on the other side of our city than the other side of the world, but that's not my decision.
We always prayed that our kids would love God and serve him with all of their hearts. Now, with Kelly moving to Paris to do just that, I've got to say -- mission accomplished!
God's ways are higher and better than our ways. We can never go wrong living our lives for God and others. We have to keep an eternal perspective.
Paris is a long way away and presents communications problems because of the 6 hour time difference. In the evenings when Joyce and I are home and would like to communicate, Kelly is in bed. In our mornings she is in the throes of the intensity of an afternoon work schedule.
Letting go is always hard, but rather than be sad and weep over the sense of loss, we, rather, rejoice in the goodness of God. We are thankful for our daughters and we are always proud when they yield in obedience to God's call upon their lives--even when it involves a move to the other side of the world. I've got to say I would have preferred her mission having been on the other side of our city than the other side of the world, but that's not my decision.
We always prayed that our kids would love God and serve him with all of their hearts. Now, with Kelly moving to Paris to do just that, I've got to say -- mission accomplished!
God's ways are higher and better than our ways. We can never go wrong living our lives for God and others. We have to keep an eternal perspective.
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