In my role as the "credential guy" I have to constantly remember we are greeters and not just gatekeepers into the Fellowship. Thanks to Don Detrick, NW Ministry Network S/T for his presentation a few years ago bringing this to our attention. In your role, are you a greeter or a gatekeeper?
- Walmart has greeters / the TSA has gatekeepers
- Greeters welcome / Gatekeepers scrutinize
- Greeters open doors / Gatekeepers shut doors
- Greeters let people in / Gatekeepers keep people out
- Greeters focus on relationship / Gatekeepers focus on rules
- Greeters serve people / Gatekeepers maintain systems
- Greeters look for someone to bless / Gatekeepers look for someone to blame
Greeters have a desire to motivate people through encouragement and grace. The heart of a gatekeeper can sometimes sour into manipulating through intimidation and guilt.
Both roles, when approached in a healthy manner, have their place and the gate has to be kept to keep wolves out, but whenever possible, we should strive to be greeters rather than gatekeepers. Some churches and some leaders act as though we have to protect the Kingdom of God (or perhaps the "Fellowship") from all the riff-raff while we should be welcoming those with a dream and a desire for spiritual community even when they are perhaps different in their approach.
We have to keep an eye on the gate, I just hope to look for every reason to act more like a greeter than a gatekeeper.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Saturday in the Park ... I Think it was the 4th of July?
I love scanning radio stations on Sunday mornings as I travel the state of Indiana on the way to visit one of our churches. I've heard some great sermons and some embarrassing sermons. I've heard great orators and poor orators, anointed and ... well... not anointed.
The other morning, scanning the dial I heard a mass complete with pipe organ and people coughing in the background (can you say, "omni directional microphones left open").
I hit the "seek" button.
Next was a preacher scolding his congregation for not showing up for their "week of prayer" emphasis. He continued to expound upon the difficulty of prayer but its necessity. He made communication and intimacy with God sound like a real drag.
I hit the "seek" button.
Next was a sermon about Moses on the back side of the desert for forty years and how much his life and his circumstances stunk and how we might go through 40 years of pain, agony, to prepare us to meet the people who worship their god through child sacrifices...
"Seek".
Then I found the encouragement I was looking for. I hit on an oldies station and Chicago was singing, "Saturday in the park, I think it was the fourth of July... People laughing, people smiling, a man selling ice cream singing Italian songs." I listened to this song about people singing and a man playing his guitar and everybody was smiling and having a good time. That sounded better to me than anything I heard the religious broadcasts offering that particular morning. The life that sounded like a life I wanted to live was on the oldies station!
In John 15 Jesus tells us to live productive and obedient lives, so there are requirements and parameters to be met, but the outcome of that obedience and productivity is seen in verse 11, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" (NIV). Jesus also tells us that the strength to obey and produce comes from our relationship with him.
People are looking for a place like the park described in the song. Some people spend a lifetime searching for such a place. It is a bit ironic that the one place where such joy can be found is often portrayed as a very dull and lifeless place.
Jesus is all about life and he is all about joy.
The other morning, scanning the dial I heard a mass complete with pipe organ and people coughing in the background (can you say, "omni directional microphones left open").
I hit the "seek" button.
Next was a preacher scolding his congregation for not showing up for their "week of prayer" emphasis. He continued to expound upon the difficulty of prayer but its necessity. He made communication and intimacy with God sound like a real drag.
I hit the "seek" button.
Next was a sermon about Moses on the back side of the desert for forty years and how much his life and his circumstances stunk and how we might go through 40 years of pain, agony, to prepare us to meet the people who worship their god through child sacrifices...
"Seek".
Then I found the encouragement I was looking for. I hit on an oldies station and Chicago was singing, "Saturday in the park, I think it was the fourth of July... People laughing, people smiling, a man selling ice cream singing Italian songs." I listened to this song about people singing and a man playing his guitar and everybody was smiling and having a good time. That sounded better to me than anything I heard the religious broadcasts offering that particular morning. The life that sounded like a life I wanted to live was on the oldies station!
In John 15 Jesus tells us to live productive and obedient lives, so there are requirements and parameters to be met, but the outcome of that obedience and productivity is seen in verse 11, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" (NIV). Jesus also tells us that the strength to obey and produce comes from our relationship with him.
People are looking for a place like the park described in the song. Some people spend a lifetime searching for such a place. It is a bit ironic that the one place where such joy can be found is often portrayed as a very dull and lifeless place.
Jesus is all about life and he is all about joy.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentines Day
It's interesting how God plants seeds in our lives that grow up into the fulfillment of his will. The things we love, are passionate about, attract us, and the skills and gifts invested into our lives are all clues as to the direction we are to take in life as we follow God's plan.
When I was a little boy I was absolutely fascinated by girls with long hair, especially if it was blond. It was always the thing I noticed first. Why, I have absolutely no idea ... well, I might have an idea...
One day a girl walked into my life with thick blond hair all the way down her back. I was so taken by her that I did not need to process any further (which those who know me know that says a lot). I've never really thought about it before, but I suspect God put an attraction in this little boy for girls with long blond hair so that I would be drawn to the one with whom he wanted me to spend my life. Sounds a little far fetched, but God does order our lives and our steps in a lot of ways. Maybe this was just one of his ways of getting his will done. The contents of her spirit and soul closed the deal and were far more important than anything that initiated the interest.
It has been a few decades since that little girl grew up and got so tired of caring for all that hair that she cut most of it off, but by that time it no longer mattered. No doubt these days that blond hair needs a wee help staying blond, but that doesn't matter either.
Thank you, Lord, for making us the way you make us, and putting in us what you put in us to help us find the path that brings joy to our lives. I know sometimes things don't turn out the way we'd hoped... but for me... it is good!
When I was a little boy I was absolutely fascinated by girls with long hair, especially if it was blond. It was always the thing I noticed first. Why, I have absolutely no idea ... well, I might have an idea...
One day a girl walked into my life with thick blond hair all the way down her back. I was so taken by her that I did not need to process any further (which those who know me know that says a lot). I've never really thought about it before, but I suspect God put an attraction in this little boy for girls with long blond hair so that I would be drawn to the one with whom he wanted me to spend my life. Sounds a little far fetched, but God does order our lives and our steps in a lot of ways. Maybe this was just one of his ways of getting his will done. The contents of her spirit and soul closed the deal and were far more important than anything that initiated the interest.
It has been a few decades since that little girl grew up and got so tired of caring for all that hair that she cut most of it off, but by that time it no longer mattered. No doubt these days that blond hair needs a wee help staying blond, but that doesn't matter either.
Thank you, Lord, for making us the way you make us, and putting in us what you put in us to help us find the path that brings joy to our lives. I know sometimes things don't turn out the way we'd hoped... but for me... it is good!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
In the Context of Relationships
One of my core values: ministry takes place in the context of a relationship. I was watching the news this morning; a shooting at a downtown bar. It occurred to me, most shootings take place in the context of a relationship. Think about it. Not all, but most murders, violence, molestations, kidnappings, and other personal crimes take place in the context of a relational connection.
On the positive side, nurture, growth, discipleship, transformational leadership, healthy change, and healthy lives are all accomplished in the context of relationships. We really do need one another. Our spiritual growth comes in a context of a relationship with God (John and Paul were obsessed with "knowing him") and with others.
When we approach spiritual community like a trip to the grocery store; just run in, get what you need and dash back out and get on with your lives; the purpose of coming together in a spiritually nurturing community is lost. The incarnation was about relationship with the creation.
Back to the shootings and the negative: when relationships are unhealthy, unbalanced, self serving, and in a negative broader context the outcomes of the relationship/connection are negative. Unhealthy conflict arises and people get hurt. The God-designed purpose of relationships is to bring health and transformation.
Leaders must consider relational contexts. If you do not build, encourage, and facilitate healthy life-giving relationships you will not have a context for transformation, discipleship, positive change, or growth.
The development of relational contexts is simply non-negotiable. Lets' make sure we build healthy contexts (i.e. small groups, one on ones, mentoring, coaching, etc.) and work at it so we can experience God's design for growth, health, and nurture.
On the positive side, nurture, growth, discipleship, transformational leadership, healthy change, and healthy lives are all accomplished in the context of relationships. We really do need one another. Our spiritual growth comes in a context of a relationship with God (John and Paul were obsessed with "knowing him") and with others.
When we approach spiritual community like a trip to the grocery store; just run in, get what you need and dash back out and get on with your lives; the purpose of coming together in a spiritually nurturing community is lost. The incarnation was about relationship with the creation.
Back to the shootings and the negative: when relationships are unhealthy, unbalanced, self serving, and in a negative broader context the outcomes of the relationship/connection are negative. Unhealthy conflict arises and people get hurt. The God-designed purpose of relationships is to bring health and transformation.
Leaders must consider relational contexts. If you do not build, encourage, and facilitate healthy life-giving relationships you will not have a context for transformation, discipleship, positive change, or growth.
The development of relational contexts is simply non-negotiable. Lets' make sure we build healthy contexts (i.e. small groups, one on ones, mentoring, coaching, etc.) and work at it so we can experience God's design for growth, health, and nurture.
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