Andy Stanley officially opened the conference subtitled, “Unusual Tomorrow.” It was a pretty simple message that’s good for us anytime, not just at the beginning of a conference. We need to lead to create a better tomorrow and God has given us vision, but life beats our vision down. Stanley said, “Your vision will never be larger than what you believe is possible.” The challenges of life beat our belief down.
“Don’t let the realities of today crush your dreams for tomorrow.” The spread of Christianity is undeniable and unexplainable (from the beginning). And how did it happen? The church.
To conclude: “More is possible than you could ever imagine.”
The fact that this was at the beginning of the conference means I lost the power of the message in the barrage of lessons given. I needed to hear this again. I need clarification on my dreams and maybe some tinkering, but lately I’ve been discouraged, ready to dismiss them or let them fade away. It seems changes are afoot, but it shouldn’t be based on a lack of hope and faith, but because vision is being clarified.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Catalyst Recap: John Ortberg & Dallas Willard (Closing Lab – Ortberg only/General Session with both 4/22)
John Ortberg has just recently released his newest book, The Me I Want to Be and it is about the shaping of our souls, which he says is the most important thing ever – and pastors are entrusted with it. Only God knows what our true potential is and he’s more concerned that we meet it than we are. And the reality is, we’re being spiritually formed whether you’re doing anything or not. How are we formed? Grace.
Grace isn’t just for salvation, it is how we live. Ortberg quoted Dallas Willard (and Willard repeated it in their interview): “Saints run on grace more than sinners ever will.” Ortberg’s point at the closing lab session was that the River of God (Jn. 7.38-39) is always running and we just need to step into it.
This seems to be through spiritual disciplines, but Ortberg says that disciples are hand-crafted, not mass-produced. He suggests Monvee as a way to get your individual diagnosis of what you need. When you flourish, you become more the ‘You’ you’re intended to be.
The next day, Dallas Willard was interviewed by Ortberg before he was given the Catalyst West Coast lifetime achievement award. Some highlights…
Q: What ahs the church not been getting right?
A: Problem is the message. Jesus invites us through faith to live in the Kingdom now.
Q: What is Jesus’ gospel?
A: How to get into heaven before you die. We have to learn to live with God in charge now because the Kingdom is in action now as God is gracious towards us.
Random note: “Grace is God acting in your life to accomplish what you can’t accomplish on your own.”
Q: Why do disciplines matter? How do they relate to grace?
A:
· Grace doesn’t make us passive.
· Grace isn’t opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.
· Do things within your power to enable you to do things you’re unable to do on your own now by direct effort. Disciplines are training vs. trying.
· Make space for God to act.
Q: How do I spiritually grow?
A: Do the next good thing you know to do.
Grace isn’t just for salvation, it is how we live. Ortberg quoted Dallas Willard (and Willard repeated it in their interview): “Saints run on grace more than sinners ever will.” Ortberg’s point at the closing lab session was that the River of God (Jn. 7.38-39) is always running and we just need to step into it.
This seems to be through spiritual disciplines, but Ortberg says that disciples are hand-crafted, not mass-produced. He suggests Monvee as a way to get your individual diagnosis of what you need. When you flourish, you become more the ‘You’ you’re intended to be.
The next day, Dallas Willard was interviewed by Ortberg before he was given the Catalyst West Coast lifetime achievement award. Some highlights…
Q: What ahs the church not been getting right?
A: Problem is the message. Jesus invites us through faith to live in the Kingdom now.
Q: What is Jesus’ gospel?
A: How to get into heaven before you die. We have to learn to live with God in charge now because the Kingdom is in action now as God is gracious towards us.
Random note: “Grace is God acting in your life to accomplish what you can’t accomplish on your own.”
Q: Why do disciplines matter? How do they relate to grace?
A:
· Grace doesn’t make us passive.
· Grace isn’t opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.
· Do things within your power to enable you to do things you’re unable to do on your own now by direct effort. Disciplines are training vs. trying.
· Make space for God to act.
Q: How do I spiritually grow?
A: Do the next good thing you know to do.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Hump Day History: Gregory of Nazianzus
I read Gregory of Nazianzus’ biography last year. He was an interesting guy to whom we owe much. He fought against many and fierce opponents to clarify the doctrine of the Trinity. Christopher Hall’s Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers has a great, brief bio of Gregory before examining how he approaches Scripture and walking through his battle with the Arians over the divinity of Christ. It’s a great summary and, like Augustine, I’m not going to unpack everything. Instead, I encourage you to give Hall’s book a read and I’ll comment on a brief quote that challenged me. A few insights from Hall as an interpreter of Gregory of Nazianzus’ life…
“Gregory contended his devotionally deficient stance before God hampered their ability to interpret the Bible well. A diseased spiritual life crippled their ability to comprehend and explicate divine truth. …who one is, the state of one’s spiritual health and devotional well-being, distinctly influences one’s ability to interpret Scripture correctly and communicate its truth faithfully” (p. 68).
“Gregory’s words remain a sharp and timely rebuke to the continuing temptation to practice theology as though we could separate the exercise of our mind from the development of our character” (p. 72).This is a good challenge for pastors and theologians. We aren’t dispensers of theological truth. We’re people who are supposed to be communicating the gospel through a life changed by the gospel. Perhaps if we did that more faithfully we might have a deeper impact on the lives of our congregations/students and, in turn, deeper impact on the community outside of our churches and schools.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Catalyst Recap: Scott Belsky (Lab 3, April 21/General Session, April 23)
Scott Belsky’s lab session was a torrent of information. I’ll give you some of the highlights from my view. By way of background, Belsky founded Behance, which helps creative people get things done. That was his focus (and he just wrote a book: Making Ideas Happen).
A major issue creative people face is actually following through on their ideas. They get bored and jump to another idea. While this will challenge creatives, his charge is to do less, but see your few things through to completion. Each year one of the top three businesses for their management and supply structure is Apple. They’re known for their creativity, but that’s because they make their ideas happen. Several half-developed ideas (from my notes, not Belsky’s brain) are to follow. Let me know if you have any questions on them, but I hope there will be something that grabs you as useful for making more of your ideas happen. These are the ones that caught my eye.
His key equation was: Creativity/Ideas + Organization/Execution + Communal Forces + Leadership Capability = Making Ideas Happen.
Ideas. You’ve got this down.
Organization/Execution
· Don’t let today trump tomorrow. A key idea that I’ve already put into practice is ‘windows of non-stimulation.’ For the first chunk of your day, focus on long range project you’re passionate about before you get sucked into the vortex of your email Inbox. I’ve only been doing it a week and it’s already made a difference in my efficiency.
· Spend energy on staying organized.
· Organize with a bias towards action. When you’re in a meeting, new ideas are going to pop up. Don’t go after those ideas and lose focus. Put them on a “Backburner List” and get to them later. It might be a great idea worth chasing. And then create a process to either cull things from the list or turn them into action steps.
· Measure a meeting in action steps. If there’s no actionable point(s), it was a waste of time. (Not sure I totally agree with this, but the basic premise is important).
Communal Forces
· Partner with people different from you. Dreamers need “Doers” and “Incrementalists.”
· Share your ideas liberally so when people ask you about them, you’ll know it might be worth pursuing.
· Share ownership of ideas. It may not go exactly how you want, but it will be a better product. The benefit will outweigh the costs.
· When an idea is in process, decide your ‘sacred extreme’ and be willing to compromise on the rest.
Leadership Capability
· If you’re the leader, talk last. It lets your team engage and express their passion. And who knows what you’ll learn!
· Develop others through appreciations. You don’t have to highlight what they didn’t do well so much as praise what you liked. They’ll highlight that next time and the other issues will often fade.
· Judge (and hire) based on initiative (not experience). Find people that are eager to get things done and chase their dreams.
A major issue creative people face is actually following through on their ideas. They get bored and jump to another idea. While this will challenge creatives, his charge is to do less, but see your few things through to completion. Each year one of the top three businesses for their management and supply structure is Apple. They’re known for their creativity, but that’s because they make their ideas happen. Several half-developed ideas (from my notes, not Belsky’s brain) are to follow. Let me know if you have any questions on them, but I hope there will be something that grabs you as useful for making more of your ideas happen. These are the ones that caught my eye.
His key equation was: Creativity/Ideas + Organization/Execution + Communal Forces + Leadership Capability = Making Ideas Happen.
Ideas. You’ve got this down.
Organization/Execution
· Don’t let today trump tomorrow. A key idea that I’ve already put into practice is ‘windows of non-stimulation.’ For the first chunk of your day, focus on long range project you’re passionate about before you get sucked into the vortex of your email Inbox. I’ve only been doing it a week and it’s already made a difference in my efficiency.
· Spend energy on staying organized.
· Organize with a bias towards action. When you’re in a meeting, new ideas are going to pop up. Don’t go after those ideas and lose focus. Put them on a “Backburner List” and get to them later. It might be a great idea worth chasing. And then create a process to either cull things from the list or turn them into action steps.
· Measure a meeting in action steps. If there’s no actionable point(s), it was a waste of time. (Not sure I totally agree with this, but the basic premise is important).
Communal Forces
· Partner with people different from you. Dreamers need “Doers” and “Incrementalists.”
· Share your ideas liberally so when people ask you about them, you’ll know it might be worth pursuing.
· Share ownership of ideas. It may not go exactly how you want, but it will be a better product. The benefit will outweigh the costs.
· When an idea is in process, decide your ‘sacred extreme’ and be willing to compromise on the rest.
Leadership Capability
· If you’re the leader, talk last. It lets your team engage and express their passion. And who knows what you’ll learn!
· Develop others through appreciations. You don’t have to highlight what they didn’t do well so much as praise what you liked. They’ll highlight that next time and the other issues will often fade.
· Judge (and hire) based on initiative (not experience). Find people that are eager to get things done and chase their dreams.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Mission(al) Monday: Missional Renaissance, Shift from Church-Based to Kingdom-Based Leadership, Part 2
We started exploring the shift from church-based to kingdom-based leadership last Monday. Go check it out if you missed it and you’ll be up to speed for today’s continuation.
From Train and Deploy to Deploy and Debrief
Academic proficiency does not result in great leadership. McNeal isn’t against training; he thinks we need more theological training, but not the train & deploy model we’re working. Jesus deployed and then debriefed on their experiences. We’re seeing a shift toward this direction in many modular and online programs and it is trickling down to the M.Div. level as well. This opens the door for teachers and others to get a theological education without uprooting their families, etc… It should help develop genuine leaders, not just people with the right credentialing.
From Positional to Personal
The hierarchical authority days are fading. Leadership has been based on positional authority, but those days are numbered. It is personal influence that will soon carry the day. We need up-close and personal leadership. This leads to a huge challenge: “Are we living what we’re talking about? Are our own lives missional? Is there a spiritual attractiveness to us?”
Frequently Asked Questions
This discussion ‘frequently’ freaks church leaders out. Here are some of the questions McNeal deals with on a regular basis.
What is the role of the traditional church in the missional movement?
McNeal doesn’t think the traditional church should or will fold. Rather, McNeal is focusing on changing the focus of the church from “what” to “who” as the church goes into all areas of society. Here are some roles the traditional churches can take in the ‘missional renaissance’…
· Intake and deployment centers for missional followers of Jesus.
· Umbrella organizations for missional communities. This means building up the church, not necessarily this church.
· Use their gifts meeting some of the needs missional communities uncover.
How will you maintain doctrinal and biblical orthodoxy if you’re all off in your own communities doing your own thing?
There have always been theological shifts and we have the same Word of God and the same Spirit shepherding the church.
What is the role of clergy in the missional movement?
· Teaching: Good teaching and a theological perspective are still vitally important.
· Life coaching: This has been covered in previous posts.
· Missional strategies: Clergy are in a perfect position to be missional strategists.
· Training for missional community leaders: As missional leaders proliferate, they’re going to need someone to lead them. Clergy have some of the tools necessary for this training.
How do I earn a living doing what you’re talking about?
Bivocational may be a necessity for many. Get training now instead of later so you’ll be ready when the need for more than one job arises.
What about my call?
“Does your call revolve around a mission or a job?” Rarely has a question to a question been so clear. Unnerving for those of us who make a living in ministry, but the answer is clear.
From Train and Deploy to Deploy and Debrief
Academic proficiency does not result in great leadership. McNeal isn’t against training; he thinks we need more theological training, but not the train & deploy model we’re working. Jesus deployed and then debriefed on their experiences. We’re seeing a shift toward this direction in many modular and online programs and it is trickling down to the M.Div. level as well. This opens the door for teachers and others to get a theological education without uprooting their families, etc… It should help develop genuine leaders, not just people with the right credentialing.
From Positional to Personal
The hierarchical authority days are fading. Leadership has been based on positional authority, but those days are numbered. It is personal influence that will soon carry the day. We need up-close and personal leadership. This leads to a huge challenge: “Are we living what we’re talking about? Are our own lives missional? Is there a spiritual attractiveness to us?”
Frequently Asked Questions
This discussion ‘frequently’ freaks church leaders out. Here are some of the questions McNeal deals with on a regular basis.
What is the role of the traditional church in the missional movement?
McNeal doesn’t think the traditional church should or will fold. Rather, McNeal is focusing on changing the focus of the church from “what” to “who” as the church goes into all areas of society. Here are some roles the traditional churches can take in the ‘missional renaissance’…
· Intake and deployment centers for missional followers of Jesus.
· Umbrella organizations for missional communities. This means building up the church, not necessarily this church.
· Use their gifts meeting some of the needs missional communities uncover.
How will you maintain doctrinal and biblical orthodoxy if you’re all off in your own communities doing your own thing?
There have always been theological shifts and we have the same Word of God and the same Spirit shepherding the church.
What is the role of clergy in the missional movement?
· Teaching: Good teaching and a theological perspective are still vitally important.
· Life coaching: This has been covered in previous posts.
· Missional strategies: Clergy are in a perfect position to be missional strategists.
· Training for missional community leaders: As missional leaders proliferate, they’re going to need someone to lead them. Clergy have some of the tools necessary for this training.
How do I earn a living doing what you’re talking about?
Bivocational may be a necessity for many. Get training now instead of later so you’ll be ready when the need for more than one job arises.
What about my call?
“Does your call revolve around a mission or a job?” Rarely has a question to a question been so clear. Unnerving for those of us who make a living in ministry, but the answer is clear.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sunday Services
If you follow the blog, you're in rare company, but you also know I've had some issues with getting a new computer and working out some blogging glitches. Anyway, I'm back and want to encourage you to reflect on the Sunday message of your local church. If you don't have one, I have links to our church, Cypress Church, and another church that I feature alongside ours each month. This month I'm featuring Eastgate Bible Fellowship in Bellevue, WA. The pastor was my senior pastor when I came to Christ in high school. They're going through 1 Peter, it appears. We're finishing up Exodus this Sunday.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Quite a day, Friday.
I'll admit. I was only focused on the frustrating Mariners' game, but Jerry Brewer tracks an exciting day for Seattle sports last night: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrybrewer/2011757266_brewer02.html
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