LeadershipConneXtions

The Virtuous Life

One of these days they'll probably come to an end, but until then, here is one more post that was born out of a reflection from Reordered Love, Reordered Lives. Not only did that book launch all kinds of theological reflection for me, but it also stimulated spiritual musings as well. It was a devotional mine of treasures.

The Apostle Paul's calling was a vast one. He was supremely missional as an apostolic entrepreneur. He engaged the culture around him and provided an apologetic and witness that established churches wherever he went.

AND, he was equally committed to the maturity processes and developmental needs of those fledgling believers. Here is a significant statement that defined Paul's life purpose:

We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:28-29)

To present everyone perfect in Christ.

The restoration of the image of God in His followers.

The repair of all that is broken in our lives.

The removing of all that is tarnished.

The renovation of the human heart.

This is what Paul's mission was and for many of you who are reading this blog site, that is our mission also. 

WE GET TO DO THIS... !!!!!

Heck, we might even be getting paid to do this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have been invited into the enormous privilege of being a part of this Divine Process in the lives of our friends and the people we care deeply about.  (May I suggest we all pause for a moment and whisper thank-you to Christ for this invitation.)

This has to be some of the highest, holiest, hardest, and scariest work of leadership.

In one sense, we are advocates for and catalysts of the VIRTUOUS LIFE of CHRIST. We are to (in as many ways possible according to Colossians 1:28-29) assist people in discovering, embracing and boldly living the virtuous life of Christ-likeness.

I'd like to suggest that conversations about this be moved to the front burner of our awareness. I think we need to have prayer conversations with God as to how well we are doing this, first in our own lives, and then in the lives of those entrusted into our care.

I think we need to have conversations with our closest circles of friends and partners as to the influence we are having (or not) in their lives.

Tomorrow, I'll have a few suggestions for some conversation starters.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

What Difference Does It Make? (A Little Exercise in Self-Suspicion)

So really, tell me, "What difference does it make?"  This work you are doing, this effort you are giving, this 'stuff' you are creating, this ministry you have - what difference does it really make?

Forgive me for being the quintessential American pragmatist in the spirit of William James (and what a wonderful image of James to the left)... but, I think it is a fair question.

I don't mean to be rude or presumptuous asking it. In fact, I ask it of myself a lot (although, come to think about it, I need to be asking it a little more consistently than I am).

We think what we are doing is great, profound, important, needed, vital (need I go on). Really, a little more self-suspicion could be useful. For all of us.

These ideas you are wrestling with ... so, what's the real difference they are making in your life? Are you wiser, deeper, more Christ-like because of them?

These programs you are planning ... so, what's the real difference they are making in the lives of others? Are they becoming wiser, deeper, holier, more humble, more loving, more serving, more grateful, more generous, more Christ-like because of them?

These books you are reading (heck, I may as well include the blogs you are perusing, gulp - and this one as well) ... so, what's the real difference they are making in your life?

These sermons and lessons (and whatever else you call them) that you are working on and giving out to others ... so, what's the real difference they are making?

And if the difference doesn't seem to be much, maybe a little self-suspicion could be useful.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

For the pencil drawing check out this nice site.

For the William James image, check out this delightful gallery.

And the Greatest Leader Is . . . (a Follow Up Thought)

If you didn't read the post from yesterday, scroll down and read that first, for today's thought is a follow up from that blog.

If CLOSENESS to Jesus is what makes for greatness in the Kingdom of God...

If CLARITY about Jesus is what makes for greatness in the Kingdom of God...

And if HUMBLE MISSION in light of Jesus is what makes for greatness in the Kingdom of God...

... then it seems that above all, 

leaders need to spend a lot of time pursuing closeness/intimacy with Christ, 

so they can learn from and be wise about Him, 

and then go forth in service that imitates Christ and attracts others to Him.

If we neglect to do this, if we fail in this matter, than anything else doesn't really count.

If I may be so bold as to suggest, "Let the one who has ears to hear, hear."

And may you and I be among the ranks of the first to hear and believe this.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

And the Greatest Leader Is . . .

Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets. Of all who had come before Jesus, none compared with John (Luke 7:28). That's pretty impressive.  

Abraham (the father of the nation Israel), Moses (who saw the glory of God), David (a man after God's own heart), Esther (who saved the nation of God's people), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel (all who wrote wonders of revelation) . . . plus any other Old Testament luminary you care to add . . . Now, put John the Baptist at the top of them all.

Why was John the greatest of all?  There are two reasons.

First, in all that excellent group, John had the greatest proximity to Jesus and therefore, the most clarity of who Jesus was. His closeness and clarity made John the greatest.

Second, John had the essential mindset. No matter how close and no matter how much clarity ... when it comes to Jesus, "He must increase and I must decrease" (John 3:30). His knowledge of Christ shaped his identity with Christ and his mission for Christ. That is why John was the greatest.

What about you?

What about your leadership?

Jesus, continuing in Luke 7:28, says some pretty amazing things. Remember John - who is at the very top of the Old Testament ladder - now, anyone who is in the Kingdom of God is above John! 

Wow!

How?

True leadership greatness (and any kind of greatness for that matter) depends on these things.

1. The closer you are to Jesus, the greater your leadership can become.
2. The more clarity you have about Jesus, the greater your leadership can become.
3. The more you live with humility because of Jesus, the greater your leadership becomes.
4. The more Jesus defines your life purpose (He increases and you decrease) the greater your leadership becomes.

It's that simple... and it's that hard.

Paul prayed it this way:

I want to know Christ 

and the power of his resurrection 

and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering...

Philippians 3:10

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

On Perspective

Someone has said: Perspective is worth at least 50 IQ points!

I agree.

Perspective matters.

One problem is that most of us, most of the time have a short-term perspective (maybe this is hyperbole, but maybe not!). The immediate is what counts for us. We have limited patience and minimal ability to wait. The delay of gratification is anathema to our attention deficit, waiting deficient souls (ADWD). We live preoccupied with the present and absorbed in our experience of the moment. Right here, right now, right away.  That's us.

Which is why suffering is so difficult for us (or one reason why). It is happening to us right here, right now and it hurts. It is uncomfortable. We want it over right away. The pain of the moment overwhelms the possibilities of tomorrow.

I believe that God has wired the world with the need for a long-term vista. We must have that long term view to embrace the short term inconveniences, hardships, anomalies and hurts.

I don't like the short-term pain of exercising (my muscles hurt when I do) or dieting (my cravings for sugar and salt and MSG scream at me when I do). But I do want the long term benefit of being healthy. (Being buff is impossible so I am now content with reasonable health.)

I don't like the short-term pain of conflict but I want the long-term benefit of patience in relationships, the heart of forbearance with those with whom I disagree and the joy of reconciliation.

Most women (usually) don't necessarily enjoy the short-term problems of pregnancy nor the pains of labor, but they do look for the long-term joy of children. (Now teenagers is another matter altogether.)

I want wisdom, maturity, grace, love, the fruit of the Spirit, the character of Christ, the power of God... I deeply desire these things in the long haul of life. So, I endure the actual living of life that will bring those things to pass.

How's your IQ these days?

And if you want to increase your spiritual IQ by at least 50 points, perspective is the way to go.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Walking: 01 (Mike Johnson)

Mike Johnson is a good friend of mine and someone who is partnering with Leadership ConneXtions. Mike is an interesting guy with many layers. (Think Shrek, ogres, donkeys [or mules], onions, layers and you get the general idea. By the way, this is Mike's self-assessment, not mine. I just wholeheartedly agree with his assessment.)

Mike loves sub-Sahara Africa. Mike is a teacher/trainer/mentor at heart. Mike is re-focusing his life in a significant way to be involved in developing leaders locally and internationally. And Mike is a guy who doesn't do things "half." He goes all the way. Once he has made up his mind and knows what he must do... he does it.

Mike is one of the people in our Sunday Nite Leadership Community and at our last gathering, Mike shared some of his up-to-date journey in a way that had us all realizing that Jesus had just visited us and given us a "God moment" through Mike's words. I think we all had a sense that something deeply meaningful had just been shared and we were going to have to wait and watch and see where it led.

Mike is on a journey. He is walking. Literally and symbolically.  I've asked Mike if he would do some writing that I could post on this site. So he sends me some of his journaled thoughts.  My fear is that these "abbreviated" and a bit out of context posts won't do justice to what is going on in Mike's life. They are only part of the story. But they are so rich that we'll take the chance and share them anyway. 

So welcome to a new guest blogger on the Leadership ConneXtions International blogsite. Thank you my friend for your willingness to share some of your journey and your journaling.  (brian)

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Divergent paths collide - At 16 I made a list of 100 things I wanted to do in my life. This list covered career, education, family, sports, activities, goals, and dreams. I have not added to this list since. I have knocked off many of the items on the list - some, will never be achieved.

I married, had a son, own a home, ridden the Pacific Coast Highway One on a Harley, ridden a camel, an elephant, taken a deer with a longbow, a bison with a sharps, run a 4 min mile, marathons, ultra marathons, run a 47 second quarter mile etc. One of the things on that list is to walk the Appalachian trail, all 2175 miles of it.

In 1991, I met and hosted in my home, George Walter, a pilgrim for Christ. I have his book and have read it several times. He was soon to become a priest who left the church to become a pilgrim, to get closer to God. His sandaled feet, wooden staff, and robe clothes spoke to me in a deep way. He had no possesions but his staff and tunic. He slept where he was invited, he ate what was offered. I longed to want to search for God in such an open and honest way.  His book is: A Pilgrim Finds the Way: A Walk From Barcelona to Jerusalem.

2009 - January. I have completed my second missions trip to Ethiopia. During this last trip it was made clear to me that Christ walked and taught in such conditions. As I looked out upon the roads of the capital - Addis, I saw the sick, the poor the lame on the streets. Towards the village of Sendafa, the roads turned to dirt and all the people are walking somewhere. They walk to church, work, to the fields, to get water, to shop, to school. As we speed by in our Toyota vans, I realize that we cannot experience this culture, these people until we get out and walk among them.

2008-2009 - my struggle with Grace. The longing of my heart is to understand, to know the depth and breadth of God’s Grace, to be transformed in Christ’s likeness, through understanding God’s revelation of His Grace of the cross. The books I have read, the studies I have completed, have not satisfied this burning desire to know God’s Grace Intimately.  And so now I walk. 

I walk seeking the understanding of Grace, as God will reveal to me. My walks so far have shown me beauty in the midst of the city of Baltimore - at Round Falls on the JFT - something I would not have found if I was in my car or on my motor cycle.

I have come to see the homeless, to know their routes and routines - and the Grace I should show there. Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski, revealed this world to me. Grace is all around me.  I walk, I talk - I converse with God and He reveals to me his Grace as I do. The world by foot is so much different than in my truck. 

(OnTuesdays and Thursdays) I walk with my mule - his gentle gait, his flopping ears of contentment, teach me meekness, kindness, patience, peace, happiness. Grace is abundant - poured out on our lives like sunshine from above. Expose your Grace dear Father. Teach me as you will, use me, your servant.

Mike Johnson

Leadership ConneXtions International

For an article on George Walter, click here.

The Wounded Healer

Metaphors are interesting and they are powerful.

Metaphors are deeply held conceptual models that give shape to how we understand life.

When it comes to leadership metaphors, the same is true. Our leadership metaphors fundamentally guide how we think about leadership and how we live as leaders. In the waning decades of modernity, the dominant leadership metaphors were fragmenting. They were part of a paradigm that was disintegrating and losing its power to capture the hearts of people.  The leader as CEO, the leader as Commander of the Troops, the leader as Hero, the leader as Expert - all were losing their power.

We are on the search for New Metaphors of Leadership.

When I teach the course on Emerging Paradigms of Leadership, I'll often explore some of these new metaphors.

The Leader as Missional Entrepreneur...

The Leader as Spiritual Environmentalist...

The Leader as Cultural Cartographer...

... each one is becoming a favorite of mine.

Here is another one that I am re-visiting. I first heard it from Henri Nouwen in the book by the same name.

The leader as: Wounded Healer.

When I think of this metaphor, I think of:

Jacob now walking/leading with a limp,

Paul with a thorn in the flesh,

The ability to sympathize and empathize,

Power being perfected in weakness,

Authenticity, vulnerability, transparency,

Being very real,

Bearing the pain of others,

Knowing the hurts of the world,

Messy and mysterious,

Grace and strength

No easy answers, but wise ones,

Story, journey, movement,

Healing and longing,

Henri Nouwen, Desmond Tutu, John Perkins...

Above all, I think of Jesus.

For an emerging generation that is more skeptical than ever of leadership as it has been practiced via the metaphors of modernity, this one resonates.

This is a worthy journey - to become this kind of leader.

I value your prayers for my own journey to become such a leader.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Spiritual Friends and a Leadership Community

Once a month on a Sunday evening, a group of eight of us (just about everyone is associated with Leadership ConneXtions very closely) get together for leadership conversations. We met this past week and I was moved by a number of things.

First, I was moved by the energy and commitment these leaders have to live well and lead well. They really want to honor God and serve others in the best ways possible.

Then I was struck by the honesty and integrity in sharing their stories and their journey. 

I also noticed several themes re-appearing.  Our need to be immersed in the Scriptures, to be full of God's Spirit, to create sustainable rhythms in our lives, make the time for life-long learning, and connect deeply with companions for the long haul.  God is up to something in all of our lives that involves these themes.

It was good to pray for one another after our conversations.

And when our time was over, we were all refreshed and grateful.

 

I am also in a spiritual friendship group (we met a few days ago) and at one point, when I was in the role of the observer, I found myself thinking two things. First - Jesus, thank you for this opportunity to have these kinds of conversations with these kinds of friends. Second - I wish everyone had a similar group to help one another pay attention to what Jesus is doing on our journey.

If you don't have a group of friends and partners with whom you can do life together - you are missing out on something very important.

May God provide those people for your life in the very near future. And may you have eyes to see what God is providing.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

What's Your One Big Idea?

It hit me again. I was losing my focus. Rats!  How did that happen? My schedule was over-crowded with misc., minor stuff. It was all good stuff.  But . . . the really important items were NOT in my schedule. Projects that only I could do were being neglected. 

Because life gets complicated, stuff accumulates, ideas multiply, options and alternatives increase and breed like bunnies (all of which seem to migrate toward my garden - metaphorically and literally !!!), from time to time, a leader needs to REFOCUS.

I re-focus by asking a simple question: What is the ONE BIG IDEA that defines my ministry? What is the ONE BIG IDEA that defines what my life is all about?

If you have some paper handy, you might want to do an exercise right now to get some benefit out of reading this post. Here is the question:  Write down in a phrase or a sentence, the ONE BIG IDEA that defines and motivates you.

___________________________________

Pause to do this as long as you need . . .

___________________________________

If you are like me, you probably struggle a bit because it is easier to write down a number of medium size ideas. And that’s okay. You should have a number of those ideas written down. But . . . once you have them, can you sort through them to find the one that is biggest?

If you can’t do this, you will struggle to do the following.

• Have a guiding principle to assess how you spend your time and energy.
  
• Have a meaningful strategy to guide your daily activity.
  
• Have challenging metrics in place to let you know if you are making progress.
  
• Have the reason and the will to say no to all the STUFF that accumulates and increasingly complicates your life.

We all tend to get side-tracked, distracted and derailed from the business of our life. That’s understandable. Life happens. Lots of life happens on a daily basis. We just need to Re-focus as often as is needed so all the stuff of life doesn’t overwhelm the truly big and worthy IDEA that your/my/our life is about.

So, one more time:  What’s your ONE BIG IDEA? How much time are you spending living out of that ONE BIG IDEA?  It is the start of a new week. Look at your day-timer. Are you giving priority to the things that matter most for your lifework?

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Ten Ideas Changing the World Right Now (Guess What #3 Was...)

My friend Gordon gave me a copy of the 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now (Time Magazine, March 23, 2009) and there was a surpise one in there which was why he wanted me to see it.

The New Calvinism

Okay, I know this is just one article in one magazine . . . but still . . . !!!

Postmodernism didn't get mentioned...

The emergent movement didn't get a penny of press...

Rob Bell... Don Miller... is there another biggie to throw in there?... doesn't matter, they didn't make it...

Rick Warren and Bill Hybels were left out...

Okay, maybe it is because the author David Van Biema sounds suspiciously Dutch Reformed (I know nothing about the guy)...

But anyway - The New Calvinism. That is supposedly where the real passion and energy is in the Evangelical Movement. Van Biema says, the evangelical movement is doctrinally adrift. (I'd say it more strongly.) In some cases, postmodern evangelicals are not adrift, they are in speedboats racing away from the core. And apparently there is a large group of young people who need a God with some more substance than the fuzzy Jesus of our postmodern times.

Enter the neo-Calvinists. They are heating up the blogosphere (For example Driscoll's Resurgence.)

Hmmm...

I have deep roots in the Reformation and strong affinities for much (but not all) that is in Calvinism.

I also have a lot of disappointment in the Calvinists I have met. Too many seem to have the spirit of Zwingli and not that of Christ.  Too much arrogance for my taste (I know that probably is a bit arrogant on my part as well). Too much tendency for drawing strong lines to define who is in and who is out.  (The same thing, ironically, that some PoMos do as well..., i.e. Tony Jones lets us know who gets it and who doesn't.)  Too much theological hair splitting....  Too much majoring on the minors...  Don't believe me, well then just follow the dismissals from Westminster Theological Seminary faculty and the theological issues over which they are dismissed (i.e. terminated from employment).

But on the other hand, some of the finest philosophers and theologians I have ever read are Reformataional. Boy do they know how to think and write well.  I don't come away wondering if they know God. 

• They aren't on a mission to redefine Jesus to the lowest common, politically correct, least offensive, most tolerant denominator.
• They aren't desperate to explain why Jesus did not really die on the cross (cosmic child abuse some of them call it) and that this is an idea we need to say goodbye to.
• They aren't on the speaking tour to tell followers of Jesus that we really can know nothing about Him and that it is time to stop speaking about what we can know of God but to tell people "I really don't claim to know much about God at all..."
• They aren't writing books to confess that they no longer believe in the uniqueness of Jesus, but are now universalists verging on unitarianism and that this is the logical progression of spirituality.
• They aren't writing books to explain that Islamic and Christian spirituality are really quite similar and that we should celebrate the richness that we have in common!

Except for bullet number one, the other bullets are largely the substance of specific books I have read by postmodern authors this past year! 

Maybe the neo-Calvinism has something to offer the current conversation. I just wish they could make their contributions with a little more grace and humility.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

p.s. In the spirit of Calvin and Hobbes . . . maybe this is the real New Calvinism that is emerging. If you don't know philosophy you will miss the humor of this cartoon.  The blogsite that had this was down, so this is a small picture blown up. 

The Three Greatest (and Hardest) Acts

Peter Kreeft mentions (but doesn’t reference) a statement made by one of Beethoven’s biographers. That biographer said the three greatest and hardest humans acts (not necessarily in order) are:

• Heroism
• Childbirth
• Creative Work

What do you think of those three choices? Is there anything else you would add to that list?

I was playing around with this list from a leadership perspective.

If . . . 

. . . if leadership requires heroic courage to lead in the midst of conflict and challenge…

. . . if leadership requires a “metaphorical giving birth” to new things that need done…

. . . if leadership requires creative innovation in our seriously interesting times…

Then it makes sense that leadership is some of the greatest and hardest work there is. Leaders for Christ need to know they are called to the work of leadership. It’s not for the faint of heart. It's not for the unimaginative. It's not for the pain avoidant types.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

The Upside Down Kingdom of God

In the upside down kingdom of God:

The wisest theologians know they are fools.

The strongest leaders know they are weak.

The greatest saints know they are sinners.

A limp become the mark of God’s Presence.

A thorn in the flesh becomes the vehicle of strength and power.

Suffering is received as a “grace disguised.”

This is good because God uses the foolish, weak, sinful things of the world (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).  First he fills them with His presence, love, grace, wisdom and strength. Then he turns them loose into the world that is . . . to change it into what it is meant to be.

• To nullify the things that are.
• To turn an upside down world right side up.
• To heal the hurts. 
• Repair the brokenness.
• And reverse the curse of the fall.

This is the work of leadership.

We are so easily fooled by the great, strong, impressive, charismatic, the good looking. We assume, surely this is the kind of person that God wants to use. And who are we? We are none of those things. What can we do but sit on the sidelines and observe.

Then God comes along and selects the youngest son, a shepherd and anoints him as the future King of Israel (1 Samuel 16).

Then Jesus comes along and calls fisherman and tax-collectors to become followers so they one day may become apostles and prophets of God!

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7)

It’s an Upside-Down Kingdom we have received.  It is a Servant-King to whom we have given our allegiance. Now we are sent out in His Name to work and lead in the same way He did (John 20:21). This stuff is worth pondering and praying through.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Men's Fraternity (John Hilliard)

John Hilliard is involved in a number of different ministries that are "developmental" of others. One of the areas where John has given a lot of his time this past year was to the launching of a new men's ministry at LWCC, called Men's Fraternity. John tells us a little about this story in this blog.   (bkr)

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Over the years there have been a variety of bible studies and events specifically designed for men. Some examples are ‘Measure of a Man’ by Gene Getz, ‘The Man in the Mirror’ by Patrick Morley, and the ‘Promise Keepers’ movement.  They have brought men together and addressed a number of issues specific to men. 

In 1990 Dr. Robert Lewis developed a series called ‘Men’s Fraternity’ which is currently available through Lifeway Press.  It is a three-part series including ‘The Quest for Authentic Manhood’, ‘The Great Adventure’, and ‘Winning at Work and Home.’ Thousand of churches worldwide are offering it this year. 

As part of my ministry at Living Word Community Church, we began The Quest for Authentic Manhood training back in September and will be finishing this week.  It is encouraging to see that men will respond to the challenge to step up as leaders.  

There are four primary concepts that the course is built around: 

1) reject passivity, 
2) accept responsibility, 
3) lead courageously and 
4) expect the greater reward, God’s reward.  

There are 90+ men who have been going through this series and they are coming to grips with each of these concepts. The end assignment is to put together a plan for moving forward, their ‘manhood plan’ as Men’s Fraternity calls them.  As I review these plans it is both humbling and exciting to see how God has touched these men. There are deep examinations of how they have been living their lives and what needs to change.  

John Hilliard

Leadership ConneXtions International

Extraordinary Lives

From time to time, there are certain people we meet whose lives resonate with something bigger than average, better than ordinary, deeper than what is normal.

They are wonderfully human with all the frailty, foibles and folly that comes with the territory. But something else is there as well.

Sometimes they become famous. Much of the time they are only known in their Corner of God's World.

Something about their lives reminds us of God. There is something bigger about them, they cannot be accounted for by themselves alone.

Words are often inadequate to describe these people.

There is the sense of the sacred.

Perhaps we can use the biblical word – holy . . . or godly.

Holiness, godliness.

The scent of heaven lingers over them.

At one time we might have called them saints.            

They live in such a way that their life does not make sense unless there is a God. There is a God factor that is necessary to explain these individuals.

They do not present themselves as such. In fact, to do so would undermine the very quality that surrounds them. They live humbly and quietly, consistently and courageously; with their lives organized around a Higher Person and a Greater Purpose. Christ and His Kingdom.

In the Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis describes one of these extraordinary people ... Sarah Smith... someone you've never heard of. But in heaven, she is one of the Great Ones.

They have often experienced significant suffering in their lives. They have learned how to be close to Christ through that suffering. They are full of the quality of love. Love of God and love of others.

When these people become our leaders . . . we are blessed if we follow them.  When these people become our mentors . . . we are enlarged by their grace poured into our lives.

May you have such a person in your life.

May you become such a person for others.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Calvin and Hobbes Revisited and Passed On

One of my all-time favorite comics was Calvin and Hobbes. I read it religiously for years. I have at least seven or eight of the books of collected comics.

My friend Aaron Kunce sent me this more-than-delightful poster which I share here. If you were never a reader of Calvin and Hobbes, today's post won't mean much. But if you were, I believe you'll enjoy this as much as I did.

If you need another dose of Calvin and Hobbes, Visit this Jumpstation for resources.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

 

A Life-Long Learner's Prayer

I came across this very moving prayer for wisdom and learning in Reordered Love, Reordered Lives by David Naugle (pp. 155).

Creator of all things,

true source of light and wisdom,

lofty origin of all being,

graciously let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding.

Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born --

an obscurity of sin and ignorance.

Give me a sharp sense of understanding,

a retentive memory,

and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.

Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginning.

Direct my progress,

and help in the completion.

I ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

For all of you who long for clarity of insights, the wisdom of Christ, the gift of discernment and then the thoughtful ability to express yourself, may this prayer be useful.

By the way, the prayer is by Thomas Aquinas and it can be found at:  Lux Veritatis: Thomas Aquinas.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Ahead of Time Work on the Mystery of Suffering

This past Monday began a three-part series in Ancient-Future Faith on the theme of Suffering. We are going to wrap up this mid-size community at the end of March with this series.  The handout for Monday nite's discussion is posted on the Ancient-Future Faith Page on the right hand column.

That handout has a lot of quotes and thoughts on suffering from a variety of thinkers.

Here is the one main idea I want to suggest in this post.

The quetion (problem) / [mystery] of suffering is one of the biggest issues you will ever have to deal with. You MUST spend some time thinking about this issue. And to do that, you need some reliable guides.

You cannot develop a substantial "theology of suffering" in your moment of need. When your season of suffering is upon you, it is too late to become wise on this matter. Now, your theology, your faith, your substance is going to be revealed.

I have seen this work both ways. I have friends who have well considered this theme and their strength of their faith sustains them during the time of suffering. I have also seen people who have little depth in their perspective and their relationship with God deteriorates.

So - ahead of time and before the moment of need - take some time to wrestle with the Mystery of Suffering.

You are going to have to read something to access some of the better ideas on suffering. There are so many good books out there.  Of all the good books, above all I recommend:

A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser.

It is a very well told story of almost unimagineable suffering because of a horrific traffic accident in which his mother, wife and a child were killed. He lived to be a single parent raising his two other children who survived. What makes the book even better is that Sittser is a very thoughtful man. He is a professor of religion at a college. So his book is a combination of well told story and wise insight. And emminently readable.

Take the time to invest in this theme. You will need it at some point.

Leaders and mentors - it will be well worth your time to hone up your insights on this theme so you can have some good conversations with the people you lead and mentor.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

A Mild Rant and Rave on the Economy

I have a full blown Rant and Rave about the economy, actually it is more about the factors that have contributed to the economy. But I have hesitated writing and posting it. For I am neither an economist nor the son of an economist (a play on Amos 7:14 about prophets) and therefore, don't really understand the complexity of these issues.

What I do understand is the spiritual and moral energies that drive certain systems of growth either in healthy or unhealthy ways. So here is a milder version of that Rant and Rave.

 For a long time, I have believed that we have questionable energies that drive our economy... that we play smoke and mirror games with finances (both personally and as a nation)... and that at some point a major corrective is needed.

I become concerned when I hear people (and especially leaders) wanting to spend money to get back to normal! Our financial way of living for the past fifty years should not be normal. We have grossly over-consumed by blindly spending and massively borrowing to do so.

I become concerned when I hear the hurting people (and there are many of them) getting frustrated when there is not a fast bailout or turn around of the economy.

I become concerned when I think we may settle for band-aids that only delay the eventual full reckoning; and which pass the burden and the buck (buck: in terms of final responsibility but not money) off to those who will come after us.

I become concerned when we think we can live without reaping the consequences of irresponsible financial decisions, immoral or at least questionable financial practices, and frankly a consuming kind of greed that always wants more even if we can't afford it. God is not mocked, according to Galatians 5:7-10, and we do reap what we sow.

But like I said, I am neither an economist or the son of one. So . ..

Here is a link that my friend John sent to me that really raises some of my concerns in a thoughtful way.

The Inflection is Near by Thomas Friedman.

It is obviously written by a top-notch world observer.

Give me your feedback on this.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Here is an article that Peter Hilliard sent in response to the post on The Declining State of Christianity in America.

I thought it was that good that I put it on the blogsite as soon as I read it.  

Thanks Peter.

The Decline of Evangelicalism in America

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

The Declining State of Christianity in the USA

LWCC Young Adult Pastor and all round thoughtful guy, Rob Tucker, sent me this link.  Fascinating chart and analysis. Be sure to check it out.

Shifting Religious Identity

This is why we need to have "how to be missional" in our new age discussions on the top of our agenda.

You keep on doing what you've always done and you'll keep on getting what you've always gotten.

When it comes to evangelism and being a missional church - apparently that means we are getting the decline of Christianity.

Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same old thing over and over and expecting different results.

There is a fair amount of evangelism insanity we have to overcome.  Bullhorn Guy doesn't cut it.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

A Time to "De-clutter"

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Here is one of those activities it is probably TIME to make happen.

It is TIME TO DE-CLUTTER !!!

This post is a follow-up thought from yesterday. Because we usually let life just happen to us, our life increasingly gets more and more stuff in it.  More and more:

things/possessions

activities

responsibilities/duties

opportunities

burdens/obligations

stuff . . .

All the time, we are accumulating, increasing, adding to our lives, until they are so full, we have no margins left at all. We are maxed out, stuff is bursting out, we are stressed out.

So, every now and then, we need to do some serious De-cluttering of our lives.  My wife Becky is one of the best de-cumulators I know. She is always de-cluttering, getting rid of stuff, down-sizing. Many years ago, when we were house hunting in York, one house we looked at had so much STUFF everywhere, we just wondered - how could anyone accumulate so much STUFF?

But most of us do accumulate way too much stuff.  So, why don't you declare a season of De-cluttering for the next month.  Here are a few questions/suggestions to guide you:

ONE:  What possessions can we give away?  These are the things that we really don't use that much. They just take up space in our life. At one time we wanted them, we bought them and we enjoyed them. But now, they just kind of sit there. Make the list as long as you can and get rid of it. If it is good stuff, take it to the Salvation  Army or some other organization that will make it available to those who don't have much?

TWO:  In what ways have I over committed myself? Many of us have very good hearts and we can easily take on too many responsibilities. Are we doing too much? Saying yes to too many ministry needs? Pitching in too many times to help out.  I know this one may sound strange, but we need to stop doing a lot of things so we may have more time and energy to focus on the few better things. So, make your list. If you want, create a ranking system to help you. Maybe non-negotiable, questionable and definitely must go.

THREE:  Get a copy of Richard Swenson's excellent devotional - A Minute of Margin. It is outstanding as it seeks to help us simplify, de-clutter, and get margin back into our lives. Why this will be important is that for most of us, the ideas in this post are too counter-cultural and we are going to need some time and motivation to follow through with it. Swenson will help you.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Collected Treasures From Leadership Blog (Miriam Phillips)

My friend Miriam is a developer of and mentor for leaders, Miriam is a relentless searcher after resources. Here you get some of the rewards of her labors. Thanks for sharing these with the LCI readers. Plus thanks for asking those questions about the presence (or lack) of women producing these things.  (bkr)

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My friend Johan passed on this free resource of 281 pages of worthy quotes from leadership blogs compiled by the people from Exponential Network and Passion for Planting. Check out the first quote to get an idea of the kind of thought-provoking perspectives represented in this collection.

Link for the Leadership Blog Quotes

“Even the most creative people are tempted to stop being innovative when their ideas become successful. They subconsciously create a rule that says, "This idea worked, so don't do it differently." They "rubber-stamp" instead of "re-create." I'll say this as clearly as I can: If you are executing the same creative ideas you did last year because they worked, you are already on the decline.”

Posted by: Ben Arment, Innovation

I intend to work my way through the whole collection…which includes quotes from 20 bloggers including Alan Hirsch (co-author of The Shaping of Things to Come, The Forgotten Ways, and ReJesus) and a bunch of churchplanters I’d like to get to know better.

I do, however, notice that there aren’t any women’s voices in the mix.  

When Al and Deb Hirsch were with us at Crossroads International Church, her input was as valuable to us as his.  Are women less likely to value their own thoughts enough to write them out?  Are blogs by women less likely to be posted in places where they would be discovered for such a compilation? 

Do we (both women and men) value the contributions of women less if they are less theoretical and more practical? 

Miriam Phillips

The Netherlands

If we let culture just happen to us we'll end up fat, addicted, broke, with a house full of junk and no time.  Mary Pipher

I am just about to finish the final pages in my current journal. While I was flying, I was skimming back through many months of thoughts, musings, prayers, ideas . . . and I came across some notes I took when the Administrative Team of LWCC (and they are an awesome team) did a presentation at one of our All-Staff meetings. Their focus was on helping us "de-clutter" our lives. 

The thought from Mary Pipher came from that team. As I re-read it, it hit me once again.

We too easily allow culture to just happen to us. I know I do.  When I just allow life to happen to me as it is defined by our culture, then I get:

fat
lazy,
discontent,
painfully consumerist,
bored,
derailed,
envious,
atrophy, drift, lethargy, entropic . . . 

I could add more but you get the idea.

So it is obvious what I need to do. I need to NOT ALLOW culture to just happen to me.  I need to be highly intentional about life. I need to do it today. And then... I'll need to do it again tomorrow. And the day after that, and the one that follows.

You see... culture is just happening around me every day. It never stops just happening. So I can never stop being highly intentional. I think this is what Paul was talking about when he said:

Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is (Ephesians 5:15-17).

Two questions, no, make that three:

1. What are you just allowing to happen to you?
2. What is it just doing to you?
3. When are you going to start being highly intentional?

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Lived Experiences are the Only Ones to Teach

Without sounding arrogant (I hope), give me a topic/theme and a little time and I can come up with a pretty decent lesson/teaching/sermon or whatever you want to call it. I'm a learner. I'm a student. I know how to find good ideas, how to make sense out of them, and then how to arrange them for the purpose of passing them on to others.

BUT . . .

It doesn't mean I have lived or experienced that idea. I have just comprehended its meaning (more or less). I have a rational, intellectual perspective... but not lived experience.

And that is just one of the problems of so much contemporary communication, especially of the biblical kind we call teaching and preaching. It is waaaay too easy to give good and reasonably true theory without ever having wrestled with it existentially and personally.

I'd like to make a request of those (myself included) who communicate ideas as part of our calling?

Can we agree not to teach theory any more?

Can we agree to only teach those ideas with which we are personally wrestling?

Can we agree to enter experientially into the idea and wrestle with it in the way that Jacob wrestled with the Divine Visitor who left him with a limp as the sign of that encounter?

If you want to move away from just giving propositional content (even if it is great content) and be able to tell your story about those ideas, then don't just think about them; experience them, grapple with them, practice them and know them personally. I think then our communication will come alive, be filled with the power of Christ and have the ring of authenticity.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Check out WhiteHead Carvings for the woodcarving image in this post.

Easy Answers (Not)

"Humankind cannot bear very much reality."

This is an observation from poet, T.S. Eliot and is he ever spot on!

We live in a world (and North America is quintessentially this) that wants fast answers to our questions and easy solutions to our problems.

Think of how the American public is clamoring for such a solution to our economic crisis which is a crisis that has been decades in the making. And do we ever get upset when the answers are not fast nor the solutions easy.

Our preferred leaders are those who provide the answers and solutions fast and easy and inexpensive as well. 

It takes a courageous leadership that is willing to say, "Listen up: life is much messier and more mysterious than we care to admit. Life is not a problem to be solved, it is a mysterious marvel to experience and move through. And the messiness of our sin makes the complexity enormous."

It takes time, patience, and perseverance; faith, hope and love; courage, trust and surrender to do this thing called life - well. Leaders are those who help their friends and followers live in such ways.  Through love, we help others bear more reality than they have been accustomed to bearing.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

p.s. Great poster...