LeadershipConneXtions

When to Make a Change

 

Here is a great post from James Emery White's, Church and Culture Blog.

He posted WHEN TO MAKE A CHANGE earlier in January. 

There is nothing magical about the beginning of January as the time to think about making change.

You can ponder this for your self TODAY.

White gives some wise guidance.

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
BrianRice@lcileaders.org 

Licatese and Sons: A Well Run Family Business

I love getting my hair cut. If that sounds like a stretch, let me tell you why. It is mainly because I am so impressed with the family run business where I go to get my hair cut. (Although I am also glad to have hair to be cut.) I go to:

Licatese and Sons on Market Street, York, PA.

Here is why I love this place.

They are a great family. It is obvious they enjoy one another, that they work well together and that family is the "glue" that makes this a profitable business.

They barber shop is well designed. Spacious, clean, comfortable, bright, airy.

Remember the old Cheers show with the tag line, "Where everybody knows your name..."? EVERY customer that walks in to the barber shop - is greeted by name, by at least two of the family. And when EVERY customer departs - the same. They have thousands of customers... ! Remarkable!

The way they treat their customers, it feels like a great big extended (and happy) family. Lots of friendly banter, joking around, laughing. Daniel Goleman would say this is "resonant leadership."

Oh yes - and they do a great job of cutting hair.

I started having the father - Steve, (who is younger than I am) cut my hair back in the 1970s. He did that until I moved up to New York in 1996. When I returned in 2003, I went back to Steve (now at his new location and running his own business. He had no openings, but he  introduced me to one of his sons - Charlie. Charlie has been cutting my hair ever since.

This is great leadership that provides a great customer service and builds a legion of loyal fans. My father-in-law goes there, my nephew (when in the area) goes there, my son goes there, and of course I go there. 

A wonderful example of leadership at the local level.

May the "tribe" of well-run, local, family businesses increase greatly in the years to come.
 

Brian K. Rice  Leadership ConneXtions International  www.lci.typepad.com

 

Incredible Delta Leadership

No, I'm not referring to some new military leadership training program.

I am referring to the airlines that goes by that name.

There I was, sitting at Baltimore-Washington International airport, Concourse C-12 for the Baltimore-Atlanta Delta flight.  The plane was late (pretty typical). It comes in from Atlanta and Atlanta is notorious for delays due to both bad weather and just busy skies full of planes. 

Late again! And not a lot of time for connections. I've found myself running through the big Atlanta airport more than once for my flights to Latin America. I resigned myself to doing the same. Rats - no time for a last stop at the Starbucks shop!

But this time . . .

As we are all waiting and the passengers disembarking, the captain comes off the plane. He goes to the desk, gets the mike and he apologizes to the crowd for being late. He gives no excuses for why they are late. I like him already. 

Instead, he tells us what he has already done to streamline the departure process so we can get going as quickly as possible. He's got the flight plan filed, the plane is being refueled immediately. He then asks us that if we can all cooperate and follow the boarding process, he'll get us off as soon as possible.

I am standing beside one waiting passenger who mutters appreciatively, "I've never heard a pilot do this before." I nodded my agreement.

The pilot disappears back through the doorway.

The exiting passengers have dwindled in numbers and then we see him again . . . he is pushing off a wheelchair bound passenger. I couldn't hear what he said, but the captain leaned over, spoke for a minute to the passenger, shook his hand and took off back through the doorway.

I am standing there with the group in Zone One who are going to board first and we are just blown away!

Everyone is in a good mood. Hey, the captain is going above and beyond the call of duty for us. Let's cooperate as best we can.

So now I am in the plane, sitting in my aisle seat and the person seated beside me is looking out the window and says out loud, "I don't believe it." Others start looking out the window. Guess what? There is our captain helping load baggage!

Incredible!

Later, before he enters the cockpit, he comes to the main cabin area. Asks for our attention.  Everyone is quiet. He thanks us for our wonderful cooperation. He tells us he thinks we boarded in record time. He praises the cabin crew for their efficiency getting us ready and he tells us he will do everything he can to get us to  Atlanta, making up for lost time so we can make our connections.

By this point, we are all so darn impressed with this pilot that we don't even care if we miss our connections. This guy is soaring as a leader and we are still on the ground. 

At that moment, I became a Raving Fan of that pilot and by default, Delta Airline for having the good sense to hire the guy. 

By the way, we made it to Atlanta on time.

And I got my Starbucks coffee.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Every Now and Then . . .

. . . you have one of those conversations that just COMPLETELY MAKES YOUR DAY. I had one of those the other day!

Every now and then I like to shine the spotlight on a leader (who will remain anonymous).

I was talking with a friend of mine who is working with me on the LCI Exercises. He is in a pretty new leadership role at a new place of work and I asked him how it was going. As he began to talk (in an entirely unassuming way) and tell stories about the people there, I started jotting down notes.  This guy was:

full of vital optimism, he loves being in that place (Gordon MacDonald)

a resonant emotionally healthy leader who is lifting others up with his own healthy affections  (Daniel Goleman)

having an incredible imprint and leadership leak (Ron Martoia), stuff was just overflowing from his life to the lives of so many others

an incredible encourager (Kouzes and Posner), he told me story after story of how he is a raving fan of so many people there and he goes out of his way to affirm them... and wow, do they ever respond with appreciation...

he is leading up, leading laterally, leading down... he is just doing 360 degree leadership

right in a vocational place of calling, right where God wanted him and where he ended up against huge odds  (Os Guiness), he is a missional servant of the purposes of God in a fully secular environment, he is an agent of the kingdom, he is salt and light and he is already having an influence just by leaking love, grace and wisdom.

As he was talking, I realized that my friend is already there or very close to being one of those Level Five leaders the world so desperately needs (Jim Collins). 

He is working with high intentionally, a major spiritual formation process and he is being transformed.

He was humble, grateful,  joyful...

It was awesome...

My prayers for each of the readers is that we would all, by God's grace, be becoming such leaders.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

 

 

Churchill on Leadership: A Final Thought

I hadn't noticed this before, but looking back over the posts on Churchill's leadership, suddenly it hit me!

Do you see it also?

As you have been reading these Five Leadership Lessons from Churchill, as interpreted by Paul Johnson, did you notice anything about those five lessons.

Here is what I saw. They all have to do with the inner life of the leader. They are character issues. They are the stuff of emotional intelligence!

Fascinating!!!

Churchill was enormously gifted as a leader. He developed immense leadership skills as the years went by. He had few peers when it came to visionary thinking, strategic implementation of the vision he saw, motivational oratory and more. 

Yet . . . none of this made the top Five Leadership Lessons.

Instead . . . it is the stuff of character.

Hmm . . . is this saying anything to you?

You may want to do a little biblical reflection on the following passages and then do some self-assessment as well.

2 Peter 5:5-9        Galatians 5:22-25        Romans 12:9-21

• Make a list of character qualities out of these three passages. 
• Then, give yourself an evaluation of some sort (a scale of your own choosing). 
• What are your weak areas of character? 
• How are they affecting you negatively?  And what are your character strengths? 
• How are you leading and making a difference out of those strengths?  
• What is Jesus saying to you.

And may God transform our inner world so that our leadership imprint is a legacy worth leaving.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com

Mensch Leadership

Mensch was a term I recently learned about as I was reading the story of Aaron Feuerstein. 

A six minute YouTube video is at the end of this post on Feuerstein so you can hear this in his own words.

Aaron Feuerstein was the owner of Malden Mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts (not too far from where I went to my first seminary, Gordon-Conwell). In 1995, two weeks before Christmas, a fire destroyed the factory and 2000 people were out of jobs.

The economy was already difficult. Manufacturing jobs were moving overseas. Aaron Feuerstein was in his 70's. He could have just collected the insurance money and retired and lived very comfortably.  But Aaron Feuerstein was a Mensch kind of leader.

Feuerstein called the workers together for a meeting and promised to rebuild the plant (better than it had been) and also pay the workers out of his own pocket for the duration!

Now stop for just a minute and think how radically different this is from about 98% of all corporate leaders you've ever read about. This is truly radical stuff!  Feuerstein does not see his workers as existing for his benefit and profit. He sees himself as existing for them! This is getting down to the essence of servant leadership and the leader as "Steward" who not only cares for what has been entrusted to her or him, but intentionally develops it to its full potential.

In a 60 Minutes interview, Feuerstein was asked why he used his own money to pay the employees. Obvious question in a world that rarely sees this kind of leadership action. He asked back, 

"What else am I supposed to do with the money?" 

Great question:   

What else are we suppose to do with what has been entrusted to us?  

Oh yes - I know! Spend it on self. Enjoy it to the maximum.  Use it up to the full. Accumulate, possess, spend, enjoy on SELF.  Now that is the American way of life... heck, that is the "without Christ way of life."

But Feuerstein chose a different way. He chose the way of mensch. He borrowed this idea from his Jewish faith and said, "When all is moral chaos, this is the time for you to be a mensch." 

A mensch is a "really" good person, whose compassion goes beyond what justice expects. 

A mensch is someone who is living in the realm of hesed, shalom and mishpat in extraordinary ways.

Hesed - loving kindness and mercy to the point of long suffering over what and who is loved.

Shalom - the full harmonious well being of a life rightly ordered in the ways of God and enjoying the blessings of such a reordered life.

Mishpat - righteousness and justice.

These are three of the great themes of the Old Testament scriptures and a MENSCH is the one who lives in the reality of those themes and lives them out in to the surrounding world.

Jesus Christ was the supreme Mensch Leader. And Aaron Feuerstein the Jew gives us a pretty good illustration of Christ-likeness that leaves many Christian leaders looking like a pretty sorry, pale imitation.

Mensch Leadership !!!

I'd follow a leader like that...

And by God's grace, you and I might become leaders like that who others will want to follow.

Anybody want to be a Mensch Leader?

Here is a short article where you can read more about Aaron Feuerstein's Mensch Leadership, check out this site.

And here is a longer PDF article, about 23 pages that tell his story.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Aquinas: What Kind of Leader Do You Want to Be?

Thomas Aquinas was a theologian, a scholar, a teacher, an author, and through all those roles, a leader who shaped the thinking and practicing of all those around.

I just finished reading G.K. Chesterton's little biography on Aquinas. In that book, Chesterton describes Aquinas in a very attractive way.

Aquinas was:

• A brilliant intellect who also had a devout life of prayer.
• A scholar who had mystical experiences of the God whom he loved.
• He wrote carefully reasoned theology and beautiful poetry.
• He was immensely learned (perhaps the greatest of his day) and yet authentically humble.
• A man of great activity and yet rich in contemplation.
• He possessed a faith that sought after understanding and an intellect that practiced what it knew.

His entire ministry as a teacher and preacher was a matter of giving away to others what he had received and learned to live according to.

His entire life was that of life-long study of God for the purpose of drawing near to God.

For those who are called to teach and to preach, to think and to write, and to lead thoughtfully, Aquinas shows us the way.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Praying Through the Pews on the Road to Finishing Well (Jack Hayford)

Miriam Philipps writes about her encounter with a leader who has been around for a long time. I think you'll enjoy her moving tribute to a truly great leader.  Thanks Miriam.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

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Last week I was in the position to see behind the scenes of Jack Hayford  and a room full of people he has influenced. Pastor Jack, at the age of 75, had just flown in from China where he had preached for 10 hours per day.  A few of us knew that he was in continual pain due to a needed surgery that was scheduled for after his return to the States; we kept serving him Sprite and crackers for his queasy stomach. 

 

Now, I’m not easily impressed by people in positions of authority just because of their title. (My journey as aging ex-flowerchild quasi-postmodern European has left its stamp.) But as a Jesus-follower, I’m willing to honor, serve and cooperate with all servants of the King, whatever their position.

 

As a leadership developer intent on helping people "finish well," I was doing my practical acts of service for Pastor Jack and the people in his organization, feeling a bit like a spy.  Guess what? I’ve added a new hero to my list!  I only got to hear snippets of his sermons, but I witnessed almost all of his other interactions and informal sharing.  And this is what I conclude:

1. I’ve never seen anyone more fully engaged with each person and each audience – a lifetime of listening had honed his skill of being able to instantly tune in when he converses with each person—from the young man bringing him water to the denominational leader asking his advice.

2. Pastor Jack never rushed, no matter what the schedule.

3. He expressed genuine thankfulness for each act of kindness.

4. He empowered those around him at every opportunity by commending the unique added value of each to the wider audience.

5. He didn’t assume that his perspectives on the world would necessarily be shared by an international audience. (Humility in an American leader is experienced as particularly endearing.)

6. He shared his personal practices as a spiritual leader freely, but with a focus on blessing the hearer, not on impressing.

7. These attributes were characteristic of all of the leaders high in his organization, numbers of whom were present.

My favourite story from Pastor Jack was told to an audience of about 30 leaders from about a dozen different countries.  He told us that, from the time when he was young and just beginning in ministry, it was his custom to enter the sanctuary of the church he pastored and to walk through the aisles, praying over each empty seat, for the person who would occupy it during the Sunday service.

Now, he says, he is still a pastor, but in his role as international leader, he still feels a pastoral responsibility, but for the world. Much as he prayed through the empty chairs each Saturday, he now prays almost every Saturday evening, wherever he is in the world, for each country by name (admitting that he sometimes has to peek at his list to make sure not to miss any).  So he could tell each one present that he had being praying for them every week in their place of ministry. A rare holy moment of intense spiritual connection.

 

Jack Hayford -- it was a great refreshment to see him finishing so well.  I pray for him (not just rhetorically) that the possible future challenge of releasing formal organizational control will be met with the same Spirit-filled graciousness we’ve glimpsed thus far.

 

Miriam Phillips

Amsterdam, Holland

Washington's "Rules of Civility"

John Hilliard enjoys reading history and leadership biographies. Here is a reflection by John on the ways in which the military commander conducted his work, especially in the treatment of his enemies.

Brian Rice,  LCI

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As we approach Presidents Day, the impact of our nations leaders is recognized and honored.  Their character, wisdom and restraint in times of great trials set the foundation for a new nation.  One example profound example is a leadership decision that General George Washington made. 

At one point in the war, the young revolutionaries encountered British and Hessian troops at Drakes Farm in New Jersey.  Seven of them were abandoned on the field and their leader Lieutenant William Kelly volunteered to surrender.  The British however, brutally killed the seven prisoners.  When the word got back to Washington’s army, the raw impulse of the young nations soldiers was to act in revenge with an “eye for eye – tooth for tooth” response.

 

When Washington learned that they had been killed without provocation, he declared that whatever the American soldiers may feel about the British and Hessians, “we will not respond in kind, we must treat them with humanity. They have the right to life.”  Washington issued an order “We will not kill them, we will feed them, house them, and protect them.  They will not be harmed. Our cause requires that we behave with honor."  Washington appealed to the honor of the men throughout the war.  They had behaved with honor and glory and they must not diminish that honor.

 

That is apparently what happened as we have numerous reports from the Hessians that they were treated well.  As an example, the Americans captured 900 in Trenton and 500 in Princeton who were taken as prisoners.  They moved them to Virginia. The Hessians feared the worst upon their capture.  They were however, surprised to find that they were treated well.  So well that they were escorted thru Pennsylvania and from there to Virginia they marched on their own without escort.  Twenty-five percent of them turned from combatants against America to allies and they actually married and permanently settled into the new land.

 

 

What an amazing example of leadership courage and counterintuitive military wisdom.  Another key to Washington’s character comes from his “Rules of Civility” which are made up of 110 maxims he used to guide his life.  More information about Washington can be found in Robert Bookhiser’s Rules of Civility. 

John Hilliard

Leadership ConneXtions International

Pockets of Greatness Within Arms Reach of the Gates of Hell

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's  remarkable classic, The Cost of Discipleship, was written on the theme of taking up one's cross, denying self and following Christ. Bonhoeffer lived out those words in his life. He spent his final days on earth in a Nazi concentration camp where he was a profound witness for Christ and the camp became his parish as he ministered to the prisoners. He was executed only a few days before the Allies liberated the camp.

I have wondered, from time to time, what it must be like to risk all and make the ultimate sacrifice, pay the final cost for following Christ . . .

I recently read the story of another, who like Bonhoeffer, did the same thing in similar World War II  circumstances. The person was Pere Jacques Bunol, a French Carmelite priest. (Sorry, I couldn't find a picture of Bunol on the internet.)

Because he protected the Jews from the Nazis, he was thrown into a concentration camp(s). In a letter to his brother, he said:

If I am shot, rejoice, for I shall have realized my ideal - to give my life for those who suffer.

I recently preached on the idea of creating Pockets of Greatness in our little corners of planet earth. For Bunol, his pocket of greatness was a series of Nazi prison camps.

ELlsberg says of Bunol: "His aim was to build a Christian society within the gates of hell; even if his success extended little further than himself, it was a continuous defiance of the spirit of Nazism."

Wow!  Bunol created a pocket of greatness, a Christian society within his own life which then radiated out to the camp around him.

As he neared the end of his life, Bunol said: "At this time we must rejoice in accomplishing God's will to the very end, to give our lives if He demands it;  perhaps it is our vocation."

Perhaps God is inviting (to say it politely) or more accurately, summoning and sending us out to create pockets of greatness, goodness, and glory in arms reach of the gates of hell. Perhaps Christ followers are meant to go to some of the scariest, most dangerous, most needy places in our world and be among those living in great darkness. Perhaps our lives are to be a defiance against the powers of this age.

Perhaps our very vocation is to give the years of our life toward this end.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Mother Teresa - a Few Gems to Ponder

Here are a few thoughts (some old and some new) that I came away with when I read a chapter on Mother Teresa. I am always interested in Mother Teresa because of the many years I have been going to India.

I will resist commenting on them for they speak on their own. I would encourage you to reflect on them.

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ONE:  "You can do something I can't do. I can do something you can't do. Together let us do something beautiful for God."  (Mother Teresa)

TWO:  Once a man was watching Mother Teresa clean the wounds of a leper and said, "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars."  Mother Teresa replied, "Neither would I. But I would gladly do it for Christ."

THREE:  Perhaps a core, defining passage of Scripture for Mother Teresa was:

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'  "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'   (Matthew 25:38-40)

FOUR:  Mother Teresa made a private vow to give God anything He may ask of her and not refuse Him anything!  (That explains a lot of why she did what she did, especially when you join it with the Matthew 25 text.)

SIX:  She always spoke extemporaneously at events, never using notes. She told stories and reflected on Scripture.

SEVEN:  "Today it is very fashionable to talk about the poor. Unfortunately it is very unfashionable to talk with them." (Mother Teresa)

EIGHT:  "In order to be a saint, you have to seriously want to be one."  (Mother Teresa)

There are many books about Mother Teresa. Still worth reading is the one by BBCjournalist, Malcolm Muggeridge - Something Beautiful for God. This interview/filming of Mother Teresa and her work is what led to his conversion.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Tim Tebow

Like millions of viewers, I watched the defensive heroics against two high powered offenses on Thursday night as Oklahoma and Florida vied for the BCS national championship.

But I think what hit me the most about the game was how the commentators lavished praise on Tim Tebow, the Florida quarterback former Heisman winner and two-time national championship winner.

They couldn't stop talking about him!

The respect and admiration they have for Tebow was obvious.

They spoke positively about his Christian faith. About his missionary upbringing in the Philippines. About his heart/compassion for the poor and suffering. About his travels to do missions work among those who suffer.

They spoke of the "goodness" that hangs over this young man. One commentator said, "He is an extraordinary young man. Be with him for five minutes or twenty minutes and you COME AWAY A BETTER PERSON" (quoted from memory, so it is pretty close).

They referred back to his leadership posture after Florida lost to Ole Miss by one point. Tebow, at the press conference said,(paraphrased), 'No one will work harder, train harder, prepare harder than I will for the rest of the season and no team will work harder for every game than ours.'

And he and the Gators went out and did so.

At the end of the game, Tebow with ease and gratitude said, "I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . ." And the network was not in a rush to get past that or block it out. Because it is the core of who Tebow is.

In a time when there are so many bad role models in the world of sports, when there are so many self-absorbed athletes, Tim Tebow has created a Pocket of Greatness (Jim Collins). This pocket of greatness emerges out of his inner world.

Courage, self-discipline, compassion, servant-leadership, uncompromising, incredible work ethic, a team player, humility, sportmanship in its finest -- all nurtured in and emerging out of his faith in Christ.

This is the stuff of leadership.

Tim Tebow - Well done!

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

The least of these . . . Jesus, Hope International, Tony Campolo, Peter Greer (and Lancaster County Breakfast Buffet)

A few days ago, my friend Todd McDaniel and I went over to Lancaster to hear Tony Campolo speak at the Hope International annual breakfast.

Hope International is a great organization that works over about 250,000 loan recipients. They give small loans to impoveristhed people so they can begin micro-businesses. Hope has incredible success helping the poor find dignity and hope as they begin their own businesses and start a new kind of life for their families. Plus, the loan payback is unbelieveable - 99% payback!

This is an organization that cares.  And this is an organization already making a HUGE difference and they are poised to do much, much more.

Peter Greer is the president of Hope Int'l. and he has a book forthcoming on Zondervan. It will be well worth your getting this book. Peter did a great job walking the audience on a tour through the past, present and future of Hope Int'l.

Anyway, Tony Campolo was their morning speaker. I found myself doing a looonngggg stroll down Memory Lane. I first heard Tony back in the mid-1980's when I was connected with Evangelicals for Social Action. 

Tony's passion was undimmed. Tony is the closest thing to a white, black preacher. I found myself being moved (once again) by Tony's heart for the poor (which is really Jesus' heart for the poor). Tony said a few things that really moved me. He reminded me that in some way, Jesus is sacramentally present with the poor, with those Jesus describes as "the least of these." And when we love and serve and minister to and bless the poor, we are in some mystical and real way, doing it all to Jesus.

Of course that is the meaning of Matthew 25:31-46 (well worth revisiting again). It is a pretty radical text and it implies that the very evidence of authentic faith is found or confirmed by how we engage with the poor.

I found myself thinking I need to do much more to engage with the poor and downtrodden (when was the last time I heard that word) than I do. Even though I do some of that through LCI, I just found myself thinking this is where the kingdom of God is bursting forth into the world scene. Jesus is doing something beautiful.

It was a moving morning.

Blessings on Hope International and my friends there as they serve the poor in Jesus' Name, and as they serve Jesus through their service to the poor.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

John Wooden (Becoming Beautiful Within and Finishing Well)

My friend Winston Wise sent me these words from John Wooden. He was the former, head basketball coach of the UCLA Bruins. He recently turned 98 years old.

This poem/prayer by Wooden was in Sports Illustrated last week.

The years have left their imprint on my hands and face;

Erect no longer is my walk and slower is my pace.

But there is no fear within my heart because I am growing old;

I only wish I had more time to better serve my Lord.

When I’ve gone to him in prayer he has brought me inner peace,

And soon my cares and worries and other problems cease.

He’s helped me in so many ways, he’s never let me down;

Why should I fear the future when soon I could be near his ground.

Though I know down here my time is short, there is endless time up there,

And he will forgive me and keep me forever in his love and care.

Winston said in his email to me,

"What a beautiful picture of the peace that comes from a Life Well Lived."

Well said . . .

And note the prayer on the stand . . . it is a good prayer to pray and one of the reasons why Wooden has the legacy of a life well lived.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Calling to Service, Ministry, and Leadership

I met Chad and Serina when I did a regional conference for United World Mission in Thailand. Chad had a real interest in spiritual formation and in shaping his own spiritual life as a leader and in helping other leaders pay attention to the "soul of their leadership" and not simply the external skill sets of ministry and leadership.

Chad led an area team in North India for about five years and this past year has relocated to Hungary to lead the Eastern Europe area team.

Chad was just here in York for a week for mentoring in the areas of spiritual formation and spiritual direction and leadership mentoring. We had a great week together. A friend and Living Word colleague of mine, Deb Turnow, spent time doing spiritual direction with Chad.

While he was here, Chad showed me a video of he and Serina processing their call to mission and ministry. They were both employed in financially secure careers, rooted in their home community and yet they felt a call to mission.

Here is a brief video (very well produced) of that time in their life. I think you'll enjoy and appreciate it the same way I did.

And use it as a time to reflect on your own calling to mission, ministry and leadership for the sake of God's Kingdom and global purposes.

p.s. When I was watching this for the first time underneath all their talking, there was this driving rock song, by Foghat, Fool For the City, with the refrain, "I'm a fool for the city ... fool for the city..."  I was thinking this was really cool, creative stuff they put together. Fools for Christ, a love for the city of Delhi where they were heading.  When the video was over, the song kept playing and then I realized, I had my iTUnes running in the background. As soon as their video started, the old song by Foghat, "Fool for the City" cycled in to my play list. The timing was perfect.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Christian Business Men's Community (Moses and Finishing Well)

I am friends with several of the men (Chuck Blouse and Steve Parthree) who give leadership to the York chapter of the Christian Business Men's Community. I wound up scheduling to be their speaker the day after I arrived back from my Chile/Argentina trip. That probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but . . .

I decided to use a theme that Ruth Haley Barton got me thinking about from her wonderful book I reviewed in yesterday's post. In the final chapter, she talks about one of my favorite leaders in the Bible - Moses. She addressed the issue "Did Moses finish well even though he didn't enter the promised land?"

I was pretty motivated to go back to that text - Deuteronomy 34. Here is how I read that text and this is the essence of what we talked about at our lunch meeting.

ONE:  The people of Israel get to enter the promised land. For any leader - that is SUCCESS. The people get the blessing, the organization prospers, the team wins. In a biblical understanding of leadership, the leader, first exists for the sake of the people and not the other way around. I think Moses was deliriously happy that the people were finally going into the promised land.  This is the heart of a servant leader. (vs. 1-4)

TWO:  Moses doesn't go with the people, but his legacy does. His story does. I am really impacted by these verses. There will be no tomb, no "Moses" shrine to worship, no monument to the glory of Moses. But there will be a legacy that will inspire God's people for the millenium to come. Wow. And what a legacy. They will tell inspiring, follow-his-example stories about Moses the leader until Christ returns. For a leader, it just doesn't get much better than that.  (vs. 5-8)

THREE:  Even though Moses didn't get to lead them in, Joshua did! Again, I think Moses must have had a deep satisfaction about this. His son in the faith, his decades-long mentoree, his successor - he gets to take the people in. This is the heart of the leader as steward. A steward exists to develop others. The best leaders develop their successors. I don't think it bothered Moses at all that Joshua gets to take them into the land. If anything, Moses was grateful that he had a successor like Joshua. Go get'm Joshua. Be strong and courageous.  (vs. 9)

FOUR:  And here is what Barton alerted me to. As soon as she said it I thought - YES, this is the key to the entire passage. Moses didn't need to go into the Promised Land. He had long since entered the even greater promised land and that land is known as The Presence of God (Exodus 33). The Promised Land held nothing for him. He had already received all he could on this side of the veil. Now he was ready for the even greater glory of and friendship with God that was on the other side of the veil. (vs. 10-12)

These four things are what true success looks like for the Christian leader. Pull your Bible off the shelf, dive into this story of Moses in Deuteronomy 34, reflect on these things and may this week be another chance to pursue what is most important to leaders.

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Tribute to Solzhenitsyn

Alexander Solzhenitsyn died this past Sunday at age 89 and was buried on Tuesday. Solzhenitsyn was one of the brilliant thinkers of the 2nd half of the Twentieth Century. He was a provocative writer, a deeply religious ethicist and one of the truly great moral leaders of our era.

I am always surprised by how little people know or remember of this great leader.

There is a moral leadership that is vital. It is the kind of leadership a Mother Teresa and a Ghandhi gave to India. It is the kind of leadership that a Bishop Tutu and Nelson Mandela gave to South Africa. It is the kind of leadership Lincoln gave to America. Solzhenitsyn gave this moral compass to the world in his labor against the communist system of the Soviet Union.

For those of you who missed the news of his death, here is a short news cast from YouTube.

Farewell to a Wonderful Man and Leader

  I just had some sad news earlier this afternoon. A very good leader I had gotten to know in Paraguay, Carlos Moreno, passed away yesterday unexpectedly. I don't have the details, but there must have been some surgical complications and he died in surgery or right after it.

Carlos was one of the leaders who made me feel right at home in Paraguay.

Carlos was central in the work of mobilizing the church of Paraguay for world missions. I know his good friends and colleagues will miss his infectious laughter, wonderful humor, his deep love of life, his full devotion to Christ and the ministry. Carlos was all this and more.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time of loss.

I am very certain that Carlos heard these words:

Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in the things on earth, now enter into the joy of your master.

Brian Rice

Nelson Mandela in Time magazine

Nelson Mandela is 90 years old and is featured as the subject of the cover story of Time magazine, July 21st. The article is a look at Mandela's leadership and the Eight Leadership Lessons. Worth reading these brief thoughts by one of the great leaders of our time.

Go to the website:  http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821467,00.html

Also go to www.time.com/mandela for a three minute power point and audio essay on Mandela.

One of the things I respect about Mandela is his years of suffering and tempering and shaping in prison on Robben Island. When I was in South Africa earlier in the year, I did not make it to Robben Island due to windy conditions limiting the ferry's going over, but I did have the chance to look through some of the things on the mainland museum devoted to the prisoners housed at Robben Island. Pretty striking.

Brian Rice

 

Kim Rudisill and Life Long Learning

I have been friends with Kim and her husband Ken Rudisill for many years. They have both been involved in a variety of ministries and given leadership to ministries within LWCC over the years.

Kim was one of the facilitator/mentors for the Leading Edge this past year. Kim and Ken have been part of the Ethiopian / Sendafa outreach ministry of LWCC.  Since LWCC works with AIDS patients in the village of Sendafa, Kim decided she needed more training. Kim recently sent me an email.

Here are her words:

Hi Pastor Brian. I wanted to let you know about my journey in life long learning. One of the things I decided to learn more about this year was HIV/AIDS. Sendafa has become important in my life so I thought this would be something useful for me to learn more about.

I have been reading some books and today I went to a mini-conference on HIV/AIDS and the faith community. It was very informative and practical. Hopefully, some of the people I met will be a great resource for my continual learning.

I am putting the things I learn into a notebook so that it might be a useful resource for others.

Here are some leadership things I see in Kim:

• She has a vision and mission in life and part of that has to do with building relational ministry in Sendafa, Ethiopia. There is a great, heartfelt passion she has for this.
• She (and her husband Ken) are willing to pay a price to do this. It is neither cheap or easy to get to Sendafa.
• She is committed to excellence in her service, ministry and leadership.
• That commitment to excellence propels Kim into life long learning endeavors so she can continue to grow and develop.
• And she is doing something with what she learns. She is keeping a journal of some sort where she records key ideas and insights. She does this for herself, but also so she has something to pass on to others.

So - great leadership being modeled by Kim. Kim, thanks for your heart of service and for your commitment to being the best leader you can be.

Brian Rice

Embracing Adversity (Some thoughts from John Hilliard)

One of the significant metaphors of Chrsitian leadership is The Leader as Sufferer.

Now, I don't know about you, but this particular metaphor doesn't exactly thrill my heart. I don't wake up most days and think about the privilege of suffering for the sake of Christ. I prefer to avoid the idea that included in the "essence" of Christian leadership is the reality of suffering.

So, when my friend and Leadership ConneXtions partner John Hilliard shared some of his thoughts on suffering, I asked him to jot them down so we could share them with you. So, here are John's thoughts (just slightly edited):

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I have recently been touched, or better yet, nudged by God to consider the possibilities in "embracing adversity"... in actually welcoming those tough, challenging, frustrating experiences that I would normally fight or flee from.

As I have been mentoring leaders, I have sensed they share a common perspective of looking at difficulties as being bad. In working with them, God has prompted me to have them inquire as to whether there is a different way to see these difficult situations and relationships. When I do this, I see their confused looks and anxiousness.

As I have considered these things in my own times of silence, solitude and reading and study, I have become more convinced that "embracing adversity" is the way of servant leadership and the way to richer, deeper living.

I even came to the point where I asked God, "If you know that some adversity will bring growth in my life, I am willing for that to happen." I am not seeking for the adversity, but I am willing for it to happen in my life.

God is faithful and over the last three weeks, since I prayed that prayer, He has brought a number of difficult things into my life (many more than what would be normal in an average week). One of the key threads in all this is that these difficulties are ones that I cannot easily resolve in my own strength.

I am asking for three things from God as I go into this new season of my relationship with Him.

ONE:  How is God showing me He loves me in the midst of this adversity?

TWO:  What is He inviting me to experience in this process?

THREE: What is it that He wants to change in my heart right now?

It is an amazing new perspective in my relationship to God and a very new paradigm in my way of looking at that which I used to see as a negative thing to be avoided. If a leader chooses to go down this road of "embracing adversity," they will need to be prepared to encounter God and self in a new way.         

John Hilliard

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John shared with me a few of the difficulties that have come into his life in recent weeks. I was struck by his peacefulness about those things. He was not stressed out or anxious in light of these adversities.

If any of you want to read a good little book, one of LCI's Core Leadership Books, read Henri Nouwen's little book, In the Name of Jesus.

Grace and Shalom to all of you as you embrace the adversities that are a part of your leadership calling.

Brian Rice

A Really Good Day (That Started With My Friend Randy Turner)

I had coffee this morning with a friend  (Randy Turner) who is in minsitry and in leadership positions. As we were talking, I was really impressed by a number of things about him.

1. He was passionate about his purpose in life.
2. He was highly intentional about his learning processes.
3. His enthusiasm for ministry to a particular group of people was contagious.
4. He had enormous commitment to help that group of people.
5. He was waiting on God and not running ahead of God to make something happen.
6. He knew he had to be dependent on God for this ministry and that the ministry and his vision for the ministry was beyond his capability.   God had to show up for the dream to become real.
7. He was working with a team of people toward his life purpose.
8. He had experience of deep pain and suffering which empowered him for ministry to the target group. He had been in their shoes and shared in their experiences.
9. Integrity was core for who he was.
10. And to top it off, he was very diligent about the process of self-awareness!

This is the "stuff" of leadership. It is why my friend Randy will not be an average leader when the tally is added up at the end of his life. As he continues in this way, he will finish well and have a legacy that will mean blessing for many people.

It will be exciting to watch his story unfold in the years to come.

And then a little later in the day, my friend and colleague John Hilliard stopped in for a few minutes and in about two minutes of sharing some of his up-to-date story, I was really struck by his wisdom and perspective on life. (So moved that I asked him to jot down a few thoughts to share with you sometime soon.)

And then I had several other appointments today with really gifted leaders who are doing really fruitful ministry. It was just an "iron sharpening iron" collection of experiences today.

Then supper with the family, a walk with Becky and a little "garden tour" through our yard to look at all the emerging life!

It was a really good day.

Brian Rice

The Legacy of Wilberforce

Here is a great statement of the legacy of William Wilberforce. This legacy is etched on to his tombstone that is in Westminster Abbey.

Download WilliamWilberforceTombstone.pdf

It is all about leaders leading strong, being faithful for the long haul and ultimately finishing well.

Brian Rice

Success to Significance (a story)

Here is a very cool story of one leader who made the leap from success to significance.

Click here for the story. I hope this link will stay good for a bit.

Brian Rice

Worth the Wait and Goodie Goodloe

The Fusion Ministry of LWCC (for teens) hosted a Worth the Wait conference this past weekend. There were about 300 teens who spent Friday and Saturday listening to Goodie Goodloe speak to them about sexuality, holiness and God's missional plan for their lives.

On Friday evening (for about 30 minutes) Goodie spoke to the parents about how we can interact with our teens on the issue of sex.

In my brief encounter with  Goodie, I was hit by these things:

• He was deeply rooted in and committed to the Scriptures,
• He was a thoughtful and energetic communicator,
• His character goes very deep,
• He is committed to helping people experience the best that God has for them and he will be sensitive and direct in speaking to them.

After the conference I found out that Goodie is pursuing doctoral studies in leadership and is involved in leadership development work. Excellent. Unfortunately, he had to take right off to catch a plane. I would have enjoyed an in-depth conversation with Goodie.  If anyone wants to check out some more of Goodie, click here for Bluefish resources.

Thanks Goodie, for your ministry to teens and their parents this weekend.

And thanks to the entire Fusion Staff team (Aaron, Andrea, Melissa and Pete and their ministry partners) for all the leaderhip you invested to make this event happen.

Brian Rice