Leadership Summit 2009, Stillwater UMC

Sitting here at the Willowcreek Leadership Simulcast at Stillwater UMC. Hybel's opening talk is always worth the price of admission for me. Gary Hamel though stole the show, well worth looking him up and buying any book he has written. Great talk. My favorite line: "Sometimes we're so far stuck in a rut, that the edge of the rut looks like our horizon." As the speed of change increases are we keeping up with our reality, or are we increasingly losing our influence in the world??? The statistics show the latter. Four times as many atheists in our country today than there were in 1990. Only 17% in our culture are in church on any given Sunday morning. Oh God, what is it You want to do in me to help You reach the rest of the world? Hamel: "We are in a race to uncover our own orthodoxies." What do we take for granted that we can't any longer? What it means to be the Church? Where it has to be? What it has to look like? Who is included in it?

Reflection: "Working with a Remnant"

I have been in several different places recently and hearing lots and lots of stories. When I look back on the Scriptures, it seems rare that God starts with anything big: one Abraham, five loaves and two fish, 12 disciples, 4o days, an extended family, sparrows, a widow, a voice in the wilderness, a paralytic on a mat, five smooth stones, etc. etc. The list goes on and on. So much has been focused on the mega church in our culture, growing the big, that we have lost the art of starting with the small. The twelve grew to the 40, and they the 120, and then the 500, and the world outreach from there. What is the unique dynamic of what you have to work with now? As much as you study where you want to head, become the master of the nuances of where you are now. We were nothing more than a Gentile stump to begin with. Yet, even with that, there is no limit to what we can ever be. God's grace and love.

Reflection: "Every Challenge an Opportunity--at a Cost"

Well, after two weeks on the job I am still smiling and having fun, though the territory seems still large, work huge, and challenges sometimes daunting. I have realized something though, in the midst of exploring some of "our issues." For every challenge there is an opportunity. Sometimes it's lurking a little beneath the surface. Sometimes, it's so glaring anyone could see it. Sometimes, it's only evident after I pray a prayer something like, "Lord, what in the world is the opportunity in this?" Or, "Dear God, what could be the wildest opportunity for You and Your kingdom in all of this?" Challenges become opportunities, though, in direct proportion to our willingness to pay the cost...

Some questions that would be helpful for us to consider in various situations throughout our district would include: 1. Am I willing to look at and evaluate how we do worship in our church? [Been to several services already. Fresh eyes always see at least a few things. Feel free to ask me what I see.] 2. Am I willing to look at and evaluate my leadership style? 3. Or heaven forbid, my preaching style? 4. When "The Conference" wants to take my pastor or not give me the perfect one, will I play continue to play victim?

Every now and then I turn on Robert Schuller just for the reminder to think positively about my situation, no matter what it might be, even when I realize it will cost much.

Reflection: "Appointment Making"

Last night I conducted an introduction for one of our most well prepared churches. In the midst of all the typical questions, they presented their church's vision, wanting the new pastor to see where God had been and seemed to be heading. What a great context to see if it was a good match with pastor and church. Too often, we see the appointive process as a negative. In the old days of the Methodist Movement, it was missional. As one pastor was "called" to another church for a very special purpose, so too was another "called" to the former church for just as important and special a reason. The conference didn't "take." God rather, "gives." Overall, as I have been now privvy to some of the inner workings of our shared appointive ministry, I have really been impressed with what all goes on behind the scenes. God is truly at work. Sure, sometimes we will miss the mark. We will in everything. Nothing though is irredeemable. God is Alpha and Omega: the Initiator of all good things and our Finisher. Looking forward to partnering together in Christ's mission.