SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7 AND MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2008
Sunday
I am living proof that someone can party-hearty for several days…and live to tell about it. I had been scheduled to preach at Brentwood Foursquare for Plummer, but when I awoke on Friday morning (the day I had a meeting with him), I had one of those “suddenlies”—a small prompting like a pebble plunked in a still pond—urging me to cancel my planned engagement. Not knowing why such an urge was plopped into my awareness, I offered the possibility to Plummer to change our plans. I have learned through the years the truth of the verse telling us God directs our steps even after we have planned our way.
Both of us felt confirmed to change the plan. That meant I spent my Sunday morning without anything to do except catch up on some sleep, some reading and some emails. Strange to be unoccupied on a Sunday morning. The morning flew by, and before I knew it, I had to leave for the first party of the day with “Team Dodge” (Amos and Sue). They started their congregation, Capital Church, nearly 30 years ago, and they have been faithfully serving all that time, juggling the demands of Sue’s many scheduled singing engagements, and the challenges of Amos’ ministry trips. Theirs is one of the largest churches in our district, and because of their longevity in ministry, they have acted as unofficial “mom and dad” to many of our younger, newer Pastors.
Amos grilled a fabulous steak-and-blue-cheese entrée, and Sue had already done her cooking magic on the rest of the meal and appetizers. It was delightful being in their home with part of my extended family (and Lorrel was there, too). The comfortable-with-one-another level among our pastors is one of the surest signs that our district is healthy. That was evident in our conversation and laughter. I managed to resist “Cranberries Jubilee” after our 2:00pm lunch, so I could stay awake and be ready to go when I traveled north for the last party of the season with “Team May” (Tim and Susan).
Though all our pastors have chosen their divisional leaders on the basis of affinity, rather than mere geography, Tim and Susan lead the western-most of our divisions, encompassing western Maryland and the jutting panhandle of West Virginia. In addition to the pastors, Tim had invited a pastor-couple from a Foursquare church that is not technically in our district. I was so proud of him for extending service and affection beyond official borders—a good reminder to all the pastors that official lines are for administrative purposes, to assure that everyone gets the care and attention they need. We do not rim such groupings of churches with barbed-wire, as though one needs a passport to cross legally.
I know of few leaders who get hurt by too much care and attention. Nothing is lost by extending ourselves beyond arbitrary, official lines—as long as we simply seek others’ good, and not our own. Think of it this way: a man who “goes about” attempting to get others to “come under” him is “building” his own kingdom, and wants to be king of many subjects; a man who travels equally far, crossing borders but with a simple agenda to “come under” others is called a “servant of all.” Limits can and should be placed on how many “subjects” an officially sanctioned authority can have, but no one, thinking well, puts limits on the number of people served by someone. Complaints never arise from people who feel as though someone is getting under them. Feathers ruffle only when they sense someone is trying to bring them under someone. As several divisional leaders did, Tim shared his “thoughts” (prophetic promptings) with his pastors, and I spoke some words to/about Tim and Susan. Merry Christmas.
I drove back to Baltimore (near BWI) in 24° weather. NO big deal for my friends in the East, but HUGE for this California boy. I got to my hotel just before 10:00pm, and stayed up until just after midnight. Knowing my day would be free on Monday, I afforded myself the luxury of not making any plans.
Monday
I awoke at 4:00am for a short while, but realized there was no reason to get up. So I slept in until 7:30am before going downstairs for breakfast—a very unsatisfying meal because the hotel didn’t offer much choice. Fortunately, I bought a computer strategy game a couple days ago (an early Christmas present to myself), and I played it all day long except for short breaks for lunch and dinner. The concentration really helps me relax and think about nothing.
No kidding. That’s all I did the entire day. I am told that men, among other needs, need to have “shut-down” times when they do nothing. Though it might be incomprehensible to able-to-multi-task women (and seeming unfair that guys “get to” do nothing), I understand completely. Right guys? The day was over before I knew it. Even though the hotel was considerably less than a 5-Star place, I contented myself with no dilemmas to solve. Who knows if/when I’ll have another such free day?
Monday, December 8, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
CAPITAL DISTRICT DIVISIONAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2008 DAY 04
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008
Whew! That was a long journal yesterday. When I travel, I always imagine that I will have loads of time to “catch-up” on long overdue projects, and to explore/study new subjects. The reality, however, doesn’t usually work out that way. Increasingly, I find it difficult just to stay above water, juggling one demand after another and managing to finish things just in the nick of time. This trip has worked out like the others. I am glad that I force myself to write the journals because I now have a backlog of several years of trips—and all the thoughts (and foods) along the way.
My first Divisional Party of the day was in York, Pennsylvania with “Team Davis.” Chuck and Judy accepted me as their new supervisor right away when I came in January, and they have been tremendous supports for some of the new initiatives I’ve introduced in the District. Their encouragement, along with that of their divisional pastors, has been especially meaningful because most of them are in historic churches—and might be tempted to cling to old ways. But they are not! We had a delightful meal together in a restaurant that was converted from an old church building scores of years ago.
Lots of laughter and conversation and affection. It was a blast!
Then off I drove back to Brentwood, on the NE edge of DC to party with “Team Bailor.” Plummer and Lorraine, as I said last night, have been among the brightest points of blessing in my life since I took the district. In every way they have been loving and supportive, but they have also been avidly interested in being mentored and taught in very different ways than they were used to thinking. They have spread that glorious contagion to other pastors. Most of this division are African-American and African pastors (except Garth and Mary). No one would know of a long-ago promise from the Lord to me about having genuine and loving partnership with all segments of our church in America. It was profoundly moving to feel the friendship/love from men and women who have many reasons to be a bit skeptical of leaders imposed from other cultures.
How fitting that they prayed over me with joy and love before I headed back to Baltimore to see Lorrel’s Christmas decorations in her house. They were beautiful—and the whole apartment felt very “lived in.” It was homey. It felt full and welcoming and joyous. A scented candle (“Pumpkin Holiday”??) spread its delicious aroma into every room in exactly the same way that Lorrel’s decorations—as expressions of her heart—filled up all the space in the apartment. There were no “empty places” in her rooms…
Then before I would turn into a pumpkin, I drove back to my hotel about 9:00pm; Lorrel was going out with a girlfriend who had offered to get together with Lorrel much later in the evening (like 10:00pm or so), to give Lorrel more time with me. Lorrel told her friend that I would be on my way to bed looooong before!
Whew! That was a long journal yesterday. When I travel, I always imagine that I will have loads of time to “catch-up” on long overdue projects, and to explore/study new subjects. The reality, however, doesn’t usually work out that way. Increasingly, I find it difficult just to stay above water, juggling one demand after another and managing to finish things just in the nick of time. This trip has worked out like the others. I am glad that I force myself to write the journals because I now have a backlog of several years of trips—and all the thoughts (and foods) along the way.
My first Divisional Party of the day was in York, Pennsylvania with “Team Davis.” Chuck and Judy accepted me as their new supervisor right away when I came in January, and they have been tremendous supports for some of the new initiatives I’ve introduced in the District. Their encouragement, along with that of their divisional pastors, has been especially meaningful because most of them are in historic churches—and might be tempted to cling to old ways. But they are not! We had a delightful meal together in a restaurant that was converted from an old church building scores of years ago.
Lots of laughter and conversation and affection. It was a blast!
Then off I drove back to Brentwood, on the NE edge of DC to party with “Team Bailor.” Plummer and Lorraine, as I said last night, have been among the brightest points of blessing in my life since I took the district. In every way they have been loving and supportive, but they have also been avidly interested in being mentored and taught in very different ways than they were used to thinking. They have spread that glorious contagion to other pastors. Most of this division are African-American and African pastors (except Garth and Mary). No one would know of a long-ago promise from the Lord to me about having genuine and loving partnership with all segments of our church in America. It was profoundly moving to feel the friendship/love from men and women who have many reasons to be a bit skeptical of leaders imposed from other cultures.
How fitting that they prayed over me with joy and love before I headed back to Baltimore to see Lorrel’s Christmas decorations in her house. They were beautiful—and the whole apartment felt very “lived in.” It was homey. It felt full and welcoming and joyous. A scented candle (“Pumpkin Holiday”??) spread its delicious aroma into every room in exactly the same way that Lorrel’s decorations—as expressions of her heart—filled up all the space in the apartment. There were no “empty places” in her rooms…
Then before I would turn into a pumpkin, I drove back to my hotel about 9:00pm; Lorrel was going out with a girlfriend who had offered to get together with Lorrel much later in the evening (like 10:00pm or so), to give Lorrel more time with me. Lorrel told her friend that I would be on my way to bed looooong before!
Friday, December 5, 2008
CAPITAL DISTRICT DIVISIONAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2008 DAY 03
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2008
I had another great time this morning with Volker. He and I went to whole foods market, and went through the same routine of getting our breakfast. He decided that he didn’t want to get eggs in a box, so he got a giant roll, some butter, cream cheese, yogurt, etc. I settled on a simple blueberry scone. We continued our discussions about Switzerland and the region that Volker oversees in Europe: including Italy and Poland. We discussed the veritable strengths and weaknesses in each of our lives and ministry.
It was very illuminating to get his take on me and vice versa. One of the particulars that came out of our conversation was his encouragement to me to take some kind of a recording device with me as I travel around, so that whenever I am talking about church or leadership, we could have that for the website.
There are indeed so many things that could be done in order to serve pastors and leaders throughout the world. One other suggestion Volker had was for me to conduct interviews with various church leaders in the United States and throughout the world, asking them about all sorts of things related to church and the society in which we live. I really like that idea and hope that we can somehow work it out. My problem is that I forget to turn such devices on, in the same way that I forget to take pictures of people am with. It’s really my hope that I can do better at all of that.
Later in the morning. I met with Pastor Basil, and with Plummer and Lorraine, to discuss some developments in their lives and their ministries. It really isn’t the time for me to discuss the particulars, but I am encouraged and excited about what God has in store for them. At the end of our two-hour discussion I told them what a pleasure it was to deal with people who were truly kingdom in their mentality and thinking. Basil, Lorraine and Plummer made it very clear that what they really wanted in all the matters we were discussing is what God wanted, and that made our discussions and negotiations very, very easy.
In the evening I went and visited “Team Chester” in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for their divisional Christmas party. We met at Mark and Geri’s house and had a most delightful time of conversation, a fabulous Italian dinner cooked by someone in their church family, and we shared words about and to one another. It was so pleasant and so filled with love and affection.
MORE ON VISION
As promised, I now continue my discussion about getting a vision for an organization or church. When I say “vision” I am not talking about a dream or a picture/scene I actually see in the Spirit. I have only had two biblical-type visions in my life; I did NOT have one of those about CTW. The way I’m using “vision” in this discussion is more about understanding what particular role God has for a church—and how that church ought to configure itself to fulfill the calling. Search our website for the word “vision” and you will find a lot more definition of the concept.
But for now, let’s pick up where I left off…
A leader who receives a vision should not necessarily expect that everyone will immediately grasp the full implications of what that vision means for the church or the organization now—or even in the future. I don’t expect anyone to fully understand the nature of and the ramifications of our clarified vision because it is way too early for outsiders to experience the impact that the vision is supposed to have on them. I hope that doesn’t sound secretive or exclusive because I’m going to share the vision quite clearly with you in a few moments. What I mean is that visions are for the future. They remain almost invisible and inconsequential to most people in the here-and-now. Only the ones who are working on the vision, like farmers planting seeds, know the work that is involved for the vision, long before it becomes an obvious factor in the lives of other people.
After all this buildup, the refined components of CTW Ministry may read like no big deal. But here they are:
Become a platform for other voices. I believe that we are to invite a select group of international, not-so-well-known church leaders with vast and proven mentoring ministries to post their best resources on the CTW website. I am not interested in teachers who have their own capability to platform their material. I’m not talking about large, public, crowd-gathering figures. I want disciplers-of-others. I want leadership developers. I want mentors from around the world to share their insights with a global audience.
The first of these voices is a friend of mine from over 20 years. His heart and life are selfless, and his take on church leadership and evangelism and church in an ever-increasingly-secular society, absolutely fascinate me. I want all of my pastor-friends to hear this guy.
Make no profit on any resources. I believe that CTW is to make everything on its website available by free downloads. This includes all of our audio resources, articles and books (available in PDF format) so that people anywhere and everywhere can get access to the material.
For most normal businesses, the market is everyone who wants to buy the product. CTW, on the other hand, will define its market as anyone who wants to use our product.
In a down turning economy, college enrollments soar. Why? Because people who cannot find jobs foolishly go into more debt to acquire an education that they hope will lead to a future job. Clearly, people are interested in studying — for a new career, for better skills, etc. Why not offer CTW resources as a free alternative to tuition/fee-based portals on the web.
We have an opportunity, for instance, to give away 5000 copies of our newly translated Spanish version of Enjoying Your Journey with God. FMI wants to present a copy to every Spanish-speaking pastor in Latin America. Will that cost CTW money? Absolutely! But because we are able to print the book for only $2.50 a copy, the cost to CTW to give these books to pastors throughout Latin America is a very small price indeed. I’m just foolish enough to believe that if we will continually seek first the kingdom, and seek the profit of others, instead of ourselves, God will supply all of our needs and give us extra for sowing beyond ourselves.
You can begin to see that this clarified vision means we will be changing a great many things: we will have to alter our website; we will have to alter our thinking about success; I will have to search for those people whose voice should be heard on the CTW website. Just that one aspect of the clarified vision opens up possibilities: how many young or not so well-known ministers are out there who have a specialty or a particularly good series on any given subject? Imagine a CTW website where people could go without any cost at all and receive a sampling of some of the finest teaching that is being delivered to the body of Christ in not so well-known places throughout the world. It is my hope that most of these voices will be international voices. Wouldn’t it be fun to hear a teaching in some interesting language that has to then be translated into English for all of us?
I do not offer these particulars of our new vision is something that should be copied by other people, but I hope, based on what I have written and what you can now think through of what the Lord has said to us, that there are many new horizons instantly made available to us that were not there or were not connected prior to getting this clarified vision.
I look forward to seeing the readout of all of this. All I know is that I and the staff have a lot of work to do in order for that vision to become a reality.
I had another great time this morning with Volker. He and I went to whole foods market, and went through the same routine of getting our breakfast. He decided that he didn’t want to get eggs in a box, so he got a giant roll, some butter, cream cheese, yogurt, etc. I settled on a simple blueberry scone. We continued our discussions about Switzerland and the region that Volker oversees in Europe: including Italy and Poland. We discussed the veritable strengths and weaknesses in each of our lives and ministry.
It was very illuminating to get his take on me and vice versa. One of the particulars that came out of our conversation was his encouragement to me to take some kind of a recording device with me as I travel around, so that whenever I am talking about church or leadership, we could have that for the website.
There are indeed so many things that could be done in order to serve pastors and leaders throughout the world. One other suggestion Volker had was for me to conduct interviews with various church leaders in the United States and throughout the world, asking them about all sorts of things related to church and the society in which we live. I really like that idea and hope that we can somehow work it out. My problem is that I forget to turn such devices on, in the same way that I forget to take pictures of people am with. It’s really my hope that I can do better at all of that.
Later in the morning. I met with Pastor Basil, and with Plummer and Lorraine, to discuss some developments in their lives and their ministries. It really isn’t the time for me to discuss the particulars, but I am encouraged and excited about what God has in store for them. At the end of our two-hour discussion I told them what a pleasure it was to deal with people who were truly kingdom in their mentality and thinking. Basil, Lorraine and Plummer made it very clear that what they really wanted in all the matters we were discussing is what God wanted, and that made our discussions and negotiations very, very easy.
In the evening I went and visited “Team Chester” in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for their divisional Christmas party. We met at Mark and Geri’s house and had a most delightful time of conversation, a fabulous Italian dinner cooked by someone in their church family, and we shared words about and to one another. It was so pleasant and so filled with love and affection.
MORE ON VISION
As promised, I now continue my discussion about getting a vision for an organization or church. When I say “vision” I am not talking about a dream or a picture/scene I actually see in the Spirit. I have only had two biblical-type visions in my life; I did NOT have one of those about CTW. The way I’m using “vision” in this discussion is more about understanding what particular role God has for a church—and how that church ought to configure itself to fulfill the calling. Search our website for the word “vision” and you will find a lot more definition of the concept.
But for now, let’s pick up where I left off…
A leader who receives a vision should not necessarily expect that everyone will immediately grasp the full implications of what that vision means for the church or the organization now—or even in the future. I don’t expect anyone to fully understand the nature of and the ramifications of our clarified vision because it is way too early for outsiders to experience the impact that the vision is supposed to have on them. I hope that doesn’t sound secretive or exclusive because I’m going to share the vision quite clearly with you in a few moments. What I mean is that visions are for the future. They remain almost invisible and inconsequential to most people in the here-and-now. Only the ones who are working on the vision, like farmers planting seeds, know the work that is involved for the vision, long before it becomes an obvious factor in the lives of other people.
After all this buildup, the refined components of CTW Ministry may read like no big deal. But here they are:
Become a platform for other voices. I believe that we are to invite a select group of international, not-so-well-known church leaders with vast and proven mentoring ministries to post their best resources on the CTW website. I am not interested in teachers who have their own capability to platform their material. I’m not talking about large, public, crowd-gathering figures. I want disciplers-of-others. I want leadership developers. I want mentors from around the world to share their insights with a global audience.
The first of these voices is a friend of mine from over 20 years. His heart and life are selfless, and his take on church leadership and evangelism and church in an ever-increasingly-secular society, absolutely fascinate me. I want all of my pastor-friends to hear this guy.
Make no profit on any resources. I believe that CTW is to make everything on its website available by free downloads. This includes all of our audio resources, articles and books (available in PDF format) so that people anywhere and everywhere can get access to the material.
For most normal businesses, the market is everyone who wants to buy the product. CTW, on the other hand, will define its market as anyone who wants to use our product.
In a down turning economy, college enrollments soar. Why? Because people who cannot find jobs foolishly go into more debt to acquire an education that they hope will lead to a future job. Clearly, people are interested in studying — for a new career, for better skills, etc. Why not offer CTW resources as a free alternative to tuition/fee-based portals on the web.
We have an opportunity, for instance, to give away 5000 copies of our newly translated Spanish version of Enjoying Your Journey with God. FMI wants to present a copy to every Spanish-speaking pastor in Latin America. Will that cost CTW money? Absolutely! But because we are able to print the book for only $2.50 a copy, the cost to CTW to give these books to pastors throughout Latin America is a very small price indeed. I’m just foolish enough to believe that if we will continually seek first the kingdom, and seek the profit of others, instead of ourselves, God will supply all of our needs and give us extra for sowing beyond ourselves.
You can begin to see that this clarified vision means we will be changing a great many things: we will have to alter our website; we will have to alter our thinking about success; I will have to search for those people whose voice should be heard on the CTW website. Just that one aspect of the clarified vision opens up possibilities: how many young or not so well-known ministers are out there who have a specialty or a particularly good series on any given subject? Imagine a CTW website where people could go without any cost at all and receive a sampling of some of the finest teaching that is being delivered to the body of Christ in not so well-known places throughout the world. It is my hope that most of these voices will be international voices. Wouldn’t it be fun to hear a teaching in some interesting language that has to then be translated into English for all of us?
I do not offer these particulars of our new vision is something that should be copied by other people, but I hope, based on what I have written and what you can now think through of what the Lord has said to us, that there are many new horizons instantly made available to us that were not there or were not connected prior to getting this clarified vision.
I look forward to seeing the readout of all of this. All I know is that I and the staff have a lot of work to do in order for that vision to become a reality.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
CAPITAL DISTRICT DIVISIONAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2008 DAY 02
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2008
I know I promised to write more about vision today, but the party with my Spanish-speaking friends last night went so late, and I got back to my hotel so late, that I woke up a bit on the exhausted side. I’m racing off now to visit with my friend Volker from Switzerland. He and I spent most of them day yesterday talking about our visions and about our dreams for ministry. It has been so wonderful to have such a good friend through the years, someone to share thoughts and dreams and disappointments with.
I took him to my favorite breakfast place here at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. We walked to the Whole Foods Market, where we got scrambled eggs and yogurt, and put the eggs in a small container. While we were doing so, Volker began laughing and said that he couldn’t believe we actually ate eggs out of a box in America. He was so amused by the whole idea that he took a picture of me eating eggs out of the box. A man near us came up and asked if he should take both of our pictures. So somewhere Volker has a picture of us eating breakfast together out of containers.
My conversations with Volker were very confirming about the place where I find myself in ministry these days, and he and I agreed that God is doing something very definite in both of our lives. When I described to him my sense that God was calling me down, under the radar and away from the usual activities, he agreed with me. Mostly, I find myself wanting to be quiet, and that’s certainly unusual. Discussions about the macro issues of our organization or ministry in Europe simply don’t interest me in the way that they used to.
I don’t believe this is a permanent condition, but rather a season of retiring or withdrawing so that I really can concentrate on things in CTW and especially on my writing. At some point, I will begin again, the book I’m doing on gift mixes. And I truly hope to have that written by the end of February.
About mid-afternoon, we ended our discussions, and Volker headed off to go shopping somewhere while I returned to my room to do some work and also to get in my exercise walk. I actually did fall asleep for a short nap while lying down on the bed and then got up and took my walk. Then I headed to Washington, DC, where I had the first of five parties on this little trip. Each of the divisions in our district is known by the last name of the divisional leader; in this case it was “Team Santiago.” We had so much fun eating at a very famous Mexican restaurant. And I did get a chance to have some meaningful conversations with each of the pastors in that division, along with some of the key lay leaders who came from each of their churches.
So if you’ll excuse me, now I’m going to sign off and begin my day with Volker over breakfast and then meet some of my pastors. I do promise that I will write more about vision—and how a pastor can know he or she is getting one—in my journal tomorrow.
I know I promised to write more about vision today, but the party with my Spanish-speaking friends last night went so late, and I got back to my hotel so late, that I woke up a bit on the exhausted side. I’m racing off now to visit with my friend Volker from Switzerland. He and I spent most of them day yesterday talking about our visions and about our dreams for ministry. It has been so wonderful to have such a good friend through the years, someone to share thoughts and dreams and disappointments with.
I took him to my favorite breakfast place here at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. We walked to the Whole Foods Market, where we got scrambled eggs and yogurt, and put the eggs in a small container. While we were doing so, Volker began laughing and said that he couldn’t believe we actually ate eggs out of a box in America. He was so amused by the whole idea that he took a picture of me eating eggs out of the box. A man near us came up and asked if he should take both of our pictures. So somewhere Volker has a picture of us eating breakfast together out of containers.
My conversations with Volker were very confirming about the place where I find myself in ministry these days, and he and I agreed that God is doing something very definite in both of our lives. When I described to him my sense that God was calling me down, under the radar and away from the usual activities, he agreed with me. Mostly, I find myself wanting to be quiet, and that’s certainly unusual. Discussions about the macro issues of our organization or ministry in Europe simply don’t interest me in the way that they used to.
I don’t believe this is a permanent condition, but rather a season of retiring or withdrawing so that I really can concentrate on things in CTW and especially on my writing. At some point, I will begin again, the book I’m doing on gift mixes. And I truly hope to have that written by the end of February.
About mid-afternoon, we ended our discussions, and Volker headed off to go shopping somewhere while I returned to my room to do some work and also to get in my exercise walk. I actually did fall asleep for a short nap while lying down on the bed and then got up and took my walk. Then I headed to Washington, DC, where I had the first of five parties on this little trip. Each of the divisions in our district is known by the last name of the divisional leader; in this case it was “Team Santiago.” We had so much fun eating at a very famous Mexican restaurant. And I did get a chance to have some meaningful conversations with each of the pastors in that division, along with some of the key lay leaders who came from each of their churches.
So if you’ll excuse me, now I’m going to sign off and begin my day with Volker over breakfast and then meet some of my pastors. I do promise that I will write more about vision—and how a pastor can know he or she is getting one—in my journal tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
CAPITAL DISTRICT DIVISIONAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2008 DAY 01
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2008
Though I usually include several travel/trip details in my journal, I’ll just say thanks to Dave Detter for the 4:45am pickup for my flights back to Baltimore. I’m on my way to attend the Divisional Christmas parties. I want to have special times with the pastors who have been in my District; on May 1 the new supervisor will take over my responsibilities and care for these great men and women. But more on that later…
THOUGHTS ABOUT VISION
As part of my ongoing desire to share leadership concepts and tips with church leaders all over the world, I have decided to make the new/clarified vision for Commended to the Word (CTW) the subject of my journal today.
Getting a clarified vision for a ministry/church is NOT an easy process to explain or define for others. This past week, I received such a picture for the next phase of CTW’s ministry. I cannot prove the vision to anyone. I cannot quantify it or defend it, but I know I got it. Those who know me know that I rarely use language that says, “God told me.” I find such expressions stifle good discussions and make people feel like they are less than spiritual if they want to offer suggestions or modifications to the plan I lay out.
But, as an exercise for newer leaders, let me presume that this is from God, and I’ll try to outline the process/components that convince me this is a vision for the future and not just a good idea.
First of all, notice my language (receiving, getting a vision). Leaders cannot construct a vision. We cannot put one together in the same way we might piece together a strategy or action plan. We do not make a vision or dream one up or create one from within ourselves. Real visions for our churches/organizations are things of revelation. We may collect data, make observations, study a problem, and even dream about an ideal future.
I do all those things all the time. I mull things over in my mind and heart, sifting them with Bible verses and swirling them around with prayer the way an old prospector pans for gold. I think. I ask. I consider options. I strategize and pour through numerous scenarios in my mind. But those activities cannot generate vision. They are important leadership activities, but they do not spawn vision.
Vision is something I receive in a moment in time (or in several clustered moments in time). I remember what my thoughts/ideas were like before the vision, and I can see how they have become marvelously reordered after the new vision has clarified and rearranged them. I’ll put it another way. The vision changes the way I have been thinking—it does not result from that thinking!
“Of course,” I say to myself in the moments after getting the vision, “Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”
The answer, of course, is that I didn’t think of it myself. Like Jesus said to Peter, “Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you…”
Vision for an organization is a form of revelation, dependent on God’s Spirit to unfold something of God’s plan for that church or ministry. What sparks it, exactly, or when it happens, I cannot say. But when it comes, it ignites several additional thoughts/revelations. A vision is a catalyst. If your vision does not automatically spawn, almost instantly, fresh initiatives and more action plans, it probably isn’t much of a vision.
Because vision points an organization to its future, the vision ought to press your awareness toward new horizons. I know that sounds a bit ethereal. Imagine your church-as-it-is-now as you standing in the midst of a densely packed crowd of people. You are pressed up against three or four other people with whom you might have a conversation. But you are hemmed in and limited to those few. If the space suddenly cleared around you in a ten foot diameter, how many people would ring the enlarged, open space? You would be able to move about and talk with ten to fifteen people. Each of those people represent a new horizon of possibilities.
If your vision isn’t opening up possibilities that never occurred to you before, it isn’t much of a vision.
Two years ago God gave me a vision for Commended to the Word (CTW) when He miraculously provided the means for me to develop the ministry over the ensuing seven years (now five remain): the mission is to influence church leaders around the world for more impactful ministry. I hope to influence how leaders think about church, ministry, discipleship, spirituals and leadership. We are well on our way in developing resources to serve church leaders.
This past week, I received further clarification of that vision. Suddenly, I simply knew what to do. Don’t get me wrong; I’m an idea person. People tell me that all the time. Probably like a music person constantly comes up with new melodies, I seem to come up with new ideas. If you don’t like this one, wait a bit and I’ll offer another! But a vision is qualitatively different than just a new idea. I’m not sure if I can explain the difference well, but it is there. Ideas have a limited scope—solving or answering one thing at a time.
Visions, on the other hand, point and work in many directions at once. Visions answer and/or make sense out of questions we have been having prior to the vision’s arrival. Ideas are interesting; visions are compelling…
To Be Continued Tomorrow
GOOD NIGHT
After arriving in Baltimore, I met Lynn, my assistant, to collect all the Christmas cards and gifts I’ll be giving to my pastors. I called Lorrel and went to my hotel near the Inner Harbor to wait for Volker Heitz from Switzerland. I thought he was going to get to Baltimore by 8:00 so we could have dinner together, but his plane did not actually land in Washington, DC until 8:00pm. I hiked over to Whole Foods market and ate a piece of salmon and a roll for a makeshift dinner.
My Priceline.com strategy for getting great hotel rooms paid off again! This is my first time in the Hilton Convention Center, Baltimore, and the place is beautiful. It reminds me of the San Francisco Hilton and a few other high-end Hiltons where I have spent fantastic days in the past. I actually watched a sweet Christmas chick-flick (can’t remember the name) about a single mom and child hired by a businessman to act the parts of his wife and daughter in order to convince a business client to give him the deal. It all worked out in the end; they fell in love, finally got their rhythms coordinated (instead of one being tender and the other a jerk and vice-versa), and they lived happily ever after…
Though I usually include several travel/trip details in my journal, I’ll just say thanks to Dave Detter for the 4:45am pickup for my flights back to Baltimore. I’m on my way to attend the Divisional Christmas parties. I want to have special times with the pastors who have been in my District; on May 1 the new supervisor will take over my responsibilities and care for these great men and women. But more on that later…
THOUGHTS ABOUT VISION
As part of my ongoing desire to share leadership concepts and tips with church leaders all over the world, I have decided to make the new/clarified vision for Commended to the Word (CTW) the subject of my journal today.
Getting a clarified vision for a ministry/church is NOT an easy process to explain or define for others. This past week, I received such a picture for the next phase of CTW’s ministry. I cannot prove the vision to anyone. I cannot quantify it or defend it, but I know I got it. Those who know me know that I rarely use language that says, “God told me.” I find such expressions stifle good discussions and make people feel like they are less than spiritual if they want to offer suggestions or modifications to the plan I lay out.
But, as an exercise for newer leaders, let me presume that this is from God, and I’ll try to outline the process/components that convince me this is a vision for the future and not just a good idea.
First of all, notice my language (receiving, getting a vision). Leaders cannot construct a vision. We cannot put one together in the same way we might piece together a strategy or action plan. We do not make a vision or dream one up or create one from within ourselves. Real visions for our churches/organizations are things of revelation. We may collect data, make observations, study a problem, and even dream about an ideal future.
I do all those things all the time. I mull things over in my mind and heart, sifting them with Bible verses and swirling them around with prayer the way an old prospector pans for gold. I think. I ask. I consider options. I strategize and pour through numerous scenarios in my mind. But those activities cannot generate vision. They are important leadership activities, but they do not spawn vision.
Vision is something I receive in a moment in time (or in several clustered moments in time). I remember what my thoughts/ideas were like before the vision, and I can see how they have become marvelously reordered after the new vision has clarified and rearranged them. I’ll put it another way. The vision changes the way I have been thinking—it does not result from that thinking!
“Of course,” I say to myself in the moments after getting the vision, “Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”
The answer, of course, is that I didn’t think of it myself. Like Jesus said to Peter, “Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you…”
Vision for an organization is a form of revelation, dependent on God’s Spirit to unfold something of God’s plan for that church or ministry. What sparks it, exactly, or when it happens, I cannot say. But when it comes, it ignites several additional thoughts/revelations. A vision is a catalyst. If your vision does not automatically spawn, almost instantly, fresh initiatives and more action plans, it probably isn’t much of a vision.
Because vision points an organization to its future, the vision ought to press your awareness toward new horizons. I know that sounds a bit ethereal. Imagine your church-as-it-is-now as you standing in the midst of a densely packed crowd of people. You are pressed up against three or four other people with whom you might have a conversation. But you are hemmed in and limited to those few. If the space suddenly cleared around you in a ten foot diameter, how many people would ring the enlarged, open space? You would be able to move about and talk with ten to fifteen people. Each of those people represent a new horizon of possibilities.
If your vision isn’t opening up possibilities that never occurred to you before, it isn’t much of a vision.
Two years ago God gave me a vision for Commended to the Word (CTW) when He miraculously provided the means for me to develop the ministry over the ensuing seven years (now five remain): the mission is to influence church leaders around the world for more impactful ministry. I hope to influence how leaders think about church, ministry, discipleship, spirituals and leadership. We are well on our way in developing resources to serve church leaders.
This past week, I received further clarification of that vision. Suddenly, I simply knew what to do. Don’t get me wrong; I’m an idea person. People tell me that all the time. Probably like a music person constantly comes up with new melodies, I seem to come up with new ideas. If you don’t like this one, wait a bit and I’ll offer another! But a vision is qualitatively different than just a new idea. I’m not sure if I can explain the difference well, but it is there. Ideas have a limited scope—solving or answering one thing at a time.
Visions, on the other hand, point and work in many directions at once. Visions answer and/or make sense out of questions we have been having prior to the vision’s arrival. Ideas are interesting; visions are compelling…
To Be Continued Tomorrow
GOOD NIGHT
After arriving in Baltimore, I met Lynn, my assistant, to collect all the Christmas cards and gifts I’ll be giving to my pastors. I called Lorrel and went to my hotel near the Inner Harbor to wait for Volker Heitz from Switzerland. I thought he was going to get to Baltimore by 8:00 so we could have dinner together, but his plane did not actually land in Washington, DC until 8:00pm. I hiked over to Whole Foods market and ate a piece of salmon and a roll for a makeshift dinner.
My Priceline.com strategy for getting great hotel rooms paid off again! This is my first time in the Hilton Convention Center, Baltimore, and the place is beautiful. It reminds me of the San Francisco Hilton and a few other high-end Hiltons where I have spent fantastic days in the past. I actually watched a sweet Christmas chick-flick (can’t remember the name) about a single mom and child hired by a businessman to act the parts of his wife and daughter in order to convince a business client to give him the deal. It all worked out in the end; they fell in love, finally got their rhythms coordinated (instead of one being tender and the other a jerk and vice-versa), and they lived happily ever after…
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