Leadership Moment for 8.31.09

I've been reading in Judges lately because I'm fascinated with leadership and it is about a very unique time in the history of Israel. They weren't sure what they wanted to be, and these Judges were sent to them to lead them through different periods of time. I read this one recently:

1 The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over your head."
2 Jephthah answered, "I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn't save me out of their hands. 3 When I saw that you wouldn't help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?" Judges 12:1-3

Jephthah then proceeded to wipe out the Ephraimites. It was just like a leader. "I asked for your help, you didn't answer, so I decided to do it myself." It is the burden of leadership. Everybody's got ideas about how it should be done until they're the ones with the monkey on their back. Everybody's got a plan until the buck stops with them. Jephthah dealt with that. The task at hand was more important then the worrying about hurting the Ephraimites' feelings. He had to weigh the issues. There will be times, as a leader, that you will have to just step in and get done what needs to be done. It comes with the territory of leadership. And there will be times when what needs to get done won't always be excepted well by those in the "family." When you're a leader, you don't have the luxury of second guesses or how everyone always feels. You have to get it done. The key is to make sure you're within the will of God. If you hurt people's feelings or step on someone's toes or step in and finish the job and you're not operating in the spirit of Jesus, you have problems. Everything in the organization starts to go wrong. You see this in the business world all the time. In ministry, if you are operating under God's direction, the people on the same page as the Holy Spirit usually support you and help you. And if they don't, like the Ephramites, they probably aren't most concerned with the overall work of the Kingdom anyway. I felt for Jephthah as a I read that passage. Any leader has been in that situation. That's why it's SO important for leaders to be tapped into the heart of God. You're simply going to make people mad along the way. You're going to alienate some people. You're going to disappoint some people. Make sure it's people not on board with the mission of the Kingdom (and not God) that you disappoint.

Carter

A Changed Life

I've been reading through the book of John. There's always new stuff in there. I read a passage today that has never stood out to me before.

"Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him." John 12:9-11

People were coming to Jesus because of Lazarus. There is something about a resurrected life that people can't keep away from. Because of Lazarus (not Jesus' words) many people were coming to faith in Jesus. There are lots of arguments back and forth about God and what the truth really is in the world. There are valid points on all sides. But one thing that still can't be argued about is the simplicity of a changed life. Someone who was so dead spiritually, emotionally, and mentally who has now become so alive because of Jesus. It is the greatest testimony we can give to our faith. I am grateful to all those who have been a Lazarus in my life, as living proof of God's work in our world. My prayer is that I can be a Lazarus for someone else.

Discipline, Discipline, Discipline

Discipline is my new word. I haven't mastered it yet, and maybe that's why it's my new word. In fact, I'm quite certain I haven't mastered it. That's why it intrigues me. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." There will come a time when discipline won't matter. What I've become increasingly aware of is how wasteful we are of the opportunities we have in life. Opportunities to serve, opportunities to love, and opportunities to work with all our might.

What I'm finding is that there is a rhythm to discipline, and as one thing gets out of whack, it messes the rest up. And one of the biggest reasons we mess up is the lack of focus. We are thinking about what we want to do or ought to do instead of what we're currently doing, meaning that we very rarely do anything with "all our might." That's not the way of Jesus, who was always present in the moment. That is a discipline, and one I'm trying to learn.

The Power of Presence

My 2 year old, Tanner, had a Valentine's Party yesterday at his preschool. 2 year olds don't remember much. I'm not even sure that I remember anything from that young. My earliest memories are somewhere around the 4-year-old mark. It probably wouldn't have been a big deal if I wasn't there. I work and my wife is our primary caregiver to our kids, so she's much more available for those kinds of activities than me. But I came. He had lunch and we talked around the table, I read a story to the kids, and helped him decorate his Valentine's bag with hearts. It took me all of about 40 minutes. But when I came home later that day, he crawled up in the recliner and whispered in my ear, "Thank you for coming to my party." He won't remember much about that day, but if we remembers anything, it will be that I was there. That's because there is incredible power in presence. A friend of mine used to say, "Just showing up is half the battle." That is a powerful lesson in parenting. Our kids will not remember all the things we say, the wise words of wisdom we offer, or the things we buy them...but they will remember whether or not we were there. There is no substitute for presence. I am reminded of that promise from Scripture as it relates to our Heavenly Father. There is never a promise that life will be easy, that we'll never run into hard times, but there is a great promise from God that He will "never leave us or forsake us." Simply, "I'll be present."

Oughtta be Criminal

Friday mornings are often reserved as family mornings. I usually take Fridays off, and sometimes Em and me and the boys go out to breakfast. That was the case this last Friday. The boys chose the "Pancake House." We know it as IHOP. Let me say that I love IHOP and I love pancakes. I think they make a quality product. We actually had a buy one, get one free coupon. All the more better, right?

Em and I ordered pancakes. She chose blueberry and I chose the new butterscotch rocks. The boys got the kids menu pancake face. Em and I got large chocolate milk. No meat. Just cakes. Did I mention we had a buy one, get one free coupon. With the coupon (so minus one adult meal) and a 16% tip, our bill was $26.78. Are you serious? For a large glass of milk, they charged us $2.89 each. That's not a glass of milk, friend, that's a gallon of milk. Without the coupon, our breakfast would have costs over $30. After re-attaching my arm and leg and walking to the minivan, I told my beloved, "That's the last time we're going to IHOP for a long, long time." I don't begrudge them. I'm not boycotting them. That's just not a good investment for my family in these economic times, and I can't be responsible with my finances in a Godly way and spend $30 on breakfast. Heck, kids eat free at Digger's on Sundays and free on the weekends at Steak-n-shake. I've got college educations to pay for one day. I can't spend $30 on pancakes and 2 glasses of milk. Just one of those things that makes your wallet go "hmmmmm".

Leadership Conference

I keep hearing from God telling me all the big plans He has for The Way. I believe He has big things in store for our community and beyond. This Sunday is the beginning of a series that has the potential to heal marriages and prepare people to be the best spouse they can be. I'm super pumped about what God is going to do....And, I'm super pumped that Jacksonville has a rockin' '80s radio station.

Finding "the right church"

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

I can't help but steal a line from a good friend of mine in ministry (I'll withhold names, but thanks for the insight, buddy!). Someone came to him and said they'd been looking for years for the right church and hadn't quite found the right fit and were thinking about checking his church out. He asked them if they'd ever thought about being "the right church member" instead. He's that way. And he's so right. Discipleship isn't easy and Jesus clearly states that we are called take up our cross, to join the fight, to find our place in the battle, to become part of the mission. Deny and self don't go together in our language these days. Years? Really? Years to find the right church? The church is what it is: the Body of Christ, but filled with flawed individuals. Never expect her to perfect. She won't be. But the call of Christ is for us to do our part to make her more perfect…in the world, on Sunday mornings, to the community. The truth is there is no "right church." Some are bigger and have more flawed people. Some are smaller and have less flawed people. Some have flawed preachers in robes and flawed people playing pipe organs. Some have flawed preachers in jeans and flawed people playing electric guitars. But the issue Jesus would have us focus on is how we can take our cross to enable the mission to be accomplished, for all people to know His amazing love, and to experience his extravagant grace. When you focus on that unbelievably daunting and holy mission, you realize that the only thing that matters finding the place where you're going to serve "the right God."

I'm Back

Okay, okay, I've been a delinquent blogger. I'm trying to get back into the flow.

So, last night I see something that one should never see. I'm in Walmart a little past midnight. Hey, it's not crowded and I'm a night owl! Anyway, I see a young couple come in with a one year old in the buggy like it's 3 in the afternoon. I wondered about some social implications here. What are our social guidelines for caring for children in our society? I mean, what responsibility do we all have? If you hear someone use foul language or racial slurs in front of children, what responsibility do we have to quiet the loud mouth down? If we see children at Walmart in the middle of night, do we have any responsibility at all to pull mom and dad aside and say, "Hey guys, this isn't healthy for her"?

I'm not sure where those social boundaries are, but it at least raised some interesting questions in my mind about parenting and a community awareness for the well being of all children. Of course, it was freezing cold, and when I told my wife about it, she responded, "Maybe they don't have a home and they new Walmart was open all night and they were trying to make sure they kept the baby warm." Once again I was brought down to earth. So, I felt like a "judgmental joey", and the point is well taken. At what point do we cross the line from care to judgment? And is it always clear-cut? And what behaviors merit crossing that line for the sake of children. In the end, it was a lesson to grapple over some of those hard issues. I'm not sure I have the answers. But I am sure that I'm called to love everyone. I am sure that I'm called to take care of my own business before I worry about others'. I am sure that I'm called to be light in the world for God, and not judgment.