Learning From The Dentist

I recently had a trip to the "tooth fairy" (dentist) and it was just
as I had suspected, a major event. The cost was $1000 but what was
comical to me was how they handled it. After showing me the
treatment plan and asking me to sign for it the girl helping me then
said, "Let's have you go take care of your bill now and then when you
leave you can just exit." What a way to say it! Were they really
thinking of me? Would I be in such pain as I left that I would not
want to linger longer? Or... is it that they had had enough people
never follow thru on their payment? My guess? The later. But to
make it palatable they turned the challenge on its head, making me
think that this early payment would benefit me. And sure enough as I
left they reminded me I would not have to stop at the counter.

This is the cardinal rule of customer service, turning every moment
into taking care of the customer. Sure they got their payment but
didn't you hear? That early payment was for my benefit, so I could
exit quickly. Funny how that one statement would make the rough
moment of payment a bit more palatable, remove their risk and all in
the light of doing this for me.

That takes a bit of creative ingenuity but it does give people a
positive experience. That is also what we try to do at GraceRiver
Church, take people deep enough into God's heart so that they can see
that responding to the Lord, obeying is not for His good but for
theirs. It is a challenge. We have to think deeply and run the
question further. But it does open the ears of people to experience
the deep sense of God choosing them.

Fruit

Today was amazing. We have a gal who has been coming to our church
for more than a yea. Over the year the worship moved her heart away
from Hinduism to Jesus. Today was her day. She had already made an
appointment with us and when she got up she knew... she belonged to
Jesus. So we sat at Starbucks and heard her story and then guided
her to do what she had done in so many levels but now just made
declarative. She turned away from anything else that might "save"
her, anything else that might give her life and put her life fully in
the hands of Jesus. Wow. Passionate, decisive, committed. And she
left with a whole new world opening to her heart. Her story is one
of joy and pain, and moves that seem to be so insignificant that now
are clearly paths that God used to bring her to himself. What a
God! Who can move thru the craziness of decisions, the mess of
heartaches and the dream for a child and orchestrate all of that for
this moment this morning. And now, heaven is overjoyed. And so is
she. And so are we. Maybe we are making a bit of a difference.
Just maybe.

God on the Back End

Talking with a friend today who spoke the question most of us ask.
His friend has been going thru a tough time and asked, "What good did
all of this obedience get me? What use is it when it seems like
those who don't care seem to do better?" Those are questions that
eventually haunt every person. What hit me is that I often want to
find God on the front end, to see immediate response when it seems I
most find God working on the back end, doing just what Romans 8:28-29
says. Psalm 73 is the biblical struggle with the same question. And
the answer is the same, look at the back end, when God's ways and
purposes are fulfilled.

We are front end people, at least I am. It is a strong discipline to
live for the back end, for the future that stretches thru the ages.
Jesus lived on the back end, "For the joy set before him he endured
the cross." Farmers live for the back end. Investors do as well.
But living for the back end is hard. And waiting to find God in the
back end.. calls every ounce of faith. Still, the long view, the
back end may be the only funnel of hope when life gets crazy. "Where
is God when I need him most?" Maybe he is working on the back end,
bringing all things to work for good. And that takes a lot of work
to bring some of the stuff I have to good.

Spiritual Amnesia

The loss of spiritual memory in our generation is an under the radar
but huge loss. With no biblical roots people live from event to
event, from challenge to challenge and from play to play without a
sense of meaning and without an awareness of the Lord. John 2:20-22
Jesus clears the temple and speaks of building a temple in 3 days.
Later, the disciples put the pieces together and it becomes another
platform that strengthens their faith. Although they heard him in
the moment, they apparently missed its full power and implications.
But because they had heard, later it would bring them strength and
faith.

What then happens to a generation who hasn't heard, who has no memory
of scripture, who has no roots that the Spirit can stir and bring
truth to strengthen their faith? What then for the generations that
have no memory of scripture and therefore miss the clear move of God
and cannot even backtrack and see it because they have no roots?
What of a generation who has moved so far from knowing the scripture
that the moments that could be spiritually catalytic are lost?

I have had this experience as the disciples, reading scripture but
not connecting the dots. And then... all of a sudden it all makes
sense. The scripture opens up life and gives an interpretation that
is rich with God's presence, powerful in faith and gushing with
hope. But if we have no roots? If we have no memory? If there is
nothing there from which the Spirit can draw? Sure, God speaks thru
creation and people. Still, what is to be done for generations that
have less and less to do with anything biblical and now live event to
event?

Somehow we must find a way to get the scripture into the memory.
Somehow. But this will certainly be a challenge.

Awareness

Awareness is a big topic and should be. The foundation is self
awareness, knowing what is really going on inside with us. But what
about scoping out? What about seeing beyond what is going on with me
to what might be going on with others? Jesus was a amazing at being
aware beyond the surface. Sure, he was God. But awareness of what
is going on with others is a skill that can be learned and is
essential for other relationships, particularly leadership. Watching
others' responses, non verbal and verbal is one key. Deeper still is
the decision to stay open, to be willing to hold off judgment of what
they might be experiencing and going deeper, choosing to look for
more evidence rather than making a quicker decision.

Awareness is a skill for life, to see the things around us, to see
the people around us, to see their story deeper than the moment when
they said or did... Awareness can put us in a position to connect
others to God's heart. Awareness can grant us an invitation to the
deeper parts of others hearts and minds, to the workings of the
Spirit beyond the surface. Becoming aware of my world is one step.
Becoming aware of the world of others is another. I hope to live
that way, aware of who I am and how I am impacts the worlds of others
whether they choose it or not.

The Push Pull of Evangelism

Talking with a friend today I stumbled across the "push / pull" of
evangelism. A recruiter once told me that for the recruitment
process to match both push and pull is needed. There has to be a
reason for a change, a reason to leave. If not, no matter how hard
the pull, finances or opportunities, the pull is never strong
enough. My friend is a budding evangelist and as we were talking
about connecting people to Jesus I spoke of the push / pull of
evangelism. The push is a reason someone would consider giving their
life to the Lord. That could be regret, desire for a different life,
awareness of sin or fear of death. Whatever, something has to push
the person out of their old life. The bible would describe that as
conviction, an awareness of needing to change, to leave an old
lifestyle for another. Without a push, conviction, a response to the
Lord is likely not deep enough.

The pull is called grace, grace that says life can be more
fulfilling. It is a conviction of John 10:10 that Jesus does offer
life. The pull can be to make a difference, to have peace of heart
and soul or any other benefit of walking with the Lord (the Psalms
speak of remembering the benefits of serving the Lord). Without the
pull, a person is not "pulled" into intimacy and dependency upon the
Lord. Without the pull a person may be leaving their old life but
not walking toward a new one.

If so, then the journey of an evangelist is to stir push / pull
moments, to discern what is needed in the life of another and to
provide either the push or the pull by speaking God's heart about the
appropriate one. Another way is to ask, "What is keeping you from
giving your life to the Lord?" The point of all of this is to be
ambassadors of the Lord, breathing into the moment of push or pull so
that the person continues to move toward the Lord and eventually
gives their life to Jesus.

So, I have a new question as I sit with people and work with them.
Do I stir the push or the pull? Which does this person need to move
toward Jesus?

Recruiting From Outside the Walls

Just had lunch with a new worker at our local Starbucks, a
guitarist. We invited him to consider being a part of our band. We
learned of his musical skills and began pursuing him relationally.
Today we had the opportunity to explore further his dream and see if
we might connect it a bit to GR. We'll see. His next step is to
experience the GR Sunday moment. But the whole thing has my heart
charged. What if we could be players in God's move in his life? He
hasn't been to church since High School but how cool would it be if
we could connect him to the God who wired all of that creative skill
set in him! Maybe nothing will happen. Maybe he will become a part
of our community but the opportunity is big and how special it would
be if GR could expand the Kingdom thru his life to his world and
those in it!

Creation Theology

The debate rages. Arguments on both sides and passion ensues which
means the opening of the mouth and the closing of the mind. But it
seems to me that what is at stake is deeper. Evolution verses
creation has cosmic implications to how we live, choices we make,
fears we face and destiny we walk in to. Here's one. Evolution says
you just showed up. The world doesn't want you here, didn't ask for
you nor plan for you. You are on your own in this thing called
life. Provide for yourself, fight for yourself because no one else
will. Hide your weaknesses for this is all about survival of the
fittest.

What a sad life! How much more to have a world created for you that
would overflow with resources! How much more enjoyable to live with
hope that when resources run thin, God who created is still creating
and life is possible. How wonderful to not have to hoard the
resources knowing that God who gives will continue to give in
abundance. How exciting to know that in my weaknesses his strength
is made strong. I do not have to hide my weaknesses, they are the
very places God does his greatest work.

Evolutionary theory goes deeper than scientific debate. It forms who
we are and how we are. Creation theology is written all thru the
scriptures...AS A GIFT! It is a gift that releases us to look at the
world with hope, anticipation, with prayer and possibilities, with
excitement and passion. Creation says I can be authentic, vulnerable
and still be safe. Creation theology says the world is new every
morning, God's mercies are new every morning and each morning is
another opportunity to discover more of who this amazing God is.
Creation theology is the basis of redemption. We were created with
value and still have it even when...

I genuinely feel sad for those who live out of darwinian theory, and
they do live out of it knowingly or unknowingly. It is a closed
world view. Sure, maybe the species will evolve, but slowly. And
that doesn't give much hope for me today. Yep, a lot at stake with
these theories, a lot deeper than the clash of explanation. It is
about a flow of life, joy, hope and destiny. I do believe in
creation. I need it. So does everyone else knowingly or not. And
there it is, lining the pages of the scripture. What a gift!

Gaining Leadership

Most everyone knows that position is not really an indication of
leadership. Even with position people still are led by others
without. Leadership is gained by influence that is gathered over
time. Strength of personality can bump a person into leadership
ahead of the time curve but the real power comes over time, thru life
circumstances particularly in a crisis. And often one has the
leadership deeply given by others and yet can mostly seem incognito
to those looking outside in.

David, the man after God's heart, the killer of Goliath, is well
known. There is mention of David's mighty men off and on throughout
his story. But mostly they are nameless and not the focus. Then, in
the last words about David is this list of men, the key three who
evidently changed the world thru their valiant and courageous refusal
to concede battles and land to the enemy. These men turned the tide
by their valor. Battles were won, troops were filled with courage
and the nation of Israel was different. Yet, they mostly lived
beneath the radar of David.

That they had leadership is obvious. The very fact that the troops
rallied around them shows influence. The fact that the battles were
turned because of them shows their influence. Maybe courage is one
key component of leadership, one of the traits that draw others and
spread influence. Certainly title is not!

Leaders are everywhere courage is found. Leaders are everywhere a
vision of what must be is lived. Leaders are everywhere one person
chooses to take a stand. Leaders are everywhere, even when no one
knows their names.

Devising Ways To Re-instate

This one got me. In the story of a father and son estrangement of II
Samuel 14 the anguish is deep. The dad has been separated from his
son and so wants him back but doesn't take the finishing steps for re-
instatement. Funny how we think our discipline of another should be
deep and long, tending to devise ways to be sure they got. In
paradox, God is devising ways for estranged people to be joined to
him. DEVISING WAYS!!! That is God's heart, to find a way to connect
with people. In spite of all of the sins, the wayward, selfish
heart, the disappointments, the whatever else God's heart never
changes, to find someway somehow to reconnect with me. That is an
amazing God! Someway, somehow he wants us to be us again, to do life
with me, to live in me and I in him.

No wonder Jesus said how we get along as followers is a big deal. If
we are divided then we are not living the heart of God, devising ways
to re-instate our wholeness. If we are divided we are not living the
Kingdom dream of being one, not halves. If we are divided then the
culture does not see in living metaphor how hard the heart of God
works to re-instate.

I can feel this one. It gets to me deeply. I want to be that living
metaphor but sometimes my stuff, my anger, my whatever gets in the
way. And I refuse to devise ways. Better figure that one out.

What to do With Glory

David is known for having a heart that is after God's heart. Along
my reading a reflection of him I see so much depth. His heart for
the Lord is expressed and exhibited in the very details of his life.
II Samuel 8 his victories begin to mount. As is often said,
victories can do more to bring us down than defeats. Victories can
change us subtly under the radar. The heart that once wanted to
serve becomes one that likes the attention, the celebration, the
being special. Truth is that any of these are not wrong. Feeling
excited and pleased (proud of what we have done) is not all bad.
Being celebrated is a cool thing in life. Only when these externals
alter who we are, how we see ourselves and how we relate to
ourselves, God and others does the victory bring defeat.

As David's victories mount his heart does not! When another king
sends his congratulations along with gifts David accepts... and then
dedicates the gifts to the Lord. That act of dedication keeps the
dots connected in his heart. To the victor go the spoils and the
victor is... the Lord.

My observation is that in an attempt to defray the glory people often
push it back immediately, in the face of the person who just said
their congratulations. I haven't always experienced that as whole
and healthy. Still, the passionate act of remembering who we are,
remembering with acts who is leading, of formal acts of dedication
that are more than momentary but deeply worshiping and sitting in the
Lord's provision seem to be the keys to staying healthy. What is
said in a few words would be a longer experience, the act of
dedication. Surface words of "Well praise God" are different than an
elongated sitting in the presence of the Lord and experiencing the
act of dedication.

May the blessings of God change us only appropriately.

Leading When You're Not In Charge

Everyone is a leader. The question is am I willing to be
"responsible for more than just myself". I find it interesting that
at Starbucks I do not have a position of leadership or employment but
I can still lead there. I lead by encouraging the team behind the
counter. i lead by speaking up to them, celebrating them and
believing in them. I lead by occasionally reminding them subtly the
difference they are making. I don't work there but at times I still
lead there. Leadership is an everywhere all of the time occasion.
And it is fun to lead where you have no title.

Is it Worth It To Be Tenderhearted?

This is a hard culture to live tenderhearted. The pace of life, the
pressures, the coldness that we can easily encounter can cause us to
adjust, to covering our heart, to keeping our heart warm and tender.
Being tenderhearted means being sensitive to the voice of the Lord.
It also likely means being sensitive to the challenges and cool words
and acts of others. Tenderhearted means my heart is open and being
open is not a one time act. We can learn to open and close our heart
but if we choose to live open, tenderhearted we are likely, at times
going to be surprised and hurt before the shields of protection go up.

Staying tenderhearted is a journey. it requires time with God that
allows him to access the places we have blocked and covered, not just
sins but sensitive moments. To allow anyone in those moments is an
act of courage that will spill out hope and joy on others. But it is
a high act of courage and so most find that once the hurt comes, the
heart closes and discover that it seems better to keep the heart
covered.

Staying tender is a ruthless journey of courage and deep belief in
the love and lordship of Jesus, that he can use all things for good,
that he does love me and is working good in my life, that somehow
this journey is toward a goal of becoming like Jesus. The very
things that close the heart are moments that can be turned into this
ruthless courage that refuses to live on the surface and closed. The
moments that can harden the heart are the same moments when we can
choose to become more tender, more real, wiser and gentler.

Is it worth it to be tenderhearted? That's a question that hangs in
the soul of every person. But the answer of that one person affects
us all.

Where's the Passion?

Interesting exchange at Starbucks today. Processing with a shift
manager who said the leader wanted to meet with shifts and talk about
their passion (for Starbucks). Here's the deal. A swift kick in
the ... never gets passion going. Vision gets passion going. Vision
that gets deeper than money, that stirs significance and sacrifice
gets passion going. Passion is a heart issue and Marcus Buckingham
says that everyone is passionate what leaders have to do is connect
the passion of each person to the vision and role. I don't know what
will go on in the meeting at Starbucks but I know this. If this is a
"Where is your passion?" speech coming talk to the wall. It won't
help. If it is visionary, if it calls the best of the team out to
put their best out it will be a winner. Leaders, when the passion
wanes it's time for more vision injection!

Tensions that Work For Us

Interesting conversation today at Starbucks. Thinking with a friend
about how God works and why i stumbled into this moment of "Ah ha!".
The question, "How can God be punishing people when He is love?"
Then it hit me. There is a tension, a good tension between justice
and mercy. Those can seem juxtaposed, working against each other.
Mercy taken to extremes ends up with nothing matters for in the end
consequences are wiped out. "I can always be forgiven so who
cares." Further in the extreme is the accusation against God, "How
can he love and send people to hell?" No justice means no boundaries
and no reason to change.

No mercy has the opposite effect, not a heart of unconcern but a
heart never at rest and always full of anxiety. No mercy makes us
want to hide, not "confess (tell the truth) so that we can be
forgiven (I John 1:9). No mercy will eventually harden the heart and
stiffen the will.

Justice and mercy seem to lie in tension, especially from our short
view and especially for those frustrated with who God is and how we
has shaped the life. Funny how we can accuse God over decisions that
we make. How can God be at fault for justice? Isn't justice right?
How can we accuse God of anything, even not being loving when we
choose to walk past the offer of forgiveness? Isn't it merciful when
God, knowing we were caught in sin, offered us a way out? And
justice? It's still there. The death of Jesus was the expression of
justice, one man dying for all.

Justice and mercy, two tensions that work for us, two tensions that
keep us in balance, two tensions that take us into the heart of a
perfect and holy God.

The Down Sides of Creativity

Creativity does have down sides. On the upside creativity reflects
the heart of the Lord and opens hearts and minds of people in ways
previously locked. But down sides there are for sure. One is the
drain. Creativity is emotional energy that requires full involvement
of the heart and mind. The euphoria of creating can be met by the
bottom moment of expending energy. People who are creative need time
to think, reflect, and see life from other vantages. As the
scripture says, there is nothing new under the sun. That means
creativity is often the connecting of dots that were previously
connected and thus bring new possibilities, new insights, new ways,
new hope.

Another down side of creativity can be that we can lose the point.
Every creative avenue will not get us to the goal. Often in our own
team gatherings we have to work to stay on focus or we will shift
into being creative and forget the point of the creativity and end up
with another point all together. Even that is a challenge because to
cut the dreaming and scheming too fast may lose the one idea that
will fully help people to catch God's heart.

Creativity must be fed. Wild reading, travel, arts, learning from
all walks of life stir creativity. In The Medici Effect (a really
cool book) the author says that key Islands that cross pollinated
people gave rise to some major breakthroughs. Without that continual
inflow, creativity dries up. Without interaction with a team,
creativity typically becomes a rut.

Creating is fun. Designing experiences for people to intersect God's
heart is off the charts coo. If you have some creative types in your
circle know that they need the time, space and opportunity for
regular infilling!

Behind the Scenes

Spiritual Warfare is multi-faceted. It encompasses strategy at all
levels, emotion, physicality, spirit and mind. This past Saturday I
could not go to sleep. Getting up at 5:30 to begin the day isn't so
hard for me but when I am watching the clock turn from midnight to 1
AM I realize I'm on the short side of the sleep number. What I had
not realized is how that would set me up for the battle of the day.
When the body is tired the heart is vulnerable. When the body is
tired, the soul is at risk. Leaving the day everyone was moved by
the experience of Jesus last days. But I couldn't fully enter that
joy. My heart was fried partly because my body was over tired. Like
a kid going without rest, my lack of physical energy was a set up.
The same is true for Elijah. Following his encounter with the
prophets of Baal he is threatened and runs miles. In his exhaustion
his persistence is worn out and he is ready to give up.

I was surprised at the experience this past weekend. I was set up
big time and didn't even see it coming. Now for some rest this week
so I'm not set up again like that.

Doormats for Jesus

From time to time I am a part of an assessment team that assesses
church planters. It is always an eye opening experience and I learn
much more than I give. I learn about myself, people and the Lord.
One of the areas we assess is conflict management. Conflict is a
part of life and a big part of leadership. Somehow in the Christian
culture we have come to an understanding that we must be door mats,
allowing everyone and anyone to walk on us. On the surface it smacks
of love and kindness. We may even have scripture to back it up in
that Jesus went like a sheep to the slaughter without a word. That
is a word from Isaiah 53:7 and it is true. But what if we have
misunderstood it? What if Jesus did actually speak in the moments of
the lies being told about him? What if he non-violently turned the
light on to the darkness that was working to destroy him? John
18:19-23 is a different story. When Jesus is struck by one of the
officials he challenged the one who struck him. That challenge
turned the light on in the darkness. That challenge revealed the
heart of the one who hit him.

What if we could find a non-violent way to call out evil? What if we
were not called to be doormats? What do we do with Jesus words that
those entering the Kingdom of God take it by violence? Could it be
that we should re-think how to live in conflict? This I do know, if
we are always living as doormats we may one day rise up and unleash a
furry of negative energy. No one is made to "take it" all of the time.

One of the gifts we hope to give those moving toward spiritual
leadership is the gift of standing in conflict and knowing that they
are following Jesus when they stand up for themselves. We are called
to lay down our lives but we are not called to be doormats. No we
are not!

Catalytic Questions

Questions are catalytic. Even if we do not know the answer simply
posing the question opens the heart and mind to other possibilities.
Questions can be life transformational and pivotal. Questions can
get us to see what we missed and dream again. Questions may be the
leaders best friend. The past 2 weeks I've had a few opportunities
to meet with people and out of each of those meetings I've asked a
question. For one person it was, "Have you thought about pursuing
ministry?" Two others it was, "What would you like to lead at GR?"
Those questions have opened doors of conversations and possibilities
I would have never seen nor imagined. The leadership base of GR is
expanding simply because of those catalytic questions.

Leaders do not need to know all the answers. In fact if they had to
choose between knowing the questions or the answers the questions
would be more catalytic, more formative, more directional and open
more doors. Perhaps the best leaders are the best because they keep
asking the questions and know which questions to ask. "Where do you
want to lead at Graceriver?" has become a catalytic question with far
reaching answers.

Puzzle Pieces

A while back I was part of a group of guys that were speaking into
each other's life. Hearing one guy's story we began to group think
and to speak that he was in transition, meaning would move locales.
Later we discovered that he was in transition, within his current
context. We took puzzle pieces and tried to put them where we
thought they belonged. But we were wrong! Good thing he was willing
to move slowly and even look past our infinite wisdom.

How do we make sense of the parts of life? How can we know God's
leading and direction? It can seem as if we are holding pieces of a
puzzle and then try to put them into the picture as we would know it,
want it or wish it wasn't (that one is called anxiety). I Samuel 23
Saul is pursuing David and when he hears he is in a certain town he
says, "God has handed him over to me." Really? You are about to
kill an innocent man and now that he is in a town that you feel you
can trap him in you think God is behind it?

Funny how we can put pieces together and be sure that God is on our
side when in fact we have been contradicting God's patterns and
laws. We do have to put the pieces of life together to make a
puzzle. We do have to make sense of things and put them somewhere,
bring some order, some chaos. But when we assign God's motive to an
incident we may be stepping a bit to far. Perhaps that is why James
warns us to live each day at a time and say, "If the Lord wills we
will.... ".

I'm trying to be more discerning in putting puzzle pieces together,
to live in the truth that His ways are higher than mine and to be
wonderfully surprised at what the Lord can do. I still have to put
pieces in some order but I do so now a bit more asking and willing to
admit that the piece may not belong there. God may be doing
something very different and very good.

Teams

Almost nothing is as important as a team. The team here at
GraceRiver Church is full of life, laughter and passion. I love it.
I love being with them. I love the respect I see, the joy, the
determination, the appreciation for what each one brings to the
table. I've had great teams in the past, too! I've been blessed in
that. Teams make you better than you are. Teams cover your
weaknesses with laughter and protect you. Teams feed the members by
bringing hope and joy. Teams accomplish way more than any one person
could. Teams bring synergy that is undeniable. Teams have variety!

If I could give others a gift I would give them the privilege I've
had of working with some of the finest people in the world. Teams
make life exciting and ministry worth doing. To the team at GR and
the teams of the past, thanks. Your heart and passion, your
encouragement and joy have brought strength to my heart and fire to
my soul. You made me better than I am. Thanks.

Getting Older

In my prayer today I was expressing gratefulness to the Lord for
opening His ways to me. I understand things now I had no clue of in
years (and decades past). Makes me wonder what I am missing now,
too! The scripture says His ways are higher than mine. I can get
that and at times I can really get it with my heart but usually by
looking back. In the moment it is faith, trusting God's heart when
it certainly feels like I should not and then ordering my life as
such, obedience.

Life is a leaning journey, often done not first by lecture then by
trial but first by trial and then by looking back and seeing what was
unseen but still very real. Life opens up God's heart in the
scripture. I understand things now I did not in the past.
Scriptures that made no sense or that I had limited to a thin
application now have so much depth in them and that depth grabs me at
a different level. Getting older does give the opportunity to get
wiser, especially as I follow the Lord. I am hoping to help others
along the journey by listening, speaking and leading them to
experience God's heart as well. His ways are higher, no question.
And yet He invites me into them. That is cool.

Where Leaders Get Vision

I've posted similar before but the reality keeps stirring my heart.
Leaders get vision from God, from seeing needs, from feeling the
possibilities or the pain of others. They also get it from their
team as they see their team experiencing the dream and voicing the
dream. Tonight we had our second FUEL, our High Octane Leadership
Community and it was powerful to me. I look around and see the
leaders in the room, passionate people who are the evidence that GR
is a people of destiny and my vision and passion spike. Leaders get
fueled with vision when they are with other leaders who are
passionate, visionary, dedicated and willing to lay it on the line.

From me to all of you at FUEL tonight, thanks. You stirred my heart.
Ken

In Your Face

Yesterday a teammate and I were doing some recruiting, vision casting
to another person we really want to become a part of our dream and he
said this, "At GraceRiver we are IN YOUR FACE with what you do well.
We are in your face about that!" How cool! What a neat team to be a
part of, a group of people who celebrate what you are good at, are in
your face about it so that you can't miss it! That's the way to be
in your face! I wonder how the world would change if we had people
in our face with good things? I wonder how we might salt the earth
and light the world so that our own joy would "leak" all over
others? That's what I love about GraceRiver. It's in your face, in
a healthy way!

The Burden of Being So Gifted

I've met a number of people who have multiple gifts. The problem is
not what can they do but what should they do. What they typically
want to do is EVERYTHING! They don't want to miss anything and have
the desire to be a part of everything. At first that is not really
an obstacle. But... over time they become tired and stretched and
weary and frustrated and wishing they had a life and ... Multi-
gifted people have to steward themselves and their gifts so that they
can make the greatest impact in the Kingdom. And they often will
grieve and think they are missing out. Without stewardship what they
will eventually miss out on is joy, laughter, hope and life. Multi-
gifted people are blessed and challenged. They typically don't want
to say no but eventually find they must. The joy of leadership is to
walk with people as they experience the joy of being multi-gifted and
the anguish of having to choose. It's hard. But that choice has
eternal implications!

An Odd Way to Destiny

Nothing is ever wasted in the heart of God. How one prepares for
leadership and for impact is far broader than narrow. I Samuel 16 is
the beginning of the story of David. Somewhere along the way he had
harp lessons or maybe just played by ear. However it came, the
scripture says he became skillful at it. But how would being a
harpist open the doors to a future that appeared to have nothing to
do with music? To be a king, music would be a side venture, an
avocation. But in the heart of God nothing is wasted. The hours
spent with the harp did deep work in the heart of this some day
king. And the skill set was the first opened door.

How cool it is that when we follow the desires of our heart we are
following a map to our destiny placed in us by the Lord. Those side
adventures that seem to have nothing to do with nothing, in the hands
of God become paths to the future. Okay so you didn't finish the
education. What if the Lord took you on a journey to stir in you the
capacity for the dream he placed within you? What if the times spent
reading or creating, messing with problems, photography or sports
were venues for the Lord to get deeper into your being and prepare
you for the dream?

Not many harpist become kings I should think. Not many resumes for
leadership would highlight "Harpist for fun!" But then again, God
has an odd way to lead us into our destiny, non-traditional ways that
shape the heart of the moment and open doors in the future. David
begins as a court musician for the king. Later, he moves to being an
armor barer. Sure the armor bearer is more prestigious but without
the time with the harp he likely doesn't enter the king's courts.

Follow your heart and leave the destiny to the Lord. He has odd ways
to move us toward that destiny.

The Mind of a Leader

Tony Bell in his book "Great Leadership" has this cutting word, "The
most significant thing about an organization is what goes on in the
minds of its leaders." Wow! The mind of the leader creates reality
for those around him. When a leader takes cues from the
circumstances, that leader's mind is likely to be filled with fear
and doubt. I Samuel 13 is the playing out of that word. Saul, the
positional leader, is watching morale crash, people leave and the
enemy charging. That is the moment for leaders! When everyone only
sees what is and not what can be, when their hearts are full of
questions and their feet are moving fast in retreat, leaders can
shine. BUT, what is going on in the mind of the leader is most
significant. Reactionary fear, hasty decisions, avoidance or denial
will not carry the day. Leaders may feel fear but no one can lead in
fear. Sooner or later something must happen in the mind of the
leader and that something is faith, a deep conviction that things can
be different, should be different, will be different.

It isn't the circumstances that dictate our success or lack thereof.
It is what is going on in the minds of the leaders.

There's Always Hope...

"There is always hope if you know where to find it." That was the
word of the Lord to me recently as I watched people respond to the
word of the Lord. There is always hope if you know where to find it,
always signals of God's presence, always a flow of passion and joy.
Hope is found in one person's obedience. Hope is found in a crack in
the door that appeared closed (as did the door to us for Odyssey
Middle School). Hope is found in a thank you or a word of
encouragement. Hope is found in a possibility EVEN IF that
possibility evaporates. Hope is not determined by circumstances. It
is the energy of the Lord poured into the hearts of people who know
where to find it, who look for it, who choose to feast upon it.
There is always hope if you know where to find it. Cool words from
the Lord!

When Ministry Gets Fun

Last evening was so cool at our teen community. Love what I see
happening with the students but what is happening among the leaders
is very special. The Epic team is gifted, creative and passionate.
I get excited to see other leaders emerge and then experience the
flow of God's passion and heart thru them. There is nothing like
experiencing the Lord of the universe using you to change even a
small part of the world. That is what they are experiencing. I am
so proud of these leaders and more, I am excited to see how the hand
of God will continue to flow thru them in Epic and who knows how
else. These guys and gals are changing the world... and their world
is changing, too!

Governors

It is a blast to be on the golf cart, be the one driving and go down
a hill as fast as possible. I love to stir in my golfing partners,
"What's he doing?" But you must know that the golf carts have a
governor, a restriction on how fast they will go. That restriction
is for safety. James 3 says we need governors for our mouths.
Sometimes, especially in heated moments. Our moths can run too fast
and become dangerous for those riding with us in life. A governor is
the ability to stop yourself from speaking something you may feel at
the moment, resisting the downhill movement of the relationship, for
the protection of those you are speaking to and those around you. If
the governor of our mouth is removed, the pace in a heated exchange
picks up and the damage begins to multiply.

Opening the Future Thru Obedience

Yesterday at GR Church many new people chose to trust God in
tithing. They are in for such a cool life of seeing God's hand,
having their own God-stories and expanding their faith to many other
areas. Money is such a hard place to trust the Lord and yet, the
choice to obey stirs faith for family, future challenges and
everywhere else. Here's the deal. If money is the hardest area and
the Lord shows up there... where will he not show up? That is why I
am so jazzed today for those who took the risk, took God at his word
and are entering the best days of their lives. I am excited to pray
for them. I am excited for their families. They will see the Lord
in ways others only hear about. So cool to follow the Lord! So cool
to lead others to the open door of God's blessing.

Leaders on the Shelf

It can happen that we are called to lead but not accepted as a
leader. I Samuel 10-11 Saul is anointed to lead but some question
his leadership. My observation is that we have the tendency to fight
in those moments, to push back. Saul, he goes about life, no need to
assert his position as king. He goes about life and waits.
Eventually, the need for a leader becomes apparent and he steps up,
uses his influence, makes tactical steps and wins the day.

Crisis always opens the door for new leadership. The leader who
pushes their way in will lose influence. Those who know they are
called and are willing to go about life and allow the Lord to open
the moment for them gain credibility. Being put on the shelf as a
leader can be painful. Moses knew he was the leader but it was 4
decades before he led. Eventually, he becomes one of the most
critical leaders of the Bible. Waiting is hard. Waiting for you
time is immensely hard. Watching the months and years go by, knowing
you have something to offer, wondering what God is doing, or is He
doing anything? But the time comes. The Spirit moves and the
opportunity explodes. Time to lead. And then it becomes clear to
others. Your time will come. The call to leadership is about a
larger purpose. Don't let the dream die but don't fight the wrong
battles either.

Leading by Mantra

We have a strong conviction at GraceRiver that we are people of
destiny. That is our mantra. When that mantra is experienced even
lightly it becomes a flood of hope, passion and conviction that
explodes in faith and determination. We so believe it that we make
decisions because of it. Our current building questions we are
facing thru a deep conviction that we must respond not just to our
circumstances but to our destiny. If we walk in the destiny the Lord
will protect and provide. We, then, will walk in bold faith and
therefore be stretched and as a result we will experience major moves
of the Lord.

"People of Destiny" was the mantra God told the Israelites coming out
of Egypt. It was also the words to the church (The gates of hell
shall not hold you back. I am with you always. You will do greater
miracles than this.). When this mantra captures the imagination of
people the future unlocks, opportunities are everywhere and a people
are formed. When we are captured by this mantra we will live it out
loud and that will capture the imagination of the community. We lead
by mantra. We lead by it. Leading by mantra means saying it,
believing it, making decisions with that deep conviction, facing
obstacles thru that lens, instilling that vision into the hearts,
minds and imaginations of our people. I cannot wait to see how this
mantra, a word we did not make up but received from the Lord, will
unleash faith, form families and neighborhoods and become magnetic.
We have a mantra that feeds our hearts and powers our imagination.
We have a mantra that stirs persistence and determination. We are
PEOPLE OF DESTINY!

Leadership, Placing and Re-Placing

The journey of GraceRiver Church has been intriguing. It has taken
us a bit to find our stride. Some of that is getting the right
people in the right places. Sometimes that can be a tough job
because a part of that is getting people who are in the wrong places
to be re-placed (put into another context). Tough as it may be it is
always the right step and when it is connected to the right heart
(deep conviction that all people have a part and place but it may not
be in their current context) it is a move of God, an avenue the Lord
uses to re-place them in the context they will flourish and have impact.

The "right place" is not a place without growth and struggle but it
is a place of fully buying into the vision and values. it is a place
that feeds your soul as you lead, give and serve others. Jesus
obviously experienced it. "My food is to do the will of my Father."
He said this when he was tired but was connecting the woman at the
well to the possibilities of life with him. Tired he was, yet
experiencing a passion flow into his own heart.

Leadership is about the right people in the right places and helping
the people who are misplaced to be re-placed (getting out of the
wrong place, put into the place they should be and getting who should
be in their former place... all three actions are essential). Feels
like we are fast approaching this momentum building at GR. These
next weeks and months are going to be very special.

Near and Far Choices

The alarm went off at 5:20 this morning to the news describing the
sell off of the overseas stock market. Already the government was
speaking to not join the fears. It is amazing how the fears of
people thousands of miles away, people we will never meet nor ever be
in proximity to have major impact upon our lives. What if this kicks
in a worse economic time... and it just might. Our fears do have
consequences upon the world. Our choices and decisions do reach far
beyond our own world. People who will never know us will be touched
by how we live. So, I put in a cancelation of a stock order. I'm
just hoping that my choices here at GR church will have influence on
thousands of people.

People of Destiny

We've been walking in destiny at GR. Destiny doesn't mean a life
without struggle, challenges and questions. It is however a sense of
purpose that refuses to give up, that opens our eyes wide to see how
the Lord will move and provide. This past week we had amazing God
moments. With having to move out of our building (another move) the
question was "Where to?" And the answer was not obvious. We spoke
with the middle school but no go. Eventually we would come back and
ask again and thru some conversation the door opened. Being people
of destiny doesn't mean we accept things. When the middle school
said no we kept praying and finally found a way to get them to say
yes. Yes it is, to the best school in the area! Yes it is to a
destiny that seems to keep unwrapping as we move forward. Yes, too,
to a group of people walking in faith and being formed by questions,
struggles, challenges and then the obvious move of God.

How do you walk in destiny? One step at a time, and in such belief
that you refuse to take no and should the answer be no, you look for
anther open door from the Lord. This destiny thing is pretty cool.
Can't wait to see how it unfolds in the next weeks and months.

Unconventional Paths To Leadership

Just how does one become a leader? Or maybe the better question is
what makes a leader? I Samuel is an interesting look at a leader who
doesn't think organizational. Samuel is a "seer" a judge, a
prophet. His leadership "power" flows from his listening to the
Lord, the Lord revealing himself to Samuel. This "seer" is GIVEN
influence by the people who know he hears from the Lord. As is often
stated, leadership is a lot less about position and a lot more about
the person (heart, skills, relationships). Some of us are very
gifted at org thinking and we bring God's hand to people and
communities that way. Others of us are more "seer" types, breathing
God's breath of life into people in decision and crisis times,
pointing direction as the Lord reveals himself to us. Leadership is
influence and influence is given, people choose to allow us to
influence them. Strength of personality can give influence. But so
can the quiet moments of sitting with the Lord and experiencing His
presence (thru the Word).

Say It Again and Again and ...

This isn't much of a listening culture. I would guess that some of
our aloneness has stirred us to talk... and to be listened to.
Listening is an act of dignifying, honoring, caring, respecting. But
there's not a lot of it going around. It is a discipline to listen
to another, to really stay engaged and not think about our response
before they finish their thought. It isn't hard to identify the
hunger to be heard. When you come across someone dying to be
listened to you might encounter this:
-they talk fast, afraid of not being able to finish
-they say it again and again. Repetition means I don't feel heard
yet. So I keep saying it and saying it and ...
-they get loud. Seems like we feel that the only way we can be heard
is to talk loud.

We do seem to be hard of hearing! But that is less a health problem
than a heart problem. The people we most need to listen to share the
same space with us. But those can be those we are less attuned. It
is hard work. But it is one more way to change the world, one person
and one neighborhood at a time.

What is Faith Anyway?

What is the difference between faith and foolishness? Haven't we all
known people who trusted the Lord but He didn't come thru? Was that
God's let down or the person's? Was it God wanting to do something
different than they had dreamed? In this journey of GraceRiver
Church we have come across numerous obstacles and challenges.
Believing that this is God's call we keep looking for His hand...and
it keeps showing up...at the last possible moment. The thin line
between faith and foolishness can be hard to navigate. It isn't just
persistence, it is a rock solid belief that the Lord is doing this
AND a willingness to allow him to "re-story" what he is doing. When
it seems like He has abandoned us we keep looking for his presence,
remaining open to the Lord showing us that what we thought he was
going to do was not quite on target. He is still Lord! Faith is
holding on to the word, hanging on to the hope, walking when we feel
like sitting, staying open to His new ways and His timing. Faith is
openness to the Lord to rewrite the journey as He deems it should
be. Faith is trusting that there are reasons to the rhymes we face.
My growing understanding is that God is always up to something
bigger, different, special. Faith is taking the journey with Him and
letting Him tell the story of the journey.

Caught by My Shadow

I went for a run around 5:30 this morning, early I know but the only
time I would get it in. The street lights create a shadow as I run.
On one turn my attention was grabbed by some trash people had out
(funny how we get caught in other people's trash isn't it). As I
turned to look my shadow came racing past me (the light that was in
front was now at a different angle throwing my shadow to the front
side) and momentarily spooked me. It looked like someone else was
catching me when it was just my shadow catching up.

Our shadow does eventually catch us. Where we've been does
eventually catch up to where we are and can even get ahead of us
("Your reputation precedes you!"). Shadows are distortions, too long
or short, not clear representations of who we are. But, they do "get
ahead" of us as we go thru life. I guess the best we can hope for is
that if we continue to be ourselves the distortions may be
characterizations, taking the best and distinctive components of who
we are and highlight them. I'm hoping my distortions are on the good
side and that as the light changes and moves around me, where I've
been and where I'm going converge and I don't spook anyone else!

Sensitivity

One of the most significant leadership disciplines is sensitivity.
Daniel Goleman (Primal Leadership) says that EQ (Emotional Quotient)
is THE key to impact upon the world. Sensitivity is about being
aware not only of what we feel but what others might be
experiencing. Sensitivity can be the key barometer that can cue us
when to speak up and when to be quiet and when to think a second time
about what we are going to say before we say it. The "My mouth gets
ahead of my brain" expression is really about sensitivity. Am I so
passionate (frustrated, etc) that I just must express it? Can I
think thru how to say it so that it can be seen and the message not
get lost in the emotion? Increasing sensitivity will open doors to
hearts of people and open doors for life. Without it, people guard
themselves against us, unsure of what we will say and wondering if we
will say it hurtful and in the wrong places. Sensitivity is
increased by our own awareness of what we are feeling/ dealing with
and then doing the hard work of resolving that so that we do not let
it leak. That never means we do not speak the truth but the question
is more of is it truth or "my truth" (my opinion). The bible says it
like this, "Speaking the truth in love..." One part of love is
sensitivity.

Leadership in the Fog

One of the tasks of leadership is to build momentum. Momentum is
clearly the leaders edge in accomplishing great work. Momentum is
built one step at a time, celebrating the wins and protecting the
momentum by facing and eliminating the obstacles. That in itself is
a challenge. Obstacles can be finances, contacts, places and even
people. "Getting the right people in the right places" is a key part
of leadership. The wrong people in the place that doesn't suit them
will kill the momentum.

Once momentum is kicking, leadership becomes more of keeping it going
by removing the obstacles. But, what if we are leading in a fog?
What if the direction isn't so clear for the moment? What if the
obstacles seem overwhelming? At GR we are in a season of fog, having
to find another place for our worship with not many options. We are
leading thru the fog with lots of prayer (listening as well as
asking), a strong sense of destiny, trying to live out the Bible
stories of the people of Israel as they journeyed from Egypt to the
promised land and lots of talking together. We are walking thru the
fog. I am aware that how we lead thru this fog can be helpful to
many families and individuals as they navigate foggy times. GR, the
forecast is foggy for a bit but the Lord is with us. Let's go!

Where Do Leaders Get Vision

Where Do leaders get vision? One place is from God. Leaders
experience an inner push, a calling that moves the leader to see the
future and to be drawn to it. That moment can come by prayer but the
God-vision can also come in worship or in a gathering of other
leaders as they share. That is the power of our "Fuel" coming
January 26 at 4pm. Hanging around other leaders stirs our own
leadership and enlarges our vision.

Another place leaders get vision is from the day to day stories of
what the Lord is doing (or in a business, the wins of the day/week).
That is why it is so crucial to pass on the winning moments to those
who lead you at work, church or wherever. Vision is all around us
and we can get it from any number of places, from God, others and
even as we walk thru the streets. Without vision, people lose their
way and end up who knows where. Don't miss the "Fuel" gathering that
will stir your leadership January 26.

Signs Along the Way

I was driving thru Ohio to WV a few years back and came across a
bizarre sign, "Lowing Flying Aircraft". I started laughing. Low
flying? I'm in a car...sitting down. How low do they go? Are they
going to land on the highway? Should I duck? I'm still laughing and
I still have no idea why the need for the sign. For the record, I
didn't see any aircraft whatsoever as I traveled!

I wonder if the Lord ever places signs in front of us that in the
moment have no meaning, no relevance but still they are placed before
us? Like parts of His word? Some of it has more meaning in one part
of life than another. Some signs are time sensitive I would guess.
Some of the truth of the word is time sensitive, too.

I still have no idea why the sign was posted but I did watch. Some
of the scripture commands can seem a bit weird, too. But who knows,
they just might be directions we will need as we motor thru life.
Watch for the signs along the way. And if they make no sense, keep
watching, you might just see a low flying aircraft!

Okay so we got a Wii for Christmas. Wii for us most often means WE.
I admit I do some gaming by myself but not much. Sheila and I now
have a mostly sweat free golf experience! And, she now has a bowling
alley in her house :). We got it for us to play together. Families
need to play together to stay together. So do couples. I have one
game (baseball) that I will play solo, otherwise it's we for the wii.

This past week at GR we talked about having a destiny. If you check
out the Bible, most people who had a destiny constantly fought to
keep the dream in their heart alive. When we are walking toward a
destiny we can look silly, like we are only day dreamers with no
chance in ... That's the cool thing about having a God-destiny, it
doesn't matter what others think, only what you think as you keep
listening to the Lord. That's also why we need others around us who
can keep speaking our destiny to us when no one else sees it and we
doubt it ourselves. The Bible says it like this, "Faith comes from
hearing (the word)". Sometimes you do need someone else to voice
your own destiny so that you can believe it and keep walking in it.
Who speaks that for you?