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!