Slowing Down Your Church

Planning another big event at your church will probably make your people more active and bring in more people, but is it really what is best for your church? Consider the following paragraph from W. R. Greg’s Life at High Pressure.

Beyond doubt, the most salient characteristic of life in this latter portion of the 19th century is its SPEED, — what we may call its hurry, the rate at which we move, the high-pressure at which we work;– and the question to be considered is, first, whether this rapid rate is in itself a good; and, next, whether it is worth the price we pay for it–a price rarely reckoned up, and not very easy thoroughly to ascertain. Unquestionably, life seems fuller and longer for this speed–is it truly ricer and more effective? No doubt we can do more in our seventy years for the pace at which we travel; but are the extra things we can do always worth doing? No doubt, we can do more; but is “doing” everything, and “being” nothing.

That was written in the 19th century. How much more might it apply in the 21st century?

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Not Noticing

When Ken Blanchard asked Hall of Fame football coach Don Shula what he wanted on his epitaph, Shula replied that he wanted to be remembered as never having been guilty of “not noticing.”

As my children grow in number as well as size I’m afraid that I may be guilty all too often of “not noticing.”  Do I notice the stick figure drawings that they pour their hearts into and post on the refrigerator?  Do I notice enough of the details to genuinely praise them for their efforts?  Do I notice which are their favorite toys?  Do I notice when they add new words to their vocabulary?  How much do I really notice?

I have often said that the most important thing we can learn about interpersonal relationships from Jesus of Nazareth is that he always treated the person in front of him as if that person was the most important person in the world.  No one could ever accuse him “not noticing”.  Zachaeus in his tree, the man born blind, the little children that surrounded him — Jesus noticed them, and treated them as if they were the most important people in the world.

If I plan on making this a model for my own life, maybe the best place for me to practice is in my own home.

Grace In The Workplace

I asked Peter Drucker, … “Peter, why are you a Christian?” …He says, “Ken, there’s no better deal.” I said, “What do you mean?” And he said, “Who else has grace?”

The above was related by business consultant Ken Blanchard. I have been listening to a series of recordings on developing teams and Blanchard was giving a presentation on “Developing People: Giving and Receiving Feedback” when he made the above statement.

I believe that in all my years, which included a lifetime in church, a decade of training managers and a stint teaching business at the college level, that is the very first time I have ever heard anyone speak of “grace” as a leadership model. I am hoping to flesh this out a bit and thought I would throw the door open to you for suggestions. Two questions that I have are (1) what Biblical passages would relate to this premise?, and (2) what would a “grace based leadership model” look like in a secular business?

Anyone care to share your thoughts?

Retreating With Hebrews

I spent the day with the people I work with retreating at Spring Hill. Our guest speaker was Bernard Briscoe. What a pleasure. He led us in a study through the book of Hebrews. At THIS LINK you can hear a sermon from Hebrews which he previously preached at Boerne Bible Church.

The Endurance That Faith Produces
Summary: Hebrews 10:19-39 / The saints talked about in chapter 11 proved their faith was rightly placed, by their behavior. Three evidences of this faith are in a good, confident assurance based on conviction of things revealed; divine approval; and spiritual understanding.

What Is Happiness?

Yesterday I had lunch with a friend at a Thai restaurant. He mentioned that he has family members who have been serving as missionaries in Hungary. It made me think of a poem I had read in Carl Sandburg’s Harvest Poems: 1910-1960. I shared the poem with him and he said he might agree if he could change the accordion for an acoustical guitar. Here it is for your consideration:

Happiness

 

I asked professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness.
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men.
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool them.
And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along the Desplaines river.
And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with their women and children and a keg of beer and an accordion.

So I guess happiness is having women, children, beer and an accordion (or an acoustical guitar).

Recommended Listening - Pete Briscoe

One of the advantages of spending several hours on the highway every day is that I get a chance to listen to lots of recorded lectures and sermons. Today I listened to four of Pete Briscoe’s sermons preached back in May and June of 2007. They were part of his Turning a Kind Eye series and were on the topics of Darfur, The War In Iraq, Abortion, and the Environment.

All four were artfully woven together and Biblically tight. It made me think of a definition of “rhetoric” offered by Agricola. He referred to rhetoric as “the utility of truth.”

All four can be found in the Bent Tree sermon archives. Check them out and let me know what you think.

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