I’ve moved my blog to http://questquality.com/ministryinthemarketplace
Please go there for the latest posts.
Lots of stuff going on – and not enough time to reflect. Yet with some of the challenges at work lately, I have been contemplating life in a variety of ways. Then one of the staff at church challenged our volunteer leadership team about our personal mission statements, and I realized I haven’t looked at mine lately. Michael Hyatt has been doing a series on leadership questions, forcing me to think. Then Lindsey Nobles posts about her reflections on who she is.
My staff calls me Ghengis Ed or Dr. Edil when I drive them too hard. I strive not to be the pointy-haired boss from Dilbert. My wife reminds me when I try to “manage” the family instead of love and lead. I need to be more consistent. I am a husband, a dad, a soccer coach, a friend, a fisherman, a kayaker, a small group leader, a teacher, a manager, an IT geek – and those roles can get confusing and confused.
So I dragged out my mission statement that I wrote several years ago. And it is still valid. This is who I am, how I want to live, and how I want to be known.
I am first and foremost a child of God, holy and righteous only by the grace and blood of Jesus Christ. I need to put Christ first and let others see Him through me.
In all areas of life, I want to be honest, humble, patient, enthusiastic, and able to find the joy and humor in life.
I want to use my confidence and ambition to continue to learn, organize, and use my time wisely.
I want my wife and children to always look to me for love and understanding, by keeping my promises and letting them know that they are loved and important.
I want friends and students to be encouraged and empowered to move forward when interacting with me, by always pointing out strengths and possibilities.
I want business associates to know my honesty, faithfulness, and commitment to their projects.
Now I need God’s grace to help me remember that with the next difficult phone call, the next temptation to cut corners, the next time I am frustrated.
Do you have a written mission statement for your life? What is it?
If you are looking for a book that will give you 12 steps to a better life, don’t buy this book.
If you are looking for a book that will fix all that ails you, don’t buy this book.
If you are looking for a book that will get God to do things your way, don’t buy this book.
If you are looking for a book with all the answers, don’t buy this book.
If you want a book that will challenge your walk with Christ, encourage you in the midst of the chaos of life due to bad choices or maybe for no seemingly good reason, then this is the book for you.
The subtitle to Pete Wilson’s Plan B is deceptive - What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?
When I first heard about the book, I thought, this could be a good tool. I didn’t see how it might apply to my life. Don’t get me wrong – I have had disappointments in life, things that haven’t gone quite right, but I have a good marriage, healthy kids, I come from a relatively normal, functional family (if that exists), and I am still employed through the latest economic issues.
Yet as I read, the Holy Spirit pricked my thoughts, conscience, and attitude. That church that we left – all the work we poured into change, where was God? Friends who died much too young, while others were healed who didn’t know God. That promotion at work that didn’t work out.
Throughout the book, Pete Wilson’s use of biblical characters and his own stories helped me realize is that I could see God at work in each of the situations in my own life. I was changed. Although even 10+ years later, some of the situations still don’t make sense as to why God did that. I saw where my attitude through the situation was not right, and had to spend some time with God and repent of that.
The greatest part of the book is the fact that Pete Wilson says honestly “I don’t know”. He admits that there is no easy button to get us through the situations. And he leaves many questions for us to chew on.
This is a book you can pick up several times and learn from each time.
*Note: I was provided a copy of this book to review by Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze review program.
I had a startling revelation recently – I almost failed kindergarten.
Now understand – I graduated in the top 10% of my high school. Got my Bachelor of Science and Engineering with an A average. My Master of Divinity was with honors. I read – a ton, and a variety – theology, philosophy, literature, business, technical.
I don’t say this to brag, but so that you can understand why this revelation surprised me.
My parents found out years later when they discovered that my first grade teacher was the remedial teacher for poor students.
About the same time I found a Peanuts strip where Linus finds out that he didn’t make the honor roll. “Everyone’s so upset because I didn’t make the honor roll…my mother’s upset, my father’s upset, my teacher’s upset, the principal’s upset…good grief! They all say the same thing. They’re disappointed because I have such potential…There’s no heavier burden than a great potential!“
My dad didn’t treat us as disappointments. He wrote and still sings a song called “I Am Special“:
I am special, there is no one quite like me,
I’m a wonder, I can think and feel and dream,
I’m a marvel, and more!
I can love you, care for you, show you how special you can be.
My parents saw my potential and encouraged it. They did the same with my brothers and sisters. Each of them struggled at various points in their lives. One is a successful community organizer, one is a leading musician, another is working on a PhD in philosophy, and the youngest is in education.
So how does that fit into our ministry in our marketplace? How do you see those around you? Do you see their failures or their potential?
Amazing how God works – as I had my revelation, I was reading John C. Maxwell’s Everyone Communicates Few Connect.
Here are some of his thoughts on how to connect with people and their potential:
- “see each person as a 10″
- “If we treat people as who they can become, they will be inspired to rise to the level of our expectations.”
- “Everyone wants to be inspired. All people want someone to believe in them. They are waiting for someone to challenge, motivate, and encourage them to be all they can be.”
Jesus did the same thing. Reread the passage where Peter is restored in John 21. Peter had failed – in a major way. Yes Jesus saw his potential.
Paul did the same thing. Remember how he rejected Mark in Acts 15, parting company with Barnabus? Yet by the end of his ministry, in 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul said that Mark was useful to him in his ministry.
So there is our challenge. Who is special?
You are. Your neighbor is. Look for their potential. Build the church by seeing them as God sees them.
Little is said in the Scriptures about this day. The only mention of it is that the women rested, and then this passage: Matthew 27:62-66.
Yet I wonder what went through the minds of the various characters associated with this day.
Jewish Leaders – obviously from this passage – still paranoid as they broke Jewish tradition and laws to go out during the Sabbath, and to go before a gentile, to seek a guard around the tomb. They obviously had been listening to some of what Jesus said, and were concerned that the disciples would make something happen.
What was the report of the priests serving in the temple when the curtain was ripped from top to bottom? Did it give any of them pause about the events of the day? How many of the priests going about their duties had no idea about the events surrounding Christ that day?
They probably then rested and celebrated that this thorn in their sides was gone.
Pilate – did he think any further about the conversation he had with Jesus? About what is truth? Or did he just go about his day as any other day. Did his wife say anything further to him on the topic? What was PIlate’s wife’s dream, and what came of it?
Simon of Cyrene – after having carried the cross of Christ part way, what was the conversation he had with his sons? How did he explain the blackness of the day and the earthquake and the events in years to come? Did he come to follow Christ?
Centurion who said “surely this man was the Son of God” – what did he tell his family and friends? Was he mocked by any of the other soldiers for this statement? Did he tell others?
Ordinary people – the blackness was complete. The earthquake was real. Reports of dead people walking about and prophecying. How was this reported and received? Or was it just forgotten, and just another Sabbath celebrated as if nothing had happened?
Disciples – I know from what I will read tomorrow that most of them hid. Many of them hid together, fearing for their lives that they were next.
Wondering what happened? Were they numb or making plans? Did they compare notes?
Who all was at the cross (we know John was)?
How could they have been so wrong about Jesus? Wasn’t He the one to overcome the Romans and return Israel to its glory?
How did Judas get so far?
How was the guilt weighing on Peter? What did he say to them about the trial and events of the previous night?
For me, as I sit here knowing that Sunday is coming, that Christ conquers death and the tomb, today is an odd day in the Easter weekend. The significance and somber tones of yesterday, and the celebration and rejoicing of tomorrow, yet there is today.
It is the Sabbath – the seventh day – and Christ rested. When He created the world, on day 6, God saw all that He had made, and called it very good. And then He rested.
On the cross, Christ cried out “It is finished.” The sacrifice was complete. As in Hebrews 10:14, “because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (NIV). And He rested.
The thief on the cross was in paradise with Him, worshiping.
Did the angels know what was coming next? Did they know that there was one more conquering act that Christ would perform?
So today I rest. I rest in the knowledge that I serve a risen Saviour.
Never judge a book by its cover – or title – but both the author (John Maxwell) and the title caught my eye.
I keep up with friends around the world via Twitter and Facebook, but what is the relationship? But how are we connecting? How do I build relationships with the people I work with, here and around the world? Am I stuck in e-mail world? With two teenagers in the house, how do I connect with their generation and help them to become a men and women of God?
As with all of John Maxwell’s books, what I enjoy is his ability to break down topics, using stories and humor explain the full topic – giving the basic principles and then how to put it into practice.
Whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, a social butterfly or a wallflower, confrontational or passive aggressive – you can learn something about how to better connect with people in your life.
What I especially appreciate about this book is that Maxwell points out that you need to know yourself and your style to connect effectively. You cannot duplicate anybody else and be successful, but you can put basic principles into action. He gives a variety of examples of how it has worked from blog comments that he received when writing on this on-line.
Connecting is about caring about other people more than yourself. Connecting is about developing relationships. Connecting is about learning how to communicate effectively – at work, at home, with friends, everywhere.
I put a few of the principles into practice this week. I picked up the phone and made some calls. I asked a senior manager to lunch. I tried asking more questions of others, listening instead of talking. I connected.
Spend some time with this book, get away from the computer screen, and communicate with people to really connect with them.
*Note: I was provided a copy of this book to review by Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze review program.
Photo credit to http://thegoldguys.blogspot.com/
Leadership has dominated many of my thoughts yesterday.
Michael Hyatt has done several excellent blog posts on the topic recently, and revealed that he is thinking about a book on it.
Seth Godin is a master at short blogs that make you think about leadership and where you are going.
We have been going through a re-org at work – new role, new boss, new team – which makes me think through how I lead, where we’re going, and how do I help to get the organization there.
Then of all things, my son made me think about it today.
He and a group of friends from church are doing a video shoot for a small group project. They have been talking about it for a few weeks, and I kept saying – give me details so that I can make sure we can get you where you need to be. The video shoot is tomorrow – and this afternoon he didn’t know who was leading, what they were doing, or where they needed to be.
A little fatherly prodding, and he got on the phone with one of the other guys. My wife and I heard his side of the conversation – and we could hear him trying to direct what needed to happen.
He is a natural leader – he has people who follow him, he knows how to direct people and push them to act. He’s a goalie, and directs traffic on the soccer field expertly.
He is also a reluctant leader – he doesn’t want people to feel left out, or come across as bossy, or assume control that he has not been granted. He is more of the servant leader, but hasn’t learned to take control while serving.
For those in leadership roles at work – we are constantly evaluating team members for different roles. We need to encourage those who can lead. We need to nurture sparks of leadership that we see in the reluctant leaders. We need to re-train poor leadership habits in poor leaders.
For some of us, we are reluctant leaders. We need to step back and see if we are being followed, and ask why are they doing that? Where am I leading them? Do I need to step up into a new role and take on active leadership, even if it is not in an official titled capacity?
Where do you fall? Are you a reluctant leader? Why are you reluctant? What would help you?
If you are leading others, how do you encourage leadership in others?
The Hole in Our Gospel sounded like an odd title, but intrigued me nonetheless. By the time I got a few pages into it, I was hooked. By the end, I was re-evaluating my life.
In Richard Stearns’ own words, here is the crux of the argument he is making: “There is a hole in our gospel and that, as a result, we have embraced a view of our faith that is far too tame. We have, in fact, reduced the gospel to a mere transaction involving the right beliefs rather than seeing in it the power to change the world.”
It goes to the heart of our worldview. It should make us think about what the full scope of our ministry within our workplace means. And it hits hard at how we treat the poor in our community and around the world.
By the time I was done, I walked away with three questions that Richard Stearn challenged me with:
- Are you willing to be open to God’s will for your life?
- What breaks my heart?
- Can I make a difference?
Richard Stearns opens with an autobiography of his faith decision and a brutally honest account of how he went from CEO of Lennox to President of World Vision. My thought here was the first question, and had me asking if I was open to God calling me out of business to something else, or to use my business in a way to help others (another excellent resource on this topic is Glocalization by Bob Roberts Jr.). This is the key tie to ministry in the marketplace, whether we are a CEO or a sanitation engineer.
He spent a good part of the book outlining statistics of the problem of poverty around the world. Having just spent a month in India, this section resonated with me as I could put faces and names to some of the statistics he presented. If we read it as Richard Stearn presents it, the second question should help us ask the second question. We should be praying as Bob Pierce prayed: “Let my heart be broken with the things that break God’s heart.”
That should drive us to do something – anything – different. Go – visit a church in the inner city, visit a homeless shelter, do a short-term missions trip to a poor area of your country, or travel across the world. Put a face to the issue. Your prayers come alive, your money is freed – your heart is broken.
We can easily become overwhelmed with the size of the problem, and that brings up the last question of “Can I make a difference?” He uses the starfish story and tells several God-sized stories of his own, of how a single person changed a life. Now imagine if all of the people in churches around America stopped asking the question and just did something…the impact would be tremendous. Ask friends in your church – your community of believers – “What can I do when joined with other Christians in a church community?”
Bob Pierce said “Don’t fail to do something just because you can’t do everything.”
So what are you doing? What do you sense God calling you to do? Share your thoughts in the comments below, turn off the computer, and go do it!
*Note: I was provided a copy of this book to review by Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze review program.
I love spy thrillers. Jack Bauer, James Bond, Jason Bourne, Nathan Hale, Mission Impossible, Get Smart, Sherlock Holmes, CIA, MI6, KGB…
Even detectives have that spy-sense found in them as they snoop around gathering facts.
What is it that draws us to spies? Adventure, bravery and courage, secrets, cool toys and weapons, travel to remote and exciting places, alter-egos and secret identities.
I talked to a group of boys at our church tonight about spies. They brought up the excitement, guns, sneaking around, and costumes as the coolest things about spies.
While we love adventure, do we think of our Christian life as adventurous? Do you know how many different spies are mentioned in the Bible? Moses sent some out, as did Joshua. David did some spying on his own. Throughout Scripture you can find some interesting characters.
Moses sent a group of spies into Canaan (read about it here) to check out the land. They came back with a report of how lush the land was, the good food, but how big the people were, and that they were like grasshoppers. Except Joshua and Caleb, who reported the same, but with the confidence that the Lord would be with them if they went in. We know the rest of the story – the people went with the majority, and ended up wandering for 40 years in the desert.
Joshua sent two men into Jericho to check it out before they crossed into Canaan at the end of their wanderings (read about it here). They were protected by Rahab, and her protection earned her safety when the Israelites conquered Jericho (and a place in the lineage of Jesus).
They were given a mission – a mission to gather intelligence. They had to find something out and report it back to others. They had to sneak around and show great courage. There was a chance of death if they were discovered. Excitement – travel – intrigue – all the makings of a good spy story.
Jesus gave the first disciples a mission. Read Matthew 10:26-33. Look at the words in this passage alone – fear, covered/revealed, hidden, dark, whispered – all words found in a good spy story. They discovered things that were not understood, and had to bring that information to others. They had every reason to be afraid, because death was possible on this mission. And the punishment of trying to be a double agent was the ultimate death.
In 1 John 1:1-5 we find out that the disciples discovered the secrets. They heard them, they saw them, they touched them. The New Testament is the product of their proclamation of these secrets, bringing them out into the open.
And now it is our turn. We are sent on the same mission as the disciples. We are to take what we have learned and proclaim it. There is adventure, intrigue, travel, and the potential of death. We should not be hiding, but proclaiming the truth of the gospel.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it…
I normally won’t follow up a post with a full joke like this, but this one is so apropos to my last post on perception…
A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer… The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.
He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, ‘I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.’ I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk; naturally…I assumed you had stolen the car.’
What perception are you leaving?
