The enormity of the task which we are attempting to accomplish is staggering to the point of being overwhelming. The base of the issue is my conviction that all things are interrelated. The root of the problem, however, is my unshakable dream: to see an entire country transformed by the Kingdom of God. How can this be done? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, clearly, because the task is immeasurably complex. There is so much in my mind that I am trying to balance. The interconnectedness of ministering to the whole person as I understand it (intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, and social) is a concept that is beyond me. Then I am convinced that the most sustainable work occurs at all levels simultaneously: individual, communal, governmental, and international. Each of these four levels would require a lifetime just to read the published material on their intricacies. Finally, all the different philosophies that I have incorporated into my being must find their place. I believe in the process of disciple-making, particularly life-on-life. I shudder at the thought of bad development practices that do more harm than good, and I have to focus on human dignity. I am also aware of the challenges inherent in any cross-cultural engagement. All of this seems to appear insurmountable.
Our dreams for Ndoto are huge. Our passions are intense and we want to see so much happen. Some of what we are attempting to do is an unpaved road, if even anyone has travelled it before. I don’t know of anybody who is trying to do nonprofit development work side-by-side with for-profit entrepreneurship. Often, it just seems like we are making it all up as we go.
Our generation is bold. We have a global perspective and live in unprecedented times. We have overcome much of the modernist separations so that we can even attempt this type of work, and we are beginning to recover the charismatic gifts of the Spirit that grant us extra power in our work. We will change the world, with God’s help. We must, for the world needs restoration.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Seminary, Part Six
Few leaders finish well. Most quit, leave early, or fail. Life can be considered like a chess game: there is an opening game, a middle game, and an end game. Decisions made in the opening have a profound effect on the middle game, and it's in the middle game that your choices make the biggest difference. Most chess games are won or lost in the middle game. However, poor choices in the end can ruin the best of games.
What does it take to finish well? Most of us try to do whatever it takes but we usually have the criteria wrong. We are trying to finish in the wrong way or in the wrong things. We must know God deeply, know ourselves deeply, and be known deeply in community. We need humility and discipline, and we need a learning posture. My host in Colorado Springs was a great example of finishing well. After 88 years of living, he amazed me several times with his wisdom. He had lived a full life, including more than 60 years of marriage with never raising voices at each other. When I stayed at his house he was filling his schedule with social activities, family activities, and hospital visitation. Even as a lifelong introvert whose wife had led him in social interaction, he forced himself to visit people in the hospital and bring them hope and joy because he felt called. He believed that we must never stop giving - when you stop giving, you lose purpose for living. Many years back he had trained himself in evangelism so that even if he ended up in a nursing home he'd be able to give the Gospel to others at the home.
There are several barriers that we must overcome if we are to finish well. A major one is finances - their abuse or misuse. Another is power issues or inordinate pride. Many leaders fall victim to sexual immorality, and others fall victim to family-critical issues. Others never overcome emotional wounding. Still others plateau and become content with the status quo. To avoid plateauing we must ensure that we always seek mentors.
What leaders have you seen who finished well? What were their secrets? Or do you know more leaders who didn't finish well? What did they fall victim to?
What does it take to finish well? Most of us try to do whatever it takes but we usually have the criteria wrong. We are trying to finish in the wrong way or in the wrong things. We must know God deeply, know ourselves deeply, and be known deeply in community. We need humility and discipline, and we need a learning posture. My host in Colorado Springs was a great example of finishing well. After 88 years of living, he amazed me several times with his wisdom. He had lived a full life, including more than 60 years of marriage with never raising voices at each other. When I stayed at his house he was filling his schedule with social activities, family activities, and hospital visitation. Even as a lifelong introvert whose wife had led him in social interaction, he forced himself to visit people in the hospital and bring them hope and joy because he felt called. He believed that we must never stop giving - when you stop giving, you lose purpose for living. Many years back he had trained himself in evangelism so that even if he ended up in a nursing home he'd be able to give the Gospel to others at the home.
There are several barriers that we must overcome if we are to finish well. A major one is finances - their abuse or misuse. Another is power issues or inordinate pride. Many leaders fall victim to sexual immorality, and others fall victim to family-critical issues. Others never overcome emotional wounding. Still others plateau and become content with the status quo. To avoid plateauing we must ensure that we always seek mentors.
What leaders have you seen who finished well? What were their secrets? Or do you know more leaders who didn't finish well? What did they fall victim to?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Seminary, Part Five
The way that I have read the Bible has always continually changed. I can think in terms of major shifts in my life: when the Navigators taught me the "hand" illustration (read, study, hear, meditate, memorize), when Perspectives taught me to read the Bible missionally....at Fuller last week they taught us to pray thoroughly, then read several times with the help of Bible dictionaries, and only after considerable study should we begin to refer to commentaries. We must ask many questions of the text. Our professor proposed that if we study books deeply, we may tend to develop "core" books that we keep returning back to. We will become experts in these books as we "live" in them for long periods of time.
Our professor suggested that many of the major characters in the Bible are cross-cultural ministers. For example, Abraham discovered God's heart for the nations and sought to bless them, such as by interceding for Sodom and entering into covenants with Abimelech. David developed relationships with the Philistines while fleeing from Saul that led to very long-term relationships. Jonah failed as a missionary but displayed God's heart for the nations in a way that would convict Israel. Jesus came to the marginalized of Israel and brought his disciples with him as he traveled widely, interacting with many Gentiles and attracting many Gentile followers.
We tend to divide the Bible up way too much these days. It is important to read the Bible much more holistically. Additionally, it's important to press through our own lenses to discover deeper meanings and truer understandings. We view the Bible through many lenses. For example, some of my lenses are white, male, American, wealthy, Lutheran, young, charismatic, missional, and many more that I probably don't even realize. As we recognize our lenses, we can try to look past them. There are five major aspects to our understanding of Scripture: our context, personal experiences, theological tradition, history, and our definitions of terms. Additionally, it's important to study the historical and cultural context of the original writers. Our professor recommended books such as those by Kenneth Bailey and Joichim Jeremias.
What tactics do you have for overcoming your own lenses? What impact do they have on your understanding of the Bible?
Our professor suggested that many of the major characters in the Bible are cross-cultural ministers. For example, Abraham discovered God's heart for the nations and sought to bless them, such as by interceding for Sodom and entering into covenants with Abimelech. David developed relationships with the Philistines while fleeing from Saul that led to very long-term relationships. Jonah failed as a missionary but displayed God's heart for the nations in a way that would convict Israel. Jesus came to the marginalized of Israel and brought his disciples with him as he traveled widely, interacting with many Gentiles and attracting many Gentile followers.
We tend to divide the Bible up way too much these days. It is important to read the Bible much more holistically. Additionally, it's important to press through our own lenses to discover deeper meanings and truer understandings. We view the Bible through many lenses. For example, some of my lenses are white, male, American, wealthy, Lutheran, young, charismatic, missional, and many more that I probably don't even realize. As we recognize our lenses, we can try to look past them. There are five major aspects to our understanding of Scripture: our context, personal experiences, theological tradition, history, and our definitions of terms. Additionally, it's important to study the historical and cultural context of the original writers. Our professor recommended books such as those by Kenneth Bailey and Joichim Jeremias.
What tactics do you have for overcoming your own lenses? What impact do they have on your understanding of the Bible?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Seminary, Part Four
In Colorado Springs, we learned skills for being lifelong learners. One of our professors taught us about critical thinking. As we encounter new ideas, it's crucial to think about them, because in today's world we are constantly bombarded by thoughts and ideas, and if you don't think critically about them you'll be swayed by many things and fall victim to each latest passing fad. We were taught about asking about the author's point of view, purpose, assumptions, and implications. The goal is to be intellectually humble yet courageous, confident in reason and fair-minded. As leaders, we should embody intellectual integrity, perseverance, empathy, and autonomy.
They also taught us about "reading on the run" (from a book of the same title). Counter to what we've always assumed, you don't need to read every word of every book. You only need to glean from each book what needs to be learned. Sir Francis Bacon said, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." You can often learn all you need to learn from a book by reading the first sentence of each paragraph, or perhaps even less. This requires great discernment and quick critical thinking skills.
Do you consider yourself a critical thinker and a good reader?
They also taught us about "reading on the run" (from a book of the same title). Counter to what we've always assumed, you don't need to read every word of every book. You only need to glean from each book what needs to be learned. Sir Francis Bacon said, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." You can often learn all you need to learn from a book by reading the first sentence of each paragraph, or perhaps even less. This requires great discernment and quick critical thinking skills.
Do you consider yourself a critical thinker and a good reader?
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Seminary, Part Three
I don't even know that I can put down everything that I've learned in two weeks here...it's a bit overwhelming. But I will try to summarize 3 major themes over the next 3 posts.
This program places a huge emphasis on character development. The most important thing is not what you do, it's who you are. Being is more important than doing. We talked about leading out of being: who you are determines how you lead, and how you lead determines who you are. Which is more important: leadership capacity, or leadership character?
There was a major emphasis on doing ministry as a family man. We have already lost several members of our cohort to family stresses, and several current members shared testimonies about losing and almost losing marriages due to work and ministry. Leaders need to find the balance between accomplishing the task that God has called them to and making their family a priority. One of the pastors who has a great testimony of a marriage nearly failing yet being saved shared three bits of wisdom: never take your marriage and your family for granted (schedule date nights and family nights), never underestimate your ability to justify anything, and try to think long-term (even in the moment).
Finally, one of our professors proposed that leaders must write. We know things that others need to know, and our life experiences can advance the collective wisdom of our generation. Many of us are on the cutting edge of ministry and leadership and if we do not write, our impact will be short-lived. He also suggested that our writing should be for our own benefit as well: if you write down your experiences and understandings, you will steadily build a treasure trove of accumulated wisdom. That is part of the reason for trying to write more in this blog.
This program places a huge emphasis on character development. The most important thing is not what you do, it's who you are. Being is more important than doing. We talked about leading out of being: who you are determines how you lead, and how you lead determines who you are. Which is more important: leadership capacity, or leadership character?
There was a major emphasis on doing ministry as a family man. We have already lost several members of our cohort to family stresses, and several current members shared testimonies about losing and almost losing marriages due to work and ministry. Leaders need to find the balance between accomplishing the task that God has called them to and making their family a priority. One of the pastors who has a great testimony of a marriage nearly failing yet being saved shared three bits of wisdom: never take your marriage and your family for granted (schedule date nights and family nights), never underestimate your ability to justify anything, and try to think long-term (even in the moment).
Finally, one of our professors proposed that leaders must write. We know things that others need to know, and our life experiences can advance the collective wisdom of our generation. Many of us are on the cutting edge of ministry and leadership and if we do not write, our impact will be short-lived. He also suggested that our writing should be for our own benefit as well: if you write down your experiences and understandings, you will steadily build a treasure trove of accumulated wisdom. That is part of the reason for trying to write more in this blog.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Seminary, Part Two
I arrived in Colorado Springs two weeks ago and met a good friend's parents at the airport. Out of their amazing generosity, they were lending me one of their cars for two weeks, choosing to go with one car so that their daughter's friend could have one. They had also gotten me in touch with a man in the Springs who was alone with his dog in a really nice house on a hill overlooking the city. He had a basement with a bedroom, bathroom, and living space that I could stay in for free. He turned out to be an 88-year old retired Air Force Lt. Col who had flown in WW2 and taught aerospace engineering at the Academy. Since retiring, he had continued to work in the Lutheran school system and now continued his life philosophy of giving. He now invests heavily in hospital visitation.
Not meeting the basic requirements for the program, I am privileged to get to study with people who have decades of experience in global leadership. The oldest member of the class is 58 and he's spent nearly 30 years working in Afghanistan. Another class member is 53 and he's just started a second career as the construction manager for all of Africa for Wycliffe. We've also got a missionary in a 100% Muslim country, a church planter in the Amazon river basin, and a student ministry director in Romania. On the US side, we've got pastors from rural churches, inner-city churches, large churches, small churches, and even an online church and a Silicon Valley church.
While here, I got the opportunity to visit New Life Church, a megachurch that has been through losing a pastor to a homosexual affair and a Sunday morning shooting. I got to check out Garden of the Gods and drive up to 14,115 feet at the summit of Pike's Peak. Sitting on a rock on the edge of the summit, I met with God. I got to meet my girlfriend's cousin in Denver, and hang out with an old friend who goes to Denver Seminary. And, I did all this in the context of beautiful mountains and amazing Christian leaders that I built lasting friendships with.
Have you had times in your life when everything seemed to come together in remarkable ways to become a huge milestone blessing in your life?
Not meeting the basic requirements for the program, I am privileged to get to study with people who have decades of experience in global leadership. The oldest member of the class is 58 and he's spent nearly 30 years working in Afghanistan. Another class member is 53 and he's just started a second career as the construction manager for all of Africa for Wycliffe. We've also got a missionary in a 100% Muslim country, a church planter in the Amazon river basin, and a student ministry director in Romania. On the US side, we've got pastors from rural churches, inner-city churches, large churches, small churches, and even an online church and a Silicon Valley church.
While here, I got the opportunity to visit New Life Church, a megachurch that has been through losing a pastor to a homosexual affair and a Sunday morning shooting. I got to check out Garden of the Gods and drive up to 14,115 feet at the summit of Pike's Peak. Sitting on a rock on the edge of the summit, I met with God. I got to meet my girlfriend's cousin in Denver, and hang out with an old friend who goes to Denver Seminary. And, I did all this in the context of beautiful mountains and amazing Christian leaders that I built lasting friendships with.
Have you had times in your life when everything seemed to come together in remarkable ways to become a huge milestone blessing in your life?
Friday, July 23, 2010
Seminary, Part One
I've been in Colorado Springs for the last two weeks studying in person at Fuller Theological Seminary. I am here with my cohort of 22 leaders and we've just finished two weeks of intensive studying. I've been so blessed by the opportunity to be part of this group. I am the youngest one in the cohort, and the only unmarried guy.
The Master of Arts in Global Leadership program is an amazing online program through Fuller that enables me to study toward my Masters while remaining in my ministry context. Not only that, but it combines light theological training, practical ministry training, and leadership training with a heavy emphasis on character and lifelong development as a disciple of Christ. I will finish probably either in December 2013 or March 2014.
This trip has been absolutely incredible, and I'll be describing it over the next few posts. It struck me as I was in the Denver airport waiting to head down to the Springs that I was flying into a city where I knew nearly nobody to borrow a car from people I'd never met so that I could stay at a house of a guy I'd never met and go to school with people I'd only exchanged e-mails with online. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and take a risk. In my next post I'll let you know how it turned out...but first, I'm sure each of you have similar experiences. How did they turn out?
The Master of Arts in Global Leadership program is an amazing online program through Fuller that enables me to study toward my Masters while remaining in my ministry context. Not only that, but it combines light theological training, practical ministry training, and leadership training with a heavy emphasis on character and lifelong development as a disciple of Christ. I will finish probably either in December 2013 or March 2014.
This trip has been absolutely incredible, and I'll be describing it over the next few posts. It struck me as I was in the Denver airport waiting to head down to the Springs that I was flying into a city where I knew nearly nobody to borrow a car from people I'd never met so that I could stay at a house of a guy I'd never met and go to school with people I'd only exchanged e-mails with online. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and take a risk. In my next post I'll let you know how it turned out...but first, I'm sure each of you have similar experiences. How did they turn out?
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