Larry Richards said, "To communicate the reality of God we must share our humanness...that inadequacy of ours which made us need Him."
For the next two weeks I am hoping and praying that I will be able to communicate the reality of God by sharing my humanness not only to our team, but to the Polish students we encounter as we serve them at English Camp.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
SCAMPER
Next time I am having a brainstorming session I am going to SCAMPER!
• Substitute: Is there anything you can substitute that will make your idea better?
• Combine: What things can you combine to make the original idea better and more relevant?
• Adapt: Is there anything you can adapt from another idea to improve it?
• Magnify/Modify: Will your idea be better if you expand it or modify it any way?
• Put To Other Uses: Is there a better use for your idea than originally intended?
• Eliminate: What can you eliminate that is not serving any purpose and make your idea better.
• Rearrange/ Reverse: Could your idea improve if you rearrange any of the ideas concepts and details.
• Substitute: Is there anything you can substitute that will make your idea better?
• Combine: What things can you combine to make the original idea better and more relevant?
• Adapt: Is there anything you can adapt from another idea to improve it?
• Magnify/Modify: Will your idea be better if you expand it or modify it any way?
• Put To Other Uses: Is there a better use for your idea than originally intended?
• Eliminate: What can you eliminate that is not serving any purpose and make your idea better.
• Rearrange/ Reverse: Could your idea improve if you rearrange any of the ideas concepts and details.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Illusion of leadership
In Leading With A Limp, Dr. Dan Allender suggests that most of us want an illusion of a leader. He suggests that this what we're really looking for,
"...a leader must be physically attractive, fluent public speakers with a firm command of their audience, well-educated, open, sincere, humble, salt-of-the-earth people able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, leaders who never forget their humble beginning or the values and convictions of those they represent. We expect a leader to make tough decisions - to fire his close friend if necessary or to send troops into harm's way - yet we want him to tear up over a sad story and be sentimental on Mother's Day."
Allender's conclusion, which has caused me long moments of thought and contemplation about myself, what I expect out of leaders I follow, and what our spiritual community at Southern Gables expects out of our new Transitional Senior Pastor and the next Lead Pastor,
"What we want is an illusion and we know it. We prefer the illusion because we have a deep need to be buffered from reality."
"...a leader must be physically attractive, fluent public speakers with a firm command of their audience, well-educated, open, sincere, humble, salt-of-the-earth people able to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, leaders who never forget their humble beginning or the values and convictions of those they represent. We expect a leader to make tough decisions - to fire his close friend if necessary or to send troops into harm's way - yet we want him to tear up over a sad story and be sentimental on Mother's Day."
Allender's conclusion, which has caused me long moments of thought and contemplation about myself, what I expect out of leaders I follow, and what our spiritual community at Southern Gables expects out of our new Transitional Senior Pastor and the next Lead Pastor,
"What we want is an illusion and we know it. We prefer the illusion because we have a deep need to be buffered from reality."
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Press the "awkward" button
I read this post by Seth Godin two years ago and read through it again today. I am convinced that if you're a leader you must make awkward not only a part of your vocabulary, but a value you embrace.
Awkward. Seth suggests it’s his new favorite word. I agree, especially when you look at it through the lens of leadership. Seth states, "It's awkward to create a product that changes the status quo. It's awkward to demonstrate your amazing insights when it might threaten those that are looking for stability instead.”
Change creates awkward moments. Leading creates awkward moments. Silence creates awkward moments. Disagreements create awkward moments. Confrontation creates awkward moments. Passion creates awkward moments. Meetings create awkward moments. Challenging someones thinking creates awkward moments. Therefore, leaders must commit to searching for the awkward. Why? Seth suggests,
“The reason we need to be in search of awkward is that awkward is the barrier between us and excellence, between where we are and the remarkable. If it were easy, everyone would have done it already, and it wouldn't be worth the effort.”
There is no easy button to press when it comes to leading. Press the awkward button.
Awkward. Seth suggests it’s his new favorite word. I agree, especially when you look at it through the lens of leadership. Seth states, "It's awkward to create a product that changes the status quo. It's awkward to demonstrate your amazing insights when it might threaten those that are looking for stability instead.”
Change creates awkward moments. Leading creates awkward moments. Silence creates awkward moments. Disagreements create awkward moments. Confrontation creates awkward moments. Passion creates awkward moments. Meetings create awkward moments. Challenging someones thinking creates awkward moments. Therefore, leaders must commit to searching for the awkward. Why? Seth suggests,
“The reason we need to be in search of awkward is that awkward is the barrier between us and excellence, between where we are and the remarkable. If it were easy, everyone would have done it already, and it wouldn't be worth the effort.”
There is no easy button to press when it comes to leading. Press the awkward button.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Student of change
"Become a student of change. It is the only thing that will remain constant." - Anthony J. D'Angelo
Today we start a new era at Southern Gables Church - our new TSP is in the house! TSP stands for Transitional Senior Pastor. Dr. Mark Platt comes to us with a TON of experience. I am excited to navigate the new waters ahead of us here at SGC.
D'Angelo's quote resonated with me this morning and has challenged me to start becoming a student of change. I am excited for what this change will bring in my own personal life and ministry!
Today we start a new era at Southern Gables Church - our new TSP is in the house! TSP stands for Transitional Senior Pastor. Dr. Mark Platt comes to us with a TON of experience. I am excited to navigate the new waters ahead of us here at SGC.
D'Angelo's quote resonated with me this morning and has challenged me to start becoming a student of change. I am excited for what this change will bring in my own personal life and ministry!
Friday, June 12, 2009
How kids learn
I pulled this article out again this morning from CNN and it was a good reminder that kids have a primary way that they learn. It’s nothing new to all of us, but it’s a good reminder for us as we spend time with our kids and students this summer. The author suggests that kids learn in at least three ways:
Learning by listening
Learning by seeing
Learning with your body
What is your kid's primary learning style? Should the ways kids learn change the way we teach? What needs to change?
Learning by listening
Learning by seeing
Learning with your body
What is your kid's primary learning style? Should the ways kids learn change the way we teach? What needs to change?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wildness lies in wait
"The real trouble with this world of ours is not
that it is an unreasonable world, nor
even that it is a reasonable one.
The commonest kind of trouble is that it is
nearly reasonable, but not quite.
Life is not an illogicality, yet
it is a trap for logicians.
It looks just a little more mathematical
and regular than it is; its'
exactitude is obvious; but
its' inexactitude is hidden;
its' wildness lies in wait."
- GK Chesterton
This quote captured my heart on Monday as I was flying to Kansas City reading Leading in a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan.
With every change "wildness lies in wait." As we change our student ministry by releasing the class of 2009 and gaining the class of 2013...wildness lies in wait.
As we say "goodbye" to our beloved senior pastor Jerry Nelson and "hello" to our new interim pastor Dr. Mark Platt...wildness lies in wait.
As I continue to walk more closely to Jesus following him, fishing and feeding...wildness lies in wait.
Here's to a lifetime of finding hidden inexactitudes!
that it is an unreasonable world, nor
even that it is a reasonable one.
The commonest kind of trouble is that it is
nearly reasonable, but not quite.
Life is not an illogicality, yet
it is a trap for logicians.
It looks just a little more mathematical
and regular than it is; its'
exactitude is obvious; but
its' inexactitude is hidden;
its' wildness lies in wait."
- GK Chesterton
This quote captured my heart on Monday as I was flying to Kansas City reading Leading in a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan.
With every change "wildness lies in wait." As we change our student ministry by releasing the class of 2009 and gaining the class of 2013...wildness lies in wait.
As we say "goodbye" to our beloved senior pastor Jerry Nelson and "hello" to our new interim pastor Dr. Mark Platt...wildness lies in wait.
As I continue to walk more closely to Jesus following him, fishing and feeding...wildness lies in wait.
Here's to a lifetime of finding hidden inexactitudes!
Monday, June 01, 2009
The wrong addiction in leadership
"As long as we continue to live as if we are what we do, what we have, and what other people think about us, we will remain filled with judgments, opinions, evaluations, and condemnations. We will remain addicted to putting people and things in their 'right' place." - Henri Nouwen
This Monday morning I am so grateful that I have been surrounded by men who weren't addicted to putting me in the "right" place: Fritz Dale, Jerry Nelson, Michael Murphy, Jim Means, and Jim Kimbriel. I want to live out the opposite of Nouwen's quote, that which all of them have given to me as a model to follow. I don't want to live out what Nouwen portrays as the wrong addiction in leadership. I want to live out the opposite as a husband, father, friend, follow, leader and shepherd in my community.
This Monday morning I am so grateful that I have been surrounded by men who weren't addicted to putting me in the "right" place: Fritz Dale, Jerry Nelson, Michael Murphy, Jim Means, and Jim Kimbriel. I want to live out the opposite of Nouwen's quote, that which all of them have given to me as a model to follow. I don't want to live out what Nouwen portrays as the wrong addiction in leadership. I want to live out the opposite as a husband, father, friend, follow, leader and shepherd in my community.
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