I'm fascinated with the concept of motivation. What drives us to pursue success in the way we choose to live? What provides us with perspective when we face times of hopelessness and distress? What inspires us to hold on when everything and everyone else seems to be letting go?
Inspiration, at its' core, is the purest form of motivation. This week I lost my grandfather due to a tragic accident. I'm left pondering these theme of motivation and inspiration more intently as a result. Looking back at who my grandfather was, I see traces of inspired living in his life story. He was known for his compassion for people, his willingness to aid his family and his desire to show love to others. A man of few words, my grandpa made up for his lack of verbal pontification through an active demonstration of inspiration.
You and I are living stories. Stories of hope; stories of joy; stories of fear and failure...but also stories of triumph. What makes a great story is a great author and a willingness to share the story with others. Our lives speak volumes to those around us. What does your life say about who you are? Live an inspired life...one that is rooted in truth and patterned after the life of Jesus. Jesus is the purest form of inspired living that has ever existed in the realm of humanity. May your inspired life be one that is 'God-breathed'...rooted in hope, love, faith and joy.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Leading Through Change - Discipleship 148
Change is constant.
Internally or externally, change is a constant in our society. No matter how hard we may try to resist or avoid change, it still happens. I can color my hair when I notice it beginning to going white, but it won't change the fact that its' natural pigment is fading. I can try to fit into emerging fashion styles, but it won't change the fact that there are simply some trends I should not be a part of (ahem...skinny jeans...ahem).
If change is a constant, how can we lead through it and how can we manage it? Years ago my dad asked me if I see problems as obstacles or opportunities. As leaders leading in a culture of change requires us to refine our perspective. We must see problems as opportunities, and not obstacles. In doing so, how we communicate will begin to change, and momentum will be the end result.
Leading through change means learning to embrace emerging realities and preferred futures. Many people fail in their dieting attempts because they either do not take ownership of their current state of reality, or they do not possess the ability to imagine a different future ahead of them. A leading through change type of leader is able to accept what currently is, but also cast vision towards a preferred future.
If change is constant, our ability to lead must match its' amplitude and consistency. Imagine a different future and beginning implementing a strategy to bring it to life!
Internally or externally, change is a constant in our society. No matter how hard we may try to resist or avoid change, it still happens. I can color my hair when I notice it beginning to going white, but it won't change the fact that its' natural pigment is fading. I can try to fit into emerging fashion styles, but it won't change the fact that there are simply some trends I should not be a part of (ahem...skinny jeans...ahem).
If change is a constant, how can we lead through it and how can we manage it? Years ago my dad asked me if I see problems as obstacles or opportunities. As leaders leading in a culture of change requires us to refine our perspective. We must see problems as opportunities, and not obstacles. In doing so, how we communicate will begin to change, and momentum will be the end result.
Leading through change means learning to embrace emerging realities and preferred futures. Many people fail in their dieting attempts because they either do not take ownership of their current state of reality, or they do not possess the ability to imagine a different future ahead of them. A leading through change type of leader is able to accept what currently is, but also cast vision towards a preferred future.
If change is constant, our ability to lead must match its' amplitude and consistency. Imagine a different future and beginning implementing a strategy to bring it to life!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Learning to Wait
Waiting is one of the most difficult things for me to do. I like to control things, as much as possible, and in waiting my pursuit of control is irrelevant. I'm learning more about what it means to wait and to rest. As a father, a husband and a youth pastor, my passion is to see life change take place. The thing about life change is that it takes time, and it is often out of our control. My role of authority in the process of pastoring, child-rearing and being a husband is more about providing opportunities for life change or spiritual transformation to happen and less about trying to control how it actually occurs.
My wife and I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third child. It's in this season of growth that I am learning more about what it means to wait. For those of you who are learning to wait in your life in some way, may you find encouragement and inspiration through the words of a fellow sojourner in the waiting game.
In anticipation of the birth of our third child, I penned these lyrics for a song:
Here we are waiting
Hoping to meet you very soon
the anticipation keeps us full of knowing what to do
We're celebrating the purpose of life
in the spaces between courage and darkness, knowing you will meet us here
Love is waiting, holding tight, not letting go
No hesitating, we are here and we want you to know
It takes patience to rest in the moments of unknown
freedom and mercy are with you here, you won't travel alone
My wife and I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third child. It's in this season of growth that I am learning more about what it means to wait. For those of you who are learning to wait in your life in some way, may you find encouragement and inspiration through the words of a fellow sojourner in the waiting game.
In anticipation of the birth of our third child, I penned these lyrics for a song:
Here we are waiting
Hoping to meet you very soon
the anticipation keeps us full of knowing what to do
We're celebrating the purpose of life
in the spaces between courage and darkness, knowing you will meet us here
Love is waiting, holding tight, not letting go
No hesitating, we are here and we want you to know
It takes patience to rest in the moments of unknown
freedom and mercy are with you here, you won't travel alone
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Gratuity Based Faith - Discipleship 147
I've been pondering the theme of gratuity based faith for some time. Having enjoyed my fair share of meals served in a restaurant, I've begun to draw comparisons from the service world to the church.
There are a segment of people that expect their experience of church or community to be steeped in gratuity. The cardinal rule for those in the service industry is to earn the faith of the customer; in doing so, you will be rewarded by their gratuity (a bigger tip). Waiters and waitresses have experimented with impressive feats such as memorizing orders, names and even making sure they are one step ahead of you when it comes to service...all to try and earn a handsome reward.
I sometimes wonder if the church has adopted this similar mentality. The pursuit of success has lead communities of faith to be more focused on meeting expectations rather than leading out of conviction or vision for ministry. When the questions leaders ask themselves are focused on developing loyalty and commitment out of their congregation rather than questions that are aimed at the spiritual transformation of people, I think we've missed the mark of what discipleship is.
Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." The sharpening experience occurs from a number of successive collisions...lives intersecting for the purpose of mutual growth and development. I've never experienced a collision that didn't cause me some sort of pain and/or residual damage (some of which was for the better). I think we need to anticipate that living in the world of gratuity based faith isn't reality. In reality there will be conflict and challenge; the question is how will we choose to benefit from these growth opportunities.
The next time you are in a restaurant and leaving a tip, think about how you can inspire those around you to pursue authentic faith through the experience of discipleship.
There are a segment of people that expect their experience of church or community to be steeped in gratuity. The cardinal rule for those in the service industry is to earn the faith of the customer; in doing so, you will be rewarded by their gratuity (a bigger tip). Waiters and waitresses have experimented with impressive feats such as memorizing orders, names and even making sure they are one step ahead of you when it comes to service...all to try and earn a handsome reward.
I sometimes wonder if the church has adopted this similar mentality. The pursuit of success has lead communities of faith to be more focused on meeting expectations rather than leading out of conviction or vision for ministry. When the questions leaders ask themselves are focused on developing loyalty and commitment out of their congregation rather than questions that are aimed at the spiritual transformation of people, I think we've missed the mark of what discipleship is.
Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." The sharpening experience occurs from a number of successive collisions...lives intersecting for the purpose of mutual growth and development. I've never experienced a collision that didn't cause me some sort of pain and/or residual damage (some of which was for the better). I think we need to anticipate that living in the world of gratuity based faith isn't reality. In reality there will be conflict and challenge; the question is how will we choose to benefit from these growth opportunities.
The next time you are in a restaurant and leaving a tip, think about how you can inspire those around you to pursue authentic faith through the experience of discipleship.
Monday, August 8, 2011
I Hear Many Voices - Discipleship 146
It's been awhile since I've had the chance to share what has been rattling around in my brain. I've been thinking a lot about teaching and discipleship as it pertains to voices. Let me explain.
The modern education system was built upon the school house idea. There was one teacher for all of the students in and around the local community. The classroom was often filled with students from a wide variety of grades, and the teacher was not only expected to teach to students of different levels, but was also required to teach on every subject matter...and quite frankly to be an expert in every field.
This system had its advantages and disadvantages. My own grandmother experienced education in this setting and benefited from it. What is a tad bit frightening is that this concept for education is still in primary use today in the church realm. The secular educational system moved away from the one teacher knows all model due to external factors like urbanization and increasing class sizes; and although still utilized during the formative years of education in grade school, as people grow and develop they are exposed to different authoritative teaching voices to enhance their learning experience.
So what does this mean for us with regards to discipleship? Simple...do we allow a multiplicity of authoritative voices to speak into the process of spiritual transformation? If the answer is no, perhaps we need to evaluate our motivation for this type of restriction. I know personally I'm often afraid that if I share the leadership responsibility with others I may become expendable. But the bottom line is that the learning experience is enriched as we allow collaboration to be the foundation for growth. I'm not an expert on every subject, but I have something to contribute to the conversation. Will we have the courage to invite other voices into the discipleship process?
The modern education system was built upon the school house idea. There was one teacher for all of the students in and around the local community. The classroom was often filled with students from a wide variety of grades, and the teacher was not only expected to teach to students of different levels, but was also required to teach on every subject matter...and quite frankly to be an expert in every field.
This system had its advantages and disadvantages. My own grandmother experienced education in this setting and benefited from it. What is a tad bit frightening is that this concept for education is still in primary use today in the church realm. The secular educational system moved away from the one teacher knows all model due to external factors like urbanization and increasing class sizes; and although still utilized during the formative years of education in grade school, as people grow and develop they are exposed to different authoritative teaching voices to enhance their learning experience.
So what does this mean for us with regards to discipleship? Simple...do we allow a multiplicity of authoritative voices to speak into the process of spiritual transformation? If the answer is no, perhaps we need to evaluate our motivation for this type of restriction. I know personally I'm often afraid that if I share the leadership responsibility with others I may become expendable. But the bottom line is that the learning experience is enriched as we allow collaboration to be the foundation for growth. I'm not an expert on every subject, but I have something to contribute to the conversation. Will we have the courage to invite other voices into the discipleship process?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Trust - Discipleship 145
I've been writing thoughts about discipleship for the last few months. I'm passionate about this subject matter because I simply believe it is the key to parenting, leading, mentoring and befriending others. Discipleship is all about building relationships with others. We either push or pull others in their journey of life. My hope and prayer is that my life will push others to be who they were created to be.
This week I'm learning about the role of trust in discipleship. My daughter recently got a sliver in her hand. She was complaining about it hurting, so being a good dad I was trying to help her out by removing the sliver. As we were collaborating about how to best approach its' removal I asked Saydie if she trusted me...she said no, she was nervous that it was going to hurt. Normally a statement like that would have shattered me emotionally, but this time it didn't. In that moment I caught a glimpse of my personal response to God. Sometimes I simply don't trust Him with what is happening in my life.
The thing about trust is that its' built upon the principle of 'what have you done for me lately?' Don't believe me? Ask a child who's dad missed catching him after tossing him into the air. It doesn't matter that this child's father caught him a thousand times before dropping him...the fact is that he dropped him and he got hurt...so trust needs to be rebuilt.
Discipling people comes with great joy but also great pain. If those you love don't trust you, they won't allow you to help shape who they are becoming. My suggestion and reminder to us all is to work on building trust each and every day. It's going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort. It's not about proving yourself, it's about building, establishing and maintaining trust...and trust can only be earned by demonstrating love for others.
Think about that the next time you are advocating for change...are you a leader, a parent or a friend that can be trusted?
This week I'm learning about the role of trust in discipleship. My daughter recently got a sliver in her hand. She was complaining about it hurting, so being a good dad I was trying to help her out by removing the sliver. As we were collaborating about how to best approach its' removal I asked Saydie if she trusted me...she said no, she was nervous that it was going to hurt. Normally a statement like that would have shattered me emotionally, but this time it didn't. In that moment I caught a glimpse of my personal response to God. Sometimes I simply don't trust Him with what is happening in my life.
The thing about trust is that its' built upon the principle of 'what have you done for me lately?' Don't believe me? Ask a child who's dad missed catching him after tossing him into the air. It doesn't matter that this child's father caught him a thousand times before dropping him...the fact is that he dropped him and he got hurt...so trust needs to be rebuilt.
Discipling people comes with great joy but also great pain. If those you love don't trust you, they won't allow you to help shape who they are becoming. My suggestion and reminder to us all is to work on building trust each and every day. It's going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort. It's not about proving yourself, it's about building, establishing and maintaining trust...and trust can only be earned by demonstrating love for others.
Think about that the next time you are advocating for change...are you a leader, a parent or a friend that can be trusted?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Inspiration - Discipleship 144
I'm working on a project with a good friend of mine entitle Prayer Inspired Parenting. Over the last number of years I've been captivated by the word inspiration. As I've built (with the help of my wife & kids) family values and crafted a family mission statement, I've been drawn to consider how my life will serve as a source of inspiration for my children and those around me.
There is a particular story from scripture that has consumed my imagination lately. In Genesis we read through the story of Abraham's intercession on behalf of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In this story Abraham pleads with God to relent from pouring out His judgement upon these two cities. Through his intercession, Abraham barters with God asking Him to refrain from sending calamity based upon a dwindling number of righteous people found within the confines of these two great cities. In the end, even the small agreed upon number wasn't sufficient to save Sodom and Gomorrah from being destroyed.
What has made me think differently about this somewhat familiar portion of scripture is the theme of inspiration. In these particular cities, the community inspired each other in a negative fashion. How often have we heard that a bad apple spoils the lot? As Christians, leaders, parents and plain old people we need to think differently about how we choose to live. Through each of our choices we are making statements of inspiration; some of these statements are inspiring others in a positive way, while others are inspiring others in a more negative way. While I'm not suggesting we have the power to control how others choose to live, we do have the ability to inspire people. Think through your favorite movie, book or short-story. Why are you so captivated by these tales? It's simple...they inspire you in some way.
Imagine if a generation of people would rise up to inspire their communities towards positive, God-honoring action? How would our world change and be different?
In my role as a youth pastor I just so happen to work with these kinds of people...the emerging generation of world changers who's lives inspire communities to become advocates for change and agents of love. The revolution has begun: are you being inspired?
Consider how you can inspire others each day.
There is a particular story from scripture that has consumed my imagination lately. In Genesis we read through the story of Abraham's intercession on behalf of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In this story Abraham pleads with God to relent from pouring out His judgement upon these two cities. Through his intercession, Abraham barters with God asking Him to refrain from sending calamity based upon a dwindling number of righteous people found within the confines of these two great cities. In the end, even the small agreed upon number wasn't sufficient to save Sodom and Gomorrah from being destroyed.
What has made me think differently about this somewhat familiar portion of scripture is the theme of inspiration. In these particular cities, the community inspired each other in a negative fashion. How often have we heard that a bad apple spoils the lot? As Christians, leaders, parents and plain old people we need to think differently about how we choose to live. Through each of our choices we are making statements of inspiration; some of these statements are inspiring others in a positive way, while others are inspiring others in a more negative way. While I'm not suggesting we have the power to control how others choose to live, we do have the ability to inspire people. Think through your favorite movie, book or short-story. Why are you so captivated by these tales? It's simple...they inspire you in some way.
Imagine if a generation of people would rise up to inspire their communities towards positive, God-honoring action? How would our world change and be different?
In my role as a youth pastor I just so happen to work with these kinds of people...the emerging generation of world changers who's lives inspire communities to become advocates for change and agents of love. The revolution has begun: are you being inspired?
Consider how you can inspire others each day.
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This post also appears on Canadian Youth Worker here. If you study the life of Jesus you will not only discover a God-man full of inte...
