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LRC Email – Once Upon A Time

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Here’s an email I wrote today to leaders in Reno County…

Howdy, Leadership Reno County People (sorry I was in TX last week)…
We’re all storytellers.  Whether it’s coming in from that long weekend to share our exciting exploits with others in the office or simply catching up with others by remembering when we did this or that, story looms large on the horizon of most of our lives. 
One of the contentions of the KLC curriculum is that to make progress on daunting issues, it requires that we act differently, that we engage in acts of leadership in different ways and this includes taking time to diagnose the situation.  The Quick Guide provides 2 questions that relate to story and help us come up with good diagnosis:
1) What’s our story about what’s going on here?
2) What story do we imagine others connected to our issue are telling?
Examining the story helps us diagnose the situation so that we can engage in acts of leadership in more skillful ways that propel us in the direction of progress.  Story matters.  So, next time you here someone sharing about “once upon a time” remember that dialing into this story might help you make progress on an issue that you care about. 
With you in the story of Reno County…

Weekend Recap – Called To Keep God’s Word

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My 4/28/13AM sermon, Called To Keep God’s Word, from Revelation 3:7-13 is online.  Jesus, the Risen Christ, addresses the church at Philadelphia.  He shows what gives Him the authority the make a request and then lovingly encourages a group of faithful believers to keep His Word.  This short passage ends with future promises that help encourage the keeping of God’s Word.

While there are varying opinions on the thrust of Revelation 3:10, it’s easy to see the theme of keeping God’s Word is the overarching theme of this passage.  I’m hopeful that as we worked through this, people were encouraged in their lives to persevere in challenging times by keeping God’s Word.

Dangerous Calling Email – It’s Bigger Than Just You

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I’m writing some weekly emails to my fellow leaders at Crestview.  Here’s the email from 4/24:

As we keep working through Dangerous Calling, we are doing so in the hope that God would engage our hearts to make us holy.  We want to be servants of Christ who honor Him with our lives.  In chapter 6, “The Missing Community,” Tripp begins by explaining a transformation that took place in his heart and life when he understood that Christianity isn’t just Jesus and me but relational community.  Here’s his explanation, which is helpful for us seeing how our hearts need to change: “I have now come to understand that I need others in my life. I now know that I need to commit myself to living in intentionally intrusive, Christ-centered, grace-driven, redemptive community. I now know it’s my job to seek this community out, to invite people to interrupt my private conversation, and to say things to me that I couldn’t or wouldn’t say to myself. I have realized how much I need warning, encouragement, rebuke, correction, protection, grace, and love. I now see myself as connected to others, not because I have made the choice but because of the wise design of the one who is the head of the body, the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot allow myself to think that I am smarter than him. I cannot allow myself to think that I am stronger than I am. I cannot assign to myself a level of maturity that I do not have. I cannot begin to believe that I am able to live outside of God’s normal means of spiritual growth and be okay. I cannot allow the level of my spiritual health to be defined by my ministry experience and success or by my theological knowledge. I cannot let myself be lulled to sleep by the congratulatory comments on ministry weekends by people who mean well but really don’t know me. I cannot let myself think that my marriage can be healthy if I live in functional isolation from the body of Christ.” (p.84)

Do you understand these things to be true in your life?  Are you aware of the danger of individualized Christianity?  Today, let this be a reminder to escape the clutches of rugged American individualism for the amber waves of community that God has allowed to surround you in the church.  Let’s embrace this for His glory and our good. 

LRC Email – A United Purpose and Moving Ahead.

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Here’s the email I wrote to Leadership Reno County Alumni on Monday, 4/22:

Good morning.  First off, welcome to the new alumni that have been added to our list.  We had a great event last Thursday at KFSA.  Thanks again to everyone who made that happen.  As we mentioned at that event, the Leadership Reno County Alumni Associationwebpage is now live.  Also, if you are on Facebook and haven’t “Liked” us yet, head over to the LRC Alumni page and give us a like and you’ll receive updates there.

Wanted to put out a quick word on the mission of LRCAA: “To facilitate the connection of alumni of the Leadership Reno County program in order to manifest continuous civic leadership development and involvement.”  From start to finish what both LRC and LRCAA are about is civic leadership development and involvement.  We believe that if people are connected and tied to one another with a common purpose, we will be able to achieve progress on the issues we care about most deeply.  It isn’t all pies and pizza, though (insert whatever thing you like).  Engaging in acts of leadership is risky.  It will require continuing to adapt our leadership skills and taking smart risks.  But it’s amazing to be a small part in the progress of things we care about. 
So, let’s think purposefully for a sec and continue to be about the work of helping our community make progress one baby step at a time.

With you to that end…

Weekend Recap – Called to Wake Up

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My 4/21/13 sermon, Called To Wake Up, from Revelation 3:1-7, highlighted the call of the Risen Christ upon His people to forsake the death they were dangerously close to and strengthen themselves in the Gospel.  This will keep them from complacency and insure that their future is secure.

We all need wake up calls.  It’s easy to go through life thinking we’re better than others, but when absolute perfection shows up, everything changes.  Jesus, in this case, shows up and calls us to change.  I hope you hear what He’s saying to you today.

Dangerous Calling Email – Fears

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Here’s the email I sent church leaders today, 4/17:

Today, we continue working through Dangerous Calling as weekly reminders of the high calling of local church leadership.  We are getting into Chapter 9 “Dirty Secrets”.  I think we probably all resonate with Tripp’s 4 Debilitating Pastoral Fears: 1) Fear of Me – illustrated in Gideon’s fear of Gideon, 2) Fear of Others – illustrated in Peter in Galatians 2:11-14, 3) Fear of Circumstances – illustrated in Abraham and Sarah’s situation, and 4) Fear of the Future – being paralyzed by the “what ifs.”  The remedy?  1) Humbly own your fears.  2) Confess those places where fear has produced bad decisions and wrong responses.  3) Pay attention to your meditation.  (what are you thinking about?)  4) Preach the Gospel to yourself. 
Let’s engage our fears so that we may be men of faith who courageously lead our people to deeper expressions of faith.  

Leadership Email – Rotting Banana Peels

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Here’s the email I wrote to Leadership Reno County Alumni on Monday, 4/15:

At the church where I work, we have a gravel parking lot on the north side of the building.  For a few weeks (sad to say) I’ve watched the slow demise of a banana peel.  I know it’s a banana peel because of the bright Del Monte sticker on the side of it.  I’ve seen this peel on the sidewalk, then back on the gravel.  And, the thought has occurred to me, I wish someone would pick this thing up.  But part of me likes to watch this slow rot occur. 
I wonder how much of our civic leadership engagement is just like watching this banana peel.  We rest on those in positions of authority to fix things.  In this case, I’m waiting for those whose job it is to clean to get to this (rather that doing it myself).  We forget that anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere.  This is an opportunity for me to engage.  We forget that it starts with me and engages others.  Sure, what needs engagement here is a simple banana peel, but it does relate to me.  My purpose must be clear.  Why do I do this?  I want clean facilities.  Why? Because it helps the community?  Why is that important?  Because I want to make a difference in people’s lives.  Why?  (get the idea?).  It’s risky.  Ok, not too risky, but it will mean doing something different than I might.
Undoubtedly, the situations you engage in are much more significant than a miniscule banana peel (which I did go out and throw in the trash), but I hope this helps you see just how leadership unfolds.  Hope to see you Thursday.  

Called To Conviction – Revelation 2:18-29

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My 4/14/13AM sermon, Called To Conviction from Revelation 2:18-29 continues my series through the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  This book begins with Christ addressing His people and calling them to deeper expressions of faithfulness and perseverance.  This Sunday’s sermon had to do with a call to acts of conviction.  They were tolerating sin and its promotion in their midst and Jesus calls them to repent.  I tried to keep the focus of the sermon not on ways culture disappoints us, but how we need to engage our own hearts before the Risen Christ.  I hope it was encouraging.  Take a listen and enjoy.

Dangerous Calling Email – War

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Here’s an email I sent to ministry leaders at Crestview today, 4/10/13:

We continue to think all things Dangerous Calling weekly.  Why?  Because we recognize that we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood here.  There’s spiritual stuff happening all around us and taking leaders in the local church out of the game maximizes our enemy’s joy.  So, thanks for taking time to invest in this exercise.  We want hearts that are consumed with bringing joy to our Father in heaven. 
Having said that, today, a quick thought from Chapter 7 of Dangerous Calling entitled War Zones.  Here’s one concern Tripp alludes to:
“My experience with hundreds of pastors (read church leaders) is that many sadly function in a regular state of gospel amnesia.  They forget to preach privately to themselves the gospel that they declare publicly to others. 
“When you forget the gospel, you begin to seek from the situations, locations, and relationships of your ministry what you have already been given in Christ.  You begin to look to ministry for identity, security, hope, well-being, meaning and purpose.  These are things you will only ever find vertically.  They are already yours in Christ.  So you have to fight to give the Gospel presence in your heart.  Also, when you live out of the grace of the Gospel, you quit fearing failure, you quit avoiding being known, and you quit hiding your struggles and your sin.  The Gospel declares that there is nothing that could ever be uncovered about you and me that hasn’t already been covered by the grace of Jesus.  The gospel is the only thing that can free a pastor from the guilt, shame and drivenness of the hide (“never let your weakness show”) and seek (asking ministry to do what Christ has already done) lifestyle that makes ministry burdensome to so many pastors. 
“So, in the war of pastoral ministry, are you a good soldier?  Remember that the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, and he battles on your behalf even when you don’t have the sense to.  Remember too that in Christ you have already been given everything you need to be what you’re supposed to be and to do what you’re supposed to do in the place where God has positioned you.  And remember that since Emmanuel is with you, it is impossible to ever be alone in that moment-by-moment war that is pastoral ministry. 

Great word there.  Hope you hear and are encouraged by the Gospel.  Ministry is war.  Thank God the victory is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ.  

LRC Email – Waiting

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Here’s a portion of what I wrote leaders in Reno County on Monday, 4/8/13:

Now a quick thought on the practice of leadership.  As you know part of the conviction of the KLC curriculum is that leadership is an activity, not a position and anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere.  It starts with you, engages others purposefully and often is risky.  I’ve written a lot about this during these winter and spring months and I remind you of it again today to ask a simple question: what are you waiting for? 
I think many of us are way too timid.  We’re looking for someone to give us a green light that acts of leadership will be safe things to engage in and it will be alright.  But, engaging in acts of leadership is inherently risky.  If you’re looking for someone to give you a green light, then, more than likely, you may have lost sight of the fact that leadership is an activity, not a position.  So, what are you waiting for?  Engage others.  Step into acts of leadership and go after progress.  (And yes, the behaviors to exhibit are managing self, diagnosing the situation, intervening skillfully and engaging others.)  But, step into acts of leadership.  Don’t waste your time or influence.  Be about the work and actions of leadership today.