Sorry folks that I missed week 4 - Africa, no internet and jet-lag.
Week 5 ..... and it revolves around the idea of EDGE.
Jack Welch and Noel Tichy write about this idea.
All leaders possess ideas undergird by values creating energy in people around them -but winning leaders bring EDGE to their leading.
EDGE is defined as "the ability to make tough decisions and the willingness to sacrifice the security of today for the sake of a better future".
EDGE.
Let me talk about our children's global charity called When I Grow Up.
Presently we help four global partnerships with the most developed partnership the one I've just returned from in Nairobi, Kenya called Furaha Community Centre. For the past few years we've helped this centre. We've seen our help grow but in truth it has remained at a fairly doable level - we can remain at this level and not hurt other growth we need to work on within our own church and within our other global partnerships.
But now as I return from another visit, I'm challenged with the reality of EDGE. Am I willing to make the tough decision? A tough decision not to stop helping, but to take our helping to the next level - a level that moves us beyond the comfortable security of what we can afford today for the sake of tomorrow.
This is an EDGE decision.
I guess Welch and Tichy call it EDGE, but Christian leaders call it FAITH!
Can we take the next step - can we take this next step along with every other next step our church and our charity are needing to take.
Growth requires EDGE / FAITH.
Growth always requires more growth. In fact the fuel of growth is more growth.
The challenge of every growth leader is the boldness, the edge, the FAITH to not settle at the level of initial growth, but push deeper beyond settledness.
This is exactly where we are at in Redeemer's Church. 800 attending, front door working, global ministry happening, healthy ministries, healthy financials, good programming. BUT - FAITH says we need to now go to the next level - the next step for our overall vision, the next step in our When I Grow Up charity, the next step in our Growth Engines ....and these three mission critical next steps will require the next step in our financials, our leadership, our strategies. This is EDGE, or better put, this is FAITH.
Do I have it?
Do you have it?
Growth requires it.
The Kingdom of God breathes it.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Week 3 - Leaders do what isn't natural to do
Week 3 - and I'm about to head to Kenya, Africa.
I've been to Kenya several times. We have some incredible partners there who we link with to help a slum that is around half a million people. Our Kenya partners run a feeding program, AIDS clinic, school for over 500 kids, a community centre, a justice program - and all of them weave Jesus through it.
But here's the truth - I've never really fallen in love with Africa.
You read reports of people going and they fall in love with Africa. Whenever they leave to return to the West they say things like "I left a part of my heart/soul there!"
But not me.
I think the guys we work alongside are modern day heroes. I think the face of every child is the face of the most precious child there is. Each of them. I think Christ is with the poor way beyond how He's with us.
But every trip to Kenya doesn't come naturally. Every trip to Kenya takes a lot out of me.
But here's the leadership point - I know that if I don't go and lead the way ...how can I get others to follow us into doing what Christ undoubtedly wants His Church to be doing.
Despite how uneasy it is for me to go, and return and go again ....a leader has to go where he/she wants others to go.
Leadership simply is leading.
That's week 3 .....heading 11,000 uneasy/unnatural miles to help others come as well and catch the vision of God and His amazing Gospel.
I've been to Kenya several times. We have some incredible partners there who we link with to help a slum that is around half a million people. Our Kenya partners run a feeding program, AIDS clinic, school for over 500 kids, a community centre, a justice program - and all of them weave Jesus through it.
But here's the truth - I've never really fallen in love with Africa.
You read reports of people going and they fall in love with Africa. Whenever they leave to return to the West they say things like "I left a part of my heart/soul there!"
But not me.
I think the guys we work alongside are modern day heroes. I think the face of every child is the face of the most precious child there is. Each of them. I think Christ is with the poor way beyond how He's with us.
But every trip to Kenya doesn't come naturally. Every trip to Kenya takes a lot out of me.
But here's the leadership point - I know that if I don't go and lead the way ...how can I get others to follow us into doing what Christ undoubtedly wants His Church to be doing.
Despite how uneasy it is for me to go, and return and go again ....a leader has to go where he/she wants others to go.
Leadership simply is leading.
That's week 3 .....heading 11,000 uneasy/unnatural miles to help others come as well and catch the vision of God and His amazing Gospel.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Week 2: To deconstruct or not.
Week 2 of 2010 and some thoughts on churches and leadership within such.
Been introducing a group of new leaders within our church to the postmodern/modern debate. For some people the debate and its pro's and con's are old hat, but for many its a new issue.
My group was an eclectic group of differing ages, gender and ethnicity. But here's what was interesting - the idea of "deconstruction" resonated with them all. They all described aspects of the way they had been raised in churches, and/or the emphasis that they had all experienced that they knew needed to be deconstructed.
Now while many of us think the postmodern movement needs time, but only so much time, to deconstruct before they head to construction - what became even clearer to me in leading the conversation was that careful deconstruction is a key component of not only philosophical leadership but all leadership.
Deconstruction is the taking apart of the existing structure not to destroy it or demolish it, but to ensure the right bricks stay in place and the wrong bricks are removed ....to enable the structure to be stronger and have a effective future.
Deconstruction is not to destroy - but to improve.
There was not one person in the group last night who did not value deeply the Church and its mission and purpose. And because of that value they wnated to see the Church be all that the Church could be and needs to be.
Leaders should not fear deconstruction.
The question that we then raised was the question of whether or not a generation from now - removed from any postmodern/modernity debate - would the next generation see what we've built as needing to be deconstructed also?
Or, to put that question in a better way "how do we build something now that does not need deconstructed in the future?"
Is that possible?
The answer we came away with is yes. It is possible if leaders stay fluid, organic, flexible. There is a way to lead that will see what is built last and not need deconstructing. But it will require constant reading, researching, morphing.
Entropy remains a big enemy. We can experience entropy in our theology (we should be reformed and always reforming); entropy in our methods (we veer to comfort and familiar when we need to veer to courage and adventure); entropy in our practices (when we need to adapt and constantly modernise).
If we fail to battle entropy - we will see the next generation deconstruct what we are building, but if we attack entropy ......the next generation will not need to firstly deconstruct before they can build, but they can quickly stand on our shoulders and build even bigger.
Been introducing a group of new leaders within our church to the postmodern/modern debate. For some people the debate and its pro's and con's are old hat, but for many its a new issue.
My group was an eclectic group of differing ages, gender and ethnicity. But here's what was interesting - the idea of "deconstruction" resonated with them all. They all described aspects of the way they had been raised in churches, and/or the emphasis that they had all experienced that they knew needed to be deconstructed.
Now while many of us think the postmodern movement needs time, but only so much time, to deconstruct before they head to construction - what became even clearer to me in leading the conversation was that careful deconstruction is a key component of not only philosophical leadership but all leadership.
Deconstruction is the taking apart of the existing structure not to destroy it or demolish it, but to ensure the right bricks stay in place and the wrong bricks are removed ....to enable the structure to be stronger and have a effective future.
Deconstruction is not to destroy - but to improve.
There was not one person in the group last night who did not value deeply the Church and its mission and purpose. And because of that value they wnated to see the Church be all that the Church could be and needs to be.
Leaders should not fear deconstruction.
The question that we then raised was the question of whether or not a generation from now - removed from any postmodern/modernity debate - would the next generation see what we've built as needing to be deconstructed also?
Or, to put that question in a better way "how do we build something now that does not need deconstructed in the future?"
Is that possible?
The answer we came away with is yes. It is possible if leaders stay fluid, organic, flexible. There is a way to lead that will see what is built last and not need deconstructing. But it will require constant reading, researching, morphing.
Entropy remains a big enemy. We can experience entropy in our theology (we should be reformed and always reforming); entropy in our methods (we veer to comfort and familiar when we need to veer to courage and adventure); entropy in our practices (when we need to adapt and constantly modernise).
If we fail to battle entropy - we will see the next generation deconstruct what we are building, but if we attack entropy ......the next generation will not need to firstly deconstruct before they can build, but they can quickly stand on our shoulders and build even bigger.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Week 1 of 2010
So the new year has begun.
My Musings of a Scottish Pastor blog (http://www.scottishpastormusings.blogspot.com) tells you what I've decided to do with that blog for the next 365 days ......everyday blog on what intentional act that day I have done to help me live as a follower of Jesus Christ.
A daily blog - yikes!
But it got me thinking about my leadership blog and 2010.
Could I blog weekly on what leadership activity and/or learning I've done to lead more effectively in 2010.
52 blogs with 52 learnings or actions in leading a local church in extending the Kingdom of God.
So let's start.
My first learning of 2010: "health in a church is gained slowly but lost quickly."
Its gained slowly. Health often is. I'm not long over 40 - but boy its a slow hard process to keep myself healthy .....hard work, daily effort, constant wise choices - but can be lost with one bad day of eating, or stop working out for a week and boom ....its gone!
In church life - you are constantly battling against values and behaviors that remain self focused. The push to be Kingdom focused and Christ centered is a constant battle. It can take years to break old DNA's and habits.
But slowly and surely with constant teaching, modeling, challenging and coaching movement can happen and safe ground be secured.
But it can all be lost quickly - a foolish decision, a maverick leader, a reckless action, a scandal.
This means that in church leadership we are more marathon runners than sprinters. We are more like artists and poets allowing decisions and actions to perculate slowly and rise over time to maturity than a quick microwave of an idea.
Week 1: health in your church is gained slowly but lost quickly.
My Musings of a Scottish Pastor blog (http://www.scottishpastormusings.blogspot.com) tells you what I've decided to do with that blog for the next 365 days ......everyday blog on what intentional act that day I have done to help me live as a follower of Jesus Christ.
A daily blog - yikes!
But it got me thinking about my leadership blog and 2010.
Could I blog weekly on what leadership activity and/or learning I've done to lead more effectively in 2010.
52 blogs with 52 learnings or actions in leading a local church in extending the Kingdom of God.
So let's start.
My first learning of 2010: "health in a church is gained slowly but lost quickly."
Its gained slowly. Health often is. I'm not long over 40 - but boy its a slow hard process to keep myself healthy .....hard work, daily effort, constant wise choices - but can be lost with one bad day of eating, or stop working out for a week and boom ....its gone!
In church life - you are constantly battling against values and behaviors that remain self focused. The push to be Kingdom focused and Christ centered is a constant battle. It can take years to break old DNA's and habits.
But slowly and surely with constant teaching, modeling, challenging and coaching movement can happen and safe ground be secured.
But it can all be lost quickly - a foolish decision, a maverick leader, a reckless action, a scandal.
This means that in church leadership we are more marathon runners than sprinters. We are more like artists and poets allowing decisions and actions to perculate slowly and rise over time to maturity than a quick microwave of an idea.
Week 1: health in your church is gained slowly but lost quickly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
