Week 42 and a leader who equally loves the loo!

Week 42 and I'm just finishing Tony Blair's masterful autobiography.
irrespective of your political position - these are the memoirs of a global leader who for 10 years held one of the highest offices of leadership, bringing huge influence, and impacting generations to come through the decisions he made as a leader. These memoirs are filled with leadership insights and learning's.
I've blogged on some of the early learning's already, here are some of the latter learning's:

Tony led with ordered thoughts.
Time after time in the book he mentions pausing before speaking, withdrawing to a side room and gathering his thoughts; stepping away from the media/public to gather his thoughts. the mental togetherness he practices is highly commendable.

To succeed you have to be more than clever. You have to be able to connect and you have to be able to articulate that connection in plain language. The plainness of the language then leads people to look past the brainpower involved.

A leader has to both manage complex situations and to judge them.

In the fickleness of our times, moods always trumps the policy every time!
In this matter, the public aren't always logical, but that's their prerogative.

In my reading I discovered perhaps why I like Blair so much. Here's what he writes about global travel:
"The one problem is that travel does play havoc with the digestive system. You need to eat healthily and with discipline. I am very typically British. I like to have time and comfort in the loo. The bathroom is an important room and I couldn't live in a culture that doesn't respect it."

Yep .....he and I are very alike!!!

More learning's:

Basically, most people are psychological itinerants in search of someone who wants to hear about them, who is interested in what they have to say, and who will regard what they say as both sage and stimulating.

Leaders live with the worry of what comes next - of the next call, the next slip of paper, the next confrontation, the next frisson of fear.

Blair changed the face of prime ministers. While he took office as the leader of a country, our time and generation made him into a global leader. This is unique to our time and era - leaders are much more global than 20 years ago. That global might be in different countries, or that global might be in different cultures, ethnicity's, contexts. Communications, a flat world and the 6 degree reality.

I highly recommend Blair's autobiography.

Week 41 and my Anabapist heritage has found me out!

Week 41 (ouch, only 11 weeks left in 2010!)
Spent the weekend reading some excellent books. None more so than one entitled "The Naked Anabaptist" @ Stuart Murray.
This was a few-hours-don't-put-it-down-didn't-expect-to-enjoy-this-so-much kind of book.
28 pages turned down and a lot of underlining ....means this is a pretty interesting book.

Basically a history of the Anabaptist movement, Murray is drawing a contrast between the movements original context and what it means for faith in our context. If historical Anabaptism was a challenge to the era of Christendom, modern Anabaptism is a way to effectively, missionally live in today's post-Christian era.

Its a good read.

What I really enjoyed was the learning of the modern Anabaptist's core convictions, and the deeper explanation of the first core conviction in chapter 3. Here are the core convictions:

1. Jesus is our example, teacher, friend, redeemer, and Lord. He is the source of our life, the central reference point for our faith and lifestyle, for our understanding of church, and our engagement with society. We are committed to following Jesus as well as worshipping him. [Brilliant comment!!]
2. Jesus is the focal point of God's revelation. We are committed to a Jesus-centered approach to the Bible, and to the community of faith as the primary context in which we read the Bible and discern and apply its implications for discipleship.
3. Western culture is slowly emerging from the Christendom era, when church and state jointly presided over a society in which almost all were assumed to be Christian. Whatever its positive contributions on values and institutions, Christendom seriously distorted the gospel, marginalized Jesus, and has left the churches ill equipped for mission in a post-Christendom culture. As we reflect on this, we are committed to learning from the experience and perspectives of movements such as Anabaptism that rejected standard Christendom assumptions and pursued alternative ways of thinking and behaving. [The comments about how Christendom distorted the gospel, marginalized Jesus and has left churches ill equipped ...equally brilliant.]
4. The frequent association of the church with status, wealth, and force is inappropriate for followers of Jesus and damages our witness. We are committed to exploring ways of being good news to the poor, powerless, and persecuted, aware that such discipleship may attract opposition, resulting in suffering and sometimes ultimately martyrdom. [Another excellent insight.]
5. Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission, places of friendship, mutual accountability and multivoiced worship. As we eat together, sharing bread and wine, we sustain hope as we seek God's kingdom together. We are committed to nurturing and developing such churches, in which young and old are valued, leadership is consultative, roles are related to gifts rather than gender, and baptism is for believers. [Perhaps this one misses the ethnicity challenge of the modern church; it might also tend towards idealism ...yet it pushes us to rethink certain forms of the modern church.]
6. Spirituality and economics are interconnected. In an individualist consumerist culture and in a world where economic injustice is rife, we are committed to finding ways of living simply, sharing generously, caring for creation, and working for justice.
7. Peace is at the heart of the gospel. As followers of Jesus in a divided and violent world, we are committed to finding nonviolent alternatives and to learning how to make peace between individuals within and among churches, in society, and between nations.

It was nearly 8 years ago that I ate lunch with a local Mennonite (Anabaptist) church pastor. His concluding question, after we ate and talked was "does the Baptist church you pastor know they have an Anabaptist as their pastor?"

Anyone else wish to raise their hand and join in some excellent core convictions??

Of course, for all you Baptists out there, do you realize how much you owe your beginnings to the Anabaptist influence!!

Week 40 and what I really think about visiting Africa!

Week 40 and time to be honest.
Not that I'm dishonest at other times. But, sometimes I choose not to share my more personal or vulnerable thoughts. This blog is me going to a more personal level than other times - and hence, more honest.

Here's my honesty - I don't really like going to Kenya, Africa.
I love the guys we partner with; I love our driver/agent Ben; I love all that's happening in the Furaha Community Huruma Centre, part of the Furaha Community Foundation; I love the first thing in the morning and the smells, aroma and sunrise of Kenya. But, i don;t really like going to Africa.

It's a hard journey - two major long flights.
It's a hard place to stay - my guy hurts for the entire time I'm there.
It's a hard place to lead - as team leader you are constantly aware that you are in a desperate city, a city that saw a terrorist attack against Americans; a city filled with desperate people seeing white people as targets; it's a place where the word police does not always equal justice but more often equal corruption.
It's a hard place to relax - travel through 10 time zones, hit the ground running, force yourself to sleep at the wrong times, swallow malaria meds, avoid the bad bacteria you are surrounded by; travel in a matatu with dust pouring into your lungs ...as well as hitting potholes, enduring near misses, sit in pollution clogged air, constantly watch over your shoulder.
Entering Kenya, Africa is hard and I don't really like doing it.

But during the past three years I've lead a team into a large slum in Nairobi twice a year.

This visit one of our team asked me why I keep going on the trips?

My answer - I have to, for my sake!

Not that I want to appear selfish, but, I have to find a way to keep myself exposed to some of the worst poverty on the face of the globe.
I have to find a way to keep myself aware of the reality of 60% of the world's population.
I have to find a way to be among the poorest of the poor and be where Jesus would be.

My spiritual leadership is dependent upon understanding true reality, and that reality has to involve the reality of what's happening in our globe and with the majority of humanity.

If I don't go, and go regularly (we so easily forget or switch off) I will move towards a self focused existence and a skewed view of reality.

But it does more.
It pushes me to maintain spiritual leadership as a faith exercise.

Let's be honest. Sometimes in the leading of a local church autopilot can kick in.
I've been doing this for over 10 years. Putting together a preach, leading staff, leading a congregation can too easily be done out of experience and not out of faith.
But when you enter Huruma slum and you see the chaos, hopelessness, desperateness of daily life, the though about seeing transformation come through the presence of Christ - the only way such could happen is through a moving of God. that is a act of faith, not an act of experience or professional pastoring.
Going to Kenya, Africa and the hardness of going ......renews the call of faith, the cry for more faith, the reliance upon faith and faith alone.

Going - is a spiritual necessity for effective spiritual leading.

Anyone want to join me?
Anyone want a shot of renewed, invigorated, desperate faith?

Week 38 The Chair.

Week 38 and here's the line that every leader knows too well:

"Everyone not sitting in the leader's chair can have a discussion about it. Those not in the seat can point to the cost or the price, but they don't have to say which prevails. That's what the leader does."


And, the leader also knows, indecision is also decision.

This is what separates leaders from mangers.
Prophets from preachers.
Kingdom builders from aquarium keepers.

You felt the heat of this one recently?

We've just pulled the trigger on a huge step forward in the expansion of the Kingdom of God through Redeemer's Church. A step that few have tried, even fewer have seen it work. Add to this a recession year. Add to this its coming on the back of 7 hard fast years with energy levels lower. Add to this negative voices. Add to this other options.

But when you sit in the leader's chair while you can listen to the discussion around it, others' opinions can be acute but they aren't ultimate. The ultimate is made by the leader in the chair.
And, omission and commission both have consequences.

It's these kinds of decisions that define.
They seperate out.

Are you leading?
You'll know what this chair is like.
When you step out of that chair - you're no longer leading.

It's that simple.

Week 37 - learnings from a brillaint leaders. Guess who.

Week 37 and I'm reading a fascinating book on leadership. In fact a book I highly recommend for any pastor/leader. Probably not a book you would naturally reach for - but trust me, its got brilliant insight.

A Journey: My Political Life @ Tony Blair.

It's hot off the press, its immediately made the best seller lists in UK and it has surprised me.

I have always admired Tony Blair, the ex-prime minister of the United Kingdom for 10 years. 10 years leading at the highest levels - nationally and internationally.

Tony introduced me to New Labor and to a political position that I could and did embrace. Thus began my many years of voting for a progressive, compassionate, intellectual yet pragmatic form of socialism.

But as this is a leadership blog, let me list for you 7 of the best, and initial leadership insights you get from reading Tony's autobiography:

1. There are two types of crazy people; those who are just crazy and who are therefore dangerous; and those whose craziness lends them creativity, strength, ingenuity and verve. These types of crazy you need, yet you will never tame them. The same thing that makes them different and brilliant is the same thing that means they don't conform to normal, predictable modes of behaviour. And, they are always on the edge.


2. I have a few rules about people I work with really closely. Work comes first. No blame culture. Fun, in its proper place, is good. Disloyalty has no place. Look out for each other. Stick together. Respect each other. It helps if you also like each other.


3. Leaders need to learn how to think, not just how to 'pass exams'. Think - analyse, dissect a problem from the first principles, and having deconstructed it, construct a solution.


4. Don't forget: communication is 50% of the battle in the information age. Say it once, say it twice and keep on saying it, and when you've finished, you'll know you've still not said it enough. (Quoting Bill Clinton a fellow modernizing socialist worth learning from.)


5. Every year there is a new height to be attained so that the momentum is not lost.


6. Intensity of the focus is the common in leadership.


7. Each step is fearful, yet each refusal (by yourself out of fear) means not only remorse at an opportunity missed, but, worse, despising yourself for not even summoning up the courage to try.


8. When you speak - speak with utter confidence; use humor; keep a thread running throughout; build the argument don't just plonk it down. Battles are won by generals not preachers.


9. Go beyond the confines of the debate and think about the world that was not debating trivial matters but were focused on life, hope and health versus death due to the ravages of poverty, conflict and disease. Focus always on the big.


10. Creating time for a leader is a near-sacred task. Show me an ineffective leaders and I will show you a badly managed schedule.
    

All within the first 100 pages.

Its a long but a great read.

Read it.

Week 36 - and a fatwa issued on dogs!

Week 36 and I'm back.
Excuse the 10 week break.

......but for all those deeply committed pastors who have worked through the entire summer with maybe a weekend off as a sign of your devotion to Christ and His church - I'll remind you of that come December and you're out of steam!

Funny how we either deny the Sabbath principle or feel guilty for enjoying it.

So what's happened since my last blog?

• Spain won the World Cup ......and most of America missed that.
• President Obama cut US contributions to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ....and most of America missed that.
• The Afghanistan war budget has increased to where we could start 20 schools for the cost of 1 solider per year there .....we all missed that one.
• The YMCA has finally owned up and announced they will be known for the "Y" - the "C" isn't that important.
• John Stott wrote his final book ....nearly missed that one but for the recommendation by a friend. The Radical Disciple - a LAX to FAT read.
• The Global Leadership Summit had their best first day teaching in their history - if you missed that one, you missed a good one.
• The Oakland Raiders have changed their names to the Oakland Tulips and promise to be kind to everyone. They will now wear pink instead of pirate black.........did you miss that one??
• Nothing much has changed in earthquake devastated Haiti.
• Relatively speaking - has much changed in Hurricane Katrina hit Gulf Coast after 5 years?
• The US Supreme Court ruled that a Christian student group must accept non-Christians as members if they were to be officially recognised - I think that could help most Christian groups!
• China officially became the second largest global economy.
• An Iranian cleric issued a fatwa against keeping dogs as pets ......why could he not have issued it against cats.

The point?

10 weeks and some big things as well as some pretty trivial things have happened.
Nothing stands still.
Certainly Redeemer's Church didn't stand still.

So did my sabbath break help?

I'm chasing my tail ....and its the first day in September.
But I've got energy to chase it.
I've had the time to sit above the urgent and figure out the bigger picture for the next period of leadership.
I didn't stand still.
Yes I wasn't doing my normal. but I was doing something, and something that helped me as a leader:
reading I would never get to; soul nourishing that I've dieted on for the last 11 months; good, healthy perspective that I was losing.

The University of Denver reported that 47% of the books acquired between 2000 and 2009 were never checked out. The University of Arizona reported that they spent $19 million on books over the past decade that were never used.

A waste.

A leader who doesn't refresh or refuel - a waste or a disobedience.

Live the sabbath - find the right rhythm for you.

Check this out: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11139960

Week 26 - the tension of church growth and church health.

Week 26.
Just read these words in one of my summer reads (see my list of books over on my daily blog - although make sure you grab Hunter's book - ouch!):

"We have substituted a gospel of church growth for a gospel of reconciliation."

John Perkins wrote that back in 1982.

But of course we all want growth.
Warren was right back when he wrote The Purpose Driven Church (1995), the evidence of church health is not simply faithfulness but fruitfulness....and that has to include more people coming to faith in Christ.

But somewhere in the messiness of leadership church growth and church health get confused.

Neither is exclusive, both are required ...its more a question of priority, or aiming, or focus.

Week 26 in my desire to be an intentional leader - figure out, in my context, what growth looks within our desire to have health.

I have a feeling the paradigm is about to shift - considerably.

A few weeks of reading, learning, listening, asking ......watch this space.

Excuse my absence for a couple of weeks .....got that reading, learning, listening and asking to do!