Straining Towards What is Ahead (Pt 2)
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As I discussed in my last post, our journey as Christ-followers will never be easy…we will have to strain because we will always be opposed by an enemy that desperately wants to keep us away from that which is life-giving. The first of the four main tactics of the enemy is deception. To deceive is to lead someone to believe something that is untrue in order to gain personal advantage. Paul warns the Corinthian believers about this. “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” (2 Cor 11:3-4)
The enemy seeks to deceive us about many things, but Paul highlights three of these areas:
- The nature of God – The enemy is always trying to distort God’s character, intent and activity. If we will believe the lies that God is a cosmic killjoy, ready to bully us around at the slightest infraction, (or worse), we won’t want to pursue being closer to Him, or to be more like Him.
- God’s direction – The enemy is always trying to confuse us with conflicting direction. It would be one thing if those conflicting directions were always obvious, like robbing a bank or having an affair. We know God would never direct us to do those things. But the enemy is more devious than that. He’ll prompt us to do things that look good, that we would even consider to be godly in nature. However good they might be, though, if they aren’t the specific things God in which God wanted us to engage, they take us away from God and His intended path for us.
- The path of salvation – The enemy is always trying to distort our view of salvation. Like the old roadrunner cartoons, where Wiley Coyote would attempt to change the roadsigns in order to get the roadrunner off course, the enemy wants to change our roadsigns. If he can convince us that there is a different path to a life that satisfies, a life that works and a life that matters, then he draws us away from the real one. It doesn’t matter how fast you run, if you’re running on the wrong path.
Of course, the greatest antidote to deception is truth. One of the things I regularly do, especially when I’m feeling like maybe the enemy is trying to deceive me, is to ask myself the question, “What do I know that I know?” This simple question takes me back to the basics – about God, His direction for my life, and the path to the life He wants for me. These foundational truths are often enough to clear my mind. How wise would we be to follow Paul’s advice? “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Next: Straining past the enemy’s use of disconnection.
Straining Towards What is Ahead (Pt 1)
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This past weekend we started a new series at The Chapel called Run. I’ve been so excited about this series for both myself and for our whole church, but when Senior Pastor Jeff Griffin kicked it off with one of my favorite verses in scripture, I felt God really stirring me up. The passage is Philippians 3:12-14. This is the famous verse where Paul shares his own approach to growing in Christ. “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and…” Wait for it. “…and straining toward what is ahead…” Paul doesn’t say “strolling” or “striving” or “reaching” or “driving.” He uses the word ’straining’.
I find ‘straining‘ to be such a great word and I think God was very deliberate in using it. To strain is apply strenuous and continuous effort, pushing forcibly towards something. The reality is that we only strain when there is opposition of some kind. We only have to push forcibly if there is something that is opposing us.
Which brings me to my point (I know…finally!). As Christians, we will never go another day without opposition. I’ve been guilty of thinking that most of the time my movement to be closer to God and more like Christ should be relatively easy, with occasional times of hardship and opposition. But I’ve come to the point of believing that such an idea is a fallacy. If where God wants us to go is life-giving (John 10:10), then the enemy of God wants to steal, kill and destroy us along the way. He will do anything he can to oppose us, to keep us from the abundant life that Christ intends for us. We will never have another day without opposition. Any movement we make or attempt to make will create some friction as we strain against that opposition.
One of the most effective ways to beat any opponent is to understand their tactics and techniques. Sports teams will scout out their future opponents and watch endless hours of film to see what plays they typically use. Doing so equips them to recognize those when such plays are coming and counteract them effectively. As Christ-followers, we can do the same thing with our opposer. The enemy has certain plays – strategies and tactics – that he uses over and over. He uses them because they are effective at keeping us from our desires.
Over the next several days, I’m going to explore the four main tactics that the enemy uses, how we can recognize when he’s using them, and ways that we can strain through it toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Next: Straining past the enemy’s use of deception.
Want to Be a Servant Leader? This Book is for You!
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I love it when I hear about a hidden gem, like a book that has really impacted a person, or even a whole organization. Such is the case with the book The Servant. Though it has been an international best seller, published in a dozen languages with over 2.75 million copies sold, I had never heard about it. Until a few weeks ago.
Author James C. Hunter has dished up this allegory in Patrick Lencioni style to teach and inspire the reader with the true essence of leadership. John Daily, the fictional character whose life is beginning to fall apart, reluctantly attends a week-long leadership retreat at a remote monastery. The people he meets and the concepts they discuss are transformational for him, and for the reader. I think this is as important and applicable in the family as it is in the workplace.
Make no mistake about it, the main point of this book is that the true essence of leadership is servant leadership. It makes that point very well, but it’s more than just warm fuzzies or spiritual mandates. Servant leadership is also the most effective form of leadership.
Hunter does a great job of comparing power to authority. He defines power as the ability to force or coerce someone to do your will, even if they would choose not to, because of your position or might. He defines authority as the skill of getting people to willingly do your will because of your personal influence. Every leader faces choices as to when to use power and when to use authority. Hunter makes a compelling case that although power has its place, authority is almost always preferable as a leadership style. “Power erodes relationships. You can get a few seasons out of power, even accomplish some things, but over time power can be very damaging to relationships.”
The quest then becomes one of how we can develop greater authority. If authority is indeed the skill of getting people to willingly do your will because of your personal influence, then building your personal influence is key. The author lays out a normal progression that leads to greater personal influence and authority. So, it all goes like this:
- Leadership comes from authority
- Authority comes from service and sacrifice
- Service and sacrifice come from love (the verb rather than the noun)
- Love comes from the will (it is a decision)
There is so much more depth to this, but this gives the guiding framework.
This book is full of great quotes. One of my favorites is “In the workplace, employees will spend roughly half their waking hours working and living in the environment you create as the leader.” That is absolutely true. As leaders, we create the environment in which our people do a whole lot of working and a whole lot of living.
I recommend this as a great read now, at the beginning of 2010. Enjoy!
The Most Impacting Aspects of 2009 (Pt 4)
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The Most Impacting Technology for me in 2009
Mac – I finally made the switch from PC to Mac this year. I have to say that I love it and can’t imagine myself ever wanting to switch back. I have always been a PC guy, but I can’t look away from the pure ease and sheer fun of using my Macbook. This has influenced me by making my use of technology more integrated with my daily life.
Toodledo – Granted, it’s a stupid name, but it’s a killer to-do manager that is full-featured, web-based and highly customizable. This has influenced my life by helping me to stay better organized and on top of my responsibilities.
Facebook – I actually started using it in earnest this year. At first, it seemed that all people were using it for was nonsense like Farmville (sorry). So I didn’t participate a whole lot. Until I started to see people using it to share their lives – in status updates, pictures, and notes. This influenced my life by opening me up to new avenues of relational connection with people I care about.
Twitter – I started to grow relationships with thought leaders and influencers from around the globe. I began to get a front row seat into the lives of some amazing people, and have an instant opportunity to be part of the conversation. This influenced me by helping to expand me to expand both my mind and my potential for impact within a larger community.
Blogging – I know this is not new, but it was new for me. I had looked at blogs before, but it was in 2009 that I started using Bloglines to stay current on my favorite bloggers. It was also this year that I launched my own blog. This has helped me by increasing my awareness of fresh new thinking in multiple disciplines and given me an outlet to share some of my own.
What technology has most influenced you in 2009?
I wish you and yours a Happy New Year!
2010, bring it!!
The Most Impacting Aspects of 2009 (Pt 3)
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The Most Impacting Work Developments in My Life in 2009
Simulcast – We moved to simulcast teaching at our weekend services. This was a pretty large change management initiative for both staff and congregation, but we made the shift successfully. This influenced my life by introducing me to the book Managing Transitions, by William Bridges, which broadened and deepened my understanding of effective change management.
Personal Ministry Plan – This is the first year that we have translated our strategic plans into personal ministry objectives at The Chapel. Dale Gifford, our Executive Pastor, led us through this exercise that helped define what a successful year would look like for each member of the staff. This has influenced my life by increasing my passion, enthusiasm and focus on the right objectives.
Lake Zurich facility – In 2009 we purchased this beautiful building in Lake Zurich and began working to serve the surrounding community. This has influenced my life by growing my excitement for more multisite campuses and seeing expanding opportunities for people to grow in their leadership impact.
Budget reductions – Like almost everyone, we were hit by the economic downturn. We needed to trim expenses by 10%, which included a pay reduction for all Chapel staff. We also needed to increase giving by 10% – a huge task in this recovering economy. This has influenced my life by increasing my trust and faith in God’s provision, both for our church and for my family.
Core competencies – In dealing with some staff performance issues earlier this year, we uncovered a wide variance in the expectations for those very positions. The job descriptions were simply not adequate in helping define expectations, so we went about the task of developing core competencies and corresponding key behaviors that we would expect to see if a person had that core competence. This influenced my life by helping me sharpen my focus on leading people well and holding them accountable to do their best.
What are the most impacting things that have happened in your place of work this year?
In my final post of 2009, I’ll cover the technology that has most impacted my life in 2009.
The Most Impacting Aspects of 2009 (Pt 2)
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The Most Impacting Spiritual Events in My Life of 2009
Short-term mission trip to Kenya – This was my first such trip, and I was blessed to be able to go with my daughter Sarah. I expected to see poverty and human devastation, but I was unprepared to see the level of faith and raw joy. It influenced my life by shattering my self-imposed beliefs about God’s size and power, and what it really means to put your life into His hands.
Bible study through the book of Job – As I was dealing with the loss of our grandson, and several other hardships earlier in the year, the book of Job became a haven for me to seek God and ask Him difficult questions. This influenced my life by reminding me again that God is sovereign and good.
Counseling – As I mentioned in my last post, I went to counseling earlier this year to seek help in my grieving process. We talked about many things in addition to my grief, and God really used it. This influenced my life by making me aware of the ‘Little Terrorist’ inside of me that always wants to ask, “Could you have done that any better?” It helped frame my life from God’s perspective of abundance, rather than the enemy’s perspective of scarcity.
Launching my blog – While this may not seem like a spiritual event, it has been deeply spiritual for me. The opportunity to share my experiences, thoughts, beliefs, ideas, and even a little humor (very little, my friends point out) has been a spiritual journey for me. This influenced my life by reminding me that God has given me ample gifts to impact His Kingdom and expanded opportunities to use them.
Developing a relational network of close friends – God spurred me on earlier this year to surround myself with four specific people. I meet with each guy individually and we sharpen one another through accountability, challenges and encouragement. This has influenced my life by increasing my sense of Christian community and renewing my need for genuine fellowship with others who want to be like Jesus.
These are just a few of the spiritual highlights from this year. There were so many from which to choose – great sermons, podcasts, times of worship, small group discussions, time in the Word, and great books – but these are the top five.
What are your most impacting spiritual events of 2009?
Next time I’ll write about the most impacting developments in my work at The Chapel.
The Most Impacting Aspects of 2009 (Pt 1)
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As 2009 draws to a close, I’m amazed by what a full year it has been. I’ve had a bit of time off work to reflect on the most impacting aspects of the year, and the list was very long. I’ve categorized the list and would love to share it with you over these final days of 2009. Here goes:
The Most Impacting People in My Life in 2009
Carol Egbert – My wife continues to rock my world. In a tumultuous year filled with many ups and downs, her unconditional love remained steadfast and sure. She has continued to grow as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and servant. She continues to inspire and amaze me. She influenced my life by giving me courage and strength and building me up when the enemy sought to tear me down.
Pastor Reginah – She runs a school for the most disadvantaged in Nairobi, Kenya. I had the privilege of meeting her in February while there on a short-term mission trip. Her unstoppable faith, in light of her constant lack of resources, moved me deeply. She influenced my life by challenging my beliefs that under-resourcing limits what I can accomplish.
Joanie Woodall - Her husband Joe lost his battle to cancer recently. I watched Joanie live out her faith in God for the whole world to see. I’ve never met anyone like her, with such an upbeat and even joyful outlook on life, regardless of her circumstances. She influenced my life by showing me that God really is enough, even in our times of greatest turmoil and pain.
David Gates – He is the Christian counselor I saw earlier in the year when I was struggling with my grief over the loss of our grandson, Ryan. He certainly helped me with that, but he also helped me in so many other ways that I did not anticipate, or even initially seek. He influenced my life by helping me to see and begin to combat unhealthy life-long patterns of thinking and believing.
Mac Lake – He is the Development Pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina. In a simple breakfast meeting, a short video shoot afterwards, and then working with him to get Leading Multisite going, I began to see opportunities for impact develop before my eyes. He influenced my life by expanding my thinking and dreaming of how I might be able to serve God.
While I’ve only listed five here, the cast of characters is really far more extensive than that. I would include all of my children. Each one has influenced me in a different way this year. I would include my extended family, as they have done the same. I would also include all who I am privileged to work with. 2009 has been a fun and action-packed year at The Chapel, and doing it with people you love and respect make all the difference.
Who are the people who have been most impacting in your life this year?
In my next post, I’ll reveal the most impacting spiritual events of 2009.
Warning: Don’t Read This Book
By · CommentsI heard that warning from everyone who told me about this book. They said, “Don’t read this book if you like your life the way it is.” Of course, nothing is going to get my attention faster or pique my interest in finding out what all the fuss is about.
I just finished The Hole in Our Gospel. Author Richard Stearns shares his personal story of finding the answer to the question, “What does God expect of us?” along his unexpected journey to become the president of World Vision. His story is compelling and authentic and I found myself drawn to this ordinary guy who was trying to figure out God’s will. But this is so much more than just his personal story. It is rich with several things that I found to be both interesting and useful:
- A challenging perspective on the fullness of the gospel. This invites the reader into areas of scripture that may cause believers to question how God sees their salvation.
- An illuminating exploration on the causes and contributors to poverty. This opened my eyes and helped me see some wrong beliefs and attitudes that I held.
- A disturbing account of the Christian church’s lack of response to some of the greatest problems in history. This leads to the obvious question of whether the church will respond to the global poverty crisis now. Fair question.
- A compelling call to personal engagement. Stearns shares his story, but now calls the reader into their own story, their own engagement.
I have to admit that I was a bit cynical when I started to read. I expected to get to the end and find a tear-jerking ask to support World Vision. But I was wrong. Stearns took me on a journey – a personal and private journey of discovery, soul-searching and long talks with God.
I can honestly say, after having finished the book, that I can’t see how anyone could read this book and not be changed. While I have physically finished the reading part, I am far from understanding and processing the implications for my life. That’s going to take some time.
I add my voice to those who warned me. Don’t read this book if you really like your life the way it is. Read it. I dare you.
How Do We Respond to Leaders Who Fall?
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This week I heard about another Christian leader who has fallen into an inappropriate relationship – one that has devastated his family, destroyed his witness and forever changed the trajectory of his life. My heart is broken for all involved, including him.
I’ve been fascinated by what I’ve read from other Christian leaders as they write about such moral failures. There’s been a surprising amount of outrage, anger, and disgust. I get that – it is totally unacceptable behavior for a leader. I guess it’s just been the degree of attack on these individuals that is disturbing. I’ve heard it said that us Christians are the only ones who shoot our wounded. That’s a pretty sad statement. But it hasn’t all been that way. There have been some real expressions of grace towards the leader who fell. I’m glad to see that grace is still at the heart of the gospel for many.
Here’s my take on it. First, I’m grieved. Whenever the enemy wins in his battle to kill, steal and destroy, it makes me angry. I mourn the many, many losses that are being experienced by every spouse, every child, every parent, every congregant. The pain ripples outward so far that our eyes can’t even see all the devastation. So yes, I’m grieved.
But there’s another part of me that is scared. It makes me look at my life and ask a whole bunch of questions, like:
- Am I a better person than he is?
- Do I love God more than he does?
- Am I less tempted by sin than he is?
- Am I more committed to my ministry than he is?
I don’t know the answers for certain, but my guess is that the answers in general, with the literally hundreds of Christian leaders that have fallen, is ‘no’ for every question I ask. I am no better than any of them. I don’t think I love God any more than they do. I don’t think I’m tempted less by sin and I don’t think that I’m more committed to my ministry than they were to theirs.
I think the greatest danger to Christian leaders today is our illusion of immunity. When we believe that we personally are immune to such sin, we lower our defenses and become less watchful for the work of the enemy.
The reality is that I have a big red target on me…and so do you. Every one of us is at risk. Gender doesn’t really matter anymore, because moral failure is an equal opportunity employer. And the more leadership success we have, the greater the target. The enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy.
I believe the best thing we can do is to be vigilant about protecting ourselves, our families and our ministries. I take a number of important steps:
- I don’t keep secrets from my wife – ever.
- I have several male accountability partners and I meet with them regularly.
- I adhere to our staff’s ‘never alone’ policy – it’s more restrictive than most, but I appreciate the spirit and intent (and so does my wife!).
- I limit my counseling of women. I will counsel a woman alone, but only once and only with the door open. Beyond that, I refer her on to someone else.
- I don’t ever tell any woman anything about myself that I haven’t already shared with my wife.
Do you believe that you’re at risk? What concrete steps are you taking to be vigilant?
Today we’re going to explore the final step in getting the maximum value from organizational conflict and tension:
5. Celebrate the Win!
This is the easiest part, yet it is often overlooked, especially in our hard-driving organizations. But this is the part where you get to celebrate what God did through your little work group. Consider the following four questions:
- What concrete benefits have we experienced? Hopefully the solution itself brought positive results, but don’t overlook the increased sense of teamwork, trust and interdependence that may have developed as you worked together. Store memories of working with those people for future endeavors.
- What lessons did you learn? Often the most powerful lessons we learn come not from a great book, but instead from our own experiences. Take time to inventory the lessons that you and others learned from this. You may have learned lessons about people, preference, policies, procedure or protocol. Capture it all and write it down.
- Who contributed to the win? Make a note of EVERYONE who contributed in any way and make sure they participate in the celebration. We all love to be encouraged and we want to be part of a winning team. Praising them (especially publicly) for a job well done is so important. It’s an investment of time that you want to make EVERY TIME. Make sure that leaders at the highest level of your organization know that these folks are lighting it up!
- Did you praise God for giving you the opportunity? God blesses us with an opportunity for leadership influence. He could’ve given that to anyone, but He gave it to us. He called us to step into this organizational conflict or tension, and He worked through us to bring out the very best. God, you rock!
