Things Necessary for Leaders, part 6

Merry Christmas!

This will be my last entry until after my sabbatical ends on February 25, 2009, Ash Wednesday. 

Although this entry will be published on December 25th - the first day of my sabbatical - I've written it earlier. Also note that I may not be able to publish comments during these two months. Feel free to leave them for me though, as long as you're willing to wait to see them posted. 

There's something poetic here. The last of four things necessary for leaders I'm writing about is survival. Survive success. Most people don't have to face this one, because, frankly, most people do not know success in their lives. (Sorry if this stings.) My suspicion, however, is that almost everyone knows that there is a problem with success. Success is a type of death. You could see it in the Olympics this summer. An Olympian who despite all odds wins the gold and stands on the podium is also someone who no longer has a reason to live. Victory is a funeral of sorts. To survive requires intense concentration and change. The unconscious awareness of this may in fact be the big block to success in many peoples' lives. Who wants to see their dreams die? Yet this is what happens when one succeeds. 

If all your life you've wanted to climb to the top of Mount Everest, and you do it, now what? By far, most deaths on this tallest of all mountains occur on the way down from the summit. People die on the way down. They get careless because, compared to the ascent, the descent is pointless. The key to surviving success and not dying on the way down is to constantly redefine your goals. Once you reach the top, now your goal is to get down. It must be your new goal. The old one has to almost be forgotten - forsaken even - in order for you to bring your best to your next steps. Even if you don't think you have ever been successful, in order to take things to the next level in your life, you have to "delete" all your old success files from your memory. (Sometimes these are based on others peoples' lives or sheer fantasy.)

Leadership success is a funny thing. It requires balanced celebration. If you don't celebrate it, you hamstring your heart; you won't have the strength to do your best in the future. If you overcelebrate it, you steal from it and your future. May God give you these problems and the character to navigate them effectively! Nehemiah had them. I'll let you read those later chapters in Nehemiah. They are interesting. His personal success was definitely on his mind. And we still refer to it today! Wow. His is truly an inspiring and informative account. May God bless you in 2009 and make you into the leader He's called you to be.     

Things Necessary for Leaders, part 5

Do the big thing. Big is the word. The big thing you do flows from your big gift. Your big gift, the biggest thing you are able to do, lights up your big dreams. The big expectations you have in life are rooted in your big dreams. By big gift, we mean here that thing you really have the talent and training for. Note the ongoing reality lesson of "American Idol." People with big delusions do not make it. If you can't sing well, you won't go far in a singing contest, no matter how much you "believe" in yourself. So, by saying "do the big thing" we are saying:

1) Know God. He wants our lives to matter. He puts in each of us a unique mix of potential, abilities, and experiences, which, if He is invited in faith to help Himself to, He can make much of. 

2) Know Yourself. What are you good at? What are your REAL talents and abilities? Have you developed them at all? Has your life prepared you? Nehemiah lived and worked in the presence of the highest grade leaders of his day. When the problem found him and he dared to pray, God had already immersed him in years of a certain type of leadership school, having been the cup bearer to the king. What about you?

3) Know Life. Do you understand that nothing replaces hard work and discipline? Or do you believe the commercials that say you can get 6-pack abs from pills or an electric belt you wear around your waist? If you haven't worked hard so far, you're in trouble. If you're not willing to do the hard work, you're going nowhere. If you are looking to others to open doors for you, they will remain shut. If you are blaming your lack of success on a lack of help from others, no one will help you. You get the picture. If you don't, then nothing more I write here will help. 

4) Know People. Nehemiah was not a jerk. This is important. I've encountered many people over the years who mistreat other people and expect success in life to follow. Theirs is a strange form of math. It doesn't add up. If you send nasty e-mails to someone, you won't win them over. If you lie to people, they won't trust you. If you take credit for the work of others, others will not want to continue working with you. If you disrespect leaders, you won't get their help or support. Nehemiah even treated his worst enemies with a certain grace. Read and you will see; he knew people. He knew how to rally the frustrated, recruit the help of kings, resist the attacks of foes, and reassure all that his was a mission from God. He didn't get mired in the petty. No one doubted that he had come to do the big thing!

How about you? 

Things Necessary for Leaders, Part 4

More on step 2: "Let the problem find you." If you have eyes to see a problem, you are already qualified to do something about it. Maybe that something is prayer. Maybe it is prayer plus action of some kind. How do you know the difference? The prayer will tell you. Actually the Lord will tell you through your prayer. If you pray and get peace about your response to a situation, the something you're supposed to do about the problem is pray and no more. Do not underestimate the power and importance of prayer. If, however, you pray and something stirs within you, you get more upset, you have to rush to find paper and pencil to write things down - this sort of thing - then God may be calling you to pray in order to take action concerning this problem. Nehemiah prayed. Action followed. If his task was to pray and no more, he would have remained a cup-bearer to the king. The minute he prayed his job was doomed. From one perspective, his life was over. The same thing can happen to you. They're right to say, "Be careful about what you pray for." Be sure you're prepared for life as you know it to end. Seriously.

Things Necessary for Leaders, part 3

This isn't a complete list, just a round up of Jesus-unique leadership insights that seem especially wonderful to me. There are four I'm interested in writing about. The first involves our work within. My first two entries in this series focused on this first insight. Here's the list of four insights:

1) Judge yourself.

2) Let a problem find you.

3) Do the big thing.

4) Survive success. 

We're on the second insight: letting a problem find you. Let the problem do more than find you; let it hunt you down. You won't take significant action unless something really bothers you. It's the Nehemiah principle. Read the first few chapters of Nehemiah. Nehemiah didn't just do the right thing. He did not merely do what should have been done; he did what he felt unbendingly compelled to do. He had a nearly pathological focus on his mission. So did Moses, David, and Paul. So did Jesus. 

Popular leadership literature often features vision as a driving force. I love most of what I've read, but I notice that until I understand how Nehemiah felt as he rode through the ruins of the walls of Jerusalem, and why he did this, I don't really understand what needs to stir in me if I am to truly lead. 

Notice that the problem found Nehemiah. It came his way. He received it, and then he responded. I think one of the most overlooked aspects of the story of Nehemiah's success is his initial reaction to things in the first handful of verses of chapter 1. He was AVAILABLE to be bothered by a combination of news and knowledge of what God wanted. He wasn't too busy. He didn't blame anyone else or point fingers away from himself. He entertained no excuses. Passion for action consumed self-interest. He wept, mourned, and prayed. He took the whole tragedy on himself, which is not something to do lightly. In fact, his own sense of being bothered was always greater than the bother of any people, friends or foes. What a key to effectiveness this is!

What's bothering you today?  

Things Necessary for Leaders, part 2

Self-examination is the key to all action. We all have the gift of a critical eye. The word "critic" is rooted in the word "judge." Judgment is the key to intelligent decision making. Such decision making begins best at home. It's not the other people in my home, either, it's me. If I don't like something about the world (or any specific arena within the world), I can only change it if I find the reason for it in myself. This is what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 7. This is what so many people seem to miss. It's a shame too, because this teaching of Christ's is among His most powerful and liberating. I'm not limited to cursing the evil in the world when I can find its source within myself and submit it to the cross of Christ. If I don't like how something is or isn't done, I first have to figure out my own role in it. We return to football. Notice the coaches. They yell. They criticize. They encourage. They discuss and dispute. The difference between them and people sitting 100 feet higher in the stadium is that they have taken responsibility for the outcome of the game. I know many people who have yet to take responsibility for their own lives, yet have much to say about others. Jesus teaches that this is backwards. If you want to change the world, or anything in the world, now, thanks to Jesus, you know where to start. It can be a pretty exciting adventure. And notice that the one who starts judgment at home, then has a voice in this world as well. Jesus was teaching us how to judge, not that we shouldn't judge. And, yes, leadership is certainly about judgment and having judgment.   

Things Necessary for Leaders

This may end up being a series of postings. Leadership is a much talked about thing. Beyond the talk are those who actually lead and the realities they must confront. This is where the interest is. To get to it, we first have to realize that "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" are not quarterbacks at all. Many people have opinions about what the quarterback (the leader) does after he (or she) does it, but this is radically different from actually being the quarterback. Being the quarterback is all that matters. Here's where the first problem exists for many who might have potential to lead; all "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" know that they are not on the field. They are not part of the game. They don't matter to the game. Few things are more discouraging to someone who cares about football (or whatever other analogy one wants to use for any area of life) than not mattering and having no influence on the outcome of the game. Imagine now, being someone who might actually have some talent for the game still sitting in the bleachers. This is what we have in America and in the church: many people who could do more are doing nothing ... and getting sore about it. Notice the responses left after news stories on the internet. Everyone has an opinion and many are very angry. Some of the anger, I think, stems from the frustration of insignificance. People who believe they don't matter are in pain. At its worst the maxim applies: hurting people hurt people.  

There's good news, though. There is a way to turn the frustration of insignificance around without letting it eat you up on the inside. It's a simple thing to observe in the lives of those who do take action and make a difference. Instead of evaluating the world, successful people evaluate themselves. They turn this energy inward. It's one of the lessons of Paul to the Corinthians framed by two verses:

1st Corinthians 11:28 - A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

2nd Corinthians 13:5a - Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith ...      

An honest self-appraisal is one of first things necessary for leaders because it's one of the first things necessary for everyone. This is a tough mountain for some people to climb. Insecurity and pride block self-honesty. People who fear their insignificance tend to be dishonest with themselves in order to protect themselves. Insignificance, then, breeds and feeds on itself. If you know someone suffering like this, pray for her or him. Jesus words in John 8:32 apply here: "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." What an encouragement this is.

The Doing

I just left a conversation where a teaching by another pastor was referred to. The teaching's point: our lives are the sum of what we do. In other words, what we do counts. I know it doesn't sound or read as very revolutionary, but there's meat here. James brought this out. Faith that works is faith that works. In my past, this would rile me up like a boot in my backside, but these days it serves my thinking in new ways. Nowadays, it is pure hope. When I'm frustrated or at a loss, I can always DO something. There's hope in the doing. 

I know, for someone like me, great care needs to be taken here. I've been sometimes justly accused of being a "human doing" instead of a human being. Nevertheless, what a simple source of hope action is. One can always take action. We learn this in the military. There's always one more thing you can do. This is why you usually don't hear pilots of crashing planes screaming when the "black box" recording is played back. They've been trained to keep trying to do something. They die working on the problem. Sometimes, too, they don't die. Sometimes the last thing tried works and the plane doesn't crash. 

There's hope in the doing.

Competing Sanctities?

The elections results are like a piercing light. When there's a sudden change from low light to bright light in a room, everything in the room comes into clear view. Christians in America are spinning from the changes. I've had conversations with people "confessing" they voted for Obama and others with people who seem to think that our pro-life cause is helped by dismissing anything positive about the election to presidency of an African-American. In some cases, abortion just doesn't matter anymore to people. I couldn't object more in my spirit to this than I do. In other cases, Christians seem to be wondering if embracing a new racism makes them more Christian. Ridiculous. The sanctities of life, marriage, and personhood are not in competition. Pro-life, pro-family, and racial reconciliation efforts are all part of a larger effort: that of obeying God. Political arenas - like all our horizontal arenas - reveal our vertical priorities. 

One of the things I've noticed this last week is the weakness of the pro-life convictions of many Christians. And I'm not talking about those who voted for Obama. I'm talking about those who see themselves as faithful to the pro-life cause. Their words, thoughts, and votes all line up, but ... they really don't seem to care about children. They embrace an issue, and that from safe distance. The weakness of the pro-life movement is that most involved are unwilling to offer more than token support: their liability is limited. Bring up adoption, and this becomes clear. I pray for a change of heart for the church of Christ ... for the sake of children ... whose welfare is the point of the abortion debate.

Competing sanctities show that expressed values may not be authentic. In the case of the church of Jesus Christ in America, it is clear that we've allowed our opponents in the critical culture debates to remove God from the conversation. Once God is not the issue, anything goes, and sanctities end up competing with one another because they do not have God behind them. 

The Joy of Voting

I'm an American today. I voted. 

Saturday I watched - from the commander's window overlooking the base - a hearse carry home the remains of Marine Captain Trevor J. Yurista. It brought back, with more force and suddenness than I was ready for, memories of my years as a chaplain at Dover AFB, working in the mortuary and praying for families over flag-draped coffins. Thoughts of Capt. Yurista's family and the apparently great life he lived combine with hundreds of versions of the same story where I played a role greater than that of observer. These memories force me to vote. To not vote would be to personally dishonor every fallen soldier our country ever lost. Our right to vote is protected and provided by God through our military, that and every other aspect of American life covered by the Constitution. No military, no vote, no America. I'm sure not everyone feels this way, but I can't help it. I am reassured by the fact that Jesus Himself held military members in such high regard, as they did Him. As I voted and then watched Shannon vote, I held Kelsie (soon 3 years old), who watched in wonder. I told her how important it all was, and that she was an American. Voting would someday be her privilege and responsibility. Her attention was then captured by the playground she saw through the window of the polling station and there we went. 

God bless America. 

The White House

Five years ago this week, I spoke at the White House Christian Fellowship. It is the flagship Bible study of the White House, one of seven they had back then, one of 25 within the administration. I spoke about Acts 15 - the study was titled "The Good Fight." The end of the hour featured White House staffers asking me a lot of questions about my work at Dover Air Force Base and about the war. They asked me outright if I thought the troops were behind the war. Shannon and I were given a little tour of parts of the administration that most folks don't get to see. 

One thing is for sure: no one back then could have predicted the state of the world and the nation today. The war continues. We are still in Iraq! The presidential election campaign is what no one ever thought it would or could be. Barak Who? The world economy is melting like the witch at the end of The Wizard of Oz. Wow, it's something to look back at yesterday's future and compare it to the reality of today. 

I wonder how many Bible studies there are now, or will be next year at this time? 

Politics and Wilberforce, a bit of a rant

Think Wilberforce. This is what I have to remind myself of. 

Politics are dirty. The candidates I see are patchworks of media. I don't know them. I must pray for every single one. The Christian way of influence is to love all, especially via prayer. I pray for each one. 

Politics are confusing. Who knows who will stand. If the "wrong one" gets into office, who knows he or she is really the "wrong one." People change. God says so. Prayer is the key. God is in charge. 

Politics are pointless. What good is my vote? Well, the problem with our nation and our world is not a problem of politics, but a problem of heart. Generally speaking, abortion, among other leading social problems, is a problem because people - incredibly selfish, animalistic people - want sex when they want it and on their own terms. It's not that people want the right to abort. They want the right to ... well, you know. And by people, I mean every last single one of us. Go through the catalog of ALL our other social problems and you will find that they are ALL rooted in personal sin as the Bible defines it. People want what they want. They have since Genesis 3. God help people. 

Slavery existed because it could. There's less of it now, certainly around these parts. This must mean one last thing: politics are spiritual! Ultimately, God is the issue. We can't call a nation or a world who doesn't believe in Him to honor Him. Our first task as Christians is to offer faith, as instruments in God's hands, to a world dying to hear ... literally. William Wilberforce said, "when we think of eternity, and of the consequences of all human conduct, what is there in this life that should make any man contradict the dictates of his conscience, the principle of justice, the laws of religion, and of God?"

A New President

Whether you know it or not, whether you accept it or not, a new president will bring change to your personal life. The questions surrounding this are questions of degree only. Leadership creates environments. History has us at a strange juncture due to the downturn of not just the world economy, but human culture itself. This means that the environment created by a new president and all those who fall in under him will be that much more immediate. A few of the things I think you will notice changes in:

1) What is on your televisions and computers. Everything media, from situation-comedies to blogs will be different. In the case of this election, what amounts to drama will shift from stories about individuals to stories about groups and communities at a higher rate than we're already experiencing. There will be less about conflicts between people and more about conflicts between people and climate, poverty, disease, and the like. In other words, the human story itself will change in narrative content from Cain vs. Abel stories to Noah vs. the flood stories.

2) What you find on the shelves of your stores. The buying habits of America flow from the leadership habits in Washington. If this recession is teaching us anything, it is that government and business are really one and the same. It doesn't matter anymore if one philosophically objects to this. Conservatism is dead at the hands of those elected as conservatives. Every purchase is a vote and every vote has a price tag and is for a product. The green movement will show up in our homes and on our tables like never before. People will forego items that promise luxury for items that promise survival and - the new big word - sustainability.

3) What is preached from all pulpits of all monotheistic religions. The messages of faith will turn from self-actualization to community authenticity. Christians, I think, will especially notice the trend away from personal development spirituality toward community involvement spirituality. In fact, I wonder if some of our giant personal development ministries will have to close or retool. I think difficult times will do two things to "name-it-and-claim-it" preaching and theology: 1) make it more offensive to more people and 2) make it more audacious for those who stick with it. I've seen both first hand in Africa.

I'm not sure how good or bad such changes are. Many of them may be better in hindsight a century from now than they are to live through in the next years. I'm not certain about how my thoughts here will match up with the actual future, but I am certain that change - so promised in this election cycle - is, in fact, exactly what we're going to get with a new president. 

The Great Depression?

Many have been comparing our world's present financial troubles with the "Great Depression" of the 30's. It's interesting how we're always trying to define our present with the past. I, for one, think the comparison is a stretch. It's like comparing America's military experience of the war in Iraq with Vietnam. In Iraq, we're in between 4,000 and 5,000 of our military dead in a war that is now past 5 years old. We lost 10 times this many in Vietnam, maybe more. The comparison between them is thin. The other major 20th Century wars count their dead in the millions. The other day I read that Greenwich, CT, the home of many Wall Street types who may now be trying to wear disguises if they go out in public, is referring to the present financial turmoil as their 9/11, their Katrina, their Tsunami. Wow. Talk about a stretch. As I look over the landscape of our present woes, I sense something different than tragedy. I sense the truth. The truth is coming out. Financial lies are being exposed. They say it's all about confidence. Much of what people are losing confidence in is ... fraud. Maybe this is a good thing to lose confidence in. In John 8, Jesus says that the truth will set us free. I wonder if freedom will be an unexpected fruit of the declining stock market. I wonder how many people may actually live better lives, now that the money game they were investing themselves in has run out of gas. I wonder how many children will have parents again. I wonder how many neighbors will start caring for each other again. I wonder how many people will start living for what matters. I wonder how full the churches will get, if things get really bad. I wonder how many people will - upon losing what they see as everything - find faith in Christ. I wonder. What some say will be another Great Depression maybe actually be a great revival. We'll see.   

Manage Energy, Not Time

I've heard and read much about time management. I wish I could say I've been helped by it. I really haven't. I recently saw this title: "Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time," on a list of books I should buy or borrow. Though I eventually got into the material and it was valuable, the title alone helped me immensely. Manage your energy. not your time. This is exactly right. It's not just physical energy either. It's creative energy and, for lack of a better word, "thinking" energy. Mental energy is what I mean. The things that drain it are everywhere. Checking the news on the Internet more than 5 times a day will do this. So will living through days that are repeats of prior days. If you are living a "Groundhog Day" life, you are losing energy. Boredom is exhausting. This is probably why traditional time management techniques are so limited in their outcomes. They are industrial and mechanical in their approach. They might save time on paper, but they do not save what makes time valuable. The key is to live an interesting life. It is our responsibility to make sure we do.  A safe, predictable, risk-free life often turns out to be an unproductive life. Worse yet is a life aiming for these things. When we call Jesus our Lord, we mean to call Him our manager. Pray that He will manage and redeem your time and your energy, so that you live a life that is interesting to Him and because of Him.

Rejections and Creativity

So, if this book of mine ever gets published, it looks like I'll have that typical testimony. I'll be able to tell people not to give up when they get down. I'll be able to list the number of rejections I received before I got my first contract. Right now, I'm resubmitting more material to one publisher, so that's not quite a rejection, but I do also have nine big, fat, juicy, confirmed rejections from some of the best known Christian publishers in the world. I know it's not enough for a good, tear-jerking story yet, but each one stinks. As I drink the cup of each rejection, I remind myself of one universal, undeniable truth: nothing of value is ever done outside the reach of rejection. From politics to art, from ministry to literature, rejection is nothing less than the soul-carving force of God. It, and sometimes I think it alone, is responsible for the best work that people anywhere ever do. The sting of rejection is necessary. Without it, there is no spark of creative excellence. This truth is more than something we tell ourselves when we fail. It is a barometer of how clear our view of reality is. If I somehow believe, because of my faith or some other distinguishing characteristic, that I have immunity from rejection, I am fooling myself. Ironically, I am also setting myself up for more and deeper rejection. Let me accept the rejection I have. Let me own it, so I don't sow the seeds for more of it. How about you? Rejection (or any other kind of failure) is in the eye of the rejected. What are being called to own?    

Currents

Soon, my sister Kathleen will be embarking on a round-the-world sailing adventure. Winds and currents are not things she and her sailing partner can take lightly. The winds and currents of life are the same. In my case, lately, the winds and currents have pushed the boat of my life in some interesting places. I won't write about the details, but some reading this who know me and know what's going on in our church know some of them. They involve expectations and plans. For example, I expected some new staff members in our church and some old ones to stay, but our staff is much smaller today than it was 6 months ago. This changes things. At the same time, I have more opportunities than I have ever had. All of it adds up to more work ... unless I step back. And here's the key. It's the key for me and anyone else going through something similar. A poor sailor fights the winds and currents; a skilled one harnesses them. In the days to come, I cannot decide to work harder or more. This will surely wear me out. I have to prayerfully interpret the currents in my life. God is sovereign after all. He directs the winds and currents at sea and in life. What does He want me do? The answer is not more. It might actually be less. If more is all I come up with, then I haven't prayed or thought enough about my situation. Ask the same question for yourself if winds and currents are playing strange tricks on your life. Lord, what do you want me to do now?  

 

Corners

Life sometimes feels like a series of surprises. We walk forward, turn the corner, and see something unexpected. My Caribbean cruise ended up in Newport, Rhode Island to avoid a hurricane. Sarah Palin is John McCain's running mate. The government now owns and runs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Unrelated to all this is the local news that Goodwill Church's building project is now funded. Hindsight sees the logic and even the predictability of changes, both in the news and in our personal lives, but living through them is always surprising. Who knows what's around the next corner? Whatever changes come can be described factually. The surprise comes in how they feel. Change is emotional. When Jesus was telling his disciples about his upcoming death, and it was days away instead of off in the future, it seems like they balked emotionally. It was supposed to be good news. He was going to "prepare a place" for us (John 14), but the feel of it was confusing. For many of us, navigating the emotions tied to change is tough. It doesn't matter if the changes are good or bad. The dialogs in John 14 and in other parts of the gospels give us clues as to how to deal with change emotionally. The disciples asked Jesus questions. We can do the same. If you struggle with change today, ask Jesus about it. With an open Bible in front of you, listen for the voice of God in the Word of God. In John 14, Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Change, good and bad, troubles our hearts. God knows it and comforts us with His Word.   

A Lesson from Politics

It's interesting to watch the growing profile of the upcoming presidential election. The conventions increase this. It is on everyone's mind, if only a little more than usual, for the next two months or so. And it all ends in a choice. This means that everything we hear from every source is designed to convince us to vote for one candidate or the other. In fact, we're told repeatedly that this one choice we make is critical. Faith is often presented this way, with the choice of Jesus as Savior presented as the touchpoint. Certainly, it is. Less so, but still important, is the choice America makes in November between Obama and McCain. There's more to the future, however, than just one day's choice. Here's where elections and altar calls fail us. There's always a day after. There are always more choices. The election results in November are limited in their ability to reveal what the future will bring. Candidates change once they are elected. No one, not even the candidate, can predict what these changes will be or what they will bring. I've watched many people come to Christ over the years. Putting aside theological considerations, let me make a statement: some make it and some don't. You just can't tell if the tear-filled eyes of a new convert to Christ will see a life of faithfulness to Christ. Perhaps they will look elsewhere and move on. So many do. This is a lesson politics teaches us. The direction of all our decisions confirms or denies the direction of one decision, even a decision for Christ. What are your thoughts on this? What decisions are you making today and what do they say about what you really believe?   

Reading

Reading is the key to learning and knowledge. Reading the Bible is literally as important to me as eating food or breathing air. I need it to live. Other reading - the reading of good books - is also tremendously important to me. I moved from preaching 4 services a weekend to 6 in February 2008, as part of what we're calling a "60 week sacrifice." By Easter 2009 we hope to be in our new building; we won't have so many services then, at least not so many that I preach at. Since the "60 week sacrifice" began, I've noticed a reduction in the amount of other reading I do. I hope to counter this soon.

Here's 4 reasons why this other reading matters to me: 

1) When I read a well written book, I get the best of what that author has to give me. No other media can hope to offer as much in quality and heart as literature. Film, internet, music and anything else that requires electricity to work can and usually does get caught up in itself.  A book must deliver. Its content must validate it. Only cool cover art can help it, otherwise.

2) Reading is thinking. Most of us, when we read, actually think through the words that our eyes are passing over. If we don't, we miss it. Media like television are not so demanding. One can easily turn one's brain off to enjoy television. Books, on the other hand, never reward a blank stare.

3) Reading is feeling. Instead of the background music telling you how to feel, like in television or film, you have to conjure up the emotions yourself when you are reading. The emotional interaction with a book, then, is authentic. This authenticity is not only good for your brain, but also good for your soul.

4) Reading is relating. We read to know we are not alone. Reading, like nothing else, staves off experiences of loneliness. Other media offer better escape and entertainment, but do nothing for one's sense of being alone. Every good author writes for only one reader at a time. The connection a reader and an author make is undeniably credible, especially when the book is good.

What are your thoughts and experiences of reading? Is what you're doing now reading? Does the internet rise to this level? I hope so.

God's Vice President

God has no vice president. He doesn't need to find just the right one to make up for His perceived weaknesses or vulnerabilities. He doesn't need ensure that His number two is vetted and media tested. He has no need for a vice president, since no assassin can begin to imagine harming Him in any way. In a world of imperfection, where the writer of Ecclesiastes is right to say that we despise wisdom even after benefitting from it (9:13-18), it is good to know that there is One who needs no support or vote of confidence. Much talk about mixing politics and religion has been inspired by Rick Warren's TV show featuring both Presidential candidates. It is interesting. Still, it's reassuring to look up and see no changes in Heaven. There are no debates in God's courts. There are no contenders for His position. Whatever answers He gives to whatever questions we have are so right that they must be recorded forever as absolute truth. God asks no one for permission to be God. God has no term limits. He never needs to see how things "play in Peoria." He never needs a spin doctor, even though this is exactly what some who operate in His Name seem to act like. He doesn't need secret service agents or a bullet proof car. He doesn't need, period. 

God doesn't need a vice president, but, if you spend enough time in His Word, it almost feels like He's looking for one anyway. The extent to which He wants to operate with and through forgiven believers is astounding, don't you think? Do you ever wonder why He straps His agenda and glory to the exploits of the kind of people we see roaming around our churches, the kind of people we are? Just look at His choice of apostles. Who were these guys? Jesus did the opposite of what we see our nation doing in the presidential race. Did He choose only those who failed a background check? And then the authority and position He gave to them was downright frightening. He seems to have done more than make each one vice president. He said in John 14:12: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these ..." Wow.

A Theology of Rest

I'm on vacation for a while now and have a two month sabbatical coming up at the beginning of next year. Both vacations and sabbaticals look great from a distance. When they actually begin, things look different. What do I do now? One thing I know: doing nothing is not restful. Rest is not inactivity. Rest is something which must be planned and engaged in. My 19-day vacation is one thing. A 60-day sabbatical is entirely another. There are all kinds of things on my to-do and goal lists: ministry at church, in the Air Force, via writing projects. All are challenging and involved. None, for me, come close to the challenge of rest. The Elders at Goodwill didn't know it when they "ordered" me to schedule a sabbatical, but they are forcing me to develop a theology of rest. Here's what I think I know so far about it:

1) The Bible concept of Sabbath is not marginal to healthy faith. It is central.

2) God, who doesn't need rest like He's designed us to, nevertheless, rests.

3) Rest and sabbath remind us that we are not in control, we are not indispensable, we are not what we do, we are not here forever, we can't keep up any pace forever, we can't maintain any activity forever, and we can't ignore the real cost of living: the spiritual-emotional cost each of us pays every hour of every day during life on this earth.

4) Rest doesn't have to be fun to be rest, especially at first.

5) Sabbath is designed by God to be part of a rhythm of life. He commands us to have this rhythm in life. Chaos and confusion are never His preference and often a warning that we have drifted too far away from Him.

6) God (like the Session of Goodwill Church!) will force rest on those who do not take it. 

What do you think? Do you have any contributions or thoughts concerning a theology of rest?  

Olympic Pressure and the Power of Nerves

The Olympics are fascinating. Watching the women's gymnastic competition (via "Tivo" since I fell asleep for it last night), I noticed the negative power of nerves. If you watch Michael Phelps swim, you see a calm demeanor combined with a relentless focus. The commentators even talk about how his face is relaxed and how important this is. The now famous loss of the French to the Americans in that amazing relay race is also credited to the French anchor tensing up in his last lap. Last night (or yesterday in China), Alicia Sacramone of the American gymnastics team fell off the balance beam and never regained her composure. She tried so hard. She tried too hard. She stopped having fun. You could see it in her face. It had nothing to do with her ability; she's clearly one of the best gymnasts in the world. The Chinese didn't beat her, her nerves did. It's an amazing lesson that sports at the Olympic level teaches us. The best performance always comes with being relaxed, not tense. Victory comes with the marriage of intense focus and deep mental peace. In Isaiah 30:15 it says that "in repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." Being quiet and being strong go together. When we're uptight, we lose focus, and not just on the balance beam or in the swimming pool. When we're not quiet on the inside, we can't do our best on the outside. Nothing weakens us like the noise of nerves. If we don't have a peace that transcends our circumstances, our circumstances get the upper hand. May God make you quiet today and may all of us be able to see it on your face.    

Thoughts on the Military

Looking through a pile of memorabilia yesterday, I stumbled across a few medals of mine from a few years ago. One detailed that I had been part of the support team for 19 military-related mass casualty incidents. It reminded me of all that I have seen over the years, especially since 9/11/01. Here are various things related to this that most people might not know:

1) When a bomb explodes, people don't fly through the air, like in the movies. Instead, it's pieces of people.

2) Statements of support for people serving in the military often sound better to those offering them than those receiving them.

3) Most of the best stories of honor and heroism in the military remain untold. For example, the mortuary at Dover is the scene of almost daily honor. People working there do their utmost to offer behind-the-scenes comfort to families of fallen soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines. No one knows.

4) For many, it's impossible to re-enter life after being deployed. Instead, they have to put together a new life using the ingredients of the one they left behind. Someone who has seen combat or who has had related experiences should not be expected or told to "get over it."

5) All have Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). It's the "D" in PTSD that's the problem. The "D" stands for disorder.

6) Much of military service is routine. It's about filling out forms and waiting in line more often than the media portrays.

7) So far, with today's wars, most people in the military are safe. They won't be killed or wounded, but they will still pay a price that many people back home simply will never understand.

8) The families left back home need much more love, care, and attention than they are getting. If we "support the troops," we should show it by supporting their families more.

9) There are many parts of military service that are more significant, exciting, challenging, and satisfying than they look in the media. For many people, it's a life calling they hold close to their hearts. There really are still patriots.

What are your thoughts on all this?         

Vision and Information

Many people seek more information about something they feel a calling to. Education is seen as the key to progress. Excess information and education, however, often turn out to be fatal to vision. I have often watched this cycle: 1)Someone gets hold of something God wants them to do; 2)They research it, which, because of the availability and amount of information and education available today, becomes a time-consuming task; 3)They get mired down in a high volume of information, education, and options; 4)The process looses steam. It's hard to do one thing to help one person when your mind is full of information about people all over the world who need all kinds of help. Having too many options is paralyzing. 

I've found that sometimes it's fear that inspires a quest for more information. If you have a call on your life, respond by seeking action first, not information. You don't need to learn more to obey God. You will learn as you obey God. Be more afraid of not starting than of making mistakes. I write this not for people who are wondering about career choices, but more for people like myself, who are all set to "do something" for God. Sometimes, I feel stuck because there is so much to do. If I'm lost in options, I have to stop, go back, and hear again from God with a will poised to respond immediately with action. If I'm chasing more information like a dog chases his tail, I have to get my eyes back on Christ and off of my tail! Courage comes in the doing, not in the planning. Education is not a replacement for character. There are times when gathering more information is merely a form of procrastination.   

Ten Years

Today, August 2nd, is the ten year anniversary of my ordination and installation as pastor of Goodwill Church in Montgomery, NY. (I feel like I've already talked too much about this.) I served communion twice tonight, and will five times tomorrow - once at a military base for only a handful gathered to worship. It's a humbling, yet satisfying thing. It may seem small to others, but it can't for me. This weekend, I preach the word of God: Habakkuk 1. I pray. I greet people at the door. I am a simple Christian pastor. Today and tomorrow together I will be so for about a thousand people in total, I suppose.  

The Power of Small Adjustments (or "Run, Forrest, Run!")

It was May 22, 2000 and I had just finished a Tres Dias weekend as a spiritual director. I had eaten too much and felt disgusting. I ran regularly since my high school track team days, but decided to make a small adjustment. Without fanfare, I decided to run once a day from this day on. It wasn't a big promise I made to myself or to God, just a small adjustment, and I've not missed a day in over 8 years. Sometimes the running gets serious and I train for marathons. Most of the time it's just a fun way of getting outside, even in blizzards, even in Africa! I know it's not for everyone, but for me it is a great blessing. It's OK that someday my streak will end. I'm in a little better shape physically, but a lot better shape mentally. My daily run feels like part of my devotions now. In ten years as a pastor, I think the power of small adjustments in life like this ranks near the top of the list of valuable things I've learned. Small changes for good are the secret ingredients of a changed life. What small adjustments can you make that may have a big impact on your life and the lives of those around you?

Am I Related to Dara Torres?

Well, probably not, but I'm definitely rooting for her. At 41, Dara Torres is defying the "rule" of age in her quest for Olympic swimming gold in Beijing. This is good for everyone, I think. Starting next Friday, her story will be one of hundreds that I and millions of others watch and follow. And it's not the swimming or other sports that draw our fascination. It's the competition. Competition of this scale delivers high levels of suspense and drama. It is the stuff of life. All who seek excellence have eyes and ears for it. Yet, on one level, the Olympics are meaningless or worse, especially if one focuses on the human rights violations and political dishonesty they represent. But the spiritual fire of pure competition still carries the day. It still merits our time and attention. Iron sharpens iron. The central story of humanity in my view - the account of the cross of Christ - is a record of overcoming. In a sense, the entire Bible is written specifically to those who overcome. Others can't read it fully; they don't feel included in all the instructions and commands. Life is a competition between the sinful, selfish, lazy natural man that I am without Christ as my Lord and the new man He makes me. Even when I'm told the outcome, I want to watch from edge of my seat. Everything hangs in the balance. Today, I may not be swimming for gold, but, then again ...    

Peculiar Day Off

It was strange, this Monday morning, to transition from VBS with over 200 kids singing, screaming, and having a good time to the opening of the Vet Center in Middletown, NY, where I prayed both an opening and closing prayer in my BDU's (the camouflage uniform). U.S. Congressmen, A New York Senator, the Orange County Supervisor, and others were there lending good support, but the stars in my eyes were the Vet Center workers. These people from all over have dedicated their lives to helping veterans, especially with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Now I'm home salvaging what little I can from a supposed day off, listening to Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" and drinking different flavors of Tassimo coffee. I shook the hands of Congressman Hall and Congressman Hinchey a few hours ago. These same hands were clapping with 200 kids to the beat of the newest fun kids' praise songs hours before that. Now they are ironing.  Somebody spoke to me yesterday between church services and said I was like a celebrity. Peculiar. Right now, I'm ironing and probably the only person in Orange County NY this instant listening to 20th classical music. I'm many things, but not a celebrity. Some days off are more peculiar than others.     

Are controversies today's incubator for inquiry?

Although traffic to this blog isn't tremendous yet, I expect it will grow. One reason: controversies. What I do represents several crossroads of debate in society (chaplaincy, generally) and in the Christian church (pastorate, generally). Here are a few issues people ask me about regularly that I'm assuming will make their way into this venue before too long:

In Society:

1) Is it right for Christians to serve in the military?

2) How do Evangelical Christian chaplains deal with pluralism (the cooperative coexistence of many religions) and social trends (such as homosexuals serving in the military)?

3) What should Christians think about our present wars and the politics surrounding them?

4) What are the sides of this war and war in general that we're not seeing?

5) What about abortion, capital punishment, the environment, the election ...?  

In the Church:

1) Which is right, Calvinism or Arminianism?

2) Which is right, Continuationism or Cessationism?

3) "I saw preacher so-and-so on TV last night and he said such-and-such. It sounded crazy to me, what do you think?"

4) What about women in ministry? (or ... Which is right, Complementarianism or Egalitarianism?)

5) What does the Bible really say about ... ?

These are just a beginning. Here's a link to a site I like and a more thorough list of "touchy issues" inspiring conversations in some corners of the world and the church:

http://www.theologicalstudies.citymax.com/page/page/1572472.htm

I'm not sure how timely my responses to inquiry will be, but I can promise to eventually respond to all relevant questions and to be as gracious a forum host as possible. The internet affords us this interesting way of learning and expressing our views. It is today's Mars Hill. I believe controversy can be an incubator for inquiry and even friendship. Jesus certainly never shied away from it. Neither did any of His followers in Scripture. God bless you in your search for answers. 

New York Weather

We have it all. There are bitterly cold days and excruciatingly hot days. There are dry days and wet days, like today. There are sunny days and overcast days. Sometimes the weather is mild, sometimes it's dangerous. As a civilian, I've traveled to Africa, Eastern Europe, and various Caribbean islands in recent years. I lived in Western Europe for four years. So far, nothing matches New York weather. Despite our proximity to New York City, it is green and lush here, unlike so many other parts of the world. A group returned from Israel yesterday. Almost all of them commented on how dry and rocky the land of milk and honey was. One person said, "John, we live in the land of double honey." I agree. It's the variety I think is sweetest. Life can be so repetitive. Having a full palette of weather experiences is a blessing and a challenge from God. We need both blessing and challenge from God in order to be most fully alive. The old saying that Christians throw at each other - "God will never give you more than you can handle" - may actually mean that we think He comes close. I know some may bristle at this idea, but it is actually best if He does come close. It's sometimes even better if He crosses that line of what we think we can handle. In our part of the world, and in many other parts of the world, He sometimes uses weather for this. Today's rain, like the hot sun earlier this week, is a reminder to turn to and lean on eternity's Creator, who will often give you MORE than you can handle. The truth is He will never give you more than He can handle.        

The Pursuit of Humility

A long time ago, a mentor encouraged me to "explore humility." I've spoken about this numerous times from the pulpit. It brings at least a smile from people, if not a laugh. I smile too. When I first heard the counsel, though, I misheard it. I thought he told me to "pursue humility." This mishearing fits me, eh? So, I began the task of "pursuing humility," but was grateful when my mentor briskly corrected me. Explore, John. Don't pursue. Yesterday, I began training again for a marathon. I ran about 8 miles at a faster than normal for me pace. It wiped me out. I could feel the hills like never before. I thought, as I trudged through my last mile, almost all uphill: "Now, this is the pursuit of humility!" I think anytime we are working hard and challenged, the Holy Spirit is able to use the challenge like the finest of artists uses the finest of paints. Difficulty is the substance with which God does His greatest work in our lives. Perhaps this is why the cross is the central symbol of Christian faith. After finishing my run yesterday I felt humbled; I understood reality and knew I needed all God is to me and has for me to navigate through it. This is humility: to know I need God. I felt it. I also felt great. So, with all due respect to my mentor, I think I'll keep on pursuing humility!

Weddings and the Gospel

Shannon and I were blessed at the wedding we were at last night. After the wedding, at the reception, we received many positive and surprised comments on my officiating and on the couple getting married. This kind of surprise is common. It's the gospel. In the unguarded environment of a joyful Christian wedding, I think, some people hear it for the first time. There is nothing like it. The Gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ - when properly heard - is more than just heard: it's experienced. The couple and large portions of their families (I'll leave all nameless for privacy's sake) were powerful examples of people living in the blessings of God because they trust Christ alone for life, life abundant, and life eternal. It was truly a Christian wedding, and not just in name only. (Think about what I'm saying here and you'll get what I mean.) My experience of being a pastor includes hundreds of such days over the past ten years. Watching people's eyes soften and light up after hearing about God-sized hope that is suddenly put within their reach is inspiring. I write this to remind myself. There are lots of things pastors can and do complain about. God's faithfulness to His Word is not one of them. 

Keeping Hold of Life

Shannon and I were at a wedding rehearsal and the dinner afterwards last night.  It was all very nice and had for all in attendance the feeling of arrival. The couple and both families could sit back at the sumptuous meal we were enjoying and appreciate all their work and steady commitment to Christian life that brought them to this moment. What a gratifying moment for a pastor. Hours before this, Shannon and I visited a young woman in the hospital who was quite clearly spared from death the day before in a car accident. Again, a young woman of faith and her family, despite an entirely different set of emotions, could turn to God and say "thanks." I know many marriages end in divorce. I know sometimes young Christian women die in car accidents. I know sometimes four-year-old daughters of seminary students end up with a cancerous brain tumors. Yet, in spite of all that can threaten life, in Christ the weakest of us can keep hold of it. No matter what your circumstances, may your grip on life today be as strong as God.   

Benign or Malignant

No phone call is better. I was driving back, 2 hours into a 12 hour drive when Dan called with the news. The tumor was benign. We were overjoyed. A day later this has been "updated." Now it is malignant, stage 1 cancer - slow growing but still the "C" word. A beautiful little four year old girl with tubes everywhere and parent who are exhausted in every way wonder what's next. Nothing changed except what it was called. We have faith in the labels we give things. Benign is a blessed label and malignant is cursed, but a label is not the reality, only how it is described. I saw a church sign on the way back, somewhere in Ohio, that read: "Worry is the dark room where negatives are developed." Sometimes perspective matters more than reality. I know that naysayers to faith say us believers are all perspective and no reality, but they don't know what it is to have faith when perspective and reality are lined up together on the side of the opposition. It truly is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Have faith today and pray for Andrea and her parents. 

Grand Rapids

I'm here in Grand Rapids to visit and be with Dan and Letha.  It was a 12 hour drive - very scenic. Andrea looks great ... all things considered.  Everyone's tired.  Such emotional and spiritual roller coaster rides are intensely draining.  One conclusion so far: prayer works.  Keep on praying. Prayer is not our last resort; it is our only resort.

Thanks for praying.   

Praying for Andrea Fritzsch and Her Parents

She's four years old and while her family was away on vacation, they discovered that she had a large brain tumor that was so large and serious that they needed to perform surgery right away. No going home. So, life for the Fritzsch family has pulled into the breakdown lane as they today begin a 4 to 5 day wait after a day's worth of surgery yesterday to remove the tumor. They're waiting to see if it's cancer or not and what to do next. Pray for Dan and Letha (Dad and Mom) as they walk through this valley. Dan is a seminary student and pastoral intern of a church under the care of the church I pastor. He's got a year left; his adopted church loves him and is preparing to call him as their pastor. It's been a hard couple of years and now this. One can go a thousand different directions with the emotions associated with the trial they're enduring. There's only one direction that helps, and that's right into hands and care of a Sovereign God. So many people these days do the opposite. They use pain and hardship to justify their disdain for God. "If God is so good ..." they rant. The anguish behind the rant is entirely valid, and, according to Psalms, God is no stranger to people bitterly complaining to Him about Him. But to pull away from God is to add to any tragedy. I'm grateful for the sermon that Dan and Letha are preaching right now through their tears and questions. It helps me and all the rest of us deal with the fear we feel at such news as theirs. It helps us believe even when circumstances mock our belief. Please pray for Andrea, Dan, Letha, big sister Eryn, and the rest of their family. Here's a link to Andrea's Care Page, if you want more information:

http//:www.carepages.com/ServeCarePage?cpn=AndreaFritzsch&ipc=pinviteemailtemplate

Summer Mornings

The beauty of the sun on my deck this morning and the harmony of what my eyes see with what the Scripture says (Proverbs 3:18) have inspired the third name change of this brand new blog of mine. It was "Last Pastor Standing." This was inspired by a sad story of an old friend of mine who is a pastor. He has been crushed in more ways than one can imagine by this vocation. I'm still reeling from finding out about this a few days ago. Maybe someday, with permission, I'll share his story and my thoughts on it. After this, I named it "if only I may finish the race ..." from Acts 20:24, which is one of my favorite verses having to do with ministry and, for me, the pastorate. Now it's "The Full Light of Day." I like this because it challenges my pessimism and calls me to be a Biblical grown up about my perspective. I'm a very old Generation Xer who still fights my generation's trend towards criticizing everything and doing nothing.  

Speaking of doing nothing, this blog is definitely overdue. I know that two thousand people at or connected to the church I serve, two thousand people at or connected to the base I serve, all the people who listen to my radio programs in the Northeast United States and beyond, all the people in the area of the church and base, all the people who will read a book of mine I hope to have published soon on the church (The 22nd Century Church), and the people who want to investigate the kinds of things I stand for and work in the name of all deserve to be able to ask me questions and dig into my life and thinking.  

It's the book that started things going here. I've had incredible opportunities in the world of Christian publishing thanks to an amazing agent who I won't name here yet.  A Who's Who of this world (the CBA world - Christian Booksellers Asssocation, I think it means) have given my proposal a read-through and rejected me for now. One complaint on their part is a lack of platform on my part. It's actually their main complaint. I just haven't wanted this kind of exposure or scrutiny. So now, with this blog, among other things, I have to come out in the 'full light of day' and let people ask me about Jesus, the Bible, life, the military, the war(s), other religions, theology, the pastorate, and anything else they want. It's not that I'm the expert, but I am one resource. I'm willing. I just ask that even if you totally disagree with me on everything that we be kind and compassionate to one another. Life is shorter than I want it to be and I'm not as tough as I want to be to deal with vitriol.  (Isn't that a cool word?) 

Have a great day. I hope where you are the sunshine is as brilliant as it is here. May the righteous one of Proverbs 3:18 - His Name is Jesus Christ - shine ever brighter in your heart, life and mind.    

Opening Prayer

If you're spending your time reading this ... I'm grateful. My prayer for you is that God would bless your life. You may be a believer in Christ or hostile to the gospel. Regardless, I invite you to relax. Eventually, my prayer is that the links and posts on this site will be a rich, valuable resource for you. If you're a pastor, I'm very interested in making a difference in your life. I'm a pastor. Welcome. I'm praying for you ... and that's something ... it really is.