Leadership based on call
Posted by wall2build in English on April 14, 2010
What to do if as a leader you feel called to liberate a nation that is under the oppression of a current empire? You probably want to take it easy. Just forget about the call per se and go out and get married, have a family and live a normal life. Just do the things you do with excellence and try to meet God in his own place (Exodus 2:15). Moses confronted with this dilemma run out of Egypt and went into the land of Midian probably looking for his ancestors and also looking for the God of his ancestors (Exodus 3:1). It is in Horeb, in God’s mountain where he met God and received his commission to go back to Egypt and rescue God’s people, his people.
The first priority of the leader is to encounter God. It is God who knows when people are ready, in this particular case; it was both Israel and Egypt that needed to be ready. When Moses tries the first time neither were ready. Israel was oppressed but not to the point of asking for God’s help, and Egypt was also not ready for the Lord to intervene on them. Effective leadership is not based on need, it is based on call. The need was there and Moses saw it but if he were to persist in leading based solely on the need he saw, he probably would just get kill. Instead he undergoes transformation. This is actually harder to do. Sometimes it is easier to transform reality so it conforms to our views and satisfactions. It is much harder to be willing and able to transform ourselves in order to see reality from different vantage points.
Because effective leadership is based on call, the main outcome is not what the leader can do or what he or she can accomplish. The main outcome is what the leader becomes in the process of taking on the call and fulfilling his or her mandate. In the case of Moses, whoever edited that last words in the book of Deuteronomy “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (34:10). Then the text ponder over the mighty deeds that Moses performed before Egypt and Israel. By knowing the God of his ancestors Moses knew what his God could do through him if he be willing to obey and follow His direction. There is of course a big difference between knowing God “face to face” and thinking that one knows God. One such example we can see in the high priest Caiaphas who being in the place of Moses and standing in front of the Lord and thinking of himself as on the Lord’s side ended up as his chief enemy. “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death” (Matthew 26:59). Jesus answers to them in Luke “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? Everyday I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour – when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:52-53). I myself tremble when I compare these passages. I have thought in the past, oh I am so busy working for God! Without thinking, yes but so were Caiaphas and the leaders of the people, as the Lord put it “at their hour”. Concerning Moses Maimonides said that he was the greatest of all prophets because all of them prophesied by dreams or visions while Moses did it while awake and conscious standing in God’s presence.
I do not know what your call or your challenges are but I do know that your first priority is to go to God and to be acquainted with Him; let him call you and let him send you. Let his power work through you. He can do through you as he did with Moses. Call on the name of Jesus and let him whisper in your heart “follow me”. Then let him empower and send you.
Who Am I?
Posted by wall2build in English on December 3, 2009
John 3:28-30
As a young leader, one of my biggest hindrances in ministry was to answer the deeper questions of identity in external ways. Being born in a catholic family my first identity was formed as that of a catholic. Then I had an identity as a young atheist in search for answers. Later, as I encounter Christ I did not wanted to go back to my old identity as a catholic. I became a part of the Anabaptist tradition and had a negative identity formed in contrast to Catholicism and Protestantism. Later I moved ahead in this external way of forming my identity thinking of myself in terms of occupation. I thought myself as a preacher of the gospel. An external identity based either on the denomination we serve or on the occupation that pays our bills is a false identity that hindrance the leader’s effectiveness. If you pastor a small church it is easy to feel very frustrated to see that you do not measure up as a leader. You bemoan the fact that you have no mega-church to show for and that you do not circuit the nations or fill the air streams through radio or television with the message of salvation. The next temptation is to forget your particular call and your place in the kingdom in order to emulate the pastors or leaders that you consider to be a success. In my particular case, the Lord has been at work in my heart. Through his word, great mentors, great books, brothers and sisters, prayers from the saints and daily living he has been tearing down all resistances and shedding all kinds of idols from my heart. I see now that the identity of the leader has to come from the inside. It has to be rooted in Christ, and in what he made us out to be; but first and foremost in his love and grace and mercy and compassion for us. Because Jesus made us free to be certain kind of people and for certain kind of action and certain kind of praxis, leadership comes from the intersection between being, doing and feeling. We see this interaction in Jesus (John 13:1-5). First, he had feelings of love for his disciples; second, he knew who he was and where he was going; third, he decided to love his disciples to the very end and as a farewell he started to wash his disciples feet; later he will give his life for them. Action that is not rooted in being and in an identity rooted in Christ could be activism, a sort of compensation to fill voids from false identities. Sooner or later the true feelings that accompany these false identities will show their ugly face. So sit down and ponder deeply on who you are. One place to start is by thinking as John the Baptist did. Ponder on who you are not. I am not the Christ! I am only the friend of the bridegroom. It seems to me that the greatest leaders, whether we talk about Christ or John the Baptist started out by having a conscience of who they were. Being dictates doing and feeling. The main preoccupation of the leader should be with being not with doing. With knowing who he or she is and who he or she is not.
This is important because like John the Baptist, there will be a time when you as a leader need to leave the stage so another leader can come to the scene. If you know who you are you will be happy. John’s disciples were concerned, and probably envious of Jesus. “26They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” John was happy about it. He knew his mission was to prepare the way for the Messiah. The Messiah had already come and was occupying his rightful place. John was a success. His ministry had been a success; he was neither intimidated nor envious. John did not have a sense of entitlement to his ministry. He knew who he was and was leading from the core of his being.
This knowledge of self produces leaders who lead with the success of Christ mission in mind; leaders who are glad when Christ himself, one or more of his disciples moves in. Leaders who do not feel threaten or defensive when they have to decrease in order for Christ to increase. Leaders who are eager to shed all their false identities including those tied not only to denominations, occupations or ideologies be it from agendas leaning to the right or the left.
El Papel del Espiritu en el liderazgo en la iglesia
Posted by wall2build in Español on November 4, 2009
Titulo de la serie: El Espíritu Santo y el ministerio
Autor: Tim Woodroof
Traductor: Hugo Monroy usado con permiso del autor
Que se necesita para ser un líder efectivo en la iglesia de Dios: ¿un conjunto de habilidades en particular? ¿Carisma personal? ¿Entrenamiento en un seminario? ¿Que conozca bien la Biblia? ¿Un Corazón dedicado al Reino?
La historia de Pedro
Simon Pedro fue llamado por Jesús, fue entrenado por el, fue un testigo del ministerio de Jesús, de sus milagros, fue un hombre que amo a Jesús profundamente. Y sin embargo de acuerdo a lo que dicen los evangelios el no era un verdadero líder. El no entendía las parábolas. Tenía altercados con los otros discípulos. El era orgulloso, de mente estrecha y petulante. Con frecuencia el no tenia fe. Durante los días en que el ministerio de Jesús estaba a punto de terminar (¡después de tres años en la presencia de Jesús!) Pedro reprendió al Señor, luego lo abandono, luego lo negó. Al terminar el evangelio de Juan, vemos a Pedro profundamente desanimado y profundamente dudoso de que el vaya a jugar un papel importante en lo que sea que el futuro les depare. Solamente unos días después (de la forma como nos lo relatan los hechos de los apóstoles), Pedro es el líder de la iglesia y aun de los apóstoles. El es el que se para en frente de la multitud en Pentecostés y proclama el evangelio. Es Pedro quien sana al cojo, el que le predica a los testigos que se han juntado, y luego defiende sus acciones ante el sanedrín con tanto denuedo y elocuencia que los miembros del concilio “estaban atónitos”. El camina por Jerusalén derramando tanto poder espiritual que aun su sombra trae sanidad (Hechos 5:15). Es Pedro quien introduce los primeros gentiles al reino y el mismo Pedro quien no solo defiende la legitimidad de los creyentes gentiles sino que torna su aceptación en reglamento eclesial.
¿Que pasó? ¿Como es que el hombre insignificante de las páginas de los evangelios se convirtió en el gigante de los hechos? Simplemente, Pedro recibió el Espíritu Santo. Y fue este encuentro con el Espíritu Santo que transformo a Simon (el discípulo dudoso e irritable) en Pedro (el líder indisputable de la primera iglesia de Dios).
Llenos Del Espíritu
Pedro estaba presente en el aposento alto cuando el Señor soplo sobre los discípulos y dijo “reciban el Espíritu Santo” (Juan 20:22). El también estaba presente cuando el Señor prometió que pronto ellos iban a ser bautizados con el Espíritu Santo (Hechos 1:5). La venida del Espíritu fue el contexto inmediato del sermón de Pedro en Pentecostés – un sermón que empezó y termino con la celebración del Espíritu. Y – en un pasaje que expresa particularmente (Hechos 4:8), como si el escritor estuviera tratando de explicar que paso son el simple Simon – Pedro es descrito como habiendo sido “lleno del Espíritu Santo”.
Es esta idea (“ser lleno del Espíritu Santo”) la que marca a un hombre en la Escritura como un líder efectivo del pueblo de Dios. Moisés, Josue, los Jueces, el rey David, los profetas: todos estos líderes estaban íntimamente conectados con el Espíritu. Juan el Bautista fue lleno del Espíritu “desde su nacimiento”. Los creyentes de Pentecostés (incluido Pedro) fueron “llenos”. Cuando se le pido a la iglesia que escogiera lideres a fin de resolver el problema de las viudas Griegas (Hechos 6), ellos fueron guiados a seleccionar “hombres entre ustedes que se distinguen por ser llenos del Espíritu”. “Esteban, Bernabé, Pablo, — y, por su puesto, Pedro todos ellos fueron llenos del Espíritu Santo”.
De acuerdo a la Biblia la base de un liderazgo efectivo en la iglesia no es entrenamiento o habilidad o cualidades personales de liderazgo. En el éxito de un líder tiene muy poco que ver el papel de la habilidad o la propensidad. La base es esta y esta solamente: Liderazgo efectivo es un resultado cuando los líderes tienen una comunión intima con el Espíritu Santo. Cuando esta intimidad esta presente, el Espíritu puede usar casi a cualquier persona, equipándole y presentándole oportunidades de liderazgo efectivo. Cuando esa intimidad no esta presente, tanto el ministerio como el liderazgo necesariamente serán algo ordinario y ultimadamente ilegitimo.
Liderando con el Espíritu
Hemos gastado una cantidad enorme de tinta y papel argumentado lo que significa “ser lleno del Espíritu”. Hemos discutido sobre si esto incluye poderes milagrosos y hablar lenguas. Algunos de nosotros hemos mantenido este asunto a alguna distancia debido a que la sola idea de lo sobrenatural en la iglesia de hoy – un poder espiritual misterioso e incontrolable deambulando suelto en nuestro medio – nos asusta mas que la noción de una iglesia sin Espíritu. Nosotros demandamos saber “lo que esto significa” antes de que podamos decidir si nos gusta y ¡si tiene aceptación entre nosotros!
Como un líder que soy en el Reino de Dios, preocupado con liderar bien y en forma productiva, yo estoy convencido que nuestra perspectiva es defectuosa. La verdad del asunto es que – cuando del liderazgo en la iglesia y del trabajo del Espíritu se trata – eso de si nos gusta o no nada tiene que ver con el asunto. La verdad es, no podemos liderar sin el poder del Espíritu. No podemos liderar efectivamente y legítimamente en ausencia de la llenura del Espíritu. Lo que signifique y la forma que esto tome, es secundario. Solamente el Espíritu obrando en nosotros puede tornar a un “Simon” en un “Pedro”. La pregunta real para líderes espirituales no es si a nosotros nos gusta esto de ser lleno del Espíritu, la pregunta mas bien es: ¿como es que vamos a abrir nuestras vidas a su presencia agobiadora? ¿como es que constantemente le invitamos a que nos llene?. Yo, por mi parte, estoy deseoso de recibir “el Espíritu” y dejarle los detalles – lo que todo esto significa, como es que el trabaja, a donde nos llevara todo esto – a Dios. Yo estoy ansioso porque yo estoy convencido que no habrá liderazgo productivo o liderazgo espiritual válido a menos que el Espíritu llene mi vida.
Mentoreando con el Espíritu
Este tópico es de vital importancia para todos aquellos de nosotros que estamos interesados en mentorear ministros del Señor. Yo estoy agradecido que ministros mayores, mas sabios, y con mayor experiencia han decidido compartir sus vidas y experiencias y llenar las vidas de ministros más jóvenes: sus arduas lecciones aprendidas; su sabiduría práctica; sus habilidades en resolución de problemas. Sin embargo estoy convencido que nosotros, los mentores tenemos algo mejor que ofrecer. A menos que nosotros estemos derramando el Espíritu de Dios en aquellos que servimos, enraizando su liderazgo en una relación intima con el Paracleto, guiando, animando y modelando confianza en el trabajo que hace el Espíritu de equipar, madurar, y transformar, nosotros ultimadamente fracasaremos en construir la clase de lideres que pueden ‘trastornar el mundo”.
Claro, yo podría preparar mejores predicadores (“necesitas mas ilustraciones”) o mejores administradores (“lea este libro”) o aun mejores pastores (¡“visite a los que visitan!”). Pero de esta manera yo nunca tornare un Simon y creare un Pedro. Alguien más grande y más poderoso que yo se requiere para llevar a cabo esa necesaria y gran tarea. Como mentores, nuestra primera y ultima meta tiene que ser el soltar a ese “alguien mas grande” en las vidas de aquellos que tocamos. Si yo fallo en hacer esto, lo mejor que puedo esperar de mi trabajo como mentor es la creación de ministros que nunca crecerán mas allá de lo que yo he crecido.
Por Tim Woodroof un Compañero Mentor
Additional Comment: It’s not about me… really.
Posted by jjlooney in English, Uncategorized on October 18, 2009
Reflecting on the story of Moses in Exodus, Hugo’s previous article on leadership is a tremendously challenging issue, and yet it is rooted in some core ethics of Christian leadership because our call to leaders is simultaneously a call to service. The topic deserves more attention. It really isn’t about us. It’s not about my personal fame nor is it about my self-esteem as a leader. It is not even about my own organization or local church. I am a servant of God’s Kingdom and of the Missio Dei (the Mission of God).
Re-framing our servant call as leaders into a focus on self is a simple mistake. First, it is inherent in the human condition. We exist as the centers of our own little universe. It is difficult to see ourselves as players in a larger drama when we come to believe we have the lead role. Second, many of our activities as leaders actually do play a part in serving God’s bigger mission. As leaders of faith communities, missions organizations, youth programs, and the like, we are doing good works. But here’s the test: What do we do when the best choice for serving the larger mission of God undermines the institutional strength of our own organization? For example, the church in Antioch understood the importance of God’s mission over the needs of their own community when the Spirit set aside Paul and Barnabas to be sent out on mission. Antioch was faced with the choice of sending away two of their best leaders for the sake of God’s mission. How much church growth took place in Antioch because of their leadership, and now the Antioch church was called to release them. They faced giving away Paul’s scholarship and Barnabas’ encouragement for the sake of others. Furthermore, it would be a sacrifice for Paul. In addition to facing hardship, in some locations Paul’s work would look much less impressive than the ethnically diverse and spiritually thriving Antioch church.
God called out Moses to serve God’s mission for and through Israel. And as Hugo pointed out, God fashioned Moses for the task, and Moses remained faithful to his calling during much of the journey. However, many of us know that God also kept Moses from going into the Promised Land. Why? He struck the rock, right? But look at the nature of Moses’ and Aaron’s shortcoming. God told Moses to speak to the rock and witness water pouring from it. This would glorify God and demonstrate His authority working through Moses. A simple command in the name of God demonstrated unmistakable wonders. However, Moses says, “Listen you rebels, must we [emphasis mine] bring you water out of this rock?” In dramatic fashion he then strikes the rock not once but twice. Moses gives the whole performance a little more glitz, and in the process he draws attention to himself and to Aaron. They step from servant to performer. They claim to own the power that was only given to them for the task of God’s purposes. As a result of this event, God says, “Because you did not trust me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
How often do we as leaders get lost in the call and responsibilities and influence that we have been given. In frustration we negate the call of God and re-position ourselves as savior. We pour ourselves into building our religious organizations because, like any human being, we are devoted to our life’s work. We desire to be successful and to leave behind a legacy — something that we have built and passed on to others. Our work may indeed benefit God’s larger purposes and play a significant role in His redemption history, but our own ministry can also become a distraction.
Ultimately, when we lose focus, we begin thinking about our own organization and how to see our work grow (or survive) rather than asking how our work or organization or leadership can serve God’s larger purposes. As long as our work is aligned with God’s Mission, we are able to continue with a clear conscience, but when our ministry becomes a distraction from the larger mission of God, we cease to play a part in the bigger drama of salvation history.
It is not about me! Exodus 32:7-14
Posted by wall2build in English on October 13, 2009
One question from this passage is: as we march to the promise land, what are we becoming and why? God said to Moses: “go down, because your people,whom you brought out of Egypt, have become corrupt” (32:7). We could say that one reason why they become corrupt was that they could not trust God and his appointed leader. They could not trust them because they were focused on themselves. It was all about them! They were afraid that Moses would never return and they wanted more predictable gods to guide them; their search for security led them to sell out to other god’s. It happens in individual Christian leaders and in congregations. If it is about me/us, then we start the search for more predictable and manageable gods.
The contrast is not only between Moses and the people of Israel but between Moses and Aaron. While Moses was with God because he knew God was the only difference maker among his people (33:14-17) Aaron was with his people but he was not present to them as Moses was with God and his people, he was all about himself. We can see it in the confrontation he had with Moses (32:21-24). To Moses’ question of why he led his people to sin, he not only denies the charges; he sees the problem as Moses’ anger on one side and the people who are prone to evil on the other side. So what about the calf and Aaron’s involvement in the making of it? He answers that he just collected the gold and threw it into the fire and “out came this calf!” A leader who is focus on himself like Aaron not only is unable to lead where God wants his people to go, he is not even able to own up to his mistakes. Worse, in Moses absence he is an enemy of Moses who stands against what his leader stands for: God and his mission. But in Moses’ presence and being confronted he turns to become an enemy of the people he has led to sin. So am I leading like Moses or like Aaron?
I remember the very first sermon that I preached. It was more than 25 years ago. I still remember it though. It was about me. See, I was not prepared to preach, I was not a preacher, I was totally scared of public speaking and I had not a clue I was going to preach that day. “Why did you preach?” you may ask. Several things were going on in that small congregation where I was a new convert. One thing going on was a problem with one of the leaders. I knew what the problem was because I was an employee of that leader; I also told another leader about the problem. What should have been a private talk between two leaders became a problem that involved all the men of the congregation. This went on for a couple of Sundays. To my amazement everybody was beating around the bushes but were not addressing the real problem. I decided to butt in and name the problem. That caused a big uproar. Next Sunday came and as usual I showed up at church to find that only the ladies were there. Two things were expected to happen: one, no lady will be able to step up and preach because the church believed that if there was a man present no lady could speak. The second thing that was expected was that church had to happen the way we always had done it. I could do two things: first I could step up and preach or I could just turn around and leave so a lady could preach for the other ladies. Being more hardheaded than fearful about speaking I took the first choice. But it was about me. How scared I was, what will I say, from what book, how long will I say it, will I mess up the service?
There is no telling how long it was until I got it. It is not about me! Moses was a great leader because he knew it was not about him. Of course to get there the Lord sent him 40 years into the desert to take care of sheep. After that he learned that first and foremost his life was about God’s mission. God had a mission and it was to take his people into the land of Canaan. From this vantage point, when a crisis in leadership arises he was able to deal with it for the benefit of all parties involved. When God thinks that he is done with Israel and promises Moses that he will fulfill his mission through him, he did not wanted God to come short of his promises. Either he continues his call exactly the way God intended from the beginning or he will go down with his people. I recently heard Tony Blair say that leadership is to put your life on the line for your convictions and if necessary to fall by them. Leadership is to hold everyone accountable, first of course myself then all parties involved. Moses argued with God on behalf of his people and on behalf of God’s own reputation among the Egyptians and among the nations. Moses also refused to have a sense of entitlement. When God told him about Israel being Moses’ people whom you got out of Egypt, Moses fired back clarifying that they were not his people but God’s own people.
For a leader to lead like Moses, he or she has to go from self to others and then from others to God. Normally the life of a leader starts with the self. At the beginning like in my case it is all about us. But a normal development in the life and character of a leader forces him or her to have empathy. Whether you learn to go out of self with sheep or with people, it is no longer about the leader but about those entrusted by God in his or her care. At some point though, a great leader realizes that no amount of wisdom and or experience is going to make a difference in the lives of those he or she leads. Suddenly the leader realizes that God is the only one who can make a great difference. Then, that realization brings another realization: God has a mission and his call to us has to do with us carrying out that mission in history. Once we are certain about God’s mission it is no longer about us as leaders or about others (our organization, or the goals of the organization) but about God, the God of life, the God of Jesus of Nazareth. Self and others are not left behind in the dust; instead you as leader look for alignment in all these areas.
On Being Called Isaiah 42.
Posted by wall2build in English, Uncategorized on September 27, 2009
I remember being called by God since I was little. Epiphanies were common in my household and in those of my neighbors. That reality did not prevent me from becoming atheist; however, my rebellion against God did not prevent him from getting through to me. So finally, at the age of 17 I committed my life to the Lord in baptism.
I was however, not taken by the hand to the heart of Christ and to the understanding of his mission and the proper way to carry it out. My soul was deviated instead to the issues dear to that particular congregation: role of women in church, the organization of the New Testament church, baptism, the proper way to baptize people, the offering, and similar issues.
Soon after I got baptized and with very little preparation, I was installed as a preacher of that congregation. I found myself trapped in the motions and issues of that particular place. I still had the sense of call but I was not clear about the mission of God or the part I ought to play in carrying out that mission. Several years later, while in seminary, especially at Dr. Gresham’s Old Testament class that sense of call was reawaken more poignantly. It took however several years later, great mentors, and not few trials in ministry until I became acquainted with the mission of God and began to question my call in relationship with the carrying out of that mission.
As I read my Bible I see that the people of Israel went through the same process. They were called by God in Abraham when they were not yet a nation, to be a blessing to all the nations (Gen 12:1-3). Later when they were formed as a nation they were rescued from Egypt and called to be priests to all nations (Exodus 19:6) Years later, in times of the prophet Isaiah the call is confirmed (Isaiah 42:6) “I the Lord have called you and given you power to see that justice is done on earth. Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples; through you I will bring light to all nations.”
In Isaiah 42:1-13 the Lord is affirming the call as He wants to see that the nations become just and righteous, to rescue the prisoners, and to get out the ones sitting down on the dungeons of darkness. Israel is to be an example of holy living and is to teach the nations how to live by the light of the Lord. God is empowering his people; he is sending and going with his people, God is showing them where he is investing. Israel’s greatest assets are: the spirit of the Lord that he put on them and the fact that he is carrying them by the hand as they go along.
In Isaiah 42 we see not only affirmation of call. Here, the Lord is also visiting his people and assessing their understanding of Him and the part they are playing in the call. Isaiah 42:14-25 show us that the Lord knows well that his people are blind and deaf. They are blind leading the blind. They are not up to the task; he has to send them to captivity in order to purify them.
It is the same today with us, His church. But He is still calling us; God calls us, not because we are the best for the task, the more qualified, the strongest, or the more obedient. He calls us because he loves and wants us to have part in his work.
From my own experience I can tell you that the process of understanding God’s mission, his call and the part we play in carrying out that mission is long and arduous. Before we can see with clarity the part we play in God’s mission we have to be clean of idols. It was the same for Israel; they had to spend 40 years in the desert for God to get the idols of the Egyptians out of his people. Then they had to spend 70 years in Babylon in order for God to get the idols of the nations out of his people. So what about you? What is your story?
Posted by wall2build in English on September 27, 2009
On being call Jeremiah 1:4-19
Being call is not something we determine, it is something we discover. On being call it is as important to discover the purposes of God as it is to discover the involvement to which he is calling us. The attitude we have as we carry out the call is also important. In Jeremiah’s case, he carries out the call being passionate to the word and compassionate for people.
Obeying the call is not always pleasant but we are commanded to take the challenge and do it: “get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them” (v.17). The Lord is commanding Jeremiah to not be afraid because he had to speak to power, both political and religious. To speak to power is difficult in a culture which has the habit of mistreating people bringing bad news but it is equally difficult in a culture which is very patriotic and scorn what perceives as negative messages.
Jeremiah is called to tear down what existed which is very difficult to do for compassionate people like him. Being called to tear down present structures of injustice is part of the call and it is very difficult due to the fact that those who are called are normally compassionate people; however, they can be sustained during this process by having a compelling view of the future change that God is calling them to make.
The Lord does not guaranty that the task will be easy or that we won’t encounter hardship and discouragement, but the Lord does guaranty that his presence will be with those he calls. God will not send people being called by him to a place he is not going. In time of crisis one of the things that sustains us and gives us energy for the journey is the discovery that we have been called by God.
This word was delivered last week by Dr. Sam Vassel to a group of pastors at Crossroads Tabernacle in the Bronx. I took notes and put them together then asked Dr. Vassel for permission to publish them here. Dr. Vassel graciously accepted.
Body Language
Leaders often seek ways to empower others for a task but then find themselves frustrated when their followers appear to lack zeal for the cause. I can relate. I can’t recall how many times I’ve felt this same frustration, so I started reflecting on the disconnect experienced by so many leaders, teams, and organizations.
As leaders and facilitators of teams, we need to learn to stir the passions of those in our teams and communities. Too
often we plug someone into a program, but it doesn’t match the passions and zeal of the person that we put into that position. Ever committed this crime? I certainly have, but not on purpose. We think we know how someone fits and we plug them in. However, what if we instead attempt to identify what generates excitement among the people with whom we’re working and attempt to discover how their passions can compliment the overall vision?
Lately, I’ve been realizing that this can actually be a very simple process. In a phrase… body language. What makes them sit up in their seat? We can save a lot of guess work when we learn to read body language. When I’m talking with someone, I may be listening to someone in a relaxed posture or with a professional presentation, but when the conversation turns to something that really stirs my excitment, I sit up, learn forward, speak faster, lock eyes. After paying careful attention to others’ body language in team meetings, I picked up on the same pattern.
Next time you’re attempting to discover what motivates others, pay attention to body language. When you’re a team meeting, ask yourself: What makes them sit up in their seat? What gets their attention or generates excitement? As leaders, that’s where our overall vision and their greatest productivity meet. That intersection is where sparks fly and synergy becomes possible.
-Jared Looney (347-678-2977)
Mision de Dios Colosenses 1:28-29
Posted by wall2build in Español on September 21, 2009
Que tipo de conversion tuviste? esta es una pregunta que un veterano misionero hace a los nuevos convertidos con los que se encuentra. Esa pregunta es importante pues la conversion que tuvo al comienzo indica el tipo de ADN que tendra ese creyente por algunos anos y lo que habra que cambiar de ese creyente. Por ejemplo, la persona que comienza en una iglesia fundamentalista donde solo se predica sobre lo que las damas pueden y no pueden vestir produce creyentes y atrae personas que les gusta controlar la vida de otros y piensan que esa es la mision de Dios. Cambiar ese ADN sera muy dificil. Hay otros parecidos, no menos dificiles de cambiar.
Sin embargo Pablo en Colosenses 1:28-29 dice que el ocupa su tiempo y sus esfuerzos en “presentar a todo hombre perfecto en Cristo”. Pablo sabia que la mision de Dios nunca esta relacionada con nada impersonal: por ejemplo la doctrina, la iglesia (entendida en sentido impersonal, como organizacion religiosa), los mandamientos, sacramentos, el culto o el dogma. Pablo sabia que la mision de Dios siempre ha tenido que ver con facilitar la transformacion del corazon humano, su libertad, su dignidad, su sanidad integral, su bienestar, pero sobre todo el desarrollo de su caracter. En el sufrimiento de Cristo, no solo nos damos cuenta de lo mucho que Dios nos ama, sino que nos damos decuenta del llamado que Dios nos hace como iglesia. Este es un llamado a sufrir por otros a fin de completar en nosotros los sufrimientos de Cristo. Pablo quiere que la Iglesia de Cristo sea un Cristo sufriente, que ama en verdad, que acepta a toda persona y le imparte el amor de Diosy le facilita el desarrollo su decaracter y la participacion en la mision de Dios. Toda vez quenos comprometemos con lo que tiene que vercon la salvacion del ser humano, ahi tenemos el poder de Dios obrando en nosotros pues ahi Dios invierte. Toda vez que nos preocupamos por asuntos impersonales tales como aumentar la membresia de una iglesia, o tener el mayor numero deiglesias, o algo parecido, ahi nos podemos quemar en el intento pues Dios no esta en el negocio de la religion organizada.
Unrestrained Ministry
A few years ago I attended a one day workshop in Brooklyn for urban youth workers. I attended seminars on various topics addressing the challenges facing young adults in cities like New York. As the speakers told their stories, I felt a connection. Some of our experiences were similar, and we shared the same desire to see help for the poor, justice for the oppressed, and salvation for the broken. I loved their heart! I thought to myself, These are kindred spirits. They are motivated to see lives transformed and to make a difference in their city or neighborhood.
However, despite our shared affinity, I sensed a gap remained. The more I reflected on the experience, the more I began to feel a bit of disconnect. The speakers in these classes reflected on minimizing their involvement in church so that they could serve the poor or invest in urban youth. One man left full-time ministry in the church in order to do ministry. He turned in his clergy credentials in order to serve those most in need. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It didn’t add up.
Wanting to make a difference, they took ministry outside of the walls of the church. They turned to agencies that empowered them to serve. Finally, I realized that that was the fundamental difference between these kindred spirits and myself. In order to make an impact on the world around them, they began taking ministry outside of the walls of the church. And I realized that one of my fundamental concerns is to take the church outside of the walls of the church — so that ministry can occur the way we read about when we open up the book of Acts.
Since then, I’ve continued to reflect on the potential impact of the Body of Christ unrestrained. What if every neighborhood was a mission field, not because the community is outlined on a map in a mission agency strategy room, but because followers of Jesus live in that neighborhood? What if the church began gaining a self understanding as the priesthood of all believers in every aspect of our society? What if religion, arts, business, education, media, medicine, and various other fields were each and everyone understood to be in the domain of God’s Kingdom? In each of these areas ministers are doing their work as they seek the peace of the city. What if?
I’m sure that nothing would ever be the same again.
-Jared Looney (mobile: 347-678-2977)
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