Reminder for Spiritual Renewal

As I prepare to go for my first consulting gig, I have no doubt that the place to start is spiritual renewal and the passage of Scripture is Isaiah 6. Due to sin, despair, even religious repetitiveness, we forget how present God is. When He shows up, when we recognize His presence, we are cut to the quick. Our sin and our doubt, once our blanket, are thrown off and displayed before us. Now naked, our shame pours out of crack in our soul, as we stand before the Greatness that is God. All of our senses, smell, touch, sound, sight, taste, and even more, as we sense something beyond even our physical senses -- all of our senses testify to the truth of God's exceeding glory, which takes us beyond sin and beyond despair.

Then as we suffer the death of our despondence, God asks, "Who will go for us?" We do not move until called. But we do not sit and wait. We beg for God's presence to drive away the darkness that has inhabited our lives.

Tomorrow at church, the question we have been asked is this: what do you give to the One who already has everything? My answer: We rise up and live free, throwing off all that we feel bound by but which has really lost its power over us. This is character, refusing to be bound, refusing to respond with fear, refusing to feel ashamed or small, and refusing to continue in sin.

Bob Roberts on Developing Leaders Part IV

Fourth, you have to hold people accountable. Good mentoring doesn’t start by hugging, but by listening, observing, and then challenging. We generally hug too quickly and challenge too late. We should first challenge and then hug when they do it or at least attempt to do it even if they fail and want to try again. The question is what are you trying to produce and what does the person need? Often, we let our own emotional vacuums color relationships with people we are trying to mentor. I’m not afraid to say to a young guy, "Hey man, you gotta work on this" or "That ain’t gonna cut it" or "Why do you think you’re like that?" or "Wow, that’s incredible!" To do that, you have to critique yourself with your mentors and others. An example, I recently mailed a form that I’ve used for several years that allows church members, leaders, family, and friends to critique everything from my "performance" to my character.

"Good mentoring doesn't start by hugging..." Whoa. "We generally hug too quickly and challenge too late." I've been learning this. My thought was that the mentoring relationship needed to be more personal to be effective. The problem has been this hasn't been true. And then when the need for the challenge comes, I'm not sure it doesn't cause the person more pain than if you weren't so close. I'm not sure. But I am sure that 2007 is going to bring more challenges from me than hugs. But I'm sure there is a balance.

It seems like many of the best people ask for critique. Ouch. I'm sure Bob is careful about who he allows to critique. I wonder if it is anonymous.

Bob Roberts on Developing Leaders Part III

Third, they have to be around you in your context. I used to not understand that--and it’s something I have to keep learning again and again. Whether we are in church, or overseas, or involved in a project or ministry, together is crucial. People who are busy doing don’t always have a manual or journal near them while they are working to write down everything-–and if they did--they wouldn’t stop and write it. They’re caught up in what they are doing and living it and it is their passion. I’ve always wanted to get more education in international relations. In fact, I’ve considered getting a degree in it. So, a few months ago, I was at a meeting in D.C and a prominent professor from Georgetown was at the meeting. At a break, I went over and began talking to him about getting a graduate degree to learn more and gain some "credibility" in a field. He stopped me and said, "You’re living it, you’re practicing what those guys I teach come to school for. You’d be wasting your time unless you want to be a professor." I think the apostles followed Jesus because they wanted to watch Him.

This is something I want to change in 2007. I want to create more times to be together with leaders. We've started a journaling group in our home. We are remodeling (slowly) to make our house open for people to come over in groups. I plan to start meeting with a group of young guys one morning a week to talk about pastoral types of ministries. My wife is talking about a starting a small group. We are considering opening our house up on Sunday nights for people to come over and hang out with us. The youth leaders have begun meeting once a month to hang out and plan together. That is one of the best meetings of the month! I had tried to set up these type of meetings on the first Sunday evening of the month at the church, but it has been very ineffective. If I could get more groups to meet like the youth leaders, that would be exceptional.

This also makes me think about whether I want to further my education. I've thought about it, but I absolutely want to make sure it is a benefit to my work. It isn't that I've ever wanted a title (Dr Miller) but I value education and have thought there about has to be an education that would truly benefit our work. George Fox?

Bob Roberts on Developing Leaders Part II

Second, you teach first from what you've experienced. Anyone can write or talk on a subject and, yet, not be a "doer." Those who "do" and those who "talk" at first sound similar, but the deeper you go, the more you learn the differences and what may sound like semantics becomes key. Also, those who "experience" it will generally read more and more because they want to understand more. I’ve learned over the years there are two ways to gain influence, one is by what you know--people want to hear you talk about that. The other is by what you do--people want to hear the stories of what and how you did something. Teaching is passing on information. Mentoring is life-on-life and the more healthy experiences a mentor has, the more he/she has to share.

This is why I went to Haiti. This is why I want to continue to pastor as I start to coach. There are a lot of people who talk. There are much fewer who do.

Developing Leaders

Bob Roberts' posted on Developing Leaders. It is certainly something I'm very interested in. It is the way to multiply the power of your vision. In my younger years, I heard advice like this but decided it wasn't the best advice. After trying my way for 20 years, I think I'm ready to hear the advice again. Roberts, while speaking off the cuff, gave seven tips for developing leaders. They were interesting enough, I think I'm going to post them one at a time and reflect on them.

First, you live the life and do the stuff you talk about. Bobb Biehl has taught me that credibility is gained by 3 threads, results-time-character. Results are simply what is seen. People generally listen not because of what you know or what you did, but because of what you are currently doing. Character is what you are. No one is perfect and everyone has flaws. Time gives us the ability to see those things, both good and bad, that helps us filter counsel from someone. It is the ability to be over consistent.

Three threads -- results. That is a key and it takes time to develop. I haven't seen all the results I want, but I have seen some results. We have planted our church. We have helped plant three more. We have adopted an assessment process. We have developed some leadership within our own church, but not as deeply or effective as we would like. Results take "time." But that also goes with the last sentence. "It is the ability to be over consistent," which is character. Interesting. My preaching goes in waves. Sometimes I think it is fantastic, but it will fade over a period of time to where I don't even like to hear myself preach. The answer is character, to dig deep and not be willing to accept less than a good sermon. Building character would lessen the fading periods and might even make them disappear. This is also true with leadership development. What builds character? Time with God and time with passionate, truthful, mature friends.

"Character is what you are. No one is perfect and everyone has flaws. Time gives us the ability to see those things, both good and bad, that helps us filter counsel from someone." What is he saying here? I think he is saying that everybody gives good and bad counsel because everyone has some character flaws. Getting to know them helps you to discern the good counsel from the bad. The problem is we don't always know good from bad counsel as it leaves our lips. I know also that I take things less personally than I used to. My feelings still get hurt but not as badly so hopefully it doesn't taint my counsel as badly as it used to.

Coaching

I've been coaching a pastor in Pennsylvania since September. In 2007, I will be coaching a church planter in Kansas. I've come to believe that having a coach is currently one of the best ways to be more effective as a pastor. Even as I coach, it helps me to be more discerning of how I need to focus my time and effort.

From Rev Magazine -- Here are some ways coaching can help strengthen discipleship and reinvent ministry.

• Reframing ministry descriptions
• Learning to measure what matters
• Building collaborative learning groups
• Creating trusted relationships
• Finding support for transition and change
• Creating accountable relationships
• Developing discernment
• Strengthening prayer partnerships

Revitalizing a Church

It starts with the Pastor. This isn't just for revitalizing a church. I'm still thinking this through, but I think these are four essentials that every pastor, every church ought to have in place.

1. Spiritual Depth -- Jesus often went to a lonely place to pray. A pastor and the elders need to be digging their own spiritual depth. They need to read the Bible and reflect. They need to "ooze" Jesus. They will get to a point, you can't be around them without getting some Jesus on them. There are no shortcuts. It is a daily routine of Scripture, Prayer, and Reflection. I use the SOAP method to journal.

2. Love Bank Investments -- Willard Harley writes about the Love Bank in his book, "His Needs/Her Needs" about marriage. You need to be sacrificial for your mate in ways that he or she needs (not just what you want to do) and build some trust and appreciation for you. A pastor and elders need to do this. They need to be givers of the love of God for people. Most of my investments come from hospital visits or funerals. It comes from coffee in a casual setting. It comes when someone feels they can share the difficulties of their life, and you put your hand on their shoulder and pray for them. It comes as they believe you are more concerned about them then furthering your career or making a name for yourself.

3. Leadership -- Leadership is critical because people don't like to change. They need a seasoned guide. You need to hone your leadership skills. You need to lead.

4. Culturally Meaningful Ministries -- You have to figure out how your service and your ministries can make sense to the community and to your people. I'm not sure how you can totally change your worship to something that your people can't stand so that you can reach new people. It sounds right to reach out but if your people resent them when they come, what have you created.