Learning and leading in leadership is lifelong

In what seems like a former lifetime I managed an urban supermarket for a major chain of stores. It was there a concept first dawned on me, “management is task, leadership the means of effective operation.” Not merely to exercise a role of leadership; but to create and foster mission-structured community which produces continuous leadership. I was not just there as store manager; I was functionally there as leadership-force in mission-structured community. The store was not a mere organization it was a functional organism sort of “organic” before its time; with three key aspects in its organic-mix; leadership, community, and structure. Forty years ago next month that lifetime ended.

Been thinking; “so what have I been doing the last forty years?”

Answer - same old, same old.  Still learning, living, and leading what I learned, lived, and led in back then; or should I say from and since then. Not for a national chain of stores, but within and through an international, trans-cultural mission-structured community – you guessed it (I hope) the church as God’s Kingdom mission structured community; the only truly global organism operating a continuous production of leadership. 

The continuity of leadership is a product of healthy community structure and function. Methinks the very nature of the church as community produces, responds to, and ensures the continuity of fresh or new leadership.

I’ve been ruminating on some organic codes of belief for church leadership continuity. . .

• Existing leaders equip, enable, or facilitate the growth of community
• The church as nurturing community arises from the self-structuring of the Spirit’s work within a group of related persons
• Life and growing lessons of ministry are experienced and passed on through the church community
•  Leaders beget other leaders through equipping in the environment of community
•  Leadership formation is proactive function in the community as context of ministry formation
•  The continuity of leadership is a natural-product of healthy community structure and function.

“So JCD, your thoughts on what you will do with the next forty years?” 

Answer - well as I would be turning one hundred and eight at the end of that period, best I focus on this week and the next. I anticipate to be still learning, living, and leading what I’m learning, living, and leading in today and my tomorrows. Still hear the challenge to Tim . . .

“So, my man, throw yourself into this work for Jesus. Pass on what you heard —the whole congregation saying Amen!— to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others.”                                         II Timothy 2:1-2 (Message/DPV)

Read the author’s heart first, then their words

Reading is part of life; it’s a major aspect of my life. 

I read cerebral stuff, devotional stuff, informational stuff, and ... well, I read all sorts of stuff.

Reading and thinking are connected.  Sometimes I read first, think second; other times think first then read. This week I’ve been reading about thinking, so stopped to ruminate about reading.

As well as reading the thinking (cognitive processing theory) stuff, read some old stuff.  Just read Thomas A’Kempis’s fifth chapter “About reading the holy writings.”  In it he highlights to me the “normal human danger” of being influenced by the academic status of others, how through curiosity and ego we try to master difficulties of comprehension, rather than being inspired by simplicity, humility and applying faith. 

Here’s my chew on “faith or spiritual formation reading” . . .

“When you read, read for the author’s heart, before you seek to analyse their head.   Consider that the author, no matter how intellectually developed they are, wrote from heart before head.  Their head served their heart as they sought to capture and communicate authentic and actualised faith.” 

I think I have this one “dynamically right” but I should never assume I have the essence of A‘Kempis’ warning, “statically-historically right.”  Reading right is an ongoing developmental discipline, not achieved competency.

Heart first, words second.

A good recipe needs Ingredients . . . before it requires Method

In devotional life and practices Bible reading and praying are common ingredients. They are important. Though as important as reading the Bible and praying are, a refreshing devotional practice calls for more elements and diversities within our accepted spiritual observances. Devotional life practice has range in ingredients, and an even greater range in methods/recipes or spiritual disciplines ... not unlike the time honoured customs of home-cooking.

A clear memory of growing up as a “hollow-legged” boy in the forties was food.   There was always a good supply of the stuff.  The greater variety things eaten in our household were either grown (or caught) by dad or baked at home by mum.   Eating in our household was not merely consuming, that was the last matter – along with strict table etiquette; I grew an understanding, “great meals prepared from good recipes always start with right ingredients.”  So what’s the range of ingredients and recipes that make for refreshing devotional practice?

Well, for starters in biblical and Christian history there’s four recurring ingredients; 1) reading of Scripture, 2) prayer and praying, 3) meditation or ruminating on your reading, and 4) active responsiveness towards God. 

Then there’s the great range of methods/recipes or spiritual disciplines to consider, such as; Bible Study, breath prayer, celebration, centering prayer, confession, contemplation, conversational prayer, devotional reading of Christian classics, examen prayer, fasting,  fellowship, gratitude, intercessory prayer, journaling, lectio divina, memorization, practicing the presence, self examination, service, silence, simplicity, solitude, submission, theological reflection, and worship.

“So JCD, where do I start?”   Simple, get the right ingredients first, then the possibilities of developing a range of good recipes . . . “bon appétit.”

There's more: God's Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. 
Otherwise how will we find our way? 
Or know when we play the fool? 
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! 
Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; 
then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. 
These are the words in my mouth; 
these are what I chew on and pray. 
Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, 
O God, my Altar-Rock, 
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Psalm 19:11-14 (Message Bible)

I’m not double-minded, like you, I’m two-minded

As a human you and I have "two minds" .... one between our ears, and another between our ribs ... in life situations we usually use one-before-the-other ... which one did you use first today? 

The challenge is how to use both in varying order - not how to keep one of them in pristine condition!

Loving the God who loves

For no “great reason” I’ve been thinking over love, and being loved . . . so, putting fingers-to-keys, here’s a rumination-summary of sorts . . .

One of the great things about being a human is being loved by God. Our longings for, seeking after, enjoying and responding to love are the human norm; arising from being Divinely created. The common understanding of Christianity’s heart is God loves us. As an enduring childhood hymn goes ... “I am so glad that Jesus loves me ...” God is a lover, God loves me.”

Being loved calls for receiving, responsiveness, openness to the concerns, input and energy of another or others. Love is not merely the output of one to another, it is connection. It’s reciprocal ... or in plain language, “love is a two-way-street.”

God not only loves us, He has expectations of us loving Him. Not just as convenient; but our really loving Him as a life-priority. Think about it; maybe it’s a strange idea, but it’s certainly not new one.

One day back when Jesus first lived on this planet some theologians sent one of their brilliant students to pose him a “this-one-will-catch-you-out” question. Approaching Jesus he said; "Teacher, which command in God's principles is the most important?" Jesus’ clear, swift and friendly response was simply, “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” Adding, “This is the most important, the first on any list.”

God is not only the lover of humanity, but the creator of lovers; lovers of Him and fellow creatures. God’s “first-on-the-list” for lovers is to love Him with passion, with our soul-heart energy. Love with, and in, and through our prayers. To love through giving the growth of our intelligence to Him, the One we love. Simply, “love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.” We are lovers, we love God, but it doesn’t stop there.

Jesus continued; “but there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself.” Yes Jesus, but how?

A practical definition of love is best summarised by St. Thomas Aquinas, who defined love as “to will the good of another,” or to desire for another to succeed. We are loved lovers who love. We need to love others, including enemies. As Aquinas explains, a “Jesus’ described love” is motivated by the need to see others succeed in life, to be good people, to love and be loved.

I’m not nosey – I’m learning to listen

Recently, or yet again – when after a period of listening to a person sharing with me on a matter says; “now to be truly honest with you …” and continues talking … don’t know about you, but my mind reels a bit when hearing this “all-too-common-conversational-conjunction” …

Yet, while I may wonder . . . “Have they not been honest/truthful up to this point in our conversation?”

My “take” is, they are moving to deeper levels of honest-openness, transparency and possible vulnerability – they’re not shifting from lies to truth … as not only are they speaking to me in a fuller-form, they are also speaking to themselves (in my presence) with greater self-integrity …

I'm hearing words and heart . . .

I’ve been chewing over the following “terms” in considering what I and others may be doing in our communication and interactions with others . . .

Honesty is telling others the truth

Integrity is telling myself the truth

In Transparency – I tell you about my life

Through Vulnerability – I let you into my life

Put your troubles to use ... don’t let them put you out of commission

Thinking about suffering lately ...

reading some of Thomas A ‘Kempis’s ruminations on growing through sufferings ...

also, doing a bit of it - just to “keep in practice at suffering” ...

It is inspiring to understand suffering is not destruction it is strengthening.

Such a view responds to Paul’s motto, “when I am weak I am strong … my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

A’ Kempis exhorts me to put my troubles to use, not put them to flight. For if the God who is overall, sends/allows troubles I had better work with the current set He sends … troubles will come, so use them – don’t multiply them. Troubles say; “root yourself in God … don’t suck your thumb and self-commiserate.” One, who is rooted in God, draws strength through those roots and grows in adversity … “am I that one?”