Let me be clear... I care a little bit about what President Trump and the #idiotsincharge are doing in Washington DC... Pretty much the same amount as I did when I thought President Obama was doing all wrong things.. BUT.. it is just a little bit... I honestly think the constant focus on the world and the government is a corrupting form of idolatry... faith in govt where God is actually in control... Adoration of TV and desire to preach to others what "they" should be doing. 
I care far more about what my family is doing.. how I'm serving my neighbors.. How my church is functioning.. how my local schools are secured and educating... how well my choir is singing, and how I can help the kids and elderly friends right smack in front of me every flipping day...  #WakeUpAmerica  #MySoapBox

Volatile and tragic times are nothing new. Perhaps our collective response to them is, perhaps not. I’m not sure we are even special. 
We change nothing by assassinating the character of others. Hysterical claims and emotional appeals are engaging in media but only influential when connected to reasonable and logical proposals for change. Debate and dialogue enables education and progress at every level. 
———-
"This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it." - Thomas Jefferson to William Roscoe, December 27, 1820

My church is failing in my community because I’m unable to effectively share my passion for a hopeful future. I show with my words and decisions that my history and my experience matter more to me (about me) than them. I can’t translate my experience into a shared future that is relevant to others. I expect “others” to see things as I do, want things that I want and to value experience and order as I do.

Unless we can show how our theology and doctrine and polity matter and will make a difference it will not. As a church leader I will fail in my mission and I will harm others in my failure.

If my community does not listen they cannot hear. If I don’t speak in a manner which encourages them to listen they will not hear. If I can’t adjust my message and model, the fault is mine alone, and I should step aside and find someone who can.

I will fail. I fail. I failed. This is truth.
God will not fail, does not fail, and has not failed.

When I fail, God will speak through another. He will transform HIS community into a loving, welcoming fellowship which reaches out, welcomes in, and disciples into deeper and deeper circles.

Is your example enabling others or disabling them? - consider carefully as I am.
Same for tools, tech, processes, words... LAWS...

Are my friends and neighbors afraid to open up to me for fear of being wrong/judged?
Do I listen to them? Really?!
Does my view allow them to disagree?

I serve and love in spite of the “law” all too often. I imagine an environment where people, processes and tools enable more than disable.

We can do better.

If your authority and influence flows primarily from your position as a pastor .... from your seminary degree... or from your education... then your certification is of men, for men, by men... it can be controlled by men. It will be controlled by men.

If your leadership and authority flow from Christ, from the Holy Spirit and from your Father, then your ministry and influence is free to use the organizations and systems of men to influence and empower rather than be in power.

Do you draw your confidence, your mandate, your mission : from your age... your tenure in job... your money... your success... even your failures ? ... all of these are things of men. We cannot lead authentically when we remain in the core of the equation. We must lead and teach as a mirror for God working in His world rather than men speaking on behalf of some earthly certification authority.

Finding a balance here is the central question of leadership and ministry in our time. To empower and/or be in power is nothing without love.

As for me and my house... we will serve the Lord. We will use organizations and systems of men as tools in that pursuit. From FB, to local churches, to choirs, to classes... the mission is clear.

Authorities can’t fully protect us against individual depravity in a free country. We must recognize the problem is within our hearts and minds. We cannot continue like this my friends. We must live together more fully and love one another more completely. We must protect and value one another. Every life is precious. Every one.

 WHO: 

• Know exactly who you are sending to.    
• For every addressee on the list. 
• Who will read it?   Who can read it?  Who will they send it to? 
• Ensure that everyone who needs to know is included.  
• Recipients in the TO: line should represent those with a must know, action required level of involvement.  Best to provide context in the subject as to what is expected. 
• Recipients in the CC: line should be those who “should be aware” only… no action required. 
• BEWARE:  Recipients will notice who is not included.  Omitting a stakeholder is equivalent to exclusion. It is offensive and will be noticed. If you make a mistake and do not include someone, there will be consequences. You will likely face them regardless of your intention.  

WHY: 

• Why are you sending this?  Consider this carefully.  Email is a one way “sermon” and not a conversation or dialogue.  Even though recipients can respond, the asynchronous nature is volatile if ANY emotion is involved.  

 
WHAT: 

• Email should never be more than a few sentences at best.  
• Communicate facts, and information… cleanly and succinctly.    
• Any email involving emotion should generally be saved and then discussed real time.. on telephone, live in person, or in video conference. 
• Email is a one way conversation associated generally with an expectation of reply. 
• Use attachments for ancillary information. notes, minutes, pictures, plans.  
• Always have an ask and clear action. 

HOW and WHEN: 

• Be very careful when you send as to time and your expectations for reply.  Do not assume that those are clear. Do not assume that they will remain clear.  
• Timing of reply is a natural social construct. Too short, too long.. all influence the nature of the messaging. 
• Scroll rule applies. If a reader has to scroll, they generally will not do it.  Anything that is important must be in the top of message or it is likely to get ignored.  
• Your readers are overwhelmed with information.  The onus is on you as the communicator to put the time and effort and respect into crafting a message. 
• Too many emails will be ignored.  Too much in email will be ignored.  This fault is on you not the reader. 
• Use formatting to clean it up and make it clear.  

 

Crazy tough week so far. And then I realize how blessed I am and how great things are. Get some perspective people. #ChangeHappensInAnInstant #GodHasGotThis #EveryDayIsAnOpportunity — in 2005 on this day thought my ministry career and calling were over... my “secular” Job proved to me that people make the difference... not the job, not the system... Relationships transform. Truth remains. Power from position is so often abused to harm. Intentional or not... it is done. SMH sigh. Wish it was funny. #idiotsincharge used to be funny. Reality is that mean...

Is your leadership more interested in who is in charge or what is being done? Or more often what is not being done... 
I know what I see all too often. Not so much from members but from leaders... even for me, it is a constant struggle to remain aware and open and listening and seeking and encouraging... not dictating and demanding.  
Resources drive outcomes. People, process, and tools... in that order. Leading and inspiring people is HARD. Easy to dictate and then fail... sigh. Cycle repeats itself over and over at every level of every organization. 
#Church #corporation #government #associations #clubs

Lots of talk about toxic leadership communications and styles... in governments, companies, teams, even churches and families: themes are the same

my definition and thoughts: doing more harm than good with no positive outlook or plans on display... it is like fighting a disease... you can’t kill the patient while you make them more healthy... and what definition of healthy is valid? Organizations and governments are organisms. Living and breathing. See the systems. See the leaders. See the levers of change and gauge words and actions... Principles and practice merge into plans which must improve results.
To leaders everywhere. In order to get what you want, first you must know what you want. Then start pulling levers. Don’t destroy divide and diminish unless you plan to kill the patient or have a path to recovery laid out.

#leadersermons

Board/Team/Leadership/Session/Council meetings must be inspired small group discussions about growth rather than large gatherings of disinterested people listening to staff reports. — time is a precious asset. Some maintenance-operations must be managed in meetings, but plans AND RESULTS need to qualified and quantified against investment-mission-growth.

Staff focuses on operations and execution. “Executive” Leadership focuses on mission and evaluating results and the right mix of assets is in the tank to ensure that the engine is efficiently powering ahead.

Will the engine handle the rough road ahead?
Are you spending any time truly assessing the steps ahead against the roads already taken?

How to get credit for being able to manage/hit life’s curve balls? Live.
Share success, even with those who can’t see. “People” don’t and likely won’t give you credit. Most of the time they don’t even see the plans or complexity... seeking credit is ultimately is the failure ... I fail every time.
Just live = Just sing. The singing, the journey... is the whole point.

I’m looking for Christian musician(s) in MHC to work with me, teach me, and learn with me as we design/build transformative music performances for worship.

Heart of artist is critical... skills for arranging and exploring excellence in ALL styles... must be willing to blend classical liturgical traditions with contemporary/pop/jazz/rap —- to create a dynamic “flow”... guitar, bass, percussion, piano, organ, brass, winds.... all play parts... and Singing is the key. #JustSing

We will rehearse and plan and work at Rolling Ridges and around... schedule TBD

Bonus: familiar with concepts and expectations outlined in this important text by Rory Noland.

Being proud to be an American does not make you a bad person. It doesn't even mean that you agree with everything that "America" is doing. What I do is what matters. If you don't know what I do... you don't know me and you certainly aren't in a position to judge me. 
I had an excellent conversation at my church last night re: politics.. yes it can happen...
I said: We have plenty of mechanisms to actually manage disagreement but discussion and debate is critical to get to a decision/management point. Cutting one another off at the knees.. making so much commentary personal... invoking identity and emotion is mean spirited and dangerous. It destroys the relationships... which is a BAD THING.
Division and Demagoguery are Destructive and Devastating.
It is possible to disagree without those things. 
HOW 2 DISAGREE 101: VOTING 
My opinion is clear -- Telling your friends how evil they are and judging their hearts and intentions is pretty shaky ground for ALL SIDES.