Happy Opening Day!

 

Today is the Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season. Those who know me well know that I believe this should be a national holiday – that everyone should stay home from school or work and watch baseball today! But, alas, that will not be. However, I will make my annual trek to Kansas City for the Royals’ home opener. I’ll tailgate with three of my best friends from high school and we’ll cheer on the Royals with hearts confident that this will be the year! (You are know we are true fans, because who but true fans would continue to cheer for the Royals after all these years of disappointment.)

 

In honor of Opening Day and the start of a new season, here is my lists of the best baseball movies and the baseball songs. They aren’t in any particular order. Let me know what you think or what I may have missed …

 

Best Baseball Movies

 

The Natural (A little slow in spots, but the final home run is classic.)

A League of Their Own (Even if it is about girls, they can play the game.)

The Rookie (I love stories of people who got to fulfill their dreams.)

Bull Durham (Some of my more conservative friends will probably disagree, but it’s a great and funny baseball movie.)

The Sandlot (A little cheesy but brings back a lot of memories for those of us who spent our summers at ballparks or on schoolyards.)

Eight Men Out (Not every baseball movie is about just the good things and happy endings. Most Royals’ games don’t have either.)

Field of Dreams (Not sure of the metaphysics of it all, but James Earl Jones’ soliloquy on baseball is classic.)

 

Best Baseball Songs

 

Who’s on First – Abbott and Costello (A classic who can listen to and laugh at again and again)

A Song About Baseball – Bob Bennett (Wish I could have found this online. A great song on unconditional love set to a baseball theme. Worth the time to track down.)

Willie, Mickey, and the Duke (Talkin’ Baseball) – Terry Cashman (This song just got Cashman into Cooperstown. I couldn’t find a link to the original, so here is a link to the Tigers’ version.)

The Cheap Seats – Alabama (We love minor league baseball. Go Naturals – the team that gives us Royals fans hope!)

Centerfield – John Fogerty (Brings back memories of when I coached the Kiwanis Babe Ruth team. Don’t ask.)

Take Me Out to the Ballgame – Edward Meeker (A 1908 version of the baseball classic with verses I had never heard.)

 

What do you think? What have I missed?

Palatable Truth

 

There is a debate going on among those who minister to Muslims: How far do you go to make the message of Jesus accessible to the Islamic culture? I am not going to go into detail, but would encourage you to read this article from Christianity Today on the conflict. Basically the issue comes down to this: there is Biblical language used of Jesus (specifically “Son of God”) that is “offensive” to many Muslims. So some translations of Scripture have changed that language to something that is more neutral. The result is that there are many Muslims willing to read the Bible and study the life of Jesus with the new translations. But in making the change, have the translators compromised the identity of Jesus and the nature of his relationship with the Father? I’ve not studied or thought about the issue deeply enough to take a side on this issue.

 

But it does cause me to wonder if, in the US, we have ever become so eager to share the Gospel in a culturally relevant way that we have misrepresented it? Have we, in a noble desire to remove any obstacle, not presented clearly who Jesus is and the implications of following him?

 

I have served on a university campus right on the buckle of the Bible Belt for almost 29 years. The vast majority of the students on this campus have attended church growing up. They have been involved in FCA or Young Life. They have been exposed to Jesus and most have made some type of statement of faith in him. In other words, they are like their parents and their grandparents.

 

But I don’t see much transformation among Christians in the US. I see culturally comfortable Americans with a religious habit. Their faith leads them to see Jesus as their friend or their healer or their counselor or their “ace in the hole” when things go wrong. But they don’t see Jesus as their Lord who has something to say about their career and their relationships ands their marriage and how they use their money and time. We have preached a Jesus that is palatable to a self-centered American culture that often doesn’t accurately depict his real identity or the implications of following him.

 

Currently, our staff is reading The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Though his words are familiar to many, they are worth repeating:

 

“Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace…. Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian ‘conception’ of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins…. In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin…. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

 

May we, in our desire to make sure that the truth about Jesus is understandable to the world and culture around us, never fail to present the full and complete picture of who he is and what the implications of Biblical faith and grace really are.

Leadership: The Trap of Pleasing Everyone

 

After almost 29 years of campus ministry experience I have learned at least one undeniable thing: You cannot please everyone. That hasn’t been an easy lesson to learn. I want people to like me and to like Christ on Campus – our ministry, our worship, our teaching, and our purpose. I want them to want to be a part of what we care doing and the direction we are heading.

 

But that doesn’t happen. Every leader knows what it is like when people opt for another church, another ministry, another leader that better “meets their needs”. Every time someone decides that Christ on Campus isn’t for them, it hurts a little. When that happens, a part of me wants to say, “Let’s see if we can work something out.”  No matter what I tell myself or others tell me, a part of me takes it a little bit personal. There is a small feeling that it is me they are rejecting.

 

Yet you never find Jesus running after those who chose not to follow him. Though he looked with love on the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22), he didn’t try to “renegotiate” when the young man walked away. And when many chose to no longer follow him (John 6:66), Jesus didn’t chase after them and try to change their minds or soften his stance.

 

How was Jesus able to deal with this so confidently? Because, as John tells us in John 13:1-4, Jesus knew who he was and what he was called to do. He knew where he was going and how to get there. So he was content to let those who didn’t share that vision or calling to walk away. Some will choose not to walk with us for a variety of reasons. But if we remember who we are and to what we are called, we can handle this like Jesus.

 

Those in leadership must have a clear sense of vision and direction. And that doesn’t come through a congregational vote or democratic action. It comes through time spent alone with God, seeking him and searching his Word. It comes as you hammer it out with godly and like-minded leaders who are seeking God with you. If our ministry is driven by the wants and desires of the people or community around us, we are setting ourselves us for disappointment and frustration. If we think our purpose is to gather a crowd or provide entertainment or keep everyone happy, we are looking to please men more than God. In these cases, we are taking our cue and calling from men – not from God.

 

God’s call on the Church is to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), bring them to maturity in Christ (Colossians 1:28) and equip them for ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16). These are the values that should shape the vision and direction of our churches and ministries. We have to beware of calendars that are full of activities without substance that keep people involved but produce little maturity. Our campus ministries cannot be “spiritual baby-sitting services” – designed to keep students busy and entertained, making sure that students stay in church and out of trouble.

 

Not everyone who walks through our doors has this perspective.

 

Two writers that I resonate with are Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. (I would encourage Christian leaders to read The Tangible Kingdom and AND.) In talking about those who don’t stay, they write:

 

“Sadly, many people really are satisfied to live as consumers, and they are just looking for a place to hold their beliefs together and to provide a sense of belonging relationally. In other words, all they want are some sermons and some friends. Now, neither of these is bad in and of itself, and any person who grows into a community ought to find that these come naturally; but if they are the only two reasons people are coming to our church, we have to realize they aren’t looking for transformation, either for themselves or for the world.”   AND, p. 106

 

All of our ministries experience this dynamic. When our ministry has a clear sense of vision and direction, we are better able to deal with those who have yet to catch it. We don’t want to run people off, but we realize that not everyone is at the same place we are. Like Jesus, we teach and cast vision and help others gain a sense of excitement about our calling. We invite them to watch and listen and be a part of what we are doing, but we don’t design our programming around them or change our vision to please them.

 

One of the traps of Christian leadership is trying to please everyone. When we do that, we lose a sense of ourselves and our calling and fail to please the only one whose opinion ultimately matters. Jesus’ eyes were continually set on his Father and his calling. That shaped what he did and it influenced who chose to follow. And he seemed to be OK with that.

Misc. Thought: The Girl Effect, a New Favorite Band, and the Ten Greatest Records

 

Here are a few random thoughts. I hope you enjoy, but mostly I hope they make you think ….

 

Check out this great video regarding a major problem with some very practical solutions. Also, check out the African Education Resource Center. A couple of our former students (Jenise Huffman and Jene’ Huffman-Gilreath) are on the Board of Directors of this organization that is taking steps to provide resources.

 

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I first heard Gungor at Catalyst last October in Atlanta. I’m usually not a big fan of most Christian bands, but love their style musically and the things they have to say. Here is a video of theirs that has been making the rounds: “God is not a white man”.

 

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Finally, in honor of this weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships, here is a list of the “Ten Most Untouchable” high school track and field records.

Spiritual Jazz: Improvisation

 

There are many things that are attractive about jazz music as a metaphor of the Christian life. Both are built on discipline, commitment, community, and structure. And both should also be marked by a freedom that gives life and adds beauty and blessing to the world. There is a freedom that comes from a life lived in step with the Spirit. There is freedom to improvise and follow the call and leading of the God. I would encourage you to go back to posts from September 24, October 1, November 12, and February 4 to see where we have been.

 

My last post in this series talked about the place of syncopation in the Christian life. Syncopation is a shifting of the accent, usually by stressing the typically unaccented beats. It’s emphasizing the things that aren’t usually emphasized. Jesus’ life and teachings are great models of spiritual syncopation. He accented things that neither the secular nor religious cultures of his day emphasized.

 

Another characteristic of jazz that has great implications for the Christian life is improvisation. Here is what Robert Gelinas says about jazz improvisation:

 

“When jazz musicians take the stage, they are there, in part, to take the risk of composing in the moment – improvisation.

 

The word ‘improvisation’ derives from the Latin ‘im’ and ‘provisus’, meaning ‘not provided’ or ‘not foreseen’. Improvisation is the willingness to live within the bounds of the past and yet to search for the future at the same time. Improvisation is the desire to make something new out of something old. It is the craving to respect tradition while at the same time leaving one’s own mark. Improvisation is having a plan and yet not being incarcerated by the plan….

 

It is about being so familiar with one’s instrument of choice, the song, and the essentials that we can trust ourselves to search for the unseen – for what the moment is presenting. When we incorporate improvisation into our faith, freedom follows (for jazz is all about freedom!). Not freedom for freedom’s sake. Rather, freedom within and freedom that results from the good and right standards of our God. Improvisation will keep us from just copying others spiritually and set us free to play a little.”   Robert Gelinas, Finding the Groove, p. 33-34

 

Improvisation is not possible without the discipline to learn one’s craft and to stay within the “rules” of music, harmony, etc. Improvisation takes those rules and that discipline and then sets them free to explore new territories and to express one’s individuality. One of my favorite examples of jazz improvisation is John Coltrane’s version of “My Favorite Things” played at the Newport Jazz Festival. Though I’m not much of a fan of the original song from The Sound of Music, Coltrane’s version is over seventeen minutes of exploration and individuality. He and his band take the melody, the theme, and follow it into new and wonderful places – always coming back to the foundation of the song.

 

Scripture is full of examples of spiritual improvisation. Jesus’ life is full of it. He was always open to the will of his Father and the leading of the Holy Spirit. You can see this in the “on the way” incidents in his life – those times when he was “on his way” and followed the Spirit to improvise into something unplanned. The Apostle Paul improvised in Acts 16 when he abandoned his plans to go to Asia and Bithynia and went to Macedonia on the Spirit’s leading.

 

What keeps us from practicing spiritual improvisation? Some of the more common reasons are:

 

A failure to listen f0r God or to look for the leading of the Spirit in our lives. Sometimes we don’t slow down enough listen for God. Some aren’t close enough to God to recognize his voice when he speaks through this Word or his Spirit or others. We often live as practical atheists, without much though given to God or what he might be saying as we go about our lives.

 

Fear can keep us from spiritual improvisation because, by definition, improvisation takes us out of the familiar and into new territories. Some of us prefer the safety of structure, of routine. Improvisation challenges routine. Improvisation takes risks. And many prefer the safety of routine over the excitement of walking on the edge with God.

 

Busy-ness is a mark that many in our society use to gauge our importance. In reality, it is the curse of our age. We live so rushed and harried that there is no margin for improvisation. If we divert from our planned agenda, we feel guilty. Though Jesus accomplished much during this ministry and launched a movement that changed history, he was never rushed or harried. He always had time to follow the leading of his Father and improvise in ways that brought his Father glory.

 

For many, our lives are all about ourselves, though we would never say it that way. But we have plans, agendas, and goals for ourselves, our families, our churches, our businesses – for everything in our life. And, if we were painfully honest, we find anything that disrupts those plans to be very aggravating – even if it is God! We have our lives in order, going the direction we want them. Improvisation would just get in the way.

 

Is your life marked by spiritual improvisation, by the freedom to follow the Holy Spirit to new and exciting places that are on God’s agenda? If so, please share an example where you followed the Spirit!

 

If this is not true of you, do you want that kind of life? What is getting in your way?

Spiritual Consumers

 

“Unfortunately, the consuming spirit of our age has taken possession of most Christians in North America, and as a result, they too find it difficult to imagine another way of life. They assume, along with virtually everyone else, that the primary purpose in life is to make choices that will satisfy their own interests and desires in every sphere allotted to them by the commercial institutions of society. Numbered among those spheres is religion. It thus seems natural to talk about our relationship with God as yet another lifestyle choice, another good or service for our enjoyment. Unless we are careful, ‘meeting needs’ simply becomes another way of saying, ‘satisfying the customer.’”

- Storm Front: The Good News of God, by James Brownson

 

 

What do you think …

 

How do you find consumerism sneaking in to your spiritual life?

 

Do you evaluate spiritual opportunities by what you receive rather than what you give?

 

As a Christian leader, where do you feel tempted to compromise your call and purpose to appeal to the desires of spiritual consumers?

 

As Christian leaders, how do we free people from the grip of spiritual consumerism and release them to the joy of true discipleship?

Interesting News from the World of Sports

 

Some odds and ends from the world of sports over the past few months.

 

The reason that we should all be fans of Wake Forest University’s baseball team: Their coach is donating a kidney to a freshman on their team.

 

Last week was the NCAA’s National Signing Day. Though most of the attention goes to football, who are really the best recruiters among college coaches? ESPN rates the Top 20 recruiters in college athletics. If you can’t access the ESPN site, here is the list on Texas A&M’s site (which may give you a clue to at least one name on the list).

 

For you track and field fans, here is one person’s list of the Top Eight Field Event Athletes of All Time.

 

With so many athletes forgetting what sportsmanship is all about, here is a great story about an act of sportsmanship by a high school is Ashland, OR.

 

I mentioned this post a few months ago, but it is so fascinating that I had to mention it again. Here is a great article on the highest paid athlete of all time. I bet no one has his poster on their wall!

Spiritual Jazz: Syncopation

 

A few weeks ago, I began a series of posts on jazz as a metaphor for the Christian life. Many think of the Christian life more as a marching band than a jazz ensemble. It is about marching together and staying in step and in line. It is structured and rigid. And though it can be beautiful and amazing, the lines are clearly drawn and everybody knows when you get out of step. It is about making music as a unit and in a way that typically doesn't emphasize the individual.

 

There is nothing wrong with those things. But when they are applied to the Christian life, it can become stifling. There is a freedom that comes from a life lived in step with the Spirit. There is discipline and there is structure, but there is also freedom to improvise and follow the call and leading of the God. Many are missing that. I would encourage you to go back to posts from September 24, October 1, and November 12 to see where we have been.

 

In his book, Finding the Groove, Robert Gelinas writes:

 

“Jazz swings. That is, it picks up momentum, presses forward, and searches for what is to come. Syncopation is the technique that creates that characteristic. Simply put, syncopation is accenting the offbeat…. You accent that which has always been there but hasn’t been heard. Syncopation is not limited to musicians; it just requires an eye and ear for that which goes unnoticed and unheard in life.”

Robert Gelinas, Finding the Groove, p. 31-32

 

Syncopation is a shifting of the accent, usually by stressing the normally unaccented beats. It’s emphasizing the things that aren’t usually emphasized. I think Jesus’ life and teachings are great models of spiritual syncopation. He accented things that neither the secular nor religious cultures of his day emphasized. His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is a great example of this. Jesus shifted the accent – the emphasis and perspective – of both cultures.

 

* He did this with the religious culture by changing the accent from “You have heard that it was said …” t0 “But I tell you …” He changed the accent from public displays of religious acts to giving, praying, and fasting in secret.

 

* He did this with the secular culture by changing the accent from laying up treasures on earth to laying up treasures in heaven. He changed the accent from worry over food and clothing to trust in a Father who knows and cares.

 

Even Jesus’ actions were marked by syncopation. He noticed the unnoticed. He made time for those who were on the margins in society. Jesus would take time to listen to those others told to be quiet. When Jesus was on his way to other “appointments” (such as healing a dying child), he would make time to minister to those he met (a woman who touched him).

 

Spiritual syncopation accents the things that society and the religious “establishment” often overlook. It is in tune with the values of God and the leading of the Spirit more than the values of culture and the voice of the crowd. Though it is lived out “in the world”, it demonstrates a value system that is definitely – and obviously – not “of the world.”

 

Does your life emphasize and value the same things as our culture? Or do you accent and value the things that God values? Are you just going along with the religious flow, or are you accenting things that often go unnoticed in the structure and busy-ness of American church culture?

 

Spiritual syncopation – shifting the accent to the normally unaccented, noticing the unnoticed, valuing the things of God and not our secular or religious culture. It adds a dimension to our lives that makes them move to the rhythm of God.

Needed Environments For Growth

 

One of the highlights of the summer months are the Farmers’ Markets in Arkansas that sell some of my favorite things – sweet corn, tomatoes, and watermelon. The varieties that you can buy in the supermarket during the winter months just don’t measure up to the fresh home-grown produce you can get during the summer. Recently, I had a desire for some watermelon, so on January 16 I tossed a handful of seeds on the floor. As of today, there is still no sign of watermelon. Why? Because the carpeted floor isn’t the right environment for seeds to grow! For seeds to mature, certain “environments” have to be present.

 

It’s the same for spiritual growth. For us to mature spirituality, we have to put ourselves in environments that are conducive for growth and that provide the elements God uses to bring us to maturity. The longer I follow Jesus, the more I’m convinced that there are four:

 

God’s Word – The Bible is God’s primary tool to give us direction, wisdom, and correction. It is how God has chosen to reveal himself, his plan of reconciling the world to himself, and his will for our lives. (See Psalm 119.) We have to put ourselves in environments – corporately and personally – where we are studying God’s Word, meditating on God’s Word, and applying God’s Word to our lives.

 

Prayer – Prayer is a trait in the lives of all whom God has used greatly. Not the “out-of-habit” prayers that we say at meals or in religious services, but honest communication that is based on a relationship with our loving Father. We are called to “pray without ceasing”. (I Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer is to be the atmosphere in which we live.

 

Community – “Community” and “fellowship” are words that Christianity has cheapened to mean such things as eating together or taking part in some fun activity. The type of community that we need to grow is one that sharpens us and makes us better, that picks us up when we fall, that “spurs us on” to better things, and that defends us from the attacks of our enemy and our world. (See Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.) It involves relationships that are marked by devotion, openness, transparency, honesty, and accountability.

 

Mission – God has called us to join him on his mission to reconcile all things to himself and to bring all things under the leadership of Christ. One of the greatest traps of modern Christianity is our tendency to get wrapped up in prayer and Bible study and “community” and forget that we are to be a community on a mission of restoration and reconciliation. We have come to measure spiritual maturity by how much we know and how many Christian meetings we attend. But if we aren’t involved in God’s mission of restoration and reconciliation in our communities and in our world, we’ve missed the point of God’s call on our lives. (See II Corinthians 5:16-21.)

 

I believe that an absence of any of these environments in our lives will keep us from reaching maturity – being conformed to the image of Christ. A lack of God’s Word can lead to a subjective religion where we pick the “truths” that fit the life we choose to live. A lack of relational prayer can leave us with a “rational” belief system that doesn’t engage our hearts. A lack of community can leave us unaware of where we need to grow and people who know us well enough and care about us deeply enough to help us mature. A lack of mission can leave us self-absorbed and inwardly focused as individuals and bodies. I’m less concerned about the exact “methods” we use in these environments than I am making sure that each of them is present in our lives and in our Christian communities.

 

We each have different personalities and our lives have different rhythms. My way of studying the Bible and praying may look different than yours. The community that I am committed to will look different than your community. The places where I am involved in God’s mission of restoration and reconciliation will be different than the places where you are involved. Regardless of your preferred method, get yourself in the needed environments. Commit to studying and meditating on and obeying God’s Word. Make prayer as much a part of your life as the air your breath. Commit yourself to a community of godly people. Stretch yourself to be a vessel of restoration and reconciliation in the world you live.

 

When you do, God will produce fruit in your life that will be much sweeter than any found in a Farmer’s Market and that will last through eternity.

Trends on College Campuses

 

Below are some items share in the January edition of the Ivy Jungle Network Campus Ministry Update. This is a great resource. You can can subscribe by going to their website. Thank you, Evan Hunter, for putting it all together!

 

Students Don't Learn Much:  A new book, Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses(University of Chicago Press), raises an alarm that students show remarkably little learning in their first two years of college, and some virtually no difference in their critical thinking, analytic reasoning and other higher skills over the course of their college career.  According to the study, 45% of students did not demonstrate any significant improvement in learning during their first two  years of college.  36% remained at the same level after four years.  Those who did learn, showed, on average, only modest gains after four years.  The authors blame the lack of rigor for the poor performance by students. Students who do learn report high expectations from courses (i.e. 40 or more pages of reading per week and more than 20 pages of writing over the course of the semester). The data shows most students study only 12-14 hours a week, and much of that time is in groups. Students spend 50% less time studying than their counterparts two decades ago. Students in fraternities and sororities show smaller gains in learning, while other extracurriculars (clubs, volunteer opportunities, etc.) show little impact on learning. The authors do not see federal mandates as the solution but challenge the culture of higher education which has moved away from academic rigor. (Inside Higher Ed January 18, 2011)

 

Addicted (almost) to Self Esteem: A new report shows that college students crave boosts to their self esteem more than any other pleasurable activity such as favorite foods, drinking, sex, seeing friends or a paycheck. The study shows that ego boosts – such as receiving a good grade or a compliment – trumped all other rewards in the minds of college students. The study also measured the difference between liking a pleasurable activity and "wanting" it. In addicts, "wanting" something actually surpasses the addict's level of "liking" it.  In this study, the results showed that college students "liked" all of the pleasurable activities mentioned more than they "wanted" them. However, self-esteem boosts were the activity "wanted' more than any other and whose margins moved closest to addictive patterns. Brad Bushman, lead author of the study, says college students aren't addicted to self-esteem, but they are closer to being addicted to self-esteem than any other pleasurable activity. Their concern lies not in the desire for high self esteem, but the extent to which students might go to obtain their ego boost. (Research News Ohio State University January 11, 2011)

 

Megathemes of 2010:  In December, Barna published its "megathemes" for the church in 2010. These are not written for college students in particular, but Christian students seem to mirror the broader church in many of these areas.

 

1. The Christian Church is becoming less theologically literate.

2. Christians are becoming more ingrown and less outreach-oriented.

3. Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.

4. Among Christians, interest in participating in community action is escalating.

5. The postmodern insistence on tolerance is winning over the Christian Church.

6. The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible.

 

Each of these is not new to campus ministry – and offer unique challenges in how we spur students on to live lives worthy of the Gospel.  (Barna.org December 13, 2010)

 

Any thoughts on these?

Words That Give Direction

 

My last post talked about four words that summed up my 2010. Part of it dealt with blessings I experienced during the year. Though the purpose  was never to give an all-inclusive list of blessings, I should have been more careful. As soon as I posted it, I thought of those whom I should have mentioned. I mentioned my wife and daughters, but I should have included all of my family. My mom, my brother and his family, Gina’s family, my cousins and extended family – I can’t think of a finer group of people. When I hear about the drama that so many families endure, I appreciate all the more the blessing they are from God. He has also given me great friends who encourage and sharpen me – from old high school friends to those here in Arkansas to friends scattered around the country and the world.

 

A couple of years ago, I read a blog post by Chris Brogan. He wrote about a different way of setting direction for the new year. He wrote about thinking in terms of "words" that set the direction for the year rather than specific resolutions about what you are or are not going to do.

 

His ideas resonated with me. Over the past few years, I have been thinking more in term of a compass than a clock. A compass makes sure you are heading in the right direction (or at least in the direction you want to go). A clock measures where you are right now, without regard to the direction you are heading. The older I get, the more value I see in the compass. In fact, I have a few compasses sitting on desks and tables at home and in my office. In my mind, Brogan’s "words" idea is like a compass - setting the direction for the year.

 

So here are three words to help shape my 2011:

 

Purpose: I want to live my life purposefully and not just drift along. This applies to every part of my life. It includes living spiritually and physically disciplined so that every part of my life brings glory to God. It includes being purposeful in my relationships – with my wife, family, staff, students, and looking for ways to be a blessing to those with whom I interact. It includes being purposeful with my time and resources.

 

People: I want to live in such a way that relationships - and not programs, projects, or tasks – are my priority. I want to make room for more conversation and less administration. I want my life to be less about me and more about those whom God puts around me. I want to be more sensitive to the needs of others and not just my own.

 

Prayer: I want prayer to be a hallmark of my life. Prayer has always been something that is easier for me to talk about than to practice. I want to be more disciplined in it. I want it to be the atmosphere in which I walk.

 

I will have some more specific goals to fill these out. After all, I am a goal-setter by nature. But these are the major directions I would like my life to take during the next year, the themes I want to see developed.

 

What about you? If you were to choose words or themes to set the direction for your 2011, what would they be?

Before Moving Ahead, Take Time to Reflect

This is the time of year when people set New Year Resolutions. I have always been a "goal-setter", so making resolutions is almost a default mode for me. I will have some resolutions for 2011. But before I look ahead, I like to look back at the year just finished and see what themes may have developed. Looking back on 2010, these themes seem to sum up my year:

Blessing – It was a year of being blessed beyond what I deserve. That starts, of course, with God’s grace for a sinner like me. More and more I’m aware of my dependence on Him. It includes my family – from my beautiful, gracious, and patient wife to my wonderful daughters (and the men they married). It includes my ministry: Seeing God work in the lives of students from around the world and sharing that experience with a great staff, some incredible students, and prayer and financial partners - people and churches who share our vision of reaching students and influencing the world. It also includes what I do with track and field: From getting to head events in 2010 where World and American records were set to being selected for a couple of prestigious honors by USA Track and Field. On top of all of that, the response of friends and family to my birthday water project was overwhelming. Almost 70 people gave $5052 to help provide clean drinking water in a developing nation. In 2010, my cup definitely overflowed.

Responsibility – 2010 presented me with growing areas of opportunity and responsibility. I’m serving in leadership with local, state, and national organizations of various kinds. I’m excited about the purposes and potential these opportunities present, but they are responsibilities with which I have been entrusted and that I take seriously.

Communication – One of the big themes in my spiritual life this year was learning to listen more carefully to and walk more purposefully with the Holy Spirit. I have to be careful not to be so intent on my task of leading that I fail to listen and look to see where God is leading. But I also found that I didn’t do as good of a job as I should have in communicating in some of my areas of responsibility. There were times when I wasn’t on the same page as those working with me because I didn’t do a good enough job of casting vision and clarifying purpose.

Harried – Because of the blessings, opportunities, and responsibilities I have sometimes felt harried and scattered. As a result, I have often let urgent needs crowd out the important values of my life and ministry. I haven’t always been able to do things to the best of my ability because I have been trying to do too many things.

Those are the themes I see as I look back on my 2010. What about you? Looking back, what do you see as recurring themes of your past year? What things did God try to communicate to you?

Inventions, Vending Machines, and Christ’s Return

 

Here are some “interesting” odds-and-ends I discovered as I was cleaning out the bookmarks on my browser. I hope you find at least some of them interesting!

 

Christ’s return is set for May 21, 2011!

 

A sign of the above: We are running out of chocolate!

 

What the internet killed – some important things.

 

Coke, soda, or pop? It depends on where you live.

 

The 50 Best Inventions of 2010 (so far).

 

10 Weird Vending Machines Foods

Leader vs. Contractor

 

Collide Magazine has a great post today on the role of a leader. The basic point of the article is this:

 

“A leader doesn’t execute what the people want — a leader guides the people toward what they need…. The leader’s job is to evaluate needs and wants and to pursue the long-term vision. That doesn’t mean leaders are infallible, nor does it mean a leader should be isolated from feedback and counsel. It’s just that the leader still has a decision to make after everyone else has said their piece.”

 

Far too often I have seen those in positions of leadership in Christian organizations abdicate their role of leading those whom God has entrusted to them. They function more as contractors or managers than leaders. As the article states, we do have to listen to those around us and take seriously their input. But ultimately, the leader or leadership team has to set a direction and a strategy that gets the organization to accomplish their purpose and fulfill their vision. Then you have to cast that vision and strategy to those in your organization.

 

Leaders need to lead.

My Birthday Project: Completed!

About a month ago, I shared these facts with you:

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Children are especially vulnerable, as their bodies aren't strong enough to fight diarrhea, dysentery and other illnesses.

90% of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions are to children under five years old. Many of these diseases are preventable. The UN predicts that one tenth of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply and sanitation.

So I decided to use the occasion of my 52nd birthday to raise money for a freshwater well in a developing country through the organization Charity:water. And I asked you to give toward that project. And did you! In that month, you gave $5,000 – the average cost of building a well that will provide clean water at least 250 people.

Though part of my job is raising money for our ministry, the giving to this project was different. It was for my birthday. And I asked folks from all aspects of my life – family, students, former students, friends, track friends. I wasn’t sure how people would respond to such a blatant request for money for my birthday.

What I discovered is that people from all walks of life, and all over the country, resonated with the need for clean water and were excited about a chance to help with such a project. And I was moved and humbled by the responses – that 63 people from 17 states (including DC) cared enough to give. Thanks to all of you. It will probably be at least a year before the well is completed, but I will keep you updated on the progress.

This project has also been a reminder that we can accomplish great things and make our world a better place for others when we work together. We just to do it more often.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

The Passing of a Track (and Kansas) Legend

For decades, one of the greatest high school rivalries in Arkansas was the Springdale Bulldogs vs. the Fayetteville Bulldogs. But my favorite memory from any of those games had nothing to do with football or basketball.

 

The stadium in Springdale was packed for the annual match-up. Sitting beside me was a white-haired man in his 70’s. We began chatting and I soon discovered that he didn’t know anything about either team. He was just there to watch his grandson in the Springdale Marching Band. I also discovered that he, like me, was from Kansas. And somewhere in the conversation, I discovered that I was sitting next to Wes Santee.

 

Of the few thousand at this football game, I was probably one of the few (and maybe the only one) who would have recognized that name. But I was from Kansas. And I was a University of Kansas Jayhawk fan. And I was a track and field fan. And Wes Santee was a track and field legend in Kansas and, at one time, around the world. I don’t remember who actually won the football game that night, because Mr. Santee and I talked track until a storm caused the game to be suspended and we went our separate ways. But a few days later, I received an autographed copy of The Perfect Mile from him. If you enjoy track and field, you will love the book.

 

I will let this article from the New York Times give you the details of his career. But in 1953 and 1954, the world watched as Santee, John Landy of Australia, and Roger Bannister of Great Britain raced to become the first person to break the four-minute barrier in the mile. On May 6, 1954, Bannister ran a 3:59.4. On June 21, 1954, Landy ran a 3:58. Though Santee was the American record holder in the mile and world record holder in the 1,500 meters indoors and outdoors and in the mile indoors, he was never able to run faster than 4:00.5.

 

Wes Santee passed away on Sunday in Eureka, KS at the age of 78. I fondly remember my evening with him and his graciousness to me.

Spiritual Jazz: Your Life as a Work of Art

 

A few weeks ago, I began writing a series of posts on jazz as a metaphor for the Christian life. The premise was that many think of the Christian life more as a marching band than a jazz ensemble. It is about marching together and staying in step and staying in line. It is structured and rigid. And though it can be beautiful and amazing, the lines are pretty clearly drawn and everybody knows when you get out of step. It is about making music as a unit and in a way that typically doesn't emphasize the individual.

 

There is nothing wrong with any of those things. But when they are applied to the Christian life (and many bring those attitudes into the Christian life), it can become stifling. I think there is a freedom - an improvisation - that comes from a life lived in step with the Spirit. There is discipline and there is structure, but there is also freedom to improvise and follow the call and leading of the Spirit. Many are missing that. I would encourage you to go back to posts from Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 for more details.

 

One of the reasons that I have postponed the series is because some of these thoughts were in a guest piece I wrote for a “blog-a-thon”. It ran last week on Faith on Campus. I would encourage you to check out the other pieces posted.

 

Before I write more about elements of jazz that apply to our spiritual lives – things like syncopation, improvisation, etc. – I want to lay a piece of Biblical groundwork.

 

“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

 

As many who have been around our ministry would tell you, this is one of my favorite and most often quoted verses. I believe it sets the stage for a life of fruitful and joyful service to God and others.

 

We need to realize that God has re-created us through Jesus Christ to be works of art. The word translated “workmanship” is poiema, from which we derive our English word “poem.” We are God’s poem, God’s musical composition, God’s work of art carefully crafted by his own hands.

 

We live in a “paint by numbers” world where creativity and uniqueness is often discouraged. Our world – from schools to churches to corporations to athletic teams to families to friends – works hard to bring everyone into conformity and to keep everyone from straying too far from the accepted ways of thinking or living. But works of art are not mass produced. Each piece is unique and different from every other piece. We need to recognize, and help those around us recognize, the unique way that God has created us. We have the freedom to express that individuality as we are led by the Spirit. Of course, we need to cling to Scriptural truth and practice spiritual disciplines so that the work of art that God created maintains is unique beauty, but we must beware of “cookie-cutter” approaches that make Christians more like other Christians or our religious culture (or us) than the work of art God intended.

 

Works of art are also created for a purpose: To reflect the creator and his or her values and nature to the world in a unique way. Every painting, sculpture, poem, or musical piece says something about the one who created it. So, too, it is God’s desire that the works of art he has created in us reflect him accurately to our world – but in unique and creative ways. We were designed for something far greater than a paycheck – to be works of God that communicate the nature of God to the world.

 

I believe that it is interesting – and significant – that the only other time that a form of the Greek word “poiema” is used in the New Testament is in Romans 1:20. In this verse, God states that the purpose of the creation around us is to reflect God’s power and nature so that the world is without excuse. They should recognize that He exists from what He has created. We, as God’s new creations, are to make God’s nature and power known, as well.

 

The primary way that we do that is by getting involved in the “good work” which God has prepared for us. That is the reason that God has re-created us and made us into works of art – to fulfill his purpose. God has a job for you – one that takes advantage of your unique giftedness and reflects his nature. It is something that is good. It is something that honors Him. It is something that makes Him known to the world. God has prepared it for you. God has prepared you for it.

 

We need to quit acting like the Christian life is all about me – my enjoyment, my entertainment, my comfort, my needs. The Christian life, the life that is in step with the Spirit, is a life that is on a mission. It honors God by fulfilling the purpose for which it is designed.

 

Those of us in leadership need to remember that one of our major roles is to help those around us recognize the gifts and value they have as God’s re-creative works of art and to help them catch a vision for the unique and critical purpose to which God has called them. Then we help prepare them to respond to that calling as a part of Christ’s body and in a way that reflects their Creator and draws others to Him. When we do these things, they will experience the joy of a life lived in step with the Spirit and the truth of these words by Frederick Buechner:

 

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.”

 

 

My Favorite Title for Jesus

We could fill this page with the names and titles that the Bible gives for Jesus – from the Old Testament through Revelation. And each of us would have names or titles that spoke most closely to our hearts. Maybe for you it would be the Prince of Peace or the Good Shepherd or the Alpha and Omega. (In fact, please feel free to share your favorite titles in the comment section.) These preferences probably change depending on the time and circumstances of our lives.

 

At this time in my life, the title of Jesus that I most resonate with is one that apparently was used in a derogatory manner by his enemies: “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” (Matthew 11:19) On one level that speaks to me because I am a sinner and I need a friend like Jesus. On another level, that is what I want to be. I want to have the same kind of heart that Jesus did for those far from God and whose lives aren’t what God intended for them. I want our ministry to be one that is known as a place that is “sinner friendly” – where those not walking with God can feel loved and that they are in a place that will help them move into a relationship with God.

 

One of the amazing things from the biographies of Jesus is that those who were most attracted to Jesus – and to whom he seemed to be most attracted – were the ones far from God. The rough crowd of sinners loved being around Jesus and he really seemed to enjoy being around them. He wasn’t like those with a reputation as religious people, who went to great lengths to emphasis their separation and moral superiority. Jesus lived out a kind of holiness (what the authors of The Tangible Kingdom call a “winsome holiness”) that was attractive to those around him. Jesus was holy – all the time and in every way. He was sinless, but his wasn’t a holiness that was just based on the “don’ts” that we often focus on. It was a holiness that exuded a life and values – the fruit of the Spirit – that attracted  people to him. Of course, Jesus didn’t just leave people where they were. His most common message was one of repentance.

 

Those who “knew” God best – who knew their Scriptures and said their prayers and gave their tithes – were the ones who had the hardest time with Jesus. They were the ones who eventually arranged for his death.

 

Somehow, we have done a good job of turning that whole paradigm upside down. For the most part, we practice a Christianity with which religious folks are real comfortable and of which those far from God want no part. We live out a holiness that is more about separating ourselves from the world and those in it than it is about incarnationally living out the character of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. And, I suspect, that if Jesus became a part of one of our ministries and started to live out the life he lived in Scripture many among us would have a hard time with him.

 

I could keep writing, but I better stop before you do. Here are some questions for you to think about:

 

Are you a friend of sinners? Do you have meaningful relationships with those whose lives aren’t connected with God? Do you find your heart going out to them or do you feel yourself being judgmental toward them? Does your life look more like Jesus’ or the life of a Pharisee?

 

Is your church or ministry a place where those whose lives aren’t connected with God feel cared for? Is it a place where they can safely explore the person of Jesus and their relationship with Him?

 

I spoke on this topic yesterday morning and the podcast should be available online soon at www.christoncampus.org.

 

Finally, I had decided to write this yesterday. This morning, Alan and Debra Hirsch posted an article on the same topic. Of course, they develop it better and in more detail than I have. Be sure and read it, as well.

Leadership and Seeing the Big Picture

I’m getting to spend this week at Camp Allendale in Trafalgar, IN working with four good friends. Roger, Tim, Don, Barry, and I are serving as officers for the Association of College Ministries – a group of about 110 campus ministries around the world. This is the third time in my 29 years of campus ministry that I have served as an officer of this group. Probably now , more than at any other time, I feel a responsibility for the care and success of those ministries and the over 300 folks who serve with them. We’ve spent the week talking about and planning retreats and conferences, but also about how we can add value to others’ ministries and help equip them for success over the long haul.

 

The week has also got me thinking about how one’s perspective changes the longer one is in leadership. The first time I served as an officer (about 20 years ago), my vision in all areas was more limited. Most of it centered on my specific ministry – our growth and development and needs. Though I had friends ministering in other places, my mind was mostly wrapped up in what I was doing where I was at. That wasn’t true of just the ACM (or the NACSF as it was known then), but also of my ministry at the UofA. I didn’t have much of a relationship with the other ministries on our campus. I was busy working to build and shape Christ on Campus.

 

Now I find myself thinking a lot about the big picture of furthering God’s Kingdom. That doesn’t mean I’m not totally invested in our ministry. I am as committed as ever to our growth and success in reaching and equipping students on our campus. But I also realize that God’s vision for our campus – and for our world – won’t be accomplished just by our efforts. So I’m concerned about and interested in the other Christ-honoring ministries on our campus. One of the most important appointments on my calendar is our weekly campus ministers’ prayer time when leaders of a dozen or so ministries gather to pray for one another. And I’m interested in and committed to the success of other ministries around the world that share the same desire to further God’s Kingdom.

 

This week has been about the Kingdom of God on a bigger scale. Teaching, training, and encouraging campus ministry staff and students from around the country. Strategic partnerships with other like-minded ministries.

 

I believe that is one of the tasks to which leaders are called. We are to be looking ahead and considering the big picture, the ultimate purpose. It is not just about the success of this event, but how does this event move us toward our purpose, towards God’s purpose. It is not just about the success of my group, but the advancement of God’s Kingdom and His glory. As a leader, your ministry needs you to be looking ahead and thinking strategically about the big picture – your purpose and the steps it will take to get there. Don’t get side-tracked by the immediate. Keep your eyes on the big picture – what will it take for God’s vision to be accomplished and God’s Kingdom furthered.

Thoughts on Leadership - Tension is Good

The theme of Catalyst, which our staff attended a few weeks ago was "Tension is Good." That seems counter-intuitive at first glance, but if we think about it we realize that it is tension that allows us to grow, mature, move forward, and reach new territories - both personally and organizationally. It is the tension in a violin or guitar string that allows it to make music. It is the tension in a pole vaulter's pole that sends him over a crossbar three times his height.

Tension isn't a negative in and of itself. We need it. But we need to learn how to properly deal with it personally and organizationally. Tension can produce opportunity or stress, all depending on how we choose to respond to it. As I consistently tell my students, "All stress if self-induced." Stress is a result of how we choose to respond to tense or difficult "opportunities". (I'm not sure my students believe me.)

Here are some thoughts on tension for us who serve as leaders. They come from a variety of sources, with major contributions from Andy Stanley.

Every leader has a motivating tension. That's what keeps us moving and pressing forward - the thing that drives us to achieve. What is the motivating tension in your life? How can you harness it to be more effective - not just professionally or organizationally, but personally and spiritually?

Tension adds depth to our story. A movie without tension is a boring movie. The tension and its resolution is what makes a good story a good story. A life without tension is boring. It is often lived without a sense of our need for God or testimony of God's work in our life. The tension in your life enhances your dependence on God, gives Him room to work, and adds depth to the story of your relationship with God.

Every leader should learn to overcome the fear of tension. Leaders shouldn't dread tension but realize that it is an inherent part of leadership. In fact, tension tells you a lot about your organization and its needs.

It is impossible to love people and avoid tension.


Our role as a leader is to break through the tension to something significant. Tension is necessary for any organization that wants to make progress. Great organizations learn to use tension. The role of leadership is to leverage the tension to the benefit of our life and organization.

Tension is a powerful platform to clarify what is important. Tension helps us identify our priorities and the things in our life or organization that interfere with those priorities.