RexReflections

First of the fourth month

2009-04-01T20:47:00.003-06:00

As of today, I have not been on my blog this year. I agree with Ryan that forced blogging is not good! However, this is not forced.
I have recently become aware of concepts, principles, systems, etc. that come in fours. People who write books seem to think in fours and I wonder how pervasive fours are. There are four seasons - four quarters on the calendar. Four quarters in some sporting events and four leaf clovers bring good luck! There are four personality types in Myers-Briggs as well as four styles in DISC assessment. I could go on but you get the idea.
Help me think of things that come in fours and send them to me. As I find them, I am going to document them and save them just to see how many FOURs are out there.
Leave a comment of fours you know.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T19:01:00.003-07:00

We just spent a week at New Life Ranch with our family. I have been thinking (13 hour drive back to Colorado) about our family. Each and every one of them is precious to me. I thought about my wonderful wife and partner who is a co-conspirator in our family. She deserves much credit for shaping our children. I am thankful for the people that our children brought into the family - wives, husband, and children. All of them are wonderful people and a real joy to me.

I praise God for allowing me to be a part of this brood. I love every member of my family.

Interesting Movie

2008-09-19T16:23:00.002-06:00

Mama Sue and I went, as we usually do on Friday, to see a movie. The title of the movie is Lakeview Terrace. It is the story of a young couple moving into an upscale California neighborhood. The couple's neighbor is a very angry man whose wife was killed in an auto accident three years ago. He's left with two children - a teenage girl who desperately needs a mother and a younger son. The guy is a cop with the LAPD and been on the force for 27 or so years. He mistreats people and is mistreated by the department. He doesn't like his new neighbors because he doesn't like anyone! He makes it difficult for his neighbors.

The young couple does not have children but she wants to get the family started and he doesn't. He is so self-centered that when she announces she's pregnant, he becomes very angry.
Anger and self-centeredness are huge sins in the lives of a lot of people. What we do with that anger and selfishness impacts all the people in our lives not to mention what it does to us.

The story sounds complicated to this point, right? Now add the fact that the angry cop is Samuel L. Jackson. His African-American wife was in a car with a white man in a place they should not have been when they were both killed in the auto accident. The young couple is a mixed race couple.

The movie pointed out for me how complicated our sins can become when we just take the simple sin and add extuenating circumstances and unusual conditions to the situation. I am reminded that I need to go to the root or the heart of my sin and start confessing there. Then keep confessing all the way out to my current reality.

So, how did the story change in your mind when you read that the race of the players were not all the same? Can you name the reaction?

God bless you!

Perspective

2008-02-22T17:05:00.002-07:00

Mama Sue and I went to see "Vantage Point" today. The movie was released today and is a real action thriller. They used an unusual and interesting way to tell the story. There is an attempted assassination of the President of the U.S. at a world conference. The story is told and retold from the viewpoint or perspective of 4-5 different people. Dennis Quaid was the star and the hero.

I was reminded of the story of the Bible which I am focused on right now as I teach a class called Bible 101, an overview of the entire Scripture. In preparation for Sunday, I have been thinking about the metanarrative or comprehensive explanation of the historical story of our Bible. As Christians, we believe that the Books of Moses constitute a primary history of mankind as a whole. The story progresses from the Pentateuch according to a universal principle: the history of mankind is governed by Yawyeh, and that His will is manifest in every event that takes place. The destiny of all mankind, according to this principle, is governed by man's relationship with God.

The structure of the Bible is much like Vantage Point in that the story is told and retold from a variety of viewpoints and perspectives. In the movie, the viewer learns a little more detail about the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt. As one reads the Bible, you learn more and more of the story -- progressive revelation, we call it.

In the movie as well as in the story of the Bible, there are undisputable facts. In the movie, you can see them. In the Bible, we believe them by sheer faith. And they are just as real and relevant to the story and how it gets played out in our lives.

You have a different view?

Behavior-Anchored Discipleship

2008-01-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time. Let me write regarding what I have been thinking about.
I preached at our church on Jan. 13 and during the preparation for that sermon, I put some dates on events in my life. I came to a realization that the time that elapsed between my accepting Christ and my devoting my life to him was 34 years!
In thinking about my call to ministry, which includes discipling men, I am conscious of the fact that I probably don't have 34 years of producting time left here on earth. So, there is a new sense of urgency in my discipleship ministry.
I have read three books recently that are encouraging me to organize and document a discipleship "process" that is based on ones behavior. The books: LeRoy Eims wrote, "The Lost Art of Disciple Making"; N. Graham Standish wrote, "Humble Leadership"; and "Appreciative Inquiry" by David L. Cooperrider and Diana Whitney.
It is not important now to summarize those books here but know they are informing my thinking and influencing the process that I will be trying to document.
Then last night, I again read John 14:12 (NIV) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Jesus was a proponent of behavior anchored discipleship.
I want to know Him and will seek to do what he did; think what he thought; see what he saw; love like he loved. My process will imitate His process.
What do you think?

Thoughts on the church

2007-11-01T17:01:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, 490 years ago, Martin Luther started the Reformation movement. Today, I wanted to share some thoughts on reformations that are needed today. The following is taken from David Timms with some added thoughts of mine.

Let the Church rediscover its commitment to broad issues of social justice (poverty, homelessness, education, health care) not just placarding against abortion and gay rights. Historically the Church has led the way with the schools, hospitals, shelters, and charity that have formed the foundation for Western civilization. If we would only act out what we preach!
Let the Church return to its roots of making disciples not simply converts, understanding that a raised hand or a signed card is no achievement. Rather, we call people to transformed lives in a world hungry for an authentic option to its own plastic superficiality. If we would only act out what we preach!
Let the Church be a city of refuge, a place of grace rather than legalism. While we genuinely and consistently urge each other to live lives of selflessness, purity, and godliness, we forgive unfailingly whenever people express contrition and repentance.
Let the Church constantly affirm its mission to work first with people not property, to build the Body before buildings, to focus constantly on ministry ahead of facilities. We need to put and keep the main thing the main thing.

If you were to nail some theses to your church door, what would you write?

Shirley's Retirement Dinner

2007-10-31T10:33:00.000-06:00

Girls and Leaves

2007-10-28T07:44:00.000-06:00

There is nothing like playing in the leaves at your grandparents house! Claire and Ellie enjoyed themselves last Saturday.

A Thought

2007-10-21T16:34:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it has been a month since I wrote here...but it has. Oh well, I have no obligation to write here. Besides, because I have not written here doesn't mean I have not been thinking or reflecting.

I have been thinking about the following statement: My life is shaped by what I take for granted. I assume so much. I was thinking about the things I assume or take for granted. There are the basic things of life; the next breath, the next heartbeat, etc. is not owed to me or due me. Every breath is an undeserved gift from God. But if I correctly assume that God is keeping me alive for a purpose, I assume clean clothes, warm water, electricity, my vehicle starting, the other driver will stop at his red light, my house will be here when I get back, my wife and daughter will be here as well, and on and on. It is amazing to me to think about all the things I take for granted.

I had a great conversation with my spiritual mentor and I will not take the presence of the Holy Spirit for granted. I asked him to hold me accountable for my self-prescibed process of spending specific time with God each week. I am determined to not take for granted the Holy Spirit and His transforming presence in my life.

Miserable Job

2007-09-22T15:22:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I read a new book by Patrick Lencioni, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job. It is a fable for managers and their employees. While this is intended for business managers, I try to apply everything I read to the church and servant leadership.
Wow! This book is a keeper and one I'll refer to often. It was published by Jossey Bass and I highly recommend it.
I was reminded of Jacob and Esau just after their "reconciliation" meeting. As they agreed to travel together with young children and young animals, Jacob said, "So go on ahead of us. We will follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir." Genesis 33:14 (NLT) Jacob was one of the first leaders to understand "speed of the leader; speed of the team" concept. Usually this means that the leader has to move out in front of the team and set the pace...and they will move (however you want to define that) as fast as the leader. Jacob's words seems to embody a turn of the concept into "speed of the team; speed of the leader".
There is a correlation between Jacob and Lencioni's fable. The three signs of a miserable job are:

Irrelevancy - Not knowing if what I do matters to anyone - makes any difference at all.
Immeasureable - How do I really know on a regular basis if I'm accomplishing my job...really?
Anonymity - Would someone (preferably my manager) take a real serious interest in me?

Lencioni's hypothesis is that there are no bad jobs (well, there are a few) but there are many miserable people at work.

Jacob really cared for his family and took a serious interest in their well-being. He knew that what He did really mattered to his family and to his God.

I am still thinking of how I am going to change my relationship with volunteers so that their effort in ministry is not "miserable".

If you want to know more about this book and Patrick Lencioni, go to www.miserablejob.com

Too busy

2007-09-12T20:09:00.000-06:00

I have been "too busy" to spend time reflecting and writing here. First, I was not feeling well. Then I went out of town. Then I was in a conference all day for a couple of days. Then I got behind in my "work". Then... do you see the pattern I see? Life overwhelms my resolve to reflect and write.
I wondered to myself if Jesus got so busy and so overwhelmed that he didn't have time to be quiet and reflect on the words of his Father. I can't find any evidence of that in scripture. Most every experience of high visibility and busy-ness was followed by a time of personal reflection and prayer. When he should have been basking in his success or capitalizing on the momentum of "his" ministry, he went off by himself and spent time with the Father.
Jesus said he only did what the Father told him to do. So, I have to assume God was calling him to times of silence and solitude - and it was important to the Son.
Times of reflection and silence has to be more important to me.

The Church

2007-08-13T21:13:00.000-06:00

Today, I spent several hours in conversation with Pastor Ron and then a couple hours in Denver with two pastors there - all talking about the health of the RCA churches in our region. I don't know why doing church has to be so difficult.
Well, maybe I do have an idea. Perhaps it is because leaders of the church do so little strategic thinking. It is interesting that we think about transforming people but hardly ever have a thought about transforming the church.
Michael Porter, a professor at Harvard Business School, was a speaker at the Willowcreek Leadership Summit and spoke about "How do we do good well?" His premise was that it is easy to do good, but to do it well requires strategic thinking about and answering four questions:

Have we defined our goals clearly?
What set of needs shall we address?
How do we deliver goods/services that meet those needs?
How do we get alignment or how do keep everyone focused on the answers to the first three questions.

I struggle with pastors who are called to ministry but have no idea concerning the answers to those four questions about their particular church.

As I read & reflect on scripture, I find again and again that God has very clear and perceptive answers to those questions for the universal church.

I will continue to pray for the leaders of the churches I influence.

The Class continues

2007-08-11T06:42:00.000-06:00

This weekend, I'm attending the Willowcreek Leadership Summit here in Colorado Springs. Great speakers and worship time but the Foundations class I just completed at Fuller Seminary continues to occupy my mind and heart.
For that class, I read most of Joan Chittister's book, "Wisdom Distilled From the Daily-Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today." From that book, I garnered the following "rule" that I now read daily just before practicing my bible reading and prayer. It grounds me and I wanted to share it with you.
1. Spirituality is more about principles than practices. It is not about my schedule as much as it is about my priorities; attitude over behavior. I seek a change of heart and a turning of my mind.
2. The scripture is a guide to God, not God. This is not spiritual gymnastics. It is awareness of the reality of the Gospel.
3. This is not an enterprise of private whim but a conscious gathering of wisdom & encouragement from others (the Holy Spirit, church fathers, canon authors, moderns following Christ).
4. These practices are NOT about my needs or me; my family and my community have a claim on the merit of my life.
Thank you, Father, for teaching me from the contemplatives of the past. Amen

Messiness of life

2007-08-09T09:23:00.000-06:00

Today, we are in Breckenridge enjoying a few days away while Mindy is at Lions Camp. This is the highlight of the year for all three of us. It seems that our life is perfect during these times. Mindy really enjoys camp and we really enjoy a few days of quiet, restful, non-meeting, silent telephone, etc. All three of us are just about as happy as we can be!
This morning, during my time of reflection and daily meditation, I read a daily email from Os Hillman. Here is a copy.

Embracing the Mess
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

(you can subscribe at http://www.churchgrowthmail.org)

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest. - Proverbs 14:4My wife and I run together through a new home subdivision. Often we see the street filled with red clay from the land as bulldozers clear it to lay a foundation. The job site is littered with lumber, all sorts of trash from workers, and is generally a mess. The house looks ugly; it has all its insides exposed as it is being pieced together, yet this process is necessary to get to the finished product. When completed, the home is beautiful. The landscaping looks like it came out of a home-design magazine. Everything is clean and perfect in order for the new homeowner to move in.Our walk with God is much the same process. Often we must go through a messy period of our lives in which all aspects of it are in disarray. It is in these times that God builds a new structure. He might remove some structural timbers in our lives and replace them with new ones. He might even add on another room. And unless this process takes place, we will never see the end product. The goal is more Christlikeness. In order to achieve this in us, He requires a period of removing all that is not of Him. It can be a painful process.It would be impossible to keep oxen in a barn without having to clean up the mess from time to time. It just comes with the territory, but the result of the oxen is an abundant harvest. God may be allowing a mess in order to ensure a fruitful harvest in your life. Learn from Him so that you might experience the fulfillment of His purposes for you in these times.

Father, thank you for reminding me that the external life is not the most important. The internal life - our desire and growth in Christlikeness - is just as important to you. Help me keep my eyes on both. Amen.

Beginning

2007-08-08T10:23:00.000-06:00

I just finished a seminary class "Foundations for Spiritual Life". I pledged my time and attention to a plan of personal discipline that will cause me seek, on a regular basis, to practice the presence of God.
As I practice my discipline, I intend to share my reflections here. The purpose of those reflections are (1) to help me focus my mind and (2) share with you who visit here my insights, discernments, visitations, etc.
You are welcome to respond but you are not expected to do so. If something strikes a chord in you and you want to share, you are most welcome.