Mind the Gap!

A friend told me a story of servant leadership that occurred a couple of weeks ago during London’s busy rush hour.

His wife was struggling to top up her Oyster Card at St James’ Park Underground Station and a commuter who was rushing by stopped to help the lady in distress. He asked what the difficulty was and arranged with Underground staff for the top-up to happen smoothly. He apologized for the problem and introduced himself as Howard Collins, Chief Operating Officer for London Underground. Customer Care at its best.

Isn’t it interesting how little things can make a big impression?

“Mind the Gap!” is a familiar announcement for travelers on the London Tube and Mr Collins example at the end of a busy day reminds me to avoid gaps between vision statements and on the ground values.

Living Well Together

When I was at theological college I learned a ditty that ran:

To dwell above with saints we love

Oh that will be glory,

But to live  below with saints we know,

Well that’s a different story!

Life in community can be a real challenge at times but it is where the reality of the Gospel is seen.  Authentic relationships bear witness to an authentic gospel. Lesslie Newbigin expressed it perfectly;

“How is it possible that the gospel should be credible, that people  should come to believe that the power which has the last word in human affairs is represented by a man hanging on a cross? I am suggesting that the only answer, the only hermeneutic of the gospel, is a community of men and women who believe it and live by it.”

Lesslie Newbiggin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, London: SPCK, 1989 (227)

Seen from this perspective, living well together is not about a harmonious life as much as a prophetic statement that Jesus Christ unites people who were not only once alienated from God but from one another as well.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggested seven principles that would enable us to live Christianly in community. To achieve this we should;

1. Hold our tongues and refuse to speak uncharitably about another believer

2. Cultivate the humility that comes from understanding that we (like Paul) are the greatest of sinners and can only live in God’s sight by His grace

3. Listen “long and patiently” so we can understand our fellow believers need

4. Refuse to consider our time and calling so valuable that we cannot be interrupted to help with unexpected needs, no matter how small or menial

5. Bear the burden of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, both by preserving their freedom and by forgiving their sinful abuse of that freedom

6  Declare God’s word to our fellow believers when they need to hear it

7. Understand that Christian authority is characterized by service and does not call attention to the person who performs the service.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, New York: Harper & Row, 1954 (90-109)

Some wise and timely words about living well together.

 

Doing the right thing

“Managers do things right – leaders do the right thing” is an aphorism that’s often quoted in a “that says it all” way. But I’m not so sure it covers all the bases.

In spite of that “doing the right thing” has been spinning around my head for a few days and for a variety of reasons.

It was triggered by re-reading the appalling story of Joseph who was trafficked by his brothers (see Genesis 37:1ff). The original plan was to murder him and make up a story about finding his blood-soaked clothes, leaving everyone to conclude a wild animal had killed him.  Reuben, as the eldest son, saw the need to take the lead. He talked the brothers out of murder and suggested instead they throw Joseph into a deep cistern. The narrative  contains a telling statement about Reuben both as a man and a leader:

“Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father”. (v22)

Reuben knew murder was wrong.

He knew mob mentality, fostered by the cancer of long-standing bitterness, was hard to withstand.

He knew the right thing to do.

And he failed to do it.

Instead he came up with another plan which was a middle path of compromise. Joseph would be abused and mistreated but Reuben would buy some time when tempers might cool and a way out could emerge. Imagine his pain and astonishment when, on returning to the well, he found his brother had been sold as a slave. For years Reuben lived with the guilty secret and the haunting refrain ‘if only’.

He went along with the lie as the blood-stained clothes were shown to the family. He lived with the daily, heartrending grief of his father, Jacob. He sought to bring comfort as a dutiful son, while all the while living with his dark secret.

He wasn’t alone. Nine brothers watched each other nervously, wondering if anyone would crack and blurt out the awful truth.

The time span from Joseph being sold as a slave and emerging as Prime Minister of Egypt was thirteen long years, followed by  seven years of bumper harvests.  Then add some time for the famine to hit Canaan, sending the brothers of a hunt for food. By the time they were ushered into Joseph’s presence (unaware of his true identity) almost a quarter of a century had passed.

And for all those years Reuben lived with the consequences of doing the wrong thing.

Which is why doing the right thing is always the best thing.

The Power of Encouragement

It’s an office door.

And it’s decorated with brightly coloured post its.

And they contain words of thanks and encouragement.

And it made a group of people feel valued and encouraged.

And it’s a simple yet meaningful thing to do.

Try it.

A bunch of students decided to exercise the power of feedback at our College and a couple of days ago we arrived at our offices to find the doors  plastered with messages. Both teaching and support team were included, so no-one felt left out. No bland ‘Have a Nice Day’ stuff but specifics, “What I value about you is…..” and “Thanks for the way you….”.

Some were signed, many were anonymous but all were real.

And they stopped to pray. It must have taken ages – but the commitment spoke volumes.

My lens for viewing that particular day changed for the better.

The power of encouragement. Try it!

Changing the world one life at a time

At the start of a new year  we have our individual plans, hopes and dreams. But what about those whose plan is no more than finding the next meal, who hopes for somewhere safe to sleep tonight and dreams of a life with more than enough to just get by?

At the start of 2013 I invite you to take a few moments to look at this short film that tells a story which puts life into perspective.

Hope and Homes are doing a great job, seeking to change the world one life at a time.

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with good things and especially the courage and faith to believe that, with God’s help, you can make a difference.

For further information go to: http://www.hopeandhomes.co.uk/

Cultivate and Weed Part 2

Alongside weeding is the need to tend plants and nourish the soil to ensure the best growing environment. For leaders cultivation of spiritual disciplines is vital. Here are three:

Perspective

Elijah suffered from a loss of this when he claimed to be the only faithful worshiper of God left in Israel. (1 Kings 19:14). Yahweh put him straight with some astonishing mathematics – the Divine eye had noted seven thousand faithful followers who had stayed bright during dark days.

The Elijah syndrome is a condition common to Christian leaders and there are different ways to guard against it. Relationships (where honest feedback is sought and given), a healthy sense of humour (which can be a safety valve) and learning to handle criticism and setbacks appropriately are good starting points.

Prayerfulness

Being “paid to pray” can create an unhelpful professional approach to what is the equivalent of oxygen to our spirits. Conversation with God about all matters – both large and small – is indispensable for leaders to fulfill their calling.

The local church throws up a list of challenges to do with people, money, power, misplaced expectations and, at times, a distinct lack of faith. It’s not nifty political footwork that can break through such barriers. But prayer can.

Try the Jehoshaphat approach: “ We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you”. (2 Chronicles 20:12).

Passion

It is possible to develop a passion for ministry, for preaching and for leadership yet lose the greatest passion of all. A Passion for Christ.

John Piper has written of our need to become Christian Hedonists. To make finding pleasure in God our greatest aim. In pursuing this we discover:

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him”. (John Piper)

An outstanding example of this is Paul, the Christian leader and apostle. Writing from a Roman prison, he gives personal testimony to a passion for Jesus that burned like fire in his bones:

“…….. I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith inChrist – the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:8-14)

US General Schwarzkopf (of Gulf War fame) said: “Ninety-nine percent of leadership failures are failures of character”. [1]

Which reminds us why weeding and cultivating are equally essential to grow healthy leaders.

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[1] James C. Hunter, The World’s Most Powerful Leadership Principle: How to become a Servant Leader, Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2004 (141)

Cultivate and Weed – Part 1

As all good gardeners know, cultivating and weeding are two distinct yet related skills. To grow healthy and strong plants takes time and attention.

In the call to serve and lead God’s people parallel skills are required. Let me highlight three weeds that need regular uprooting in the heart of a Christian leader.

Comparison

It is part of human nature to look at what others are up to, but if we are not careful it can lead to the place where we are more concerned about watching than working. Certain questions betray the inner working of our hearts:

• Why does he get more people attending his church than me?
• Why is she invited to speak at conferences and I am ignored?
• I am sure they don’t work half as hard as I do!
• I wish I had a church building like that!

Paul, the Apostle,  has some wise words about self-assessment:

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” (Romans 12:3)

Competitiveness

This weed likes to grow alongside the previous one and it feeds on the desire to be the best and to win by beating everyone else. It marks the difference between godly ambition and the other sort.

This is summed up by a sad reflection contained in John’s gospel:

“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.” (John 12:42-3)

A competitive spirit is one concerned more with human applause than divine approval.

Concealment

A peculiar pressure of ministry is to hide behind a mask of professionalism. This is reinforced by a supposed theological correctness that insists nothing of ourselves should intrude and get in the way of people seeing Christ alone. How odd then, that Paul could urge his readers to imitate him as this suggests that a large amount of Paul filled the picture for Christians in Corinth.

“Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” (1 Corinthians 4:16)

And the writer to the Hebrews seems pretty clear about leaders being transparent:

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7)

Now there is a danger that we go too far and, like some preachers, our sermons become a kind of emotional strip-tease week by week as we work out our latest spiritual angst. But learning to be real, transparent, appropriately vulnerable and rightly accountable models healthy spirituality. Living on a pedestal is both lonely and dangerous.

Weeds need to be uprooted regularly. Leave them and they grow rapidly, which is why leaders need to be continually vigilant.