"a walk to remember..."

yesterday, I got outside and went for a little hike in the woods with my two sons...and 20 other men and boys. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
Actually, it was really good. We got to spend some time together doing a "manly" thing, and I got to observe my boys and gain a little more insight into their development as men and potential leaders.
Aside from the initial feelings of guilt, like, "man, we really ought to do this more often", I was struck by another thought; the desire to lead is so prevalent in the psyche of young boys. We were with a large group of men and boys from our church, and it was almost laughable at how the boys jockeyed for position on this very narrow trail.
I don't know if you've ever had the opportunity to observe the machinations of the man cub first hand, but it really is comical and educational. In part, because those of us who have bigger bodies and refer to ourselves as men, really don't get much beyond those desires to run pell-mell through the woods, throwing rocks and poking things with sticks...but, that's another conversation for another time.
As I mentioned, the comedy is found in the jostling and shoving, trying to be the first one, leading the way, prancing and pawing, asserting one's dominance...running ahead, tiring out, but summoning just enough energy to stay with the guy who's trying to pass us by...(great lessons in human nature)
So for a few hours yesterday, I got to observe, first hand, this inherent desire to lead. Each boy, in his own way, trying to make his presence felt, trying to be a dominant figure on the trail, leading the charge through the wilderness.
Just trying to lead.
I think all of us, male or female, go through this developmental phase. We want to be seen as someone who is out in front, leading the charge. We want to shoulder the responsibility, to be trusted. We want to be valued enough to have followers, people who consider us worthy of following.
My own son, verbalized his desire to lead simply in asking me, "hey dad, can I be the leader?" So, he lead.
Then, after he had been leading for a while, a most extraordinary thing occurred, he turns to me and asks, "am I doing a good job leading?"
My response, was something "wise and fatherly", like, "oh yeah, buddy, you're doing a great job". I wasn't aware until later, as I thought about it, how important that small exchange was for him.
Not only to be seen as the leader, but to be affirmed in his position and performance.
I think all of us cry out for that at our core. We want so badly to be seen as a leader, we want to be affirmed in that role and we want to know we are doing a good job.
The problem is, as John Eldrege says in his book Wild at Heart, we have been wounded somewhere along the path of life.
So instead of being built up in our capacity to lead, while trying to make our way to the front of the line, our confidence was shattered, our spirit crushed, in a manner, that for some, still bears repercussions in our lives. And so we allow another to step in front and we follow in silence and brokenness.
I won't take the time in this format, to unravel the intricacies of this conversation, but instead, make an attempt to hone in on this one detail.
- Each of us is called to lead in some capacity.
Whether at home, in our workplace, in our school, we all have been given a mandate by God himself, to show others the right way to go.
We cannot wait to lead until we have acquired followers or what we feel are an adequate number of followers, we cannot wait to lead until someone asks, we must endeavor to lead, even if it seems no one is following.
Because, even if no one is following at the moment...people are watching, waiting to see if you seem to know where you are going. And if we follow Christ, there is no doubt, that the trail we're on is the right one...and every once in a while, we'll sense Him, cheering us on, giving us those "attaboys" that we need to hear.
So, as we allow Christ to set the pace and do our best to follow Him, not worrying about those who jostle and bump, trying to make their way to the front...
You just might be amazed to find, as you successfully navigate a hairpin turn in the trail, that there is a line of souls stretched out behind you as you make this journey we call life.
Lead on my friend, lead on!

Kingdom Mindset part 2

This is a continuation of the thoughts from my last blog post...
I just can't get over the images conjured up by my own children.
Life really is meant to be done together.
In order for us to do this Kingdom of God stuff effectively, it must be more about others and less about us. Jesus said, "the son of man did not come in to this world to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Giving sacrificially of ourselves for the sake of others ultimately benefits all. The problem is, even in church, we have become so self absorbed that others really don't even come in to focus. It's like we have blinders on and all of our actions, our conversations, eventually come back to us as the central figure.
How can life be done together if we won't let any one else come in to view?
This brings up the primary thought for this post:
We must become committed to building the success of others more than we are to building our own...
The longer I do this thing called ministry, the more I see how easy it can be to become enamored with the things one can do and be.
However, I think this is true in any vocation, not just ministry.
We can become impressed with ourselves. So much so that we will guard that image of success or our achievements with an almost paranoid intensity.
I think this occurs because our sense of worth becomes attached to those things we have accomplished or can accomplish.
We must begin to get over ourselves and look to the development (raising up) of others. Especially as adults, it is incumbent upon us to invest in the young people around us.
If you attend a church and you're just a casual observer, you love Jesus, but you don't feel "led" to get involved in a particular ministry...get off your lazy butt right now and put your comfort in the trash and begin, maybe once each month to start, volunteering in some capacity that allows you to speak into the lives of children, youth or young adults.
The longer you live, the more you have to give.
Your life experiences and wisdom have not occurred or been obtained for you to wear as some cheap badge of honor, that no one will remember when you're gone.
You've been given those experiences or had those privileges in order to allow someone to learn from your life.
"My own children are my mission field"...great, now what about those kids whose parents are not in the picture or who do not presently have the capacity to provide a positive role model for their children to follow?
What about them, huh?
Sorry, got a little fired up over that one...
We must become committed to building the success of others more than we are to building our own...
Ask yourself these questions:
Am I o.k. with some one else being better at something than I am?
Can I teach some one who will ultimately become better than I am at a particular skill or activity?
If the answer to either of those is no...reality check time.
The students who are presently in our ministry at Bethel Church, are so much smarter than I am...their brilliance astounds me.
The only things that separate us intellectually are wisdom and life experience...once they figure that out, I'm toast, but here's the point.
Some where along the line...(my mama used this one on me years ago), there will always be somebody who is better than you.
If you have the opportunity, why not be the one that shows them how?
The Kingdom of God is built by such sacrifice.
It is destroyed by insecurity, selfishness and the like...
Would you rather be known as a builder or a destroyer?
Whether you look at this through the lens of the church or through the lens of your vocational environment, see above questions...
Christ is shown through your life in many ways, one such way is your willingness to serve rather than be served.
Think about it.

awaken the sleeper...

After a nearly 2-1/2 year hiatus from the blog roll, i re-enter with fear and trepidation...well, not really...like most people in my profession, the sound of my own voice, even typewritten is pleasing.
Actually, I've felt for awhile that blogging needed to become a component of my ministry, in hope that my ramblings would encourage, inspire, challenge or perhaps even cause a little chuckle.
Because, at this stage in life and ministry I have to become more committed to building the success of others than I am to that of my own. Even if it threatens job security, and my sense of accomplishment and worth, I must help train up the next generation. Whereby, if my only concerns are for building my little ivory tower of success, I have accomplished nothing. Besides, it would be awfully lonely up there.
So, with that in mind, I leave you to contemplate your own construction projects...