This blog may rub the wrong way - welcome to the genre. And I don't really want it to. I am the parent of two grown men and the grandfather of one precious boy. But, the fact remains that it is not unusual for young people being called into missions to face strong resistance from their own Christian parents.
The arguments often start with safety: after all we read many bad things about the world on a regular basis. Then there is the economic argument: missionaries don't make much and it takes a lot to raise a family these days. Or, it is the fear or reality of not having grandchildren close to home. In my experience, the greater the economic wealth of the family the more resistance there is to blessing adult children who choose to give their lives to Christian work, especially overseas.
At the core of this resistance is the belief that the primary end of our lives is about economic stability, health, safety from all possible threats, the best opportunities for our children and the accumulation of enough wealth to cover the eventualities of life. That is why other successful individuals told my parents many years ago that they would be throwing their lives away if they went into foreign missions.
So let me ask the obvious question. Is our highest goal to achieve the American dream or to follow the leading of Jesus wherever He chooses to lead us? Jesus answered that question definitively when in the Garden he rejected the alternatives and said, "Thy will be done." Abraham answered that question when he left the stability of Ur for Canaan. Paul answered that question when he followed Jesus to be the missionary to the very Gentiles he had hated. How have you answered that question and does it apply to your children and grandchildren as well?
Family is precious. God is more precious yet and he cares for our family in ways we never could. My "poor and deprived" upbringing in Hong Kong from the point of view of many back home was the richest existence I could have and the greatest contribution to God's plan for my life. God provided for our family in amazing ways.
If your children or grandchildren are called by God to difficult places, never get in the way of His call on their lives. And never confuse the highest goal of life with the American dream - or the dream of a good life. The good life and the best life is always found where Jesus is and where He calls us to be.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The world hits 7 billion
It is a big milestone that our world reached just yesterday - at least officially. It is especially amazing when you consider that the world's population was 1.7 billion in 1900 and only 600 million in 1700! It is also a reminder of the challenge we have to reach an exploding world with the good news of Christ.
The corollary to the large numbers is that in our connected, globalized world, it is possible to reach more people more quickly than ever before. Our world is largely accessible today, something that was not true when I arrived in Hong Kong as a child with my parents in 1960. In the preglobalized world (then) the evangelization of the world looked like a daunting task. Travel was difficult and expensive, communication was slow and by letter and the gospel was not well known in many places.
Not only is the world far more accessible today but there are far more believers globally who can partner together in sharing the Gospel. It is those partnerships, I strongly believe, that are the key to seeing the Gospel expand rapidly. Churches and agencies in the west partnering with the global church to train church planters, pastors and missionaries and leveraging our various skills and strengths for a common cause. The majority world church is hungry for shared strategies and healthy partnerships to reach their own populations and beyond.
Many look at population growth and see coming disaster. I look at global growth and see opportunity for the expansion of heaven's population where every language, tribe, nation and people will be represented. We have the opportunity in our globalized world to see that population expand more quickly than ever before.
The corollary to the large numbers is that in our connected, globalized world, it is possible to reach more people more quickly than ever before. Our world is largely accessible today, something that was not true when I arrived in Hong Kong as a child with my parents in 1960. In the preglobalized world (then) the evangelization of the world looked like a daunting task. Travel was difficult and expensive, communication was slow and by letter and the gospel was not well known in many places.
Not only is the world far more accessible today but there are far more believers globally who can partner together in sharing the Gospel. It is those partnerships, I strongly believe, that are the key to seeing the Gospel expand rapidly. Churches and agencies in the west partnering with the global church to train church planters, pastors and missionaries and leveraging our various skills and strengths for a common cause. The majority world church is hungry for shared strategies and healthy partnerships to reach their own populations and beyond.
Many look at population growth and see coming disaster. I look at global growth and see opportunity for the expansion of heaven's population where every language, tribe, nation and people will be represented. We have the opportunity in our globalized world to see that population expand more quickly than ever before.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The key to next year's success is right now!
You may not have thought of this but your success in the coming year will largely be determined by what you do prior to 2012. We start each new year with high hopes and a clean slate but forget that it is the work we do before the start that determines whether or not our hopes are realized. This is true in both our personal and professional lives.
Here are two simple questions that if answered well and acted on will change the nature of the upcoming year:
-What are the one to three things that if I paid attention to in my personal life would help me take a significant leap in my walk with God and my relationships. What is my plan to be intentional in those few areas?
-What are the two or three big rocks that if I paid attention to in my work life would help me take a significant leap in my professional impact. What is my plan to be intentional in those few areas?
Remember that it is not in all the little things that we see the greatest results but in concentrating on a few major things (less is more) that merit our full attention. But clarity on those few things before the new year begins is the key to seeing the results we want to see. Waiting until the year starts will likely mean that we will simply continue in what we have been doing in the past.
If we always do what we always did we always get what we always got! Want to get something new? Plan now!
Here are two simple questions that if answered well and acted on will change the nature of the upcoming year:
-What are the one to three things that if I paid attention to in my personal life would help me take a significant leap in my walk with God and my relationships. What is my plan to be intentional in those few areas?
-What are the two or three big rocks that if I paid attention to in my work life would help me take a significant leap in my professional impact. What is my plan to be intentional in those few areas?
Remember that it is not in all the little things that we see the greatest results but in concentrating on a few major things (less is more) that merit our full attention. But clarity on those few things before the new year begins is the key to seeing the results we want to see. Waiting until the year starts will likely mean that we will simply continue in what we have been doing in the past.
If we always do what we always did we always get what we always got! Want to get something new? Plan now!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Building healthy ministry cultures
Leaders often do not often think of themselves as culture creators but that is exactly what they are. Whether intentionally or unintentionally we create a culture for our organization through our commitments, actions and words. In fact, every interaction we have with others, individually or corporately, contributes over time to a specific culture that the ministry absorbs and makes its own for better or worse. This is why dysfunctional leaders create dysfunctional organizations and healthy leaders healthy organizations.
The reason leaders are culture creators is that others in the organization take their cues from their leader as to what is acceptable or unacceptable in the organization. For instance, leaders who are lax on keeping their commitments and following through send a message that execution is not a high priority. On the other hand, leaders who are disciplined and focused send a very different message. Intuitively, the organization reads their leader(s) and the organization takes on the MO of the leader.
Good leaders are intentional about defining the culture they desire for the organization and ensuring that their actions and words reflect those core convictions. In other words, they carefully craft a culture that over time becomes the culture of the group. It is intentionally rather than accidentally created.
I just checked out of an amazing hotel in Saigon. Over the past three days I had interactions with dozens of hotel staff and to a person they were attentive, cordial and wonderfully helpful. The fact that there were no exceptions sent a strong message about their culture of service and hospitality. It is the culture of this hotel created by its leaders.
Organizational culture is powerful because it defines the ethos of the group. That ethos defines the health of the group and is a major factor in the satisfaction of staff and the quality of new staff the organization attracts. The healthier the organizational culture the better the staff it will attract and retain. The opposite is also true.
As I think about the ethos we are seeking to intentionally create in ReachGlobal I would define it with these markers. As you read these, think about the list you would have for your ministry and consider writing them down and ensuring that you are focused on making them the ethos of your organization.
-Collegial and collaborative
-Highly focused with an emphasis on results
-Disciplined in execution
-Entrepreneurial in spirit
-Attentive to and empowered by the Holy Spirit
-Great attention to the health of individuals, teams and leaders
-Leveraged for the best results
-Empowered staff
-Kingdom focused
-A culture of grace with a commitment to accountability
The reason leaders are culture creators is that others in the organization take their cues from their leader as to what is acceptable or unacceptable in the organization. For instance, leaders who are lax on keeping their commitments and following through send a message that execution is not a high priority. On the other hand, leaders who are disciplined and focused send a very different message. Intuitively, the organization reads their leader(s) and the organization takes on the MO of the leader.
Good leaders are intentional about defining the culture they desire for the organization and ensuring that their actions and words reflect those core convictions. In other words, they carefully craft a culture that over time becomes the culture of the group. It is intentionally rather than accidentally created.
I just checked out of an amazing hotel in Saigon. Over the past three days I had interactions with dozens of hotel staff and to a person they were attentive, cordial and wonderfully helpful. The fact that there were no exceptions sent a strong message about their culture of service and hospitality. It is the culture of this hotel created by its leaders.
Organizational culture is powerful because it defines the ethos of the group. That ethos defines the health of the group and is a major factor in the satisfaction of staff and the quality of new staff the organization attracts. The healthier the organizational culture the better the staff it will attract and retain. The opposite is also true.
As I think about the ethos we are seeking to intentionally create in ReachGlobal I would define it with these markers. As you read these, think about the list you would have for your ministry and consider writing them down and ensuring that you are focused on making them the ethos of your organization.
-Collegial and collaborative
-Highly focused with an emphasis on results
-Disciplined in execution
-Entrepreneurial in spirit
-Attentive to and empowered by the Holy Spirit
-Great attention to the health of individuals, teams and leaders
-Leveraged for the best results
-Empowered staff
-Kingdom focused
-A culture of grace with a commitment to accountability
TED talk at the Mission Exchange on critical shifts that need to take place in the mission world today
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to US based mission leaders on the critical shifts that must take place in the mission world today.
You can access both my talk as well as others here.
The world has changed and mission agencies must change if they are going to survive and thrive in the globalized color world.
You can access both my talk as well as others here.
The world has changed and mission agencies must change if they are going to survive and thrive in the globalized color world.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
What is your street corner?
What is your street corner?
That is the question one church in Grand Rapids asks each of its people. They are intentionally downplaying what happens at the church except on Sundays and raising the level of awareness of each one's responsibility to develop relationships with people who are in their circle of acquaintances - their street corner.
It can be our neighborhood, our colleagues at work, our work out buddies, study group, book reading club - whoever we have relationships and favor with is our street corner. And the question is, what are we intentionally doing to develop relationships and share what Jesus has done in our lives on our street corner. It is a simple and powerful metaphor.
Mary Ann and I were thinking last night of all the people who we have had meaningful relationships with in our neighborhood over the past 23 years. It has been a significant street corner for us, as has been her work in years past at a local high school. We also have a street corner at our favorite restaurant where we know almost all the wait staff and personnel.
Really it is a matter of opening our eyes to those God has put in our circle of friends, being intentional about those friendships, praying for them regularly and looking for opportunities to share. The number of street corners in your church is the number of people you have, a lot of them. Are they hanging out on their street corners?
That is the question one church in Grand Rapids asks each of its people. They are intentionally downplaying what happens at the church except on Sundays and raising the level of awareness of each one's responsibility to develop relationships with people who are in their circle of acquaintances - their street corner.
It can be our neighborhood, our colleagues at work, our work out buddies, study group, book reading club - whoever we have relationships and favor with is our street corner. And the question is, what are we intentionally doing to develop relationships and share what Jesus has done in our lives on our street corner. It is a simple and powerful metaphor.
Mary Ann and I were thinking last night of all the people who we have had meaningful relationships with in our neighborhood over the past 23 years. It has been a significant street corner for us, as has been her work in years past at a local high school. We also have a street corner at our favorite restaurant where we know almost all the wait staff and personnel.
Really it is a matter of opening our eyes to those God has put in our circle of friends, being intentional about those friendships, praying for them regularly and looking for opportunities to share. The number of street corners in your church is the number of people you have, a lot of them. Are they hanging out on their street corners?
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
What I watch for in leaders
I have a shortlist of things that I watch for in leaders that influences my view of their leadership health. Here they are in no particular order.
How do they treat people below them? Leaders are usually very good at appropriate relationships at their level or above in the leadership chain. The question is whether they treat those below with the same honor, dignity and care. Leaders fail the test when they treat those below differently than they treat those above.
Are they consistent in their actions and do their actions reflect their stated beliefs? What leaders say is far less important than what they do. People watch actions far more than they listen to words because words are cheap while actions are powerful. Words that are consistent with actions are very powerful. Team members then know \their leader is serious.
Do they build strong teams or are they the linchpin of the ministry? Teams send a message that the ministry is about what we can do together while strong leaders without strong teams sends a message that what we can do is about the leader. Leaders who build strong teams value the contribution of others while leaders who don't, don't.
Do they display a humility in their leadership that invites dialogue, disagreement and push-back or are they insular and defensive? The first indicates personal health while the second indicates dishealth and a focus on self along with insecurity.
Do they ask questions of others and listen carefully or do they talk a lot and expect others to listen? The more a leader talks rather than listens the less healthy and effective they are. The best leaders ask many questions, listen carefully and think deeply about what they hear.
Are they collaborative in their leadership decisions or do they have a need to get their own way? Collaborative leadership indicates a desire to draw out the best from others toward shared solutions while non-collaborative decision making devalues the opinions of others and elevates the opinions of the leader.
Do they clearly articulate the mission of the organization or do they have trouble explaining the focus of their ministry? If I ask staff members do I hear a the same message I heard from the leader?
Do they live life intentionally or accidentally? This goes to the question of how carefully they think through their priorities. Leaders with high intentionality are thoughtful leaders who know what is important for them to pay attention to. That differs from leaders who are easily distracted, follow the flavor of the month and seem to be random as to what they pay attention to making it very difficult for their staff to know what is truly important.
Many people lead. Not many are truly good leaders. These are the kinds of things my "leadership radar" tunes into
How do they treat people below them? Leaders are usually very good at appropriate relationships at their level or above in the leadership chain. The question is whether they treat those below with the same honor, dignity and care. Leaders fail the test when they treat those below differently than they treat those above.
Are they consistent in their actions and do their actions reflect their stated beliefs? What leaders say is far less important than what they do. People watch actions far more than they listen to words because words are cheap while actions are powerful. Words that are consistent with actions are very powerful. Team members then know \their leader is serious.
Do they build strong teams or are they the linchpin of the ministry? Teams send a message that the ministry is about what we can do together while strong leaders without strong teams sends a message that what we can do is about the leader. Leaders who build strong teams value the contribution of others while leaders who don't, don't.
Do they display a humility in their leadership that invites dialogue, disagreement and push-back or are they insular and defensive? The first indicates personal health while the second indicates dishealth and a focus on self along with insecurity.
Do they ask questions of others and listen carefully or do they talk a lot and expect others to listen? The more a leader talks rather than listens the less healthy and effective they are. The best leaders ask many questions, listen carefully and think deeply about what they hear.
Are they collaborative in their leadership decisions or do they have a need to get their own way? Collaborative leadership indicates a desire to draw out the best from others toward shared solutions while non-collaborative decision making devalues the opinions of others and elevates the opinions of the leader.
Do they clearly articulate the mission of the organization or do they have trouble explaining the focus of their ministry? If I ask staff members do I hear a the same message I heard from the leader?
Do they live life intentionally or accidentally? This goes to the question of how carefully they think through their priorities. Leaders with high intentionality are thoughtful leaders who know what is important for them to pay attention to. That differs from leaders who are easily distracted, follow the flavor of the month and seem to be random as to what they pay attention to making it very difficult for their staff to know what is truly important.
Many people lead. Not many are truly good leaders. These are the kinds of things my "leadership radar" tunes into
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