While I was critical of World Vision's recent decision to hire "Christians in Gay marriages" I applaud their willingness to acknowledge two days later that they were wrong. Too many organizations and individuals are unable to make that humble statement and it takes humility. They did it and I applaud Rich Stearns and his board. They did the right thing and we should take them at their word and move on.
I have seen elders in local churches do some unfortunate things and on occasion I have seen them own those decisions in front of congregations and say they were sorry. That not only takes courage but it is the right thing to do. I applaud them and their congregations ought to be the first to let go of their anger, forgive and move on together.
As a leader I know that it is not easy to say "I blew it" and sometimes I have had to take responsibility for things that happened on my watch even when I was not directly responsible. But it is the right thing to do - hard as it is. It is interesting that in a few cases, no matter how many times I apologized for certain actions people did not let go of the "offense."
All of us blow it. All of us need from time to time to own our stuff and ask forgiveness, apologize or make amends. When someone does, we need to celebrate that they did the right thing and move on. The lack of forgiveness among some evangelicals is a sad thing. If I don't forgive, why should I be forgiven and none of us is above that need. So, I hope that believers will not abandon World Vision or the work they do or the kids that are impacted. Let's move on.
(Posted from Milwaukee)
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
World Vision reverses its decision to hire Christians in Gay married relationships
It took World Vision just two days to reverse its decision to hire Christians in Gay married relationships. It will take years for it to recover its reputation - if it ever does. See the latest here.
(Posted from Milwaukee)
(Posted from Milwaukee)
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Do fame and notoriety cloud one's thinking?
I have been mulling on a number of situations recently where Christian leaders have made really poor decisions in my view: Rich Stearns and World Vision's new policy to hire individuals in homosexual marriages; Rob Bell and his redefinition of heaven and hell and and the controversy over Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill who tried to manipulate the system to get his book on marriage onto the New York Times best seller list. I have another private list of individuals who have seemingly lost their way when they become Christian public figures. I saddens me and causes me to ask a question:
Do fame and notoriety cloud one's thinking and cause us to make decisions and pronouncements that are Biblically questionable? Does fame tend to give us more confidence in our own wisdom than in God's wisdom? Does it allow us to cross boundaries that we did not dare cross in the earlier years?
Fame and celebrity are a dangerous calling and few seem to handle it well. We see success and that success breeds pride and we begin to believe our own press which leads to the marginalization of those who don't agree with us and soon we become isolated and unaccountable - and eventually crash! Wisdom co-opted by pride! Youthful passion co-opted by ego! Jesus co-opted by us!
I am glad that I am not famous. I never want to be. To those who are I say this: There is never more important a time to develop a cadre who will tell one the truth than when one is in the limelight. Because when the spotlight shines on us rather than on the One who created us, we have co-opted God and it rarely has a good ending.
To be clear, I don't know the motives or hearts of those named above and am not passing judgement. I am asking a question that their actions prompt. What I do know that when our name surpasses The Name, something is wrong. And when our pronouncements are at odds with His pronouncements, the same is true.
There is never more important a time to develop accountability and humility and to guard the shadow side as when we become important in the eyes of others. And believe that we actually are.
(Posted from Milwaukee)
Do fame and notoriety cloud one's thinking and cause us to make decisions and pronouncements that are Biblically questionable? Does fame tend to give us more confidence in our own wisdom than in God's wisdom? Does it allow us to cross boundaries that we did not dare cross in the earlier years?
Fame and celebrity are a dangerous calling and few seem to handle it well. We see success and that success breeds pride and we begin to believe our own press which leads to the marginalization of those who don't agree with us and soon we become isolated and unaccountable - and eventually crash! Wisdom co-opted by pride! Youthful passion co-opted by ego! Jesus co-opted by us!
I am glad that I am not famous. I never want to be. To those who are I say this: There is never more important a time to develop a cadre who will tell one the truth than when one is in the limelight. Because when the spotlight shines on us rather than on the One who created us, we have co-opted God and it rarely has a good ending.
To be clear, I don't know the motives or hearts of those named above and am not passing judgement. I am asking a question that their actions prompt. What I do know that when our name surpasses The Name, something is wrong. And when our pronouncements are at odds with His pronouncements, the same is true.
There is never more important a time to develop accountability and humility and to guard the shadow side as when we become important in the eyes of others. And believe that we actually are.
(Posted from Milwaukee)
World Vision USA will now hire individuals in Gay marriage relationships
In a move that will certainly move World Vision USA away from many traditional evangelical churches they have announced a new policy that they will hire Christian individuals in Gay marriage relationships. This will certainly only add to the perception among many that World Vision, while committed to poverty alleviation, is little more than a secular NGO with a Christian background.
Internationally it is well known that World Vision hires unbelievers in its development efforts. I find it ironic that just as World Vision is courting evangelical churches for partnerships it is choosing to make a statement about Gay marriage that runs against the grain of the vast majority of evangelicals in their understanding of what marriage constitutes and its implications for society.
I am not anti-gay, some of my best friends are gay! What is at stake is the institution of marriage and what it means and how God designed the family and defined it. When major "Christian" organizations agree to redefinitions implicitly or explicitly we have a problem. I suspect that World Vision will discover that it is not ahead of its time but that they have literally put a "hole in the Gospel" to use a phrase they use. Gospel holes can be those things we neglect or those things we re-define.
See the Christianity Today article here
(Written today from Milwaukee)
Internationally it is well known that World Vision hires unbelievers in its development efforts. I find it ironic that just as World Vision is courting evangelical churches for partnerships it is choosing to make a statement about Gay marriage that runs against the grain of the vast majority of evangelicals in their understanding of what marriage constitutes and its implications for society.
I am not anti-gay, some of my best friends are gay! What is at stake is the institution of marriage and what it means and how God designed the family and defined it. When major "Christian" organizations agree to redefinitions implicitly or explicitly we have a problem. I suspect that World Vision will discover that it is not ahead of its time but that they have literally put a "hole in the Gospel" to use a phrase they use. Gospel holes can be those things we neglect or those things we re-define.
See the Christianity Today article here
(Written today from Milwaukee)
If you want to understand the issues between Russia and Ukraine read this report from BBC
As you read the news please pray for Christians in Ukraine and Crimea who are directly impacted by this conflict.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Jesus and leadership
No, this is not another blog about Jesus as a CEO. Rather it is the proposition that the best leaders have Jesus at the center of their leadership. This applies to leaders in the marketplace or ministry!
How does Jesus change the leadership paradigm? Consider these factors.
When Jesus is truly at the center of our leadership we treat people differently than when He is not. Jesus cares deeply about people and leaders who have been transformed by Christ naturally want the very best for their staff. Jesus never used people, rather He served people and the same is true for those leaders who live with Jesus at the center of their lives.
When Jesus is truly at the center of our leadership we create transformational cultures in the workplace that are life giving rather than life taking. I am passionate about this because I encounter many ministries with toxic or unhealthy work cultures. Either our own workplace is seen as unimportant - after all we are doing ministry, or the dysfunctional nature of the leader shows itself among their staff. Transformed leaders, however, should be committed to life giving work environments and if Jesus is at the center of out leadership that will be the case.
When Jesus is at the center of our leadership, we create teams committed to a common mission rather then building ministries around ourselves. In general, personality driven ministries reflect the hubris of the leader while team driven ministries reflect the humility of the leader. Even Jesus, the creator of the universe was intent on sharing his ministry with His disciples as He developed, coached and mentored them.
When Jesus is at the center of our leadership we live with humility. We apologize when we need to, tell the truth when news needs to be shared, give away credit for success and take responsibility for failure. In addition, we manage or dark side carefully knowing that when it shows up it hurts those we lead. Our goal is always to be a life giver rather than a life taker (John 10:10).
When Jesus is at the center of our leadership we fill our hearts with His truth, and seek genuine transformation of our own lives knowing that what is inside is what will spill out into our leadership. That means that our leadership is not the most important issue for us. Rather our relationship with Jesus is the central thing for without that our leadership will be shallow and life taking rather than life giving and transformational for those we lead.
For believers, Jesus has absolutely everything to do with our leadership: it's quality; its focus; its motives and it's life giving quality.
(Written from Oakdale, MN)
How does Jesus change the leadership paradigm? Consider these factors.
When Jesus is truly at the center of our leadership we treat people differently than when He is not. Jesus cares deeply about people and leaders who have been transformed by Christ naturally want the very best for their staff. Jesus never used people, rather He served people and the same is true for those leaders who live with Jesus at the center of their lives.
When Jesus is truly at the center of our leadership we create transformational cultures in the workplace that are life giving rather than life taking. I am passionate about this because I encounter many ministries with toxic or unhealthy work cultures. Either our own workplace is seen as unimportant - after all we are doing ministry, or the dysfunctional nature of the leader shows itself among their staff. Transformed leaders, however, should be committed to life giving work environments and if Jesus is at the center of out leadership that will be the case.
When Jesus is at the center of our leadership, we create teams committed to a common mission rather then building ministries around ourselves. In general, personality driven ministries reflect the hubris of the leader while team driven ministries reflect the humility of the leader. Even Jesus, the creator of the universe was intent on sharing his ministry with His disciples as He developed, coached and mentored them.
When Jesus is at the center of our leadership we live with humility. We apologize when we need to, tell the truth when news needs to be shared, give away credit for success and take responsibility for failure. In addition, we manage or dark side carefully knowing that when it shows up it hurts those we lead. Our goal is always to be a life giver rather than a life taker (John 10:10).
When Jesus is at the center of our leadership we fill our hearts with His truth, and seek genuine transformation of our own lives knowing that what is inside is what will spill out into our leadership. That means that our leadership is not the most important issue for us. Rather our relationship with Jesus is the central thing for without that our leadership will be shallow and life taking rather than life giving and transformational for those we lead.
For believers, Jesus has absolutely everything to do with our leadership: it's quality; its focus; its motives and it's life giving quality.
(Written from Oakdale, MN)
Five questions that can help you deal with almost any issue
My good friend Edmund Chan, former pastor, ministry leader and a coach and mentor to many recently shared these five questions with the senior staff of ReachGlobal. They are brilliant! Take and issue and apply them to the five questions and see where you end up.
(Written from Oakdale, MN)
1.
Why is it so important?
2.
If it is so important why is it so neglected?
3.
What is it all about?
4.
What makes it so difficult?
5. How can it best be accomplished?(Written from Oakdale, MN)
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