Henry Kissinger on the state of the world order today, where he states:
“History offers no respite to countries that set aside their sense of identity in favor of a seemingly less arduous course.”
Category Archives: culture
learning from the Driscoll saga *updated*
*updated* Yesterday, embattled Seattle mega-church pastor Mark Driscoll “stepped down” for a minimum 6 weeks. CT has a thorough summary here, be sure to watch the video at the end. Then pray for that local church, for him his family, and for the Church.
This saga – far from over- could be, if studied carefully, an incredible teaching tool for young pastors. Most look to guys like Driscoll as models for the way they do ministry. Seeing the incredible “success” of Mars Hill, they say “I can learn from this example.” Maybe.
There is no doubt that we can learn from the success of others. But we better be sure to learn from their failure too.
Driscoll is getting the counsel of a group of wise people. I wish that would include guys like J. R. Briggs who have walked through failure and been “real” about it. See my post on his book Fail back in July. At the very least someone should send Mr. Driscoll a copy.
Let us learn from this that our priorities need to include biblical accountability steeped in loving counsel which often means listening to hard voices that don’t tell us what we want to hear.
Without such, we too will increase our failure.
We should all be saddened by Driscoll’s saga. Any thoughts of “he’s getting what he deserved” should be rebuked as not from a God of grace and mercy.
Learn from this saga* that we don’t repeat it.
(the original post was titled “Driscoll sage continues” – what sort of autocorrect Freudian thing was that?)
Uh oh, e-readers beware
Some interesting research comparing books to e-readers creates big questions for education. Read the Post article here.
Filed under culture, experience, seeking understanding, shifts
blinded by money and power
More Europeans are now supportive of various kinds of sanctions against Russia. But it took the killing of a plane full of people to get them to this point.
I’ve read two articles about ideas to punish Russia and Putin. Earlier in the week a German politician floated the idea of FIFA taking the World Cup away from Russia. Yeah right, like FIFA has a moral compass.
Today the Post has an article along these lines READ HERE about a businessman from Holland.
My question is, with all that has gone on in the last 8 months (and long before ) of Russia imposing itself on Ukraine, in a long line of impositions on former Soviet states, why did it take the murder of 298 people to make leaders (of all kinds), except apparently the French, who push forward with a military ship sale to Russia, to wake up to the reality of what Putin really is and wants?
I suggest it is the love of money and the need for power.
These two are two of the greatest stumbling blocks of humankind.
Which forces me to ask myself, what are the ways I’m being blinded by money and/or power in my own life and community? What about you?
What tragedy will it take to get us to awake from the denials of our lives?
We don’t need to be slaves to the desire for money and/ or power. Jesus died and rose again to give us the opportunity to be freed from such slavery in our own lives. We just need to wake up and realize that turning to him will guide us toward what is right. He offers us freedom and direction based on what is right, not on what works or has the best outcome for the most people. To follow his path is freedom indeed.
What are the ways I need to turn to him and away from slavery to money and/or power?
Kyiv: where protests began
In the following few posts I will be sharing some pix from my visit to the main square in downtown Kyiv.
Repairing the sidewalk.
The “weapons” of the battle were paving stones broken into throwing size. Today the sidewalks are being replaced with new paving stones.
Though in the posts to come you will see plenty of the old stones standing as part of the reminders, memorials really, of the months long battle.
Filed under culture, Eastern Europe, photos along the way, shifts, Ukraine
Fail
We have all failed.
God’s Grace is greater than all my sin.
Sometimes we remember the former and forget the latter. When we forget Grace, our heads and hearts get all tied up with that failure. Fail is a book that is intended to help us get untied.
I am always looking for resources to read and discuss with the leaders I am privileged to work with. I’m picky as to what I want to invest time reading, I’m not looking for is the next “hot item.” Often, I’ll let a book sit out there for a long while before I get it. Let the other guys do the “weeding” is my method. When Fail came out, that was my plan.
But I got a direct tweet from a brother who I greatly respect (and you should, by the way, follow on Twitter @MattSmethurst) linking me to TGC’s review. It was by Scotty Smith and was helpful. Some train rides had allowed me to get caught up on some reading and on Thursday Matt’s message caught my eye again. Somewhere between Kyiv and Vinnitsya I downloaded J.R.Brigg’s book and began reading. On Sunday as I returned to Kyiv on the train, I finished it.
As I see it, this book is J.R.’s story of dealing with failure and how he took a very difficult ministry experience and, facing his insecurities, sometimes head on, sometimes not, he found the Grace of God to press on through the hurt and through the tears. There is a lot of hurt and tears out there in the ministry world and that is certainly reflected on the pages of this book.
Through his conferences ( http://www.epicfailevents.com/ ) J.R. Briggs has been used by God to facilitate a lot of healing of Christian leaders. This book seems to be an attempt to take that teaching and make it more readily available.
If you read this book and score high on the Myers-Briggs “feeling” temperament, you will love it. If, on the other hand you score high on the “thinking” end of the spectrum, you may wrestle with some of the stories and the tears. Too bad. Read the book.
If you read this book and think, “Huh, he talks about pastors all the time, this must not be for me.” No. It is for all of us. Read the book.
If you read the book and wonder if the implied goal of a “robust theology of failure” was actually acomplished. I did too. Doesn’t matter. Read the book.
If you heard that there need to be more stories of reconciliation with the people who hurt us, that’s a fair critique. I don’t care. Read the book.
Are you a follower of Jesus who fails? Read the book.
But here is what really stands out to me, EVERY elder, deacon, vestryman or whatever you are called in every church should read this book. If that would happen, lay leaders of local churches could get a window of how HARD ministry is and support their pastors better.
I’m especially grateful for J.R.’s take on the idol (my word) of success in USA churches (we have, sadly, successfully exported this idol to much of the world). He is spot on regarding “success.”
His “Recommended Resources” is especially helpful as well “Guiding Questions for Pastors and Leaders.” These may very well be worth the price of the book.
But the main reason I want you to buy Fail is the clear, concise (there’s a little meandering, but not too much) system of laying out the case for spiritual development and coaching within it. If you (whether pastor, ministry leader or lay leader or simply a follower of Jesus) will begin using the tools Briggs gives you, you will grow through the crap of life and be better equipped so that God can use you to help others who are hurting. Read the book.
The one area I wish was expanded was sabbath. But no worries, read
Dan Allender’s Sabbath AFTER you read Fail. Upon further reflection and review of my highlights, this is a very important read, make the time and read the book!
Got it?
Get it. click here and buy it and put it on TOP of your reading pile.
kingdom travelin' 