Intentional Plans

This week has been a whirlwind of activity. Yesterday, I perused a stack of resumes for a office position we're hoping to fill in the coming 2 weeks. Today, I spent the whole day--locked in a room full of white boards, coffee, and ministry staff--drafting next year's intentional plan. It was productive and helpful. It was also profoundly draining.

The learning curve in this new role is steep. But I can actually feel the prayers of the people. It's a wild ride and I have a sense that it's just beginning.

It's fun being the interim lead pastor but my favorite role is that of husband and dad. After all, there are fewer conversations involving white boards and I can wear my pajamas and not get weird looks.

Submission

I'm only three days into my new ministry role and I'm starting to wonder why church leadership looks a lot more like a wrestling match (where the goal is forcing others into submission) rather than the stuff Jesus talked about (for example, loving God and loving our neighbours)?

I don't think we should stop using the discipline of submission. Maybe we need to start practicing it on ourselves instead of forcing it on others.

This evening I read the chapter on submission out of Richard Foster's classic book, Celebration of Discipline. Here's what Foster says about leadership and authority, "The most radical social teaching of Jesus was his total reversal of the contemporary notion of greatness. Leadership is found in becoming the servant of all. Power is discovered in submission."

I wish I could lead more like Jesus and less like the guy on the mat.