Month: April 2012

One.To.One Hundred

How long does it take to get 100 followers of your blog? Six weeks? Six months? Six years?\r\n\r\nSo here’s the irony of blogging.\r\n\r\nWe write, on our own, hoping to building a community of people around our thoughts. Say one of us, one hundred others.\r\n\r\nOne. To. One hundred.\r\n\r\nHow long should that take?\r\n\r\nThe answer is, it’s not relevant, for two reasons.\r\n\r\nFirst, the community that matters first is the physical community around us. Twenty people you see face to face regularly is your community.\r\n\r\nOne. To. Twenty.\r\n\r\nHow long should that take?\r\n\r\nThe second reason is this: it doesn’t matter how many people listen if you have nothing to say.\r\n\r\nSo, better an audience of one than one hundred who don’t bother to read and interact.\r\n\r\nMaybe the community of people around you are the people who really want to know what you think, face to face, with an opportunity to respond?

Mentoring from the Best in the World

A recent discussion on where to get advice on a particular church ministry raised this question:\n\n“Should we go to the people recognised as ‘best in the world’ for advice?”\n\nThe general consensus was yes, why not, there’s nothing to loose. Go to the top. Polish the gift. (Stroke the ego?)\n\nHowever, by not letting those around us be involved in our ministry we are failing in our duty to create a context of accountability within which we minister and we fail to build into others the experience and ability to offer a balanced critique of ministry.\n\nPerhaps we should consider forsaking personal mentoring from the best in the world, and instead accept slower personal progress but look to grow the best possible mentoring network around us.\n\nWhich route would result in more lasting and effective influence in the parish?