I recently found myself in a discussion about preaching.\n\nThe arguments flew around – could the people in the congregation be capable of giving proper feedback to the preacher.\n\nSome said no, they weren’t capable of it.\n\nOthers said yes, of course they could.\n\nSome said to aim for the best advice possible – bishops or Americans.\n\nSome said keep it local, build the community, be vulnerable.\n\nBut on reflection,\n\nIsn’t the point of preaching that one person reaches a handful of other people in a particular context with words which could be from God and should therefore in some way change the lives of the people listening .\n\nAnd if the preacher doesn’t know if that’s actually happening, then asking a Bishop or an American for advice is … well, misguided.\n\nIn other words, the gift of the preacher is given as a gift that is subservient to the people listening.
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?
Diary
It was 10 minutes into the meeting when Jack looked in his diary and found he was with the wrong people in the wrong place at the wrong time planning something that he couldn’t do because he was on holiday.\n\nWhole days can go that way!
Assimliation
New people come to church. In staff meeting we discuss them. Families are particularly enticing.\n\nWe say how useful they will be in the future in helping to run the church.\n\nBut, if they only come once a month to ‘messy church’ how will they become involved?\n\nThe truth is, we have just as much trouble wondering how to move people from occasional attendance to faithful commitment as we do in moving people from no faith to faith.\n\nWhat steps should we take?\n\nPerhaps first we should change the way we talk about people. Then we may change the way we talk to people.
Parables of Leadership: Successful Don
Don is a great businessman with a deep need for inner meaning and security. For great businessman read millionaire. For meaning and security read wisdom and groundedness.
Don walks across the corridor to Jack’s office a couple of times a week to talk, to reflect out loud. Which is fine by Jack, because Jack is a great listener and genuinely wise.
Don stays for about half an hour, sometimes longer. They talk, or rather, Don talks, energetically for most of the time. Jack offers his reflections. Don learns. Don is encouraged. Filled up. Refreshed.
When Don leaves Jack turns back to his computer and is overwhelmed by his need for money. Cash. The need to survive presses in on Jack. Jack’s broke. Jack has no work. And no money. He wonders again: where can he go to get help with that?
Transformation: Transtec Automotive plc (2)
When is a church not a church?
Sunday. 10.55am.\n\nPeople spread across a church building. Capacity 250. Occupancy 25.\n\n11.05am. The vicar (late) gives the notices (10 minutes) and announces the first hymn.\n\nOther liturgical stuff until\n\n11.30am. Sermon (obscure and opinionated), but with no adrenaline to power it all collective energy has dissipated.\n\nEveryone – vicar, organist, congregation – slogs through the next 45 minutes.\n\n12.15pm. Coffee (cool) … (no, that’s really, cool, as in tepid).\n\nThen home (phew!).\n\nThank goodness that’s over for another week.
Measurement of Mission
Number of Carol services per year: 4\n\nNumber of Guests at Carol services per year: 400\n\nNumber of Social evenings per year: 3\n\nNumber of Guests at Social evenings per year: 15 (spouses, usually husbands)\n\nNumber of Guest Services per year: 2\n\nNumber of Guests at Guest Services per year: 4\n\nNumber of People who became Christians through this church this year: 0
Wisdom
Wisdom … is the ability to live skilfully, the ability to choose to live rightly, to choose to produce things of lasting value to God and the community (ibid).\n\nWisdom … the ability to understand, to distinguish between things, to compare concepts, form evaluations, to make analogies (ibid).\n\nWisdom … to distinguish permanent values from immediate gratification (ibid).\n\n(From NIVBC Vol1).