How to distinguish between the truly concerned and the consistently anxious

Some questions and statements have me trying to think this through. What clues do I, as a pastor or a person, go by in my interactions with others by which I discern if the person is concerned about something in a healthy way, or is one of ‘the anxious.’

Here are my thoughts: http://wp.me/P3etrg-gk

Two of the interesting things I’ve read recently

I have lately been taking up interest in some developments at the denominational level. I am working on a significant blog post related to the denominational picture more than to Nobleford, but it is not fully ready. I’m  not sure it every will be, actually.

Instead, for now, I’ll share a few things by others which I have read recently and which are pretty close to my own views. Transition Team members are especially likely to appreciate the applicability of the second one.

This first one you can skip the first four paragraphs about a particular dispute, and begin reading at the heading “What to make of little progress.” I do agree with him that the self-awareness he writes about is a big part of transformation.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/may-web-only/real-transformation-happens-when.html?start=3

This one is by a consultant who has worked with many many churches. He says the single common factor in churches that are dying is their inward focus. Here is his list of warning signs:

Warning Symptoms

• There are very few attempts to minister to those in the community.
• Church business meetings become arguments over preferences and desires.
• Numbers of members in the congregation are openly critical of the pastor, and lay leaders in the church.
• Any change necessary to become a Great Commission church is met with anger and resistance.
• The past becomes the hero.
• Culture is seen as the enemy instead of an opportunity for believers to become salt and light.
• Pastors and other leaders in the church become discouraged and withdraw from effective leadership.
• If the churches are a part of a denomination or similar affiliation, meetings of those denominations mirror the churches in lost focus and divisiveness.

http://thomrainer.com/2014/05/31/common-factor-declining-churches/?fb_action_ids=10152407711820129&fb_action_types=og.likes

Happily, not all apply here! But the ones that do will likely sting a little. More hopefully, the prod will be seen as an opportunity to work more on transformation in the congregation!

Anxiety in the preservationist church system

Warning. This is probably the most complex and longest posting to date, one which ties a number of things I have talked about before together. It will take some time to read and digest. Be prepared to invest that.

This posting is very important, particularly for anyone in leadership. In the blog posting I take some small matters related to practices or the way we do things like preaching, worship and Lord’s Supper and attempt to show how I see them as issues that arise because we’ve lost a principled Reformed way of shaping worship and have in fact fallen into simply keeping and maintaining what was done before. All of that to the detriment of making room for God to grow us spiritually, emotionally, and personally in relationship to him and each other. Here is the actual posting: http://wp.me/P3etrg-eb

An illustration I just had to run with this week it is so true to life

There’s a very bad pun in that title. Some days I just can’t resist walking right out to the edge of what is appropriate.

Some folks from our congregation made a presentation about a water project in Nicaragua last Saturday evening. The project is a great example of how we can help people help themselves instead of moving in and deciding what help they need. During the presentation I was sparked by a couple of things. They make up the blog post for today: http://wp.me/P3etrg-e5

 

Nomination season

Yup, almost sounds like an announcement of hunting season.

I had hoped to work in some sermons in which we looked at the passages that describe what Kingdom Leadership or Leadership in the Body of Christ looks like, but looking at the calendar I can’t see that working out. So I’m going to try communicate some of the same things via this blog.

Today’s reflection is more about mistaken criteria we often use to select leaders.

Church leadership follies

The 3/12/120 Principle

I did some reading during a power outage last week which was followed by an internet outage. 

The reading and reflecting helped me identify a principle I have been operating by that is affirmed in the book and found in scripture. So I wrote it out and share it now as this week’s blog posting.

Here’s the link: http://wp.me/P3etrg-dS

Evaluativeness and Anxiety

Many good things came up at the last Transition Team meeting, but one question asked stood out for me. I had explained how the Elders choose to share a sermon evaluation tool with the entire congregation, partly to prevent what we have been calling an “evaluative” attitude in the congregation. The legitimate question was asked “Why give out an evaluation tool when you are trying to limit evaluativeness. The post this week explains that and relates it to anxiety: http://wp.me/P3etrg-db