ASCENSION DAY is by far more important than Christmas (where we recognise his coming in humility)
More important than Easter (where we see Him dying in indignity)
For here we see HIM GLORIFIED – HONOURED - exalted to the place of great authority – the right hand of the Majesty!
The write to the Hebrews spells it out: The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Here the church MISSES the very reason for it’s existence! How foolish we are – how our minds need to opened again! Here we think that we exist only for people.
But the Body as a whole – the Church corporate – EXISTS FOR THE WORSHIP OF THE EXALTED HEAD – THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The Westminster Confession (Short and Longer) sums it all up:
Question: What is the Chief End of Man? Answer: Man’s Chief End is to Glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
Question: What is the Chief and Highest End of Man? Answer: Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him for ever.
Worship – honouring God – glorifying God - Honouring God in praise and thanksgiving.
And out of our worship comes witness:
Honouring God in our WITNESSING – listen to His words again:
and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Worship – being in the presence of God – propels us out again into the workplace – the schools and colleges of education, the highways and byways of life – the aisles of the supermarkets and the smoky places of the night – the bridge rooms and the bowling greens, the cricket pitches and the crochet courts.
There we are to be witnesses. We are to tell. To preach! To teach! To declare! To share!
STORY:
St. Lawrence was martyred in 258 A.D. But we remember him, not for his martyrdom, but for his being Archdeacon of Rome. His responsibilities included maintaining the sacred vessels of the small, struggling church and distributing alms to the poor. While he was Archdeacon, the Governor of Rome took Pope Sextus captive and demanded, "Where is the treasure of the church?" The Pope would not tell, and they tortured him to death. He never did tell, but in his agony and pain, Pope Sextus somehow mentioned the name of Archdeacon Lawrence. They took Lawrence captive.
"Where is the treasure of the Church?" they demanded, threatening with the same fate that befell the Pope. Lawrence replied, "Governor, I cannot get it for you instantaneously; but if you give me three days, I will give you the treasure." The Governor agreed. Lawrence left. Three days later he walked into the Governor's courtyard followed by a great flood of people. The Governor walked out onto his balcony and said, "Where is the treasure of your church?"
Lawrence stepped forward, and pointed to the crowd that accompanied him -- the lame, the blind, the deaf, the nobodies of society -- and said, "Here are the treasures of the Christian church."
The riches of the Church are not its buildings, its treasures, its books. How often people think of the church as the grand buildings throughout the world, huge cathedrals and the like.
JUST PEOPLE – a variety of people - who WORSHIP and WITNESS
TO ILLUSTRATE: Do you know the difference between heaven and hell? I heard recently that . . .
Heaven is where the cooks are French, the police are English, the mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian, and everything is organized by the Swiss.
Hell is where the English are the cooks, the Germans are the police,
the French are the mechanics, the Swiss are the lovers, and everything is organized by the Italians.
The church is the place where people from all diverse tribes and nations are affirmed in their magnificent variety. The church is a community where people can be what they are, and do what they do best. We are blessed with many gifts and many gifted people in our churches.
BUT the one area that we need to grow in comes out of our relationship with the Exalted Christ – King of Kings and Lord of Lords: We need to grow in WORSHIP and WITNESS.
He is worthy of worship! And what He has done is worthy of PASSING ON – because it is GOOD NEWS for all people.
Wednesday 30 April 2008
Friday 11 April 2008
When life is not smooth sailing
Chapel 11 April 2008 Secondary School
Jonah 1:1-4
Jon 1:1 A message from the LORD came to Jonah. He was the son of Amittai. The LORD said,
Jon 1:2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh. Preach against it. The sins of its people
have come to my attention."
Jon 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD. He headed for Tarshish. So he went down to the port of Joppa. There he found a ship that was going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board. Then he sailed for Tarshish. He was running away from the LORD.
Jon 1:4 But the LORD sent a strong wind over the Mediterranean Sea. A wild storm came up. It was so wild that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
Second Corinthians 11: 24-27
2Co 11:24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
2Co 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
2Co 11:26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
2Co 11:27 I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
How has your term been? High performance? Are you a high performer? Are you an “achieved with excellence” person?
Do you have great exploits and conquests – do you win all the time?
There are some real dangers in the ethos of our school – because in our enthusiasm and sometimes our obsession with image, success, and achievement, we forget that there is a world out there of lots of failure, struggle and disaster.
And if failure and disaster never hits us, we probably never learn the skills required to cope in the real world. Something has to give eventually.
Ever been really hungry? Slept on the street? Been unemployed and walked the streets looking for work? Been thrown out by your parents, beaten, abused, and rejected? Ever faced murder of a friend, war that’s taken your family members away from you?
If you life has been a smooth road and a bed of roses, then you may well not be concerned by the 40 hour famine – the plight of others may not be your concern.
Or the beggar in the streets of the cities of the world.
Or the people who remember anniversaries of tragedies and deaths. Like the Wahine disaster.
I’m very nervous of ships really. We planned to go on the Oceanos some years back. A few weeks after visiting the ship at Durban harbour it sank off the wild coast. All 571 people onboard were saved. The weather was much kinder.
Then there was the Achille Lauro. It was high jacked by terrorists and later also sank after a fire. Cruise two cancelled.
The last ship we planned to sail on was arrested by the Sheriff of the City of Durban because its owners had not paid their bills.
I was pleased that my first Ferry ride to the South Island was on a calm day.
If your life is life a ferry ride on a calm day, then you may have some shocks coming your way. Listening to the stories of the survivors of the Wahine tragedy this week reminded me of the trauma of such events. Reflecting on the Anzac day history is a stark reminder of real failure.
What we need is resilience to cope with failures, and not just the buzz of each weekend’s highs and the endless accolades for our achievements.
An international resilience project indicated that the following challenges were experienced the most in students lives, in order of frequency:
· death of parents or grandparents
· divorce
· separation
· illness of parent or siblings
· poverty
· moving, family or friends
· accident causing personal injuries
· abuse, including sexual abuse
· abandonment
· suicide
· remarriage
· homelessness
· poor health and hospitalizations
· fires causing personal injury
· forced repatriation of family
· disabled family member
· parent's loss of a job or income
· murder of a family member
Parents report on these challenges:
· robberies
· war
· fire
· earthquake
· flood
· car accident
· adverse economic conditions
· illegal, refugee status
· migrant status
· property damage from storms, floods, cold
· political detention
· famine
· abuse by a non-relative
· murders in neighbourhood
· unstable government
· drought
And then I listen to conversations of children here at school who are always “annoyed” by some inconvenience, some responsibility, and some person who is a bit different and challenges their thinking. Someone tells them they have done wrong, and they wangle their way out of responsibility with such aplomb.
Life is not just high performance, fame and fortune! I apologise to you on behalf of your world. We have done you a disfavour by helping you want to win all the time.
The bulk of the world lacks the basics. They lose. Ask the people of Zimbabwe – especially the 4 million plus who have become refugees in the streets and cities of South Africa.
And how we grumble. Shame on us all.
In the readings today there were two characters in danger on the sea. One was Jonah – running away from his responsibilities that God had given him. There were reasons for the disaster that followed him. God was getting his attention.
Paul was the other – and we have a litany of disasters. Beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, bandits, hunger, cold and nakedness. Add in a couple of stints in jail like my fellow ministers in Zimbabwe and you get a most colourful life.
Some people’s tragedies and challenges are because of the tasks they take up. They have a calling or a mission - something outside of themselves. Others seem must more random and without obvious reason.
What really matters is how we choose to respond. Our ultimate freedom is the freedom not to give up, not to despair, not to not try again.
I will spare you the lecture about how you can redeem your time to study. That’s not my job.But I will suggest that you use your time to get out of this selfish world view we have and look at what is really happening out there.
Draw alongside someone who is in the midst of the muck – the excrement of life – and ask yourself if you have any reason to really complain.
Listen to the stories of immigrants – of those who have been abused – of those who lived through tragedy and disaster. Learn from their resilience.
Resilience is about overcoming adversity. Most people around the world understand the idea of overcoming adversity with courage, skills and faith.
You can sail through your education and make your millions, grab your stake of fame and fortune.
Or you could use your real tests in life – those tests of adversity – to grow into a better person, developing real strength of character.
You could grow your faith, in stead of being dismissive about the things of faith and paranoid about offending other people’s sensibilities.
The people who caught the Wahine on that 9th of April 1968 had no idea what would happen. The young men who went to war were excited about seeing the world. They saw blood and guts, and shattered bodies, and many saw the lights go out on their future.
Unaware. Unprepared.
May you sail your ship of life far more alert, far more wise, and filled with passion to make a difference even if you face the worst.
Amen.
Jonah 1:1-4
Jon 1:1 A message from the LORD came to Jonah. He was the son of Amittai. The LORD said,
Jon 1:2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh. Preach against it. The sins of its people
have come to my attention."
Jon 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD. He headed for Tarshish. So he went down to the port of Joppa. There he found a ship that was going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board. Then he sailed for Tarshish. He was running away from the LORD.
Jon 1:4 But the LORD sent a strong wind over the Mediterranean Sea. A wild storm came up. It was so wild that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.
Second Corinthians 11: 24-27
2Co 11:24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
2Co 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
2Co 11:26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
2Co 11:27 I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
How has your term been? High performance? Are you a high performer? Are you an “achieved with excellence” person?
Do you have great exploits and conquests – do you win all the time?
There are some real dangers in the ethos of our school – because in our enthusiasm and sometimes our obsession with image, success, and achievement, we forget that there is a world out there of lots of failure, struggle and disaster.
And if failure and disaster never hits us, we probably never learn the skills required to cope in the real world. Something has to give eventually.
Ever been really hungry? Slept on the street? Been unemployed and walked the streets looking for work? Been thrown out by your parents, beaten, abused, and rejected? Ever faced murder of a friend, war that’s taken your family members away from you?
If you life has been a smooth road and a bed of roses, then you may well not be concerned by the 40 hour famine – the plight of others may not be your concern.
Or the beggar in the streets of the cities of the world.
Or the people who remember anniversaries of tragedies and deaths. Like the Wahine disaster.
I’m very nervous of ships really. We planned to go on the Oceanos some years back. A few weeks after visiting the ship at Durban harbour it sank off the wild coast. All 571 people onboard were saved. The weather was much kinder.
Then there was the Achille Lauro. It was high jacked by terrorists and later also sank after a fire. Cruise two cancelled.
The last ship we planned to sail on was arrested by the Sheriff of the City of Durban because its owners had not paid their bills.
I was pleased that my first Ferry ride to the South Island was on a calm day.
If your life is life a ferry ride on a calm day, then you may have some shocks coming your way. Listening to the stories of the survivors of the Wahine tragedy this week reminded me of the trauma of such events. Reflecting on the Anzac day history is a stark reminder of real failure.
What we need is resilience to cope with failures, and not just the buzz of each weekend’s highs and the endless accolades for our achievements.
An international resilience project indicated that the following challenges were experienced the most in students lives, in order of frequency:
· death of parents or grandparents
· divorce
· separation
· illness of parent or siblings
· poverty
· moving, family or friends
· accident causing personal injuries
· abuse, including sexual abuse
· abandonment
· suicide
· remarriage
· homelessness
· poor health and hospitalizations
· fires causing personal injury
· forced repatriation of family
· disabled family member
· parent's loss of a job or income
· murder of a family member
Parents report on these challenges:
· robberies
· war
· fire
· earthquake
· flood
· car accident
· adverse economic conditions
· illegal, refugee status
· migrant status
· property damage from storms, floods, cold
· political detention
· famine
· abuse by a non-relative
· murders in neighbourhood
· unstable government
· drought
And then I listen to conversations of children here at school who are always “annoyed” by some inconvenience, some responsibility, and some person who is a bit different and challenges their thinking. Someone tells them they have done wrong, and they wangle their way out of responsibility with such aplomb.
Life is not just high performance, fame and fortune! I apologise to you on behalf of your world. We have done you a disfavour by helping you want to win all the time.
The bulk of the world lacks the basics. They lose. Ask the people of Zimbabwe – especially the 4 million plus who have become refugees in the streets and cities of South Africa.
And how we grumble. Shame on us all.
In the readings today there were two characters in danger on the sea. One was Jonah – running away from his responsibilities that God had given him. There were reasons for the disaster that followed him. God was getting his attention.
Paul was the other – and we have a litany of disasters. Beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, bandits, hunger, cold and nakedness. Add in a couple of stints in jail like my fellow ministers in Zimbabwe and you get a most colourful life.
Some people’s tragedies and challenges are because of the tasks they take up. They have a calling or a mission - something outside of themselves. Others seem must more random and without obvious reason.
What really matters is how we choose to respond. Our ultimate freedom is the freedom not to give up, not to despair, not to not try again.
I will spare you the lecture about how you can redeem your time to study. That’s not my job.But I will suggest that you use your time to get out of this selfish world view we have and look at what is really happening out there.
Draw alongside someone who is in the midst of the muck – the excrement of life – and ask yourself if you have any reason to really complain.
Listen to the stories of immigrants – of those who have been abused – of those who lived through tragedy and disaster. Learn from their resilience.
Resilience is about overcoming adversity. Most people around the world understand the idea of overcoming adversity with courage, skills and faith.
You can sail through your education and make your millions, grab your stake of fame and fortune.
Or you could use your real tests in life – those tests of adversity – to grow into a better person, developing real strength of character.
You could grow your faith, in stead of being dismissive about the things of faith and paranoid about offending other people’s sensibilities.
The people who caught the Wahine on that 9th of April 1968 had no idea what would happen. The young men who went to war were excited about seeing the world. They saw blood and guts, and shattered bodies, and many saw the lights go out on their future.
Unaware. Unprepared.
May you sail your ship of life far more alert, far more wise, and filled with passion to make a difference even if you face the worst.
Amen.
Saturday 5 April 2008
“Eyes opened and hearts burning”
“Eyes opened and hearts burning”
Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Luke 24:32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
In a small Catholic seminary, the dean asked a first year student to preach one day in chapel. This novice worked all night on a sermon, but still came up empty. At the appropriate time, he stood in the pulpit, looked out over his brothers and said “Do you know what I’m going to say?” They all shook their heads “no” and he said “neither do I, the service has ended, go in peace.”
Well, the dean was angry, and told the student, “You will preach again tomorrow, and you had better have a sermon.” Again, the novitiate stayed up all night, but still no sermon. When he stood in the pulpit, he asked “Do you know what I am going to say?” All the students nodded “yes” so the preacher said “Then there is no need for me to tell you. The service has ended, to in peace.”
Now, the dean was livid. “Son, you have one more chance. Preach the gospel tomorrow or you will be expelled from the seminary.” Again he worked all night, and the next morning stood before his classmates and asked “Do you know what I am going to say?” Half of them nodded “yes” while the other half shook their heads “no.” The novitiate said “Those who know, tell those who don’t know. The service has ended, go in peace.”
This time, the dean just smiled. He walked up to the novice preacher, put his arm around his shoulders and said “Hmmm…those who know, tell those who don’t know? Today, the gospel has been proclaimed. The service has ended, go in peace.”
Those who know, tell those who don’t know…
That is the gospel in a nutshell. The problem is that on the road to Emmaus it is Jesus who appears not to know, while the two disciples are the ones who do!
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" (vv17-18)
There is this ironic twist. The disciples claim to be “in the know” and seem amazed by this stranger’s ignorance! The problem was that they only had half the story! They didn’t really grasp or believe the bit about the resurrection of Jesus. They were overwhelmed by his death.
When you pass on the news with only half the story, that’s more like gossip.
The stranger is the one who puts them right of course. It is Jesus who unpacks the whole story. It’s rather nice really. And the crunch comes when their eyes are opened in the breaking of the bread. They see.
And they acknowledge that their hearts were burning when he spoke to him and opened the Scriptures to them.
Eyes opened and hearts burning. It doesn’t matter what order that happens in really.
For John Wesley – it was after some years of religious discipline that his heart was “strangely warmed” – there was this inner experience or reality which arose really out of a searching and his leadership of what was called “The Holy Club”
Listen to this account:
In 1729 he joined with a small group of students at Lincoln College who met on Sunday evenings to talk about religious books and engage in prayer together. John became the natural leader of this group which expanded: it became known as 'The Holy Club', and they extended their activities to pastoral care including prison visiting.
John began to set down rules for himself. When dining in hall he would only drink one glass of wine or ale and he would never taste more than three dishes of food. For the Holy Club he laid emphasis on (1) the central importance of Holy Communion; (2) the responsibility of doing good to all, and (3) the importance of the written word for developing the faith.
On 24 May 1738, (frustrated and) depressed, he opened his bible at random and read ' Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.' Later that day he heard Luther's anthem 'Out of the Deep have I called unto thee, 0 Lord,' And during a society meeting in the evening, where Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans was being read, he records: 'while he was describing the change in the heart through faith in Christ I felt my heart strangely warmed ... I felt an assurance was given to me that He had taken away my sins ... and saved me from the law of sin and death.'
DIFFERENT JOURNEYS
There are different journeys. The Emmaus road was the journey that those two disciples took while pretty depressed too. They only knew half the story. The death of Jesus was the precursor to the real event that was to change the world – his resurrection!
Wesley’s journey was as a religious person – a missionary working in America – who read hundreds of books and tried to follow a religious life. His heart was warmed when he HEARD a reading from Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.
I don’t think that the two disciples or Wesley were actually expecting such a revelation! They were in a bad space emotionally when it happened.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
When our eyes are opened and our hearts warmed, it all fits into place. Those who know tell those who don’t know – that the resurrection of Jesus changes things in a remarkable way. And there is no resurrection to share with others without the amazing story of Jesus’ death.
It’s that death and resurrection that we remember at the table. We do this in remembrance of Him. We partake in His life! We accept the privilege of his grace – forgiveness, and the promise of new life. AND we enjoy the power of the resurrection NOW. The same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! Our lives are transformed now!
LET’S TALK ABOUT THESE PEOPLE FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW: They are standing there with downcast faces. Gloomy. In the darkness of loss and depression. And there is John’s Wesley – depressed after all his religious discipline and his missionary years. Jesus is the one who opens our eyes to the whole truth – and warms our hearts. His light shines.
Those who know tell those who don’t know. Sometimes we’re like those who have forgotten. The gloom of our lives has blocked out the light of the Son of God who shines in our hearts.
I’ve been there. Some of my darkest days have been in the past two years. It has been impossible to claw back – except for the grace and love and warmth of God. May our eyes be opened and our hearts burn within us – may there be a quickening of our spirits as we remember again the whole story.
Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
Luke 24:32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
In a small Catholic seminary, the dean asked a first year student to preach one day in chapel. This novice worked all night on a sermon, but still came up empty. At the appropriate time, he stood in the pulpit, looked out over his brothers and said “Do you know what I’m going to say?” They all shook their heads “no” and he said “neither do I, the service has ended, go in peace.”
Well, the dean was angry, and told the student, “You will preach again tomorrow, and you had better have a sermon.” Again, the novitiate stayed up all night, but still no sermon. When he stood in the pulpit, he asked “Do you know what I am going to say?” All the students nodded “yes” so the preacher said “Then there is no need for me to tell you. The service has ended, to in peace.”
Now, the dean was livid. “Son, you have one more chance. Preach the gospel tomorrow or you will be expelled from the seminary.” Again he worked all night, and the next morning stood before his classmates and asked “Do you know what I am going to say?” Half of them nodded “yes” while the other half shook their heads “no.” The novitiate said “Those who know, tell those who don’t know. The service has ended, go in peace.”
This time, the dean just smiled. He walked up to the novice preacher, put his arm around his shoulders and said “Hmmm…those who know, tell those who don’t know? Today, the gospel has been proclaimed. The service has ended, go in peace.”
Those who know, tell those who don’t know…
That is the gospel in a nutshell. The problem is that on the road to Emmaus it is Jesus who appears not to know, while the two disciples are the ones who do!
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" (vv17-18)
There is this ironic twist. The disciples claim to be “in the know” and seem amazed by this stranger’s ignorance! The problem was that they only had half the story! They didn’t really grasp or believe the bit about the resurrection of Jesus. They were overwhelmed by his death.
When you pass on the news with only half the story, that’s more like gossip.
The stranger is the one who puts them right of course. It is Jesus who unpacks the whole story. It’s rather nice really. And the crunch comes when their eyes are opened in the breaking of the bread. They see.
And they acknowledge that their hearts were burning when he spoke to him and opened the Scriptures to them.
Eyes opened and hearts burning. It doesn’t matter what order that happens in really.
For John Wesley – it was after some years of religious discipline that his heart was “strangely warmed” – there was this inner experience or reality which arose really out of a searching and his leadership of what was called “The Holy Club”
Listen to this account:
In 1729 he joined with a small group of students at Lincoln College who met on Sunday evenings to talk about religious books and engage in prayer together. John became the natural leader of this group which expanded: it became known as 'The Holy Club', and they extended their activities to pastoral care including prison visiting.
John began to set down rules for himself. When dining in hall he would only drink one glass of wine or ale and he would never taste more than three dishes of food. For the Holy Club he laid emphasis on (1) the central importance of Holy Communion; (2) the responsibility of doing good to all, and (3) the importance of the written word for developing the faith.
On 24 May 1738, (frustrated and) depressed, he opened his bible at random and read ' Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.' Later that day he heard Luther's anthem 'Out of the Deep have I called unto thee, 0 Lord,' And during a society meeting in the evening, where Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans was being read, he records: 'while he was describing the change in the heart through faith in Christ I felt my heart strangely warmed ... I felt an assurance was given to me that He had taken away my sins ... and saved me from the law of sin and death.'
DIFFERENT JOURNEYS
There are different journeys. The Emmaus road was the journey that those two disciples took while pretty depressed too. They only knew half the story. The death of Jesus was the precursor to the real event that was to change the world – his resurrection!
Wesley’s journey was as a religious person – a missionary working in America – who read hundreds of books and tried to follow a religious life. His heart was warmed when he HEARD a reading from Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.
I don’t think that the two disciples or Wesley were actually expecting such a revelation! They were in a bad space emotionally when it happened.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
When our eyes are opened and our hearts warmed, it all fits into place. Those who know tell those who don’t know – that the resurrection of Jesus changes things in a remarkable way. And there is no resurrection to share with others without the amazing story of Jesus’ death.
It’s that death and resurrection that we remember at the table. We do this in remembrance of Him. We partake in His life! We accept the privilege of his grace – forgiveness, and the promise of new life. AND we enjoy the power of the resurrection NOW. The same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! Our lives are transformed now!
LET’S TALK ABOUT THESE PEOPLE FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW: They are standing there with downcast faces. Gloomy. In the darkness of loss and depression. And there is John’s Wesley – depressed after all his religious discipline and his missionary years. Jesus is the one who opens our eyes to the whole truth – and warms our hearts. His light shines.
Those who know tell those who don’t know. Sometimes we’re like those who have forgotten. The gloom of our lives has blocked out the light of the Son of God who shines in our hearts.
I’ve been there. Some of my darkest days have been in the past two years. It has been impossible to claw back – except for the grace and love and warmth of God. May our eyes be opened and our hearts burn within us – may there be a quickening of our spirits as we remember again the whole story.
Tuesday 1 April 2008
7 STEPS TO TRUST-BASED LEADERSHIP
This comes from Charles Gordon, an amazing man and mentor from the 1970s. He still writes and publishes, and has a great leadership email list. The subscription details are below. Enjoy.
7 STEPS TO TRUST-BASED LEADERSHIP
"A trust-based culture is the best way to bring out the best in people," say Diane Tracy and William J. Morin. After years of coaching and consulting to and for top leaders, the authors share their observations in the book Truth, Trust, and the Bottom Line. There they detail how to build the kind of trusting relationships that achieve world-class performance using seven powerful steps. Here's an outline:
Step 1: Seek the truth. Gather facts, objectively observe, and assess each person. When you get to know your people and observe their performance, you empower yourself to give them the kind of feedback which improves performance and builds trust.
Step 2: Give feedback. Tell them what you see, think, and feel in the spirit of support. When you tell people the truth about their performance and where they stand, you relieve them of the pain of ambiguity which, in turn, builds trust between you.
Step 3: Create a vision and plan. Develop a vision of their "best" and a plan for getting there. When you help people see what they can be and provide them with a map for getting there, they trust you because you have their interests at heart.
Step 4: Break through resistance. Work with their defenses until they can see and embrace the truth. When you stick with people until they feel safe enough to admit and own their weaknesses, you empower them to create positive change in their lives and careers, which builds trust.
Step 5: Observe and mirror. Continue to observe and mirror them with objectivity and compassion. When you consistently observe people objectively and tell them what you see, you keep the lines of communication open, which builds trust.
Step 6: Teach and guide. Help them learn. Stay focused on objectives. When you teach people, you let them know they are worth investing time in, which helps to win their trust.
Step 7: Recognize, celebrate, and reinforce. Look for improvements and opportunities to celebrate. When you recognize and celebrate a person's success, it tells him you see him as more than a means to getting the job done. It says you value him as a person, which builds trust.
PS
One motivation is worth ten threats, two pressures and six reminders.
Paul Sweeney
A newsletter to assist, encourage and stimulate Christian Leaders.
# Do you know anyone who would benefit from this newsletter? Forward it to them.
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7 STEPS TO TRUST-BASED LEADERSHIP
"A trust-based culture is the best way to bring out the best in people," say Diane Tracy and William J. Morin. After years of coaching and consulting to and for top leaders, the authors share their observations in the book Truth, Trust, and the Bottom Line. There they detail how to build the kind of trusting relationships that achieve world-class performance using seven powerful steps. Here's an outline:
Step 1: Seek the truth. Gather facts, objectively observe, and assess each person. When you get to know your people and observe their performance, you empower yourself to give them the kind of feedback which improves performance and builds trust.
Step 2: Give feedback. Tell them what you see, think, and feel in the spirit of support. When you tell people the truth about their performance and where they stand, you relieve them of the pain of ambiguity which, in turn, builds trust between you.
Step 3: Create a vision and plan. Develop a vision of their "best" and a plan for getting there. When you help people see what they can be and provide them with a map for getting there, they trust you because you have their interests at heart.
Step 4: Break through resistance. Work with their defenses until they can see and embrace the truth. When you stick with people until they feel safe enough to admit and own their weaknesses, you empower them to create positive change in their lives and careers, which builds trust.
Step 5: Observe and mirror. Continue to observe and mirror them with objectivity and compassion. When you consistently observe people objectively and tell them what you see, you keep the lines of communication open, which builds trust.
Step 6: Teach and guide. Help them learn. Stay focused on objectives. When you teach people, you let them know they are worth investing time in, which helps to win their trust.
Step 7: Recognize, celebrate, and reinforce. Look for improvements and opportunities to celebrate. When you recognize and celebrate a person's success, it tells him you see him as more than a means to getting the job done. It says you value him as a person, which builds trust.
PS
One motivation is worth ten threats, two pressures and six reminders.
Paul Sweeney
A newsletter to assist, encourage and stimulate Christian Leaders.
# Do you know anyone who would benefit from this newsletter? Forward it to them.
# To receive Leadership Insights, free of charge, send a blank email to
[ mailto:leadershipinsights-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ]leadershipinsights-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
April Showers
Hello and greetings from New Zealand! (Written on 31st March 2008)
April is just around the corner. So to avoid any April fool's jokes I have decided to write a preemptive mail. Seriously.
The summer here has been long and pleasant. I suppose it was pretty much the same in our first year, although we only caught the tail end of it. Tomorrow is the 2nd anniversary of our arrival. Our second summer seemed to be followed by an early and severe winter. Mind you, we were living in a house that had extra ventilation between the windows and their frames. We found the multitudes of advertisement material in our letter box very handy for plugging up some of those windows. Hopefully this winter will be ok! If we move back to our previous house in time with its lovely ducted heating.
Housing is a depressing thing here in New Zealand. An article today indicated that on an income of $120K a couple without children could barely pay off a house of $375K as the repayments were $900 a week. All the other utilities and food are pricey too. Despite insistence from some we can not buy a house either. The closest thing to suitable for us at this phase of life was $450K. So we are content of being sojourners. I won't bore you with the after tax figures with which we live. So why on earth come to a place like this? Well in many ways we took people's ideas for granted and did our calculations based on house prices in small towns. And in any case housing was never the issue. We wanted adventure and new experiences - and new opportunities for our children. And we certainly have had the adventure!
So we will celebrate our 2nd anniversary tomorrow thankful for all these interesting experiences and people. Kiwis are a diverse bunch. At the heart of things is a people who are poorly defined as a group. As Anzac Day approaches we will remember the greatest defeat of Australian and Kiwi troops on the shore of Gallipoli during the first world war. A country defined by defeat. Add to that the hard truth that the All Blacks have not yet won the Rugby World Cup, and you have a little bit of a problem.
Having been across the ditch this week (the Tasman Sea) I have to say again that the Ozzies are a more cheerful bunch. Most of the people who came to the AHISA conference in Tasmania this week were Australian teachers involved in Pastoral Care in independent schools. More than 300 schools were represented. It was very useful in terms of my work, and very humbling in the sense that we have to look after ourselves in order to look after others. I have not been looking after myself. So things will have to change. A simple formula - when the plane is in trouble, put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. I did also enjoy the South African contingent there.
As for Tasmania - a very nice island! It's a state within the Australian federation (Commonwealth) and it is really lovely. Not as hot as mainland Australia. Launceston is a town of about 71 000 people on a navigable river. It is one of the oldest towns in Oz and has the oldest independent church school. The hospitality of people was wonderful, and the bonus was the spiritual content - daily chapels, devotions, and good chaplaincy support from the three chaplains involved in the conference.
Roxanne's trip to China is just two weeks away. So there is something exciting on the horizon for her. Sheilagh held the fort well in my absence. Chris has another job interview on Monday, so we are hopeful. David is working long hard days and is exploring working different hours.
Thanks for your emails and news. We always enjoy reading the latest. I know that many are too busy to really sit down with long epistles but short notes are also good. Keep it up.
Happy birthday to my niece Kerry on 1st April! No joke! Have a lovely time! If we have missed any important celebrations, accept belated congratulations. Sheilagh's 50th was great, although I think we should have spoilt her more. Christopher turns 21 on 5th May - just around the corner! Pity that family and his friends are so far away. We will try to cheer him up. Hopefully he will be employed 20 hours a week by then in the IT industry!
On a lighter note:
A little girl asked her mother, 'How did the human race appear?' The mother answered, 'God made Adam and Eve and they had children and so was all mankind made.' Two days later the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered, 'Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.' The confused girl returned to her mother and said, ‘Mom how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?' The mother answered, 'Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his.'
Blessings and love
Robin
PS it is raining outside. Almost April showers.
Robin Palmer
April is just around the corner. So to avoid any April fool's jokes I have decided to write a preemptive mail. Seriously.
The summer here has been long and pleasant. I suppose it was pretty much the same in our first year, although we only caught the tail end of it. Tomorrow is the 2nd anniversary of our arrival. Our second summer seemed to be followed by an early and severe winter. Mind you, we were living in a house that had extra ventilation between the windows and their frames. We found the multitudes of advertisement material in our letter box very handy for plugging up some of those windows. Hopefully this winter will be ok! If we move back to our previous house in time with its lovely ducted heating.
Housing is a depressing thing here in New Zealand. An article today indicated that on an income of $120K a couple without children could barely pay off a house of $375K as the repayments were $900 a week. All the other utilities and food are pricey too. Despite insistence from some we can not buy a house either. The closest thing to suitable for us at this phase of life was $450K. So we are content of being sojourners. I won't bore you with the after tax figures with which we live. So why on earth come to a place like this? Well in many ways we took people's ideas for granted and did our calculations based on house prices in small towns. And in any case housing was never the issue. We wanted adventure and new experiences - and new opportunities for our children. And we certainly have had the adventure!
So we will celebrate our 2nd anniversary tomorrow thankful for all these interesting experiences and people. Kiwis are a diverse bunch. At the heart of things is a people who are poorly defined as a group. As Anzac Day approaches we will remember the greatest defeat of Australian and Kiwi troops on the shore of Gallipoli during the first world war. A country defined by defeat. Add to that the hard truth that the All Blacks have not yet won the Rugby World Cup, and you have a little bit of a problem.
Having been across the ditch this week (the Tasman Sea) I have to say again that the Ozzies are a more cheerful bunch. Most of the people who came to the AHISA conference in Tasmania this week were Australian teachers involved in Pastoral Care in independent schools. More than 300 schools were represented. It was very useful in terms of my work, and very humbling in the sense that we have to look after ourselves in order to look after others. I have not been looking after myself. So things will have to change. A simple formula - when the plane is in trouble, put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. I did also enjoy the South African contingent there.
As for Tasmania - a very nice island! It's a state within the Australian federation (Commonwealth) and it is really lovely. Not as hot as mainland Australia. Launceston is a town of about 71 000 people on a navigable river. It is one of the oldest towns in Oz and has the oldest independent church school. The hospitality of people was wonderful, and the bonus was the spiritual content - daily chapels, devotions, and good chaplaincy support from the three chaplains involved in the conference.
Roxanne's trip to China is just two weeks away. So there is something exciting on the horizon for her. Sheilagh held the fort well in my absence. Chris has another job interview on Monday, so we are hopeful. David is working long hard days and is exploring working different hours.
Thanks for your emails and news. We always enjoy reading the latest. I know that many are too busy to really sit down with long epistles but short notes are also good. Keep it up.
Happy birthday to my niece Kerry on 1st April! No joke! Have a lovely time! If we have missed any important celebrations, accept belated congratulations. Sheilagh's 50th was great, although I think we should have spoilt her more. Christopher turns 21 on 5th May - just around the corner! Pity that family and his friends are so far away. We will try to cheer him up. Hopefully he will be employed 20 hours a week by then in the IT industry!
On a lighter note:
A little girl asked her mother, 'How did the human race appear?' The mother answered, 'God made Adam and Eve and they had children and so was all mankind made.' Two days later the girl asked her father the same question. The father answered, 'Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.' The confused girl returned to her mother and said, ‘Mom how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Dad said they developed from monkeys?' The mother answered, 'Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your father told you about his.'
Blessings and love
Robin
PS it is raining outside. Almost April showers.
Robin Palmer
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