• Our hope-filled future is bound up in sharing the story of Jesus, in discipling others, in bringing those disciples together into communities of believers, and in developing and releasing those believers to create other communities... till Jesus the King comes again!

In the box thinking

Posted on July 16, 2010 by wtdavid

I used to tell our kids that every philosophical question should be answered by a “yes” and a “no”.  What I meant by that is that you had to approach such questions from multiple perspectives.  Shouldn’t it be the same when we talk about innovation? I am often very good about arguing or looking at an issue or a problem from one perspective, but struggle to be able to examine the same issue or problem from other perspectives.  Often people will say to me (and I find myself saying the very same thing as well) that we need to “think outside the box”.  By that, we imply that what we are currently doing represents “in the box thinking”.  It’s actually answering the question by choosing only one response.

In my experienc, it’s just hard to do both.  It’s hard to free ourselves and others to creatively imagine new approaches to ministry needs (for example, discipling, mobilizing new workers, or engaging those who come for 1-3 months of ministry) all the while working in a defined framework of guiding principles and strong community.  It is thinking “in the box” and thinking “out of the box”.  The sandbox metaphor used by T.J. Addington in his book, Leading from the Sandbox is one effort to try and capture this idea.

If I fail to think both “in the box” and “out of the box”, I may find myself:

  • Proposing innovative ideas, but being “closed” to the input of others in my community which would refine and improve those ideas;
  • Arguing against changing certain structures of ministry because it might challenge what I “know” as life and ministry right now; or
  • Working as if no one else is in the “sandbox” with me, and missing the fruit of interdependence (or the gift of accountability) which would allow me to grow further in my journey with Christ.

I can get stuck very easily in one type of thinking, but then again, that’s why I need community; that’s why we need community.

Filed under: Innovation | 2 Comments »

Another look at self-forgetfulness

Posted on July 14, 2010 by wtdavid

I thought I would try out my last post on some friends who were visiting.  The husband is actually a mentor to me in many ways.  As I read through the post, he listened intently without stopping me to add his take on what I had written.  When I was done reading, I remarked how few are the names that come to mind when we look for an example of a humble person.  In an offhand way, I added, “And the number of people who would come to my mind would probably only be one or two.”  Without skipping a beat, my friend responded, finally, by saying, “It just shouldn’t be that way.” 

I was taken aback.  What did he mean, it shouldn’t be that way?  That’s the way it is.  Humility is so hard and elusive.  My friend graciously went on to say that self forgetfulness [not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less] must arise from an ever deepening understanding of the Gospel and our need for Jesus.  That understanding and experience of the Gospel will lead us to cry out daily, even hourly [remember the hymn: I Need Thee Every Hour?], for the Spirit and His ongoing work of applying the Gospel to our lives in very tangible ways … such as learning to think more of God and others than ourselves; learning to “serve” God and others before ourselves.

In his mind, the fact that we weren’t seeing many “humble” people was a reflection of our shallow grasp of the implications of the Gospel, and our satisfaction with self.  That’s when it hit.  Self-forgetfulness is more than just a nice concept to talk about in theoretical terms.  Simply talking about self-forgetfulness can end up putting the focus back on self.   Self-forgetfulness must anchor itself in very practical ways for us to see the Spirit begin to “displace” our fascination with ourselves with something bigger, something more important, and something that calls forth our heart and our service. 

Self-forgetfulness could anchor itself in our community in the offer to come alongside a teammate in another location, and participate in his/her project for a specified time period.  Self-forgetfulness could anchor itself in the decision to physically move to a new location and offer one’s gifts to the team there.  Self-forgetfulness could anchor itself in conversation about missions where we described multiple opportunities rather than just one local work.  Self-forgetfulness could anchor itself in the simple commitment to pray for another worker or another team over this coming year.

What other ways might you see to anchor self-forgetfulness?

Filed under: Humility | 13 Comments »

Self-forgetfulness

Posted on July 12, 2010 by wtdavid

One indicator of a “closing mind” is addressed through active listening to others or demonstrating “intense interest” in another’s journey (James 1:19). A second indicator which I described as “an unhealthy confidence in my own cultural (and spiritual) journey that would keep me from looking at new ideas, new perspectives,” is more difficult for us to address.  Put another way, this indicator points us to the need to deal with our very own pride.

Now this is where it gets sticky.  We are well aware of the statement that James makes a little later in his letter where he says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (4:6). We know then that the ultimate objective is humility rather than pride.  Yet, how does one become more humble?  The moment that you think you are making progress in becoming more humble, you have immediately become prideful about that very progress.

C.S. Lewis in his witty yet insightful work, The Screwtape Letters, struggles with this very question. It is the fictional story of Screwtape, “a self-described under-secretary of the department of temptation,” and his nephew Wormwood a “junior tempter.”  Though this quote is extended, I think it is worth the read:

“All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is especially true of humility.  Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, “By jove!  I’m being humble,” and almost immediately pride – pride at his own humility – will appear … But there are other profitable ways of fixing his [the Christian] attention on the virtue of Humility.  By this virtue, as by all the others, our Enemy [God] wants to turn the man’s attention away from self to Him, and to the man’s neighbors.  All the abjection and self-hatred are designed, in the long run, solely for this end; unless they attain this end they do us little harm; and they may even do us good if they keep the man concerned with himself, and, above all, if self-contempt can be made the starting point for contempt of other selves, and thus for gloom, cynicism, and cruelty. 

You must therefore conceal from the patient the true end of Humility.  Let him think of it, not as self-forgetfulness, but as a certain kind of opinion (namely, a low opinion) of his own talents and character …

To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we must consider His aims.  The  Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another.  The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour’s talents … For we must never forget what is the most repellent and inexplicable trait in our Enemy; he really loves the hairless bipeds He has created.”

A “closing mind” is addressed by a certain “self forgetfulness.”  As one friend put it, not thinking less of oneself, but thinking of oneself less.  So one way this can happen, or can begin to happen, is when God becomes so BIG, so major in our lives that other pieces of our lives truly become secondary.  It happens when we are overwhelmed by Him and His love (read Psalm 136 for example) to the point that it actually influences how we relate to others, how we do ministry.  

 

Filed under: Community, Humility | 3 Comments »

Interdependency as a Value

Posted on July 9, 2010 by wtdavid

In response to my blog post on June 14th: “Team, Interdependence, Community, or …”, Ed Walker sent me a paper that he had written (for World Team) several years ago on the topic. 

Ed is well read and a keen thinker.  His paper is a reflection of the wisdom gained over many years of ministry within WT.  If you would be interested in an electronic copy of his paper, please drop me a note at: International.Director@worldteam.org

Filed under: Community | Leave a comment »

“Swift” to listen

Posted on July 8, 2010 by wtdavid

After describing one indicator of a “closing mind” in my last post as being: “unable to discern how God might be speaking to me (to us) through different and varied sources,” my mind immediately starting probing that familiar verse in James 1:19.

“Know this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let every person be quick to hear [or, to listen], slow to speak, slow to anger.” 

The outworking of our new birth (1:18) has to be seen in practical ways or works, and in this context the major thrust must be by a heart that listens, that receives news from others, that gives heed to what another is saying.  There are two actions which we must be “slow” to do, and only one that we must be “swift” or quick to do.  It could mean that the two we are to be “slow” to do are actually actions that we are by nature quick to do, and that the one action we must we quick to do is an action we are by nature slow to do.  One writer put it this way: “Listening is an art that is difficult to master, for it means to take an intense interest in the person who is speaking.” 

By the very fact that many of us have been working cross-culturally for a number of years (the average number of years spent on a field, across our mission, is 18), we have gained a wealth of experience and insight.  We understand the culture and context in which we live.  We know what ministry looks like.  Yet, the danger of a “closing mind” could still be close at hand if we choose to be “quick to speak, slow to listen, slow to anger” in regards to others.  Sharing the wisdom and insights we have gained with new workers and others is vital, but the corresponding truth is also vital.  Namely that, by actively listening to new workers and others we may discern new ideas, approaches, insights that God desires to work into our hearts and ministries; and as well that by intensely listening to others, we may better know how to speak the truth and respond to others in love.  Being “swift” to listen does not mean that we are silent, but that we listen well in order to know how to more appropriately and with much grace respond [“speak”] to another.  We listen to learn.  We listen to speak the truth in love.

This double task is something of which our community needs to regularly remind us, as well as come alongside of us to facilitate honest evaluation and practice.

Filed under: Community | 2 Comments »

A “Closing Mind”

Posted on July 6, 2010 by wtdavid

It’s been 264 hours since my last post.  That’s way too long.  Yet, the time has afforded me the opportunity to begin to detect a habitual response in my mind to certain conversations; a response that is concerning.  I guess you might say I’m trying to work out, by the Spirit’s help, what it means to become more self-aware (see a previous post about this idea of self-awareness)

It actually happened several times over the past few days.  The first time was with a friend who was visiting.  We were out walking the beach on a weekend, when he stopped, pulled out his Bible from his pocket and began to read Psalm 95.  He turned his eyes towards the ocean when he read: “In whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also.  The sea is His, for it was He who made it.”  Then he paused when he got to the line: “For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.  Today, if you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah.”  He turned and looked at me, and said, “David, we are hearing the voice of the Lord today, here in His creation.”  He stopped, took my hand along with the others with us, bowed his head and prayed a prayer filled with worship to the Lord.  I felt uncomfortable.  People walking the beach were watching this small group huddled together, heads bowed.  This is France, where such outward expressions are not the norm.  Something didn’t feel right in my heart.  Something was “closing”.

It happened a second time when I was out to breakfast with a couple who were visiting France on a vision trip.  In sharing their journey, they listed off a number of insights they were gaining about the French people and their needs (emotional & spiritual). As I listened, I found myself wanting to disagree with what they were saying.  I thought to myself, they’ve only been here two weeks and they think they’ve figured out this culture.  Fortunately, the Lord gave me grace to not speak up, and just continue listening.  Yet, that “closing” feeling was there again.

When it happened a third time, I took a step back to reflect.  It was then that, slowly, I began to recognize the indicators of what I will call a “closing mind” or heart.  One indicator is being unable to discern how God might be speaking to me (to us) through different and varied sources.  A second would be an unhealthy confidence in my own cultural (and spiritual) journey that would keep me from looking at new ideas, new perspectives.

Are either of those indicators present within us as a community or as a mission?

Filed under: Community | 3 Comments »

« Previous Page — Next Page »

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 205 other subscribers

  • Categories

  • Recent Comments

  • Archives

  • Goodreads