Take Two

(Note: this blog entry is taken directly from the Maxwell Leadership Bible {which I cannot recommend strongly enough} and was interspersed with my reading for today.  I hope it enriches you as it did me)

God calls every leader to be a servant, but not every servant is to be a leader.  So, how do we take the step to leadership?

In Hebrew, the word we translate as “leader” (nagiyd) comes from a root that conveys the idea of servanthood and being an example to others.  The word is variously translated in Scripture as captain, ruler, prince, governor, and noble.

Leader vs. King

The Hebrew term for “leader” stands in shrp contrast to the word for “king”.  The fairly neutral Hebrew term for “king” (melech) allowed for the possibility of independence, for being a maverick.  Samuel warned against this very thing when the Israelites asked for a king.  A melech might be a renegade, but a nagiyd was under authority, subject to a higher power and fulfilling the wishes of that higher power.  Saul was melech, while Samuel was a nagiyd.

To be a captain, ruler, prince, governor or noble of the people of God, a person must first come squarely under the authority of God.  We can go no further without first understanding this element.  Yet a second element is just as important.  The Hebrew term nagiyd also means to stand boldly to announce, to manifest- the natural outgrouth of receiving commands from God.  The leader is to boldly stand and communicate God’s commands with conviction.

God’s leader is first to be a servant of the Lord, then an example, then a proclaimer and communicatior to the people.  And no one did this better than Samuel.

Gridskipper, my favorite travel blog, has a quick story (with map) on the best black and white cookies in New York City.  This is doubly helpful to me because a) I love black and white cookies and b) Charity and I are going to New York this weekend.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Excellent story today in the New York Times regarding Berea College in Kentucky.  The focus of the story is the debate on whether or not school endowments have grown too large and what percentage they pay out.  True story- Berea was one of the schools I looked at when I was in high school (waaaaay back in 1986).  My other schools were Ohio State, Kenyon, Anderson University, MedCentral College of Nursing, Boston University, and George Washington University.  My final three were OSU, Anderson, and MedCentral and I, like an idiot, chose Ohio State (as a Political Science major) which delayed my entering into nursing (which I love) by about five years.

Big step for me as a parent, I am taking Becky on her first college visit this week, to Kent State.  It is exciting and frightening all at the same time.

In the comments (if you would), where did you apply and wind up going to college or, if you didn’t go, why not.  I love learning more about my readers.

How’s that for a post title?  But seriously, everyone (barring divine intervention) is going to die.  I have been working on a case this week that reminds me that it can be, without proper planning, very expensive and stressful to your family if you’re not prepared when the time comes.

Specifically, I have a client who is in a long-term acute care hospital in Cleveland.  The daily rate (excluding medications) is $1200/day.  Brutal.  I have a major medical policy so in theory my liability for such a stay would be somewhat limited however; without a backstop, one illness can ruin a family.  Many items (physical and occupational therapy come to mind) are not covered on many employer sponsored plans or, if they are, the coverage is spotty.  This study by Harvard’s Law and Medical Schools confirms my worst fears.  Even with insurance, there are limited protections.

So what to do?  If I had a good idea I would run for president but I don’t but I would offer one piece of advice- For the love of God, don’t count on the government to pick up the tab.  It’s not their forte.

Enough of the soapbox, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Although it seems like an eternity, just 10 months ago we were in deep turmoil within our organization regarding advertising on television (which I must say, to me, in hindsight seems foolish).  I was talking to a friend yesterday and we agreed that, for the leaders who left, it was not about television it was about power.  You don’t form an entire organizational structure in one month.  Get real.

However, lest I get on my soapbox, I thought I’d show you what one of our presbyters here in Ohio has done with this new found outreach.  I think it’s pretty cool.

As you know, I was speaking in Delaware this weekend.  Had it not been my very dear friend asking for my help, I would have been at Start-Up Weekend Columbus.  Since I wasn’t there, here is my brother Rocky shouting out to the good folks at nbc4.

the Sticks conference from newhopewired on Vimeo.

Here’s a conference I may just have to attend, especially since it’s happening right up the road in Loudenville, Ohio.  Check out the website and see what you think.

As you know, I am into the unusual and bizarre food (for example, the $41 burger or this montrosity).  We hand lunch with our friends David and Michelle Kuhtenia today and learned of a gem from West Texas known as chicken fried bacon.  Apparently, this is served with a side of creamed gravy.  Yummy!

So, dear Texans, if you have had this delightful artery clogger please comment and let me know a) how does it taste and b) were there any complications from your cath and stent placement.

I await your response.  Side note- I’m only drinking a cup of Tim Horton’s coffee tonight.  This picture has made me queasy.

1 Corinthians 1:20-21
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
KJV

I am just back home after preaching this morning and evening for my friend Mike Wilson in Delaware.  We love the church and they are like family to us.  It is always an honor to be there.

I was reminded of the above verses after preaching two sermons today.  Candidly, to judge for myself, they were not my best effort.  And yet for both services I had folks come up to me and tell me of specific issues in their lives that the Lord ministered to them via my preaching.  It struck me that, in God’s inifinite wisdom, he can use less than perfect oratory to address the needs of his people.  I am convinced that He often ministers in spite of our preaching rather than because of it.  In my mind, surely there is a more effective way to communicate the Word to the church.  And yet, in thousands of churches across the country (and the world), millions of preachers and teachers break the Bread of Life and feed the hungry.  To some, it is foolishness.  To the hungry, it is life.

I don’t understand how it works but it just does.

Gabri running from the spray

Originally uploaded by ryaninmtv

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
NKJV

My pastor spoke at our Bible Study last night on “Why we do what we do”. Specifically, he spoke of the feasts that Israel had to attend every year and noted that there were times when we needed a spiritual refreshing. With our camp meeting coming up in a week and a half, it was a timely message. Since we have an awesome line up (Wayne Francis, Eli Hernandez, Jeff Arnold), my arm really doesn’t require a lot of twisting.

It also made me think about why I continue to serve in Sunday School. The pay is lousy (especially for the amount of time involved in the summer), the parents make you want to go nuts, and at times it seems like you are speaking to an audience of one (yourself). However, look at all of the kids in this picture (including my beautiful baby up front). We had the chance, over a week, to impact 225 lives. I have no idea what their life at home is like but, for a week, I can influence them, love them, and bring them hopefully into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. There isn’t enough money to pay for that.

On Friday of camp, I was presented with a shirt that a large number of the campers had signed in black. There were also 38 signatures in red. These were the campers who had received the Holy Spirit during the week for the first time. Our bishop, Brother Jordan, asked what it would take to buy the shirt. I informed him it wasn’t for sale at any price.

I just got to unpacking some of my stuff from camp (I know, it’s been a week but I’ve been busy) and I unpacked that shirt. I am reminded again of why we do what we do. In my day job, we charge an extraordinary amount of money for me to address the problems of our clients. But in ministry, we don’t always get that payoff. That’s why I’m glad I have that shirt. It reminds me that money could never buy what we are able to share.