IT...(not about the clown)

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Craig Groeschel wrote a book about IT in 2008. From the preface of his book, he describes how you can tell when an organization has IT and doesn't. You know when a leader has IT, or doesn't. You know the feeling of working in an environment that has IT, and the drudgery of working in an environment that doesn't. When IT is present, there's a buzz, a vibe, a recognition. And when you begin to feel IT, IT energizes you, inspires you and moves you.

I'm beginning to feel IT. Things are happening to me professionally and personally where I am beginning to experience IT. I'm looking forward to the ride, excited about what might happen and anticipating some incredible manifestations of IT. I am beginning to feel a quickening of my spirit, a clarity of focus, a desire to work harder and growing passion.

IT is hard to describe or clarify...but if you know that feeling, then you know what IT is.

No, it's not about the clown, IT's about guts, energy, passion and drive. 

If you have IT, lead with IT powerfully.

If you follow someone with IT, support them deeply.

If you don't have IT, search for IT without ceasing.

IT will change your life.

Join me in searching and holding on to IT.

P.S. To all those with coulrophobia, I apologize, but I doubt you read this far...Maybe someone can say sorry for me!

Check your sources!

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As the Democratic candidate group gets smaller and smaller and the race gets more contentious, I am seeing multiple posts, infographics, articles, opinions and comments. Here's my one request: check your sources...please!

In this new world we cannot trust photos, videos, or opinion articles. Videos can be spliced together to look authentic, photos are easily doctored and articles, quotes and "fact sheets" are easily manipulated.

Check your sources for authenticity, check the date, source of article, tone of publication (the number of times satire sites are quoted as factual is scary), and verify against the actual candidates websites. If in doubt, please don't share, because all it does is waste time and creates arguments.

There are enough worthwhile issues to debate in the coming election without having to deal with the false, inaccurate or purposely skewed.

Check your sources and correct me if I fall into this same trap. We can all help each other promote truth if we are willing to hear from each other.

Now to watch the last debate before Super Tuesday!

Guts and Tears: Encouragement for those experiencing loss

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One of the most famous miracles of Jesus is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It is also the story that contains the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept. There is another emotion present in this story: one of visceral anger, although most translators choose a softer description: "deeply moved". 

At the time of the death of Lazarus, a close friend, John records Jesus expressing two profound emotions: deep sadness displayed in the shedding of tears and deep anger displayed in a powerful action. When Jesus heard of the death of Lazarus, he knew what was going to happen. He knew the end result that God would raise Lazarus from the dead. Yet, in spite of this knowledge, Jesus felt sad and angry. He was moved to tears and moved in his guts.

Therefore, when we face death: the death of loved ones (the expected deaths and the unexpected deaths), why should we not feel the same emotions? 

Unlike Jesus, we face these deaths without the certain knowledge he had. We face those deaths holding onto every scrap of hope our faith can give us. We face those deaths with limited knowledge and overwhelming emotion.

So, it's ok for us to feel those same emotions of anger and sadness, and to feel them as deeply as Jesus did, moved to tears and moved in our guts: sad and angry. So feel those emotions...without shame, without concern, without fear and without apology. Feel them, express them and listen, because in the depth of those emotions being expressed you will hear the quiet voice of God whispering comfort to you.

So, if you are facing the death of a loved one today; know this:

- Jesus knows what you feel because he felt it,

- what you are feeling is ok and right,

- express those emotions as you need to, just like Jesus did in the story

- hold on to that hope of faith, that those who believe in Jesus will experience eternal life 

For it is Jesus who said to Martha in the midst of her grief, the words of good news for all,

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

A Vision Vacuum?!?

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We have a vision vacuum in America. 

At least, that's what I think. I look at the candidates for president and I want to hear a grand vision that rallies us together. And I just don't see it...yet.

I think back to some grand visions of the recent past in American political history (most of these pivotal paragraphs can be found here):

• A vision to overcome fear - Franklin D. Roosevelt 
• A vision to resist atomic devastation - Dwight Eisenhower
• A vision for a Great Society - Lyndon B. Johnson
• A vision for a space race - John F. Kennedy
• A vision for heroism - Ronald Reagan
• A vision to overcome grief - Ronald Reagan
• A vision for a more perfect union - Barack Obama
• A vision for unity - Martin Luther King Jr.

These visions moved us, captured us, drew us together, inspired us to greatness. 

Where is the vision for the 21st Century America? We live in a vision vacuum.

Do you see a grander vision for America? If so, what do you see? I would love to hear.

What pastors really think about on a Monday...

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These past two weeks have been exhausting - on all fronts.

• Two core leaders shared about a need to step down due to family needs leaving massive holes in their place. 
• Three people shared about deep struggles their children are facing.
• One congregation member died.
• Another has a father fighting for his life.
• Two couples are busy going through pre-marital.

All of this is extra pastoral work on a normal week of meetings, sermon prep, sermon feedback, your run of the mill critiques and complaints, regular counseling, strategy sessions, business analysis, leadership development, financial planning, volunteer development, mentoring, spiritual direction, reading, studying, praying and writing.

And none of it more important than being a husband and father.

So yeah, a tiring two weeks.

This is what many pastors face in any given two weeks.
And most of them do it alone without the amazing team of volunteers, colleagues and bosses I have.

So, here's my request: say a prayer for the pastors you know.

Most are lonely...
Many feel like failures..
Some are depressed..
A few are even thinking of quitting...

I've felt all of those things at one time or another, and even all of them at the same time. This past week I felt down, and most of it due to a tiredness of the soul that comes from caring for others as they endure suffering that seems without end. It's not the same or as hard as those who are suffering, but it wears on you.

So pray for the pastors you know. They need it and want it. And pray for those they are caring for...they need it even more.

Your prayers and a kind word might just make their day and give them the energy they need to bring care and comfort to those in their care.

Here are my prayer requests

• Pray for the engaged couples to have healthy relationships leading heading into their weddings.
• Pray for the family who lost a loved one this week.
• Pray for the family gathered round their sick dad, husband, and friend as he fights for his life.
• Pray for the leaders stepping down to care for their family.
• Pray for people to rise up to fill the holes they leave behind.
• Pray for those families with children going through a tough time.
• Pray for your pastor that they might be strengthened in their work.

 Thank you for your prayers. May God hear them and answer them in accordance with His will.

Post State of the Union Thoughts

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So...

...State of the Union meets The Apprentice meets Undercover Boss meets Extreme Makeover: White House Edition. It was an interesting night. I remember my first State of the Union, back in 2003. I fell asleep in it. I didn't fall asleep in this one. There were some inspiring moments to me: the reunion of the military couple and the granting of a scholarship. There were some disturbing moments to me: the chanting of 4 more years and H.R. 3, the eruption and subsequent removal of a distraught father after hearing about the second amendment promises. There were some divisive moments for me: the failure to shake hands with the speaker of the house, ripping up the advanced copy of the speech. Each had their reasons.

I'm not really going to get into the policy or the politics of this State of the Union. The criticisms and defenses of each side of the aisle were identical but voiced oppositely when President Obama gave his State of the Union speeches. It's a merry go round at the moment.

What I did feel though was that there was a missed opportunity: to cast a compelling vision that will raise our country towards unified action. I was hoping for admission of our division and a call for being better together. There were elements of it: a trillion trees, a million scholarships, the first man and woman on Mars. But I did not find President Trump inspiring about these suggestions. And it was hard to consider, even believe, them when they were drowned out by the partisan agenda of the rest of the speech.

The State of the Union is no longer about the Union. For many presidencies now it has been about advancing a partisan agenda, bolstering polls, starting, solidifying or strengthening campaign rhetoric. Last night was the same, with President Trump's personal flavor.

What was missing was the call to grow and advance the country, and because of America's influence, the world. The State of the Union was missing a uniting vision with grand ideas and goals. I would love to see that in our country and in future State of the Union's.

The State of Our Union...

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It's just under 20 minutes to the State of the Union, and no doubt we will hear the common refrain said at most State of the Union speeches: "The State of our Union is strong".

This is not the word I would use. For me, the state of our union is chaos.

People will cite the strong economy, a strong military, strong trade agreements, strong borders, strong employment stats but my eyes focus on other things:

...a president currently on trial (and most likely will be acquitted tomorrow morning) in an impeachment process fraught on both sides with lack of due process
...a senate split by partisanship on just about every issue
...a senate and house stalled and making little progress of actually governing the country
...Iowa Caucuses that are a disaster (and who knows what will happen in other state primaries)
...media trumpeting their agendas and denigrating the opposition
...a divided country on Roe V Wade
...a divided country on wage
...a divided country on equality
...a vice president and speaker of the house who aren't even looking at each other let alone speaking to each other

It's chaos with a veneer of formality and civility.

We can do better. I want our leaders to do better.

These issues amongst others, steal our focus from being the agent for freedom, justice and advancement in the world. These issues and the dragging of our focus inward rob us of the ability to contribute to the great advancement of our world and our species. Great endeavors face us: colonizing a new planet, exploring space, promoting a healthier world through profound and courageous legislation on the environment, medical advancement and discovery and the invention of new technology that might propel us to greater peace and prosperity.

I believe it is chaos...

...but I also believe we could admit that and then call ourselves to something greater.

I hope President Trump might call us to a greater vision and a higher dream of a country working with others to do great things!

Yes it's chaos, but we can overcome that and do better. Maybe that could be our legacy for our children...we did better!

Superbowl Half Time Craziness: J-Lo, Shakira and Adam Levine

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I watched the Superbowl Halftime show twice.

Once with my family, the second time with my wife. 

And then this morning, social media erupted in craziness. I wasn't quite expecting that...I guess I am still naive. Comments ranged from Condemnation to support, scandalous to championing minorities, strip show to skillful art. And perhaps the most pointed comment from one social media post: where was the body shaming of Adam Levine when he took off his shirt last year?

But here's my issue: people critique J-Lo and Shakira for denigrating women, setting back the women movement, and other such challenges for dressing and dancing in the manner they did. They talk about it as a betrayal of the women's movement that they were provocative. 

This is a deep misunderstanding of the drive for equality for women. It's about having the power to choose. Women Equality is about women exercising power over their own bodies, their own careers, and their own decisions amongst other things. It's about choice. I am going to assume that J-Lo and Shakira had control over the halftime show that carried their name.

Therefore, their choice... 

...to sing the songs they did, 

...to wear what they wore

...to celebrate their cultures (with dance moves, language, clothing and accessories)

...to promote unity and history

...to include family

...to display themselves

Is a celebration, not a denigration, of the fight for equality.

Assuming they made the choices, that is the point. THEY MADE THE CHOICES.

Whether you liked the choices or not, whether you conclude bad taste or excellent show is your choice to make. But to say their choice denied women the right to choose is mistaken.

Personally, I liked their halftime show, but didn't especially like the overly sexual messaging. But I celebrate their choice. I have been a fan of Shakira for years and even had her "Hips Don't Lie" as my ring tone (imagine that ringing in the middle of a church staff meeting)! I thought it was a good half time show and loved that for the first time ever two females of another ethnicity were the headliners.

And by the way, during the game, as celebrated by another commercial, Katie Sowers became the first women to hold a coaching position in the Superbowl. That's a lot of firsts and worth celebrating.

Equality for women! 

Yes...we need it...and now, not later!

And Jesus fought for this same choice: he spoke to women and asked their opinion (giving them choice), he revealed himself to a women first (giving them a choice to share it with the others), they were part of his group of wider disciples, supported his ministry and enjoyed his friendship. Jesus celebrated the right for women to choose. We should too.