Day 54 - Integrity
What should I stop doing that I enjoy doing or that I am very successful at? ... hmmm That was the question that our speaker asked. It was an interesting start to the last portion of our classes here.
It was an anglican priest who spoke to us today about integrity and he talked about how in Matthew 5:31 how we are to have our yes's be yes's and our no's be no's so that we don't have to take an oath or swear by anything. He carried this teaching through a number of scenarios in leadership and in day-to-day life. When we say yes to things we have to put them into priority and there are going to be times in life when we have to say no to things that we enjoy or are doing well at because there are other areas we have said yes to. When you flesh that out, its a tough challenge. For instance, lets say you are offered a big promotion at work... if you say yes to it it may mean that you put your job over your family. That's kind of a weak analogy but I think you get the point.
It led to some good discussion. Here are some of his other points:
He listen some common sins that leaders fall into.
1. Pragmatism - The ends justify the means.
2. The idol of self-opinion - My opinion is always right since I am the leader (usually leaders who really struggle with this have no peers within their ministry)
3. Comparison - Is our ministry better than yours? The worst form of this is when you celebrate the failure of other leaders or ministries
Then he briefly talked about how he runs 'community houses' to minister to people off the street. Here are some basic principles to running a community house.
1. Strict Routines - Run it like a facist. You must eat every meal and clean your plate even if you aren't hungry, you must shower daily and make your bed etc
2. Celebrate Significant Times - they celebrate significant times by always giving the same presents to everyone (6 pairs of underwear and six pairs of sox) in order to not show partiality.
3. Everyone has to have something to do during the day - no body can sit around
4. Pray for them - You may be the first or the only person who utters their name in a prayer to Jesus.
We now have another couple, Jake and Beth Chaya, from Burnsville staying with us for two weeks. They are on the board of Steiger and are looooong time friends of David and Jodi. I am excited for the opportunity to get to know them better.
We finished the night with a taco salad and listened to a debate between Doug Pagitt and Bob Dewaay about Emergent Church philosophy and theology versus traditional dispensational theology. You can find it here. (Jeremy, there even a lecture by LeRon Shults on there.)
It was an anglican priest who spoke to us today about integrity and he talked about how in Matthew 5:31 how we are to have our yes's be yes's and our no's be no's so that we don't have to take an oath or swear by anything. He carried this teaching through a number of scenarios in leadership and in day-to-day life. When we say yes to things we have to put them into priority and there are going to be times in life when we have to say no to things that we enjoy or are doing well at because there are other areas we have said yes to. When you flesh that out, its a tough challenge. For instance, lets say you are offered a big promotion at work... if you say yes to it it may mean that you put your job over your family. That's kind of a weak analogy but I think you get the point.
It led to some good discussion. Here are some of his other points:
He listen some common sins that leaders fall into.
1. Pragmatism - The ends justify the means.
2. The idol of self-opinion - My opinion is always right since I am the leader (usually leaders who really struggle with this have no peers within their ministry)
3. Comparison - Is our ministry better than yours? The worst form of this is when you celebrate the failure of other leaders or ministries
Then he briefly talked about how he runs 'community houses' to minister to people off the street. Here are some basic principles to running a community house.
1. Strict Routines - Run it like a facist. You must eat every meal and clean your plate even if you aren't hungry, you must shower daily and make your bed etc
2. Celebrate Significant Times - they celebrate significant times by always giving the same presents to everyone (6 pairs of underwear and six pairs of sox) in order to not show partiality.
3. Everyone has to have something to do during the day - no body can sit around
4. Pray for them - You may be the first or the only person who utters their name in a prayer to Jesus.
We now have another couple, Jake and Beth Chaya, from Burnsville staying with us for two weeks. They are on the board of Steiger and are looooong time friends of David and Jodi. I am excited for the opportunity to get to know them better.
We finished the night with a taco salad and listened to a debate between Doug Pagitt and Bob Dewaay about Emergent Church philosophy and theology versus traditional dispensational theology. You can find it here. (Jeremy, there even a lecture by LeRon Shults on there.)
posted by Peterzog at 6:44 PM
3 Comments:
"Yes" is a mighty word. Sometimes "No" can be even mightier.
Dan, a lecture by LeRon! =P
Ha Ha!
As much as LeRon bothers me, I did learn some good stuff from him. My whole sphere of thought on the Fear of the Lord originates from a lecture of his.
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