Everyone knows about the cultural phenomenon known as the mid-life crisis. It can result in anything from a sports car to an affair to a sudden career change. What is a mid-life crisis? It’s a forced evaluation—usually the result of circumstances beyond one’s control...
Here’s a little tidbit I’ll just throw out there for free. If you’ve been in a smaller-sized training or consultation with me you may recognize the picture accompanying this blog entry. That’s my frog. After we finish a session, I like to toss the frog. Each person...
We all have our favorite styles for learning: lecture, small group discussion, reading, hands-on experience. When we’re the ones doing the training, we need to take a balanced approach for different learners. Try orientation, clusters, individual coaching, networks,...
As you start missional communities, you’ll see leaders arising. Get them together! You’ll need to provide support of some kind; they won’t be able to run on autopilot. When you do get them together, here are 5 good questions you can ask: What’s working What’s not...
A significant dimension of my continuing education is reflecting on my conversations and experiences. What did I learn? What principles did I discover, affirm or deepen? What common threads do I see? How does this connect with other situations? What patterns can I...
We work, yes, but we also need regular times for rest, reflection, and recreation. God has built this pattern into our seasons (holidays), our weeks (Sabbath) and our days (time with God). We also need to plan for and set aside regular times for periodic spiritual...
Often in ministry, we start to feel overwhelmed by the task before us. Engaging in what I call the action-reflection loop can help. Plan some time for reflection and take stock of where you’re at. Dream about where you want to be. You need clarity in terms of where...
Look in the Mirror *Reflect personally with others *Engage in the change process *Clarify your direction Looking in the mirror is an especially significant turning point for many disciples. We all need to look in the mirror periodically to evaluate how things are...
