Left Coast Menno

You've got to have empathy to let love rule.

A couple years back, I read through a great book that had a lot of application for my job as a change management advisor. Crucial Conversations is a book about how to better deal with high stakes conversations where opinions differ and emotions run high. I was also able to take a training course and still use the information in my job, as well as more generally in important conversations.

The authors of the book put out a regular newsletter/blog, and I thought the last one was particularly good. In summary:

She then taught me something I have never forgotten. “Before I spoke with him I asked myself, ‘In what way am I just like him?’ It didn’t take long before I thought of a couple of ways that I had behaved inappropriately when I thought I could get away with it. As soon as I accepted that I was kind of like him, I felt more forgiving of his weakness. I wasn’t going to put up with it, but at least I could see that he was a human not a villain—a human kind of like me.”

I was blown away by this idea. And I have found that, when I embrace it, I find an increased capacity to love the imperfect people in my life.

 

Epic FAIL Pastor's Conference

No, this is not a joke. In fact, it actually sounds pretty neat:

-What if we offered a space that is gutsy, hopeful, courageously vulnerable for pastors to let go of the burden to be a Super Pastor?

-What if we could hold an event that was free from the thrills and frills of other pastors conferences?

-What if we came together as epic failures and sought not successful models or how-do’s but instead celebrated faithfulness in ministry because of the reality of Jesus?

-What if we were reminded that we’re not responsible for being ‘successful’ in ministry, but we are responsible for being faithful to the calling that God has laid out for us – regardless of the outcome?

-What if we had a conference that was not led not by famous pastors who are household names, but by scandalously ordinary ministers and leaders who are faithfully attempting to join with God – even in the midst of glaring obscurity and anonymity?

Check out more on the conference by reading their site.

I like the idea of this conference because it's touching on something that is not often discussed--weakness is a key element of being a Christian. That is, God's power is most often (or even only?) found in human weakness. Paul goes so far as to tell the Corinthian church that human power needs to get out of the way if you want to see God at work.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for [human] power is brought to its end in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - translation courtesy Marva Dawn