The Methodist denomination is on the verge of some major shakeups. It’s hard to say for sure what that will look like, or how it will all play out, but if you do a search for the #nextmethodism you’ll see a barrage of articles about what the future of the church may, or may not look like.
Change is all around us, and whether you agree with the changes swirling around you or not, one thing we all can agree on- change is hard.
The above statement even feels crazy to type. I’ve had some type of affiliation with the Army Reserves since 1 July 1998. For nineteen years, I’ve been carrying a military ID in my wallet, heck, I can still remember the name of my recruiter. The Army and I have been through a lot together, it has shaped me, molded me, and brought me along in my faith journey.
I sometimes get really worried about what you think. I worry about the impressions you have of me, of how I'm doing at work, what kind of dad I am, and what you think of my marriage. I know it's not a healthy thing to do, but the nature of my job has me in front of groups of people just like you.
I believe there are there are certain people in life who always have something to share. They are wired to speak and give their opinions openly with pride. I would put myself into that category. I often find myself wanting to speak out on subjects that I am passionate about, and honestly, I can be passionate about almost anything. Some people just love that about me. On the other hand, I have also alienated, hurt, and put people off because I decided that they were going to hear what I had to say wether they wanted it or not.
For the past three years, I have blogged pretty much once a week. I love blogging. Along the way, I’ve focused on different topics. I’ve focused on relationships, parenting, leadership, and church stuff. I typically write about the stuff that is in my heart, stuff that I see in the world, and whatever is happening in my life.
I think the word “change” might be the single scariest word in the entire English vocabulary. Well, maybe that and “taxes.” When we think about the word change the implication is to think about the pain of giving up what we know for what we do not know.
Several weeks ago, I found out that I won a contest to have a private conversation with Carey Nieuwhof. The conversation was set to take place at ReThink Leadership, and in addition to the conversation, he paid for my ticket to the conference! It was an awesome conference, and if you want to read some of my reflections on ReThink I invite you to check these blogs.
After finishing up day two of the ReThink Leadership conference there is one sentence that keeps ringing over and over again in my head:
The church doesn’t need you to be a savior, it already has one.
May seem simple to say, but in honest reflection, it is much harder to live out. Here’s why; if you are leading a church then it is likely you care so much about the Kingdom of God you are willing to do anything to see it expand.
I am yet again at ReThink Leadership conference held in Atlanta, GA. This is the second year in a row that I’ve attended the conference and at the end of day one found it to be an enjoyable experience.
What I love most about this conference compared to others is how niche the conference is: It is a conference for senior leaders. So, the moment you walk into the room everyone speaks the same basic language. I also really appreciate the connections and accessibility to other leaders.