It was truly wonderful to see you all again, in Holland this time. You challenge and inspire us and we love to work with you. Thank you for the privilege one more time!
We'd love to hear what you're hearing from your leadership teams. What seems to be the main take-away from the weekend? What kind of emotional connection did they forge with the concepts that were presented?
You can comment on this blog or post to it OR if that's too techno-challenging, email me and I'll post your comments.
Next, Jim and I will comment on your next steps and offer some coaching for the near future.
What a great weekend. It was interesting for John and I to note how the environment changed when we added in all our leadership teams... Not good or bad, just a little of "what's so."
ReplyDeleteWe have some who connected with the material right away as something they had been longing for in the church rather than the next set of "dvd's in a box." We also have a couple who feeling some anxiety for two reasons. First, it is a significant change to go from program to process - especially when you have been a big part of bringing about the program. Second, it is a jump to go from wearing the "mask" of Christianity to living authentically...
However, I believe that they all are sharing the story of the weekend with others and that is huge!
John and I go on retreat with the rest of our staff tomorrow and would invite you all to pray for us as we do so. We plan to spend some time sharing the mental model of discipleship with them on Thursday evening and then spending time the next day processing it through looking at the public, private & secret selves ~ We aren't sure we're ready to take them to the false self and vows.... yet.
Blessings - Brian
Trisha and Jim,
ReplyDeleteThank you for a wonderful weekend. As you know, I wasn't there with a congregational team, however that weekend had an impact on the Ridder Team and with my own staff cluster leadership team.
The Ridder Team had an amazingly rich, honest and generative conversation at the event. We each were open and transparent; we each took time to truly listen to and understand one another, and we each spoke what we saw to be so. The possibilities that can come of that one conversation as we dream about how to organically extend this process to other places are many. The conversation was possible because of Keith Derrick's leadership and the tone set by the two of you at this event.
I have also had valuable conversations with my cluster leadership team about the mental models of learning and discipleship. I intend to keep that alive as well.
My observation is that through years of information, action and reflection you have brought the process of personal and congregational transformation down to a very few simple to understand and very difficult to embody concepts. That combination of simplicity and difficulty gives this process power. Thanks for being so generous in sharing your learning with us.
Brian and John, I pray that your staff retreat was valuable and added to your momentum.
Thank you Jim and Trisha for giving every member of our teams an assignment and thank you as well for sharing such rich information at the last seminar. My people took the assignment very seriously and 3 of them had shared with at least 2 people within 24 hours. One of them was preaching my place the next morning and used some of your terminology, including "fizzing." Since then, my team and I have been noting all sorts of instances where people are triangling or overfunctioning out of their own anxiety. In addition, I have shared the Mental Model of Discipleship with my Consistory and even with a couple during a pre-marital counseling session (I was making the point about not merely being church-goers and it just dawned on me that I should share the whole model. They liked it and I think saw immediate ways in which they could help each other live into that reality.)
ReplyDeleteThis past weekend, I preached about the Sovereignty of God and asked about how we can reconcile the divine sovereignty with human responsibility. Ultimately, it comes down to living in the tension of the antinomy, not terribly dissimilar to what is required when living in authentic community. We need safe places to "say what is so" and that requires living in the tension of having an Elder of the church admit they are addicted to pornography. Can we live in that tension?
Thanks for all the comments. I've just seen them today. Very encouraging to see the impact. I want to say thanks for allowing us to do this. As you all know, this is a mutual learning experience. God is using you to sharpen us. You are giving us space to create and in the creation to learn. I'm very grateful.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest challenge is in Drew's last sentenc. Can we live in the tension?
We can. We must. And it takes practice, practice, practice.
blesssings.
jth