LeadershipConneXtions

Illusions and Light

 

Disillusionment
Enlightenment

They go hand in hand.

 

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened . . ."
Ephesians 1:18

The spiritual journey is about enlightenment, about seeing the light (of Christ), about moving from darkness to light, and about living in the light we have received.

Some people don't make this journey because they prefer the darkness. In John 3:19-20 Jesus tells us some people loved doing what is wrong/evil, so they rejected the light and chose the darknes... hoping to hide their evil.

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. Through these words, John 1:9  describes Jesus as the light of God shining in the world.

In most cases, it is pretty easy to identify the darkness. I may prefer the darkness, but it isn't too hard to identify it.

But there are times when the problem is not as simple as light and darkness. At times we are living in the world of shadowy illusions. We are living with images, pretensions, confusions, misjudgments, projections, subterfuges, distortions . . . and we don't really understand this is our condition.

I think this is a more perilous spiritual condition, for it takes times, it requires outside guidance and perspective, and some strong doses of courage for the Spirit of God to do His work of

- - - "dis" illusioning - - -

That is, of revealing the illusions
and removing the illusions.
 

I wish I could simply ask you to think about the illusions that are in your life. Well, I can ask it. It is just that it is terribly hard to answer it. But ask and answer it we must!

Being disillusioned is painful. It may be gradual or it may be sudden... but suddenly the scales fall off of the eyes, the illusion is understood, and there is clarity about the truth.

The spiritual counsel and guidance from some trusted friends and a wise mentor are part of the process of becoming "disillusioned."

I think some of the work of leadership is to be a "disillusioning" leader who brings clarity and perspective to the tenuous. Much prayer. Much thinking. Much hard work of discerning. All this and more is needed to pierce the illusions.

May you have such friends in your life...
May you experience the grace of discernment and of disillusionment in the days ahead.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com 

 

The Desert Wisdom When It Comes to Praying

 

Pray Without Ceasing

The ancients guide us with wisdom and love
in to the mysteries of prayer
 

I am spending some time reading the Desert Fathers and Mothers these days.

Sometimes they lived in community (always seperated by gender). Other times they lived in isolation (in caves, in huts they made, and even out in the open).

They are rich in lessons on silence and solitude, love of God and others, spiritual direction, the deadly sins (anger and pride as among the worst), the virtue of humility, and of course prayer.

What is most striking is the incredible diversity of prayer that is found in their lives and their writings. They believed God interacts in different ways according to the makeup and needs of each person. And that inevitably means a wonderful variety of prayer. 

As you read their guidance about prayer, at times, it is seems contradictory… until you remember that they are only illustrating ways of prayer and not mandating any norm for prayer.

Here are the three "rules from the desert."

ONE:
Pray. It is the most vital dynamic of life with God.

TWO:
Pray in the way that connects you with God. And the diversity of prayer is beautiful.

THREE:
Respect the differences in prayer, value each way, do not categorize some as better and others as lesser (a problem some of the later mystics fall in to).

 
 Visit this site for history and photos

Most of us need to learn how to pray. I think most leaders strugle with prayer and it is one of our great inadequacies as leaders.

To learn how to pray, you may have to read a good book or two to learn about prayer. A note of caution - there are some very good books on prayer, and there are some "bad ones" as well. Let me just note one of the very good ones, for those who need a start. 

I have found that Richard Foster's book on Prayer is among the best introductions to this wonderful diversity. Reading a chapter a week and then daily practicing (experimenting if you will) with that form of prayer would be of great benefit for learning to pray.

Another help is to use a prayer book. This is not a book that teaches you to pray. This is a book of prayers that models the way. I use prayer books regularly and they provide language, themes, a vision of God and ways of praying that are outside my typical thoughts. I use a different prayer book every year. I don't use it every day, but on many days I do.

 

Another help in learning to pray is to work with a spiritual mentor. One of the great offerings of spiritual mentors was their ability to teach others how to pray. In this, they imitate Jesus, the Great Master, who prayed so wonderfully, that his disciples simply asked Him, "Teach us to pray." 

In one sense, the prayer books of the church and the books on prayer, are having a distance mentor who guides us through the printed page. 

But whatever you do and in all things . . .

May Jesus be your Teacher of Prayer,
and  may your life of prayer flower in the season ahead.

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

Love at Work

 

 

The Way of Love

One possible rendition of
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 in the Workplace

 

Is it naive to imagine that loving leadership would make the world a betterplace?

Is it foolish to believe that more love in the workplace will make those places resonant and productive?

Is it a waste of my time and a death knell to believe that love can really make a difference in this hard, harsh world?

Apparently the Apostle Paul thought love will rock the world. And without love, no matter what else you have... success, impressive resume, nice corner office, fancy title, desired benefits... they really don't matter. You can find this beautiful poster (here, check it out). Maybe having something like this framed in your place of work will be a good reminder.

Maybe we each need to think about what it means for us to practice Love in the Marketplace of life. Here is my offering.

 

Love is patient.
I give people the time and space that I would like to have when I am stressed, tired, busy and beind. 

 

Love is kind.
Lots of little touches, thoughts, considerations and blessings, especially to those who are in need, those who are overlooked, those who are considered the least in the workplace. No one will fear rudeness or rashness from me.

 

Love does not envy or dishonor others.
Instead of competing with others or being threatened by them, I value them and know I need them. It is not a zero sum world. I value my peers and colleagues. I guard their dignity. I lift them up.

 

Love does not boast, love isn't proud and love isn't self-seeking.
It is not about me, it is not about me being noticed or winning or beating out the other. The way of gratitude and humility are the best antidotes to the way of pride.

 

Love is not easily angered and it does not keep a record of wrongs.
I avoid arguments, no-win situations, creating conflict where it is not needed or productive. I don't hold grudges. People don't have to worry about my temper or over-reaction. I am calm and gentle.  

 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth.
Virtue, all of it and all the time is a joy for me. Character and morality are valued. I avoid even the appearance of evil. I am willing to take a stand against what is wrong, even it it costs me something. I speak the truth in love. I keep the truthful ways in love.  And I am willing, as neeed, to practice "tough love from a tender heart."

 

Love never fails.
And I go the distance. I don't just do this one day, or one week, or for a New Year's Resolution.  This is a way of being and living in the world of work. With my friends and colleagues. With my customers and vendors.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com 

Be sure to re-read this book sometime soon. Love is how we become real and love is how we help others become real . . .

You may also want to read 1 John and reflect and pray about love . . .

The Work of Leadership (in a Nutshell)

 

 
What You Typically Don't Get on This Blog

A Seven Step Way
of Leadership

A little "FORMULA" to use as it is helpful

 

I know you can't get much in a nutshell... just like you can't put much in a tweet... but here is a major attempt.

You all know I enjoy complexity and I think simple ways are rarely workable or sustainable ways. Most issues are complex, life is complex, people are complex… and the truth of God is rich and full and wide and mysterious (at points)… so I am fine with complexity.

But, not unnecessary complexity. There is no virtue there. I do believe we should simplify when possible.

Here are a few thoughts in a bare bones, simple way to understand the essence of leadership. This is what leaders have to do, without telling you how to do it.

You may want to cut and paste this into a document and print it out and hang it at your desk. 

Be sure to do some assessment on how you are doing in each of these leadership responsibilities.

 

ONE:  Achieve clarity about vision and values…
Thisis hard work. How many times have we spent too much time doing "stuff" that is really not contributing to the reaching of a vision. We deal with mission drift and vision leak. We do "stuff" all the time that is counter to our values. So we MUST get clarity on vision and values. But that is only the start of leadership. Then, the ongoing work of leadership begins. There are six more core “works” a leader must do and do well. If you don’t do them, then you will fall short of being faithful and fruitful. Here they are (in their simple format). They are somewhat sequential, but not rigidly so.

 

TWO:  Establish Objectives or Outcomes.
These desired outcomes flesh out what you MUST do and achieve if you are to realize your mission/vision. A vision is too general. What are the most important things you must do if you are to actually reach the vision and achieve the mission? Objectives show you AND OTHERS the way forward.

 

THREE: Strategically organize.
Now you determine what resources you have to work with, how to allocate resources, what problems you will face, how to address them, who is most suited to help in which particular job . . . many more thoughts could be added to this. I believe the work of team building fits here, although it is so important it could be added as another work of leadership.

 

FOUR:  Motivation and inspiration.
Since almost everything you want to accomplish will need others working together toward your desired ends, you have to enlist, recruit, partner with others. You have to motivate them to partner with you. You have to keep them motivated, energized, inspired and loving what they do. This is huge… I mean REALLY HUGE. Part of this discussion has to be the ideas of emotionally intelligent leadership that creates resonant work environments.

 

FIVE:  Empowering and training
As you are finding people to be a part of the dream or the project, you usually have to train, develop, empower and resource them. You can’t assume they have what they need to do what you need them to do. Now this is cool, part of motivation and inspiration happens as you truly empower people.

 

SIX:  Communicate and inform.
Ongoing communication is the constant need. It is striking how many people do not have access to the information they need to do the work they need to do, or to do it as well as they need to do it.

 

SEVEN:   Supervising and sustaining and improving via assessment and adjustment
You have to be able to measure results and progress toward the desired results. There are a variety of tools available for the work of supervision and at any moment, you may need to cycle back to an earlier work of leadership. For so much of what we aren't reaching desired outcomes has to do with leadership failures to do these steps of leadership.

So what do you think? Does this make sense? Does it help you think about how you lead? And give some perspective as to what can be improved?

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typeapd.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burnout

 

The 21 Hour Workweek!

It is probably more likely that you'll have
a 21 hour workday before you have
a 21 hour workweek!
Unless you are under-employed! 

Overwork and stress have increased. Downsizing did not mean there was less work. It meant there were fewer people to do the same amount of work that had previously been done. And those fewer people had to get that additional work done.

It is not just more work. It is more responsibility, more pressure, more deadlines, more expectations, more consequences -- and this means MUCH more added stress. You can find this image on this site, along with some good quotes on stress (click here).

 

BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE.
Now to that problem, add this . . .

The proliferation of intrusions via the ubiquitous internet.

We are never unplugged, at least for long. Emails, Facebook updates, twitter, calls, texts. Computers turned into laptops which became notebooks and smart phones. We carry the instrument of our distraction and interruption with us everywhere. You can get this image as a "mousepad" (here) and it might be a good reminder of what constant connectivity is doing to you.

I intentionally put my phone on silence mode. I intentionally do not answer my phone or even look at it for periods of time. I do a lot of work on my computer and it is always a struggle to shut down the internet connection and work undistracted. But I actually do that. And I want to do it more.

If you haven't yet read it, check out: The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Your Brain. When I read that book, it led to a half dozen or more posts. Not only are many of us overworking, but while we work, we also experience constant interruption and switch tasking that leaves our brains that much more tired and distracted.

THE RESULT OF OVERWORKED AND CONSTANTLY DISTRACTED:
Here are a few stats quoted in Taking Your Soul to Work.

A study by the Center for Work-Life Policy, found that 8 out of 10 people say their jobs are affecting their health.

New York Times reported that 62% of people say they have had an increase in their workload in the last six months.

More than 50% say work leaves them excessively tired and overwhelmed.

BUT WHAT TO DO?
Here is the fact. Most of us do not have the ability to change our work environments. We don't have the position that gives us the power and authority. Work life has changed in the 21st century. It is not foreseeable that it will change back. In most cases, you don't have the luxury of just quitting, of opting out.

And to be honest, even if you are able to transfer, where you go will most likely be to a similar scenario.

The only way forward is to cultivate rhythms… make certain choices for the reordering of your life… so you have the resources of spirituality, emotion and intellect.

There is no short cut to this. It is going to take time, energy, diligence, patience . . . and some wisdom about the way of formation . . . and a generous lavishing of God's grace. You can count on the last one. The middle one is there for the finding. If you need help, drop me a note. You will have to supply the former. But God can help you with that one as well. 

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Encourage the Heart: Lots of Hearts, Lots of Encouragements

 

 

It Only Takes a Spark

Of Encouragment

The power of thank-you, you are appreciated,
you are making a difference, you are loved.

 

A few weeks ago, as I was doing some reading on leadership and assessing some of my weaknesses (unfortunately and very sincerely - way too many of them) and thinking about what I can do better. One thing I considered was to be more intentional about encouraging the heart of others.

Encouraging the heart is one of the core leadership tasks identified by Kouzes and Posner in their essential work, The Challenge of Leadership. Just read that chapter for some motivation and to jump start your own work as an encourager... Or if you want a more substantial challenge, they even did a short book on that theme, called, Encouraging the Heart. (A very worthwhile read.)

I also did a class on leadership where I talked about the importance of creating workplaces of resonance (the emotionally healthy leader). Part of that is to be an encourager...

I was also very aware of some really good ministry and leadership being done (faithfully, so faithfully) be really dedicated people...

And I was doing some devotional work in the Desert Fathers (and a few Mothers) and was impacted by the importance of love...

So I decided to be more intentional about encouraging people.
 

Telling them they are doing really good work.

Telling them how they impact people from their work.

Thanking them for the work they are doing.

I mean these were only brief conversations... and I really can't speak about their receiving the encouragement (although it appeared grateful)... but I tell you this... it blessed me to encourage them.

I felt better. I felt grateful. I felt connected.

And that is always the beautiful thing about goodness and truth. When you choose the way of goodness and truth, not only does it do something to the world around you and for the lives of others... it also does something inside you.

So I am continuing on in my work of encouraging...

Hearts all around you are struggling hearts, hurting hearts, broken hearts, discourged hearts, weary hearts, tired hurts . . . they are some of the hearts we want to encourage.

Other hearts aren't in that kind of condition. But all hearts will receive with gratitude and benefit - your encouragement.

Want to join me on this "intention" for a few weeks? Look to do 2 or 3 real encouragements a week. Identify the people you want to encourage. Know what you want to say to them. And then, take the time.

 

Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

 

Fast, Friendly, Affordable

 

 

What's Not To Like
About This?

When the customer is really king,
they have a really good day. 

 

It was time for the oil change in the car, so I went down to Jiffy Lube on East Market Street - their new building that has been open for about a year 

I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with their customer service. Here are a few things that make me a fan.

Efficiency. They do have a system in place and they follow it. From the time you pull up until you pull away, they have a system designed for efficiency. That means you spend the minimum time waiting for your car to be worked on. I was in a hurry that day, had lots to do and the last thing I wanted was to spend time waiting on service. 
 

Execution. Having a good system isn't much use, if your people don't work the system. But they did. They were like a well oiled machine (a friendly machine, but I'll get to that). As soon as I arrived, they are taking the initiative to get my car in the process, get me in the waiting room, run the diagnostics, present me with the needs and the options. It was smooth. A good system, with great execution - that means results.
 

Energetic and friendly. The word ATTITUDE comes to mind. The right attitude. These guys were having fun. (It was still mid morning, maybe that wears off by late afternoon!)  I really believed they liked what they were doing. Helping customers AND working on their cars. Every one of them was energetic, hustling, working hard AND they were outgoing, personable, interactive, polite, respectful, friendly. They opened and held the doors coming and going. When I went outside to get in my car, they opened the door for me and told me to have a good day. I don't know about you, but I typically don't expect that from a car mechanic. I just hope a mechanic does a good job taking care of my car. 

This is the power of Jim Collins idea of both/and. They were good mechanics and they were good customer service representatives.  And not just a few of them. Every mechanic that I saw engaging with people did a really nice job of doing that. This is a nice combination.  You can find this image at this site along with some positive encouragement on doing both.
 

Know what business you are in (from Drucker). They were in the right business. If you think they are in the "oil changing business" you aren't quite right on this. They are in the business of "customer satisfaction" when it comes to providing the RIGHT KIND OF EXPERIENCE of car care.

They had a comfortable waiting area, with a few perks and touches. As crazy as this is, they had a popcorn machine there with fresh popcorn, put in bags. It smelled good. There was one other person eating from a bag. I looked at him. He said - it's good. I took a bag with me for the road. He was right - it was good. Now that is going above and beyond to add an extra touch that tells the customer - we want you to have a good experience while you are here waiting. 

They also were not pushy at all. Years ago, if my memory serves me, I would feel a little "pressured" about getting things done. The last two times I went there, they show you the computer screen, the miles on your car, the recommended service options for your car with that mileage. If there are other things they found, they point them out to you. And then - what do I want done? I tell them. No pressure back. Just, "yes sir." We will be done in less then 30 minutes. It was actually LESS THAN 30 minutes. Another good customer service principle. They did not OVER PROMISE and UNDER DELIVER. They UNDER PROMISED and OVER DELIVERED. 

What was my experience like?

Fast 
Friendly
Affordable  

Way to go Jiffy Lube. 

Good work and satisfied customers. I'm one of your fans. I don't know if this is company wide or if I just "lucked out" with a good team at this franchise, but I'm a fan. You've got my repeat business.

And by the way. I did have a good day and you guys helped it start off right.

I hope you guys had a good day today too.

Brian K. Rice 
Leadership ConneXtions International 
www.lci.typepad.com

 

 

Get a Dog or Have Kids - You Decide

 

 

Sometimes we have real simple choices before us.

 

Should I get a dog?

 

Or should I have kids instead?

 

Either way... have fun.

 

Brian

If God Seems Far Away...

More than once someone has said to me, "God just seems so far away" (or some variation of that). Maybe you've heard the slogan,

If God seems far away,
He's not the one who moved!

With the idea of this meaning, that God is always with you and if He seems far away, you are the one who has pulled away from God. God is not only with you but He is pursuing you. So, if God is distant - guess what? It isn't His fault!
 

Like all slogans and "tweets" these days, it is pretty hard to express complete truth in 140 or so characters.

And since the Christian faith is messy and mysterious and full of wonderful depth and substance, the Christian faith is usually more complex than simplistic tweets can convey.

So, if God seems far away, perhaps it is because God has moved on and you have been blissfully (or narcissistically) unaware that God is on the move.
 

I love the narrative of Israel in the wilderness. When God moves they must move with Him. When God camps out, they too must camp. Of course they had a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day to give them great confidence when God was on the move. Of course, the story is a sad one because they didn't like the way and direction God was moving and so they rebelled. 

By the way, could you imagine being an Israelite who decided to say in Egypt, who is wondering why God seems far away... and you say to them, "God's not the One who moved. Just pray and be attentive and you'll experience Him?"  

In the Gospels, Jesus is always on the move. The disciples needed to move with him.

In Galatians 5:25 Paul says to "keep in step with the Spirit." The image is that the Spirit of God is on the move, not standing still, not staying put... and so you better not either. If you do, it won't be long until God seems far away.

Don't you love the exciting statement by Mr. Beaver in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. "Aslan is on the move."  

Charles Ringma has written a nice devotional book around the theme of the Spirit of God blowing like the wind and our needing to set our sails to catch that wind and go with it.

The language of Psalm 84:5-7 speaks of the pilgrimage nature of the Christian JOURNEY.
 

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
(a place of barrenness)
they make it a place of springs...
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
 
 

 

The Scriptures testify to the fact that God is on the move and if we settle down, if we become complacently situated and comfortably numb (thanks to Pink Floyd for this image) - then, yes, you should sense that God seems far away.

He is far away!

Time to get up and get moving. He'll lead you to where He is.

The life of following Christ always needs:

Radical Readiness 
Ruthless Trust 
Prompt Obedience 
Leaps of Faith

If it feels like God seems far away... He may indeed be far away. He has moved on and you haven't. Don't just sit there. Get on with the journey, the pilgrimage, the seeking...

And He'll draw you to where He is... so you can keep moving on.

Joy on the Pilgrim's Journey...

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

A Few Thoughts on Preaching and Teaching

 

It's Not Getting Any Easier

The Ministry of Preaching and Teaching

 

A central part of my vocation is the teaching/preaching ministry of communicating God's truth to particular communities.

I have the great privilege of doing this as Pastor of Leadership Development and Spiritual Formation at LWCC.

I have the similarly great privilege of doing this as the founder of Leadership ConneXtions International, in a variety of cross-cultural, global settings.

I work hard at creating learning communities and transformative environments.

I work hard at the communication task

I currently have a new collection of communication resources that I'll work through in the next several months. I believe I can always improve as a communicator. It is my belief that what I communicate has been entrusted to me from God and that the people to whom I communicate, have likewise been entrusted to me from God. Therefore, it is REQUIRED OF ME that I be as fully faithful as I can for my stewardship of gifts, repsonsibilities and the community of faith.

From time to time I read biographies of preachers/teachers. I recently read one about Charles Simeon. Simeon was the great Anglican preacher of Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge England in the late 1700's and early 1800's.   To learn more about Charles Simeon, check out this website on him.

Here is why Simeon was such a great preacher who not only transformed Holy Trinity, but was used for renewal throughout England.

Whether you are a communicator or one who regularly listens to those who communicate, I hope you'll be thoughtful and prayerful, inspired by the way of Charles Simeon.

By the way, I don't necessarily stand by everything Simeon said, but I did want to faithfully pass on to you his approach. And most of it does resonate with me.

1.  He lived with great opposition from his own church for many years. He was persecuted by his congregation who did not want him appointed to be their pastor. Through this, Simeon learned to carry a cross for Christ and to suffer in his vocation. That either utterly breaks you, or it drives you to the depths of intimay with God. For Simeon - it did the latter.

2.  He was humbled by a deep knowledge of his own sinfulness. Simeon said the three lessons every pastor must learn are: humility, humility, humility. In a world of narcissitic, superstar celebrity communicators, and the temptation to either be like them (in most cases a hopeless thing) or to envy them (in all cases a bad thing) - what a profound lesson Simeon provides.

3.  He lived a life of great devotion. Most days began with four hours of personal prayer and reflectieve devotional time in the Scriptures. His life was deeply shaped by devotion and intimacy with God. No ten minute devotional life for Simeon. It is tragic how little devotional life so many communicators have. The source of all spiritual power is the transformed life of friendship with God. That was the source for Simeon. It is not on the chariots and horses of our rhetoric. 

4.  He studied hard, to understand the Scriptures. By the way, not in his times of devotion. Devotional time was not study time. Study time was done later. And he studies a lot. He wanted to learn the lessons and principles of the Bible as they were taught in the Bible.

5.  Simeon had a simple, sustained intention. Let the Bible speak. Let all the Bible speak. Let the Bible always speak. Even when you don't like what it says. Even when your theology would prefer to skip over parts of the Bible. Let the Bible speak. It is the Word of God that illumines and transforms. Not the cleverness of the communicator. The substance of truth is what is needed, not the style of rhetoric.

6.  All sermons must have a (a) unity of theme, (b) be intelligible and understandable by all, (c) and be interesting to the hearer. Simeon wanted to preach the gospel: earnestly, interestingly, and fully. Of course it took hard work to communicate like this. I've been lost and puzzled and left stranded by more than one message... and I left my hearers confused... and worse - uninvolved. They just politey sat there.

7.  He had three great aims that guided all his study, all his preparation, all his craft and all his communication. Humble the sinner, exalt the Savior, promote holiness. In whatever way you shape your great aims, shape them and then constantly keep them before you. Know what you are aiming at and make sure you hit it.

8.  Prepare your material fully and carefully, but then leave the wording to the time of delivery. Simeon, like many of the great preachers of his day was against the writing of manuscripts and the reading of sermons and even the dramatic reading of sermons. (This was the prevailing practice of the church of England at that time.)  He was also opposed to memorization of written sermons. He wanted to be intimately familiar and well prepared, but then to move with the Spirit of God and in the moment of the experience. While I would not make this one a "litmus test" of good communication, it has been my preferred approach for the last fifteen years. 

9.  Sermons (and lessons) should be full of the best content, arranged and delivered in a way that sustains attention and helped the memory of what was heard, and delivered in a natural manner. Passion - yes. Rhetorical flourish - no. Energy and enthusiasm - yes. Showmanship - no. This one hits me because the studies say that 90% of what is preached is completely forgotten by Monday morning... and that a very high percentage of people don't even remember the topic of the sermon! How's that working for us who long to see transformed communities of faith?

10.  Here is one of the most important! The whole state of your soul/heart before God MUST BE the first thing to be considered. For if you the communicator are not personally living in to and out of the truth you communicate;  if you are not experiencing the life of God in acordance with what you say;  if you are not truly spiritually formed by the truth you speak, then don't speak it. Experience it, live it, pray it in to your life before you presume to give it to others. I've heard more than one teacing and more than one lesson by communicators who are not living what they are saying. Hmmm, actually, I've been guilty of this very thing on more than one occasion.

11.  Satisfy the heart and feed the soul. Prophetic fire and pastoral warmth. Stir and comfort. Grace and truth... 

12.  Be sure to fix the attention and interest of the audience, not on your self (a pretty major temptation in our time). And not even on your message (what?). But rather, on Christ. The message is a conduit to Jesus and connectedness with Jesus. If they walk away saying, "What a brilliant speaker" you have failed. If they walk away saying, "What a profound message" you have failed. If they walk away saying, "What an awesome God" and longing for God and responding to God - then you have been faithful. It's time to set the standard of desired outcomes where it needs to be.

13.  And pragmatically, in terms of delivery, Simeon sought afte the following:

be earnest, impassioned and have sincere fervor.

have distinct articulation, unlabored utterances, accurate pronunciation.

maintain a reverential air, deep sincerity, unflagging energy.

have frequent but never forced eloquence.

thoughtful originality, an animated face, easy and graceful gestures

strong prose, but not ornamental.

It is a high calling and a high responsibility.
It is hard and demanding work.

May all who are called to the ministry of preaching and teaching the mysteries of God, make our way in our calling.

May all who sit and receive the teaching ministry, be in constant prayer for those to whom you listen.

 

For some fun . . .

I have twelve famous preachers on this post. Some of them old, some of them very recent. The first one is Charles Simeon. After you read what Simeon has to say about the work of preparation and communication, look back over the blog and see how many names you can identify. If you don't know who someone is, click on the image and it will expland it and provide the name. Just because they are famous, they may not exemplify what Simeon said.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com