A traditionalist at heart, I like keeping up with the liturgical church calendar. Epiphany, for you non-seminarians like me, is celebrated on January 6 and is said to commemorate the visit of the Wise Men to the Christ child, ending the Twelve Days of Christmas. This photo is from Germany, where they still celebrate the Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve) by lighting thousands of bonfires.
May the fire of Christ cause your life to glow this year.
If you haven't already, YOU NEED to get your hands on the INNOVATION issue from Outreach Magazine.
The issue highlights and explains 25 innovative trends that are growing in the Church. Very exciting stuff.
Also, the kingdom-minded focus of this issue is exciting in itself. There's a very encouraging interview with Craig Groeschel. Great articles from Brad Powell, Andy Crouch, Dave Travis (Leadership Network), Ed Stetzer, and a bunch of others.
IT'S REALLY GOOD! GO READ IT!
If you already have, what was your favorite innovation trend?
Mine are:
20: Creating marketplaces for ministry
9: Sharing church resources for free
12: Decentralizing churches
Here is a snapshot of what ended up being a very full day:
Gary Kinnaman shared something today that has stuck with me all day, and I wanted to share it with you. As he shared about his journey as a pastor AND as one who deals with depression, he made this comment,
"You have to come to a point where your self-made systems of securuty have been shattered and you've run out of options. Only then do you begin to see life realistically."
Can God be truly experienced outside of a desperate need for Him?
I recently read Mad Church Disease, by Anne Jackson.
The book is about burn-out among church staff - what causes it, how to spot it and how to prevent it.
It's an enjoyable and easy read, with lots of stories and examples. The problem of burn-out among church staff is a very relevant topic, but it's not discussed much. Anne does a superb job of speaking frankly about burn-out, depression, spiritual disciplines and practical steps for avoiding burn-out.
Not only is she refreshingly honest, but she is also comprehensive. Mad Church Disease is a veritable workbook for diagnosing (AND prescribing solutions for) the burn-out problem. Every chapter concludes with deep and challenging questions, there is a self-diagnostic test, and action plans for living healthy.
After reading the book, I asked Anne:
Is there something about our current way of doing church that’s causing so much burn out?
What key changes can churches make to reduce the rate of burn out in their staff?
Here's how she responded:
Those are amazing questions. Wow! Where to begin...?
Church staff turnover rates, for the most part, are astronomical. Even though some environments can contribute to burnout, we have GOT to own up to our own decisions that lead us to that place.
If you’re burned out, you have to ask yourself why...
Should you have taken that job on staff or that volunteer role to begin with?
Do you share the same values as the church you’re at?
What things are you doing (or not doing) that could be causing you to burnout?
We have to be honest with ourselves first.
When I burned out, and ended up in the hospital...yes, I was on staff at a pretty unhealthy church. But I did absolutely nothing to protect any area of my health (spiritual, physical, emotional, or relational). If I would have taken some initiative, maybe I wouldn’t have burned out...But I was completely operating in my own strength when I should have been listening to, and leaning into my relationship with Christ.
At one point — just a couple of months before I was hospitalized — I clearly heard from God that it was time for me to leave my position on staff. Clearly! I can remember the exact place and time when it happened. But I had nowhere to go to, so I said no way. And after a very intense and painful eight months, I finally did “resign” (...if you catch my drift) I stayed waaaay too long.
He knew what was best for me, but I didn’t listen.
Are there steps churches and leaders can take to be healthy? Absolutely. But I think it starts with one person. I don’t care if you’re the janitor or the assistant or the senior pastor or the deacon or the nursery volunteer. You are setting an example. If you are healthy, you inspire others to follow suit. A group of healthy individuals equals a healthy organization.
You can’t project it on anyone. You have to own up to your responsibility to stay spiritually connected (John 15:5) and take care of yourself...then and only then, can you truly take care of others as a result of the work of Christ in you.
Thanks Anne, for contributing such an important and helpful work!
Wow. This past weekend was nuts! Yuma, AZ was quite the experience...I spent more time talking with people on the phone than I did with people face to face. Long story short, AAA ended up covering the expense to tow the Vanagon from Yuma to a shop in Mesa (just east of Phoenix) where she will get doctored up and, Lord willing, brought back to life. On Saturday, as I was nearing the CA/AZ border, the Vanagon overheated and it's believed that a head gasket was blown...still not sure what the exact diagnosis is but should find that out tomorrow.
It's good to finally be in the Phoenix area, huge thanks to Dan Gutwein and his family for being so flexible and helpful in hosting me. You may remember Dan's son, Austin Gutwein, from the Catalyst Conference this past October - Austin is 14 and has led the charge in raising over $1,000,000 to help orphans and children in Zambia survive the choas of an HIV ravaged country. It's a continuing story that will BLOW your mind, check out Hoops of Hope and the video below...
I'll be staying with the Gutwein family this week and have already challenged Austin to a game of HORSE, loser has to jump in the freezing pool in the backyard! :)
More soon, for now, I'm just excited to finally be here!
LV
Hoops of Hope was featured during CBS' coverage of last year's NCAA FInal Four:
