I’m going to work. I’m going to church. Both of these statements take our humanness and turn it into a place. Church is not a place and neither is work. We can easily see the error in this thinking about the church by simply looking at scripture. The church is human beings communing with Christ […]
God’s Gift of Good Work
We all have work to do: homework, housework, yard work, business work, ministry work, whatever. How do we know when we?re doing good work? How is good work measured? I found this from Eugene Peterson this morning in reviewing my journal: ?Real workers, skilled workers, practice negative capability?the suppression of self so that the work […]
Practicing God?s Presence at Work
I?ve often shared insights from Baron Friedrich von H?gel, a spiritual director from last century. I’ve so appreciated his writings. (Eugene Peterson calls him one of his key literary spiritual directors, so I feel in very good company). In the collection of spiritual letters to his niece, von H?gel answers her complaint about being overwhelmed […]
An Open Letter to Busy Leaders
Dear Leader, How are you? Has anyone asked lately? I?m asking because I really want to know. Are you tired? Are the demands of leadership wearing you down? Do you feel as though everyone needs something from you? I know I?ve felt that way before. I go to the office where I am expected to […]
Optimistic Counsel from a Pessimistic Book
The pessimistic book I have in mind is the book of Ecclesiastes. That?s at least one perspective on that book of thoughts from someone coming towards the end of their life?s journey. Having a bit of a pessimistic bent myself (whether by temperament or experience, I?m not sure), I like to think of it as […]
How Competent Are You?
What makes me feel competent or incompetent in my life or my work? One dictionary describes competence as ?adequacy; possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity; sufficiency; a sufficient quantity.? Competence is an enough word. It means having what I need to do the work I have been given. There was a time when […]
255 Million Definitions of Leadership
255,000,000. That?s the number of results Google returned when I typed in the words: definition of leadership. There may actually be more definitions of leadership than there are leaders in the world! So, it?s with great trepidation that I submit this blog post and the next that will hopefully result, with any help from the […]
