Running With God

Remembering Boston

Memorial Day is all about remembering. It is a time to remember sacrifices made for freedom. For some of you, this reflection becomes very personal.

I'm taking the idea of remembering a different direction with this post. I'm remembering the 2008 Boston Marathon. I've been meaning to post some of these pictures, and this seemed like a great time to do it.

With my family near our hotel on Friday.

 Sunset seen from our ferry ride after a walking tour of historic Boston on Saturday.

 

Monday is race day. I'm giving high fives to my family at mile 17.

 

Less than a mile from the finish line.

 

Post-race dinner at Maggiano's where my dad has the biggest serving of lasagna we've ever seen.

The Speed of Trust

As many of you know, I like to read. No, that’s not quite accurate. I need to read. It feeds my soul. I love to read books on theology, history, spiritual formation, biography, fiction, and quality children’s books.

 

A couple months ago I was given a book that is targeted at business leaders. A line on the cover read “Red-hot relevant!” Was it over-zealous marketing or true? Given the leadership challenges and opportunities I’m facing, it’s proving to be true. Though I’m not done reading it, here is a summary of what I’ve learned so far.

 

The book is The Speed of Trust: the One Thing that Changes Everything by Stephen M. R. Covey. The premise of the book is captured in a formula:

 

↓ Trust = ↓ Speed ↑ Cost

 

↑ Trust = ↑ Speed ↓ Cost

 

The level of trust in an organization, a church, or a family affects both speed and cost. When the level of trust goes down, speed will go down and costs will go up.

 

If there is a low level of trust in church leadership, our speed of accomplishing ministry will go down even as our spending of energy and time and resources goes up. But the opposite is also true. When trust in church leadership goes up, the speed of ministry goes up even as the costs go down.

 

The early chapters of this books talk about self-trust being the place to start. A leader needs to be trustworthy. To be someone who inspires trust involves both integrity of character and capabilities that prove competence. Beginning with the right motives and delivering the right results are both important.

 

The next dimension of trust is relationship trust. The author contends that even if it has been lacking, the following behaviors will rebuild trust:

1. Talk Straight
2. Demonstrate Respect
3. Create Transparency
4. Right Wrongs
5. Show Loyalty
6. Deliver Results
7. Get Better
8. Confront Reality
9. Clarify Expectations
10. Practice Accountability
11. Listen First
12. Keep Commitments
13. Extend Trust

This book is not “Christian”, yet it contains much common sense wisdom. And with God’s help, I hope to rebuild trust in a way that sets us free to run with God.

 

 

Miraculous Gifts

Any discussion of spiritual gifts eventually gets around to what some would call the more “miraculous” gifts. In our very scientific age, we tend to marginalize these gifts. But I would encourage us not to dismiss them too quickly.

 

Here’s a list with definitions given by Bruce Bugbee in his book What You Do Best in the Body of Christ:

• Prophecy: the divine enablement to reveal truth and proclaim it in a timely and relevant manner for understanding, correction, repentance, or edification.
• Healing: the divine enablement to be God’s means for restoring people to wholeness.
• Tongues: the divine enablement to speak, worship, or pray in a language unknown to the speaker.
• Interpretation: the divine enablement to make known to the body of Christ the message of one who is speaking in tongues.
• Miracles: the divine enablement to cheerfully and practically help those who are suffering or are in need.

These definition soften these gifts a bit to make them a bit more acceptable. That may be good because the next breath you draw is a miracle. God’s keeping the universe from spinning into oblivion is also a miracle.

 

But I don’t see evidence in Scripture that these gifts have ceased to function. And there are places in the world where people are less prejudiced against supernatural explanations. Missionaries who have served in places like India have often seen what they understand to be miracles. Miracles may be more frequent where a need is great or where people are open to their possibility.

 

If you have questions about these gifts, I encourage you to do more study. Start with 1 Corinthians 12-14. Tongues was a prominent gift at Corinth. Interestingly, Paul does not tell them to stop speaking in tongues. Rather, he gives them guidelines for its orderly practice. Speaking in tongues is primarily for private benefit unless an interpretation accompanies it. Even then it may often need to be avoided in the gathered assembly because the foreign nature of it would cause confusion or distraction. Paul tells them to prioritize prophecy because the hearers will be able to understand the message and be edified.

 

Here are some additional books that I have found helpful to deeper study of this subject:

• Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14 by D. A. Carson
• The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today by Wayne Grudem
• Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today by Jack Deere

Discovering and Developing My Gifts

I had a blast teaching in services yesterday. If you’re a part of South Park Church, thanks for being so interactive and eager to learn. I sense that we are starting to overcome inertia and starting to build momentum.

Have you taken your Spiritual Gifts Discovery Test yet? I have taken multiple tests over the years, and I’ve taken a few in recent weeks leading up to our campaign. According to the tool we distributed yesterday, here are my results:

1.      Teaching (16)

2.      Knowledge (15)

3.      Pastor/Shepherd (15)

These gifts rise to the top every time I take a test like this. Not far behind are Administration (14) and Leadership (13).

 

As you discover, unite with others, and use your gifts, an UNSTOPPABLE FORCE will be unleashed in our church. To help you do that, here’s what’s coming in the weeks ahead:

• May 10, Properties: 1-on-1 coaching sign-up begins
• May 17, Energy: We move beyond “what” to “where” and “how”
• May 24, Variables: We will address many of your FAQ’s
• May 31, Momentum: Come ready to tell us your top 3 gifts

 

So I want to know what you’re thinking. What questions do you have about spiritual gifts? I’ll do my best to answer you through Sunday messages or in upcoming blog posts. But beware, a good teacher often answers with another question.