Giving this talk today at the big Seattle-land summer retreat that our youth and EM are participating in this week
Seminar Outline:
I. Illustrations: one person can make a difference, stories of leadership
-Mallory Holtman of Central Washington (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/magazine/specials/sportsman/2008/10/31/farber.softballers/index.html)
-Utu Langi and H-5
http://www.midweek.com/content/story/midweek_coverstory/utu_langi/
+1996, graveyard shift carpenter
+driving home at 4 AM noticing homeless man on street corner, goes back and gives blanket
+organizes a small blanket drive through church
+friday bbq (now 6,000 meals a month)
+finds family living in public bathroom
+goes to a bus company and converts them into 18, 8 room mobile shelters, then gets the city to open a 200 occupancy warehouse that thousands have called home over the past few years
-one person can make a difference...what about you? WHETHER WE HAVE A TITLE OR NOT, FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE ALL LEADERS B/C WE ALL HAVE THE SPIRIT-GIVEN CAPACITY TO LEAD THOSE AROUND US IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
II. But what is that supposed to look like? Broken for Good [Central Point]
+mixture of inspiration and feeling overwhelmed as we hear these stories? the threat of burnout
+Burnout: Explain burnout - not so much in the work itself (illustration: US Soccer), but in where we draw the power for that work. (Why do pastors quit? Not because of serving people, but because we forget Who's enabling us to do it in the first place. And when you forget where your power is really coming from, you start running out of it, you start seeing how broken you are and how weak your power is, you start to despair...That's called burning out)
+why followers of Christ can change the world and never get burnt out: leading out of our brokenness, not our strength or perfection (b/c the only one with real strength or true perfection is God!)
+Exodus 4:10-17:
1)In the midst of the displays of God's power, Moses misses the point and focuses on and doubts his own abilities
2)Ephesians 3:14-21: not only is salvation all God's grace, but so is ministry. Everything we do is solely by His power. Truth is our life: broken vessels being used miraculously by an incredible God for His awesome purpose.
3)God desires for us not to draw on our own strength (which is minimal), but to be wholly dependent on His...not only for salvation, but also for ministry and leadership. We are not perfect and strong, He is, and the moment we forget that is the moment we start burning out...
+Diagnostic Question: what do people think of when they think of you? The good kid? The one who's got it together? The one who thinks they know what needs to be done? the strong one? Or do they know you as you really are: A SIGN SAYING: "GOD AT WORK"? Church, we are all leaders in this world, called by Our King to lead this generation. But we cannot forget who calls us, and how He enables us to lead. If we do, we're striking the match ourselves. If we don't, we will be filled with an amazing, infinite supply of strength and hope.
Q/A
III. Activity: High Risk, Low Anxiety Life and Ministry [Application]
On our own
-Imaging: what is one thing you want no one in your church to say/know about you? Now what if I told you they already do? (Elliot Spitzer receipts vs the Cross).
-Hear the good news: you are more broken than you know, and yet He chose to die for you and now sees you through the blood of His son. You have no image to keep up, no power supply inside of yourself that you are responsible for manufacturing. It is ALL HIM. Put your hope only in Him.
With our ministries (Gather with people from your church, groups no larger than 4 or 5)
-Pen/paper
-Brainstorm ways to start taking Leadership for God's kingdom. Impossible is not a part of our vocabulary.
-Pray over these, and ask God for discernment to know which way to go, as well as the help to accomplish the impossible
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