Reflecting Back

Over the next couple of days I want to spend some time reflecting back on the speakers and the messages that I heard at the LEAD conference. I'll try to take the notes that I took during the conference and distill them in a way that allows me to express my thoughts in a more clear and concise way.

Because I know many people are sequential in thinking I'll start with the first presentation by Bill Hybels and work my way through each one. You can find my notes on his presentation here. Or if you would like to see some clips of that presentation check here.

In his presentation Hybels focused upon the need for people, from the leader(s) proclaiming the vision to those following and implementing the vision, to have a deep sense of ownership of that vision. In fact he used the illustration from Jesus teaching in John 10 in focusing upon the ownership of the shepherd with the sheep. To me this is a key point not just in concept but personally in practice. One of the things I have been asking myself recently is what am I willing to lay down for the people God has given me responsibility in leading? Another way to put it that is a bit more unsettling might be, "What am I willing to die for?"

I have to say that in many ways I too easily answer the dying question with trite answers such as my faith, my family, etc. But what would my life look like if I really knew what Jesus thought was of ultimate importance for my life. Through a lot of prayer, self-reflection, and conversation with others I came to the realization a couple of years ago that my focus in life was to prepare the church for my grand-children's children. But the reality is that I get myself tied up in knots about a lot of things that don't really have an impact upon that future. There are times when I "forget" what is of ultimate importance in my life and I face off with issues or people and take on an attitude of "I'll die for this because my way is the 'right way'." Because I approach some of those things with a live or die attitude I lose focus and thus effectiveness.

Reflecting upon Hybels presentation I think that one of the ultimate questions for a leader, (Anyone for that matter, because I won't take the time right now to explain how everyone is a leader in one way or another. That will have to be a different post.) is two fold: 1)What are you willing to die for? and 2) What are you not willing to die for? Sometimes it isn't until we answer the second question that we really figure out the answer to the first. I think in relation to the church there are many times that we make a stand and choose death for the wrong reasons. How many times do we choose to make issues out of our preferences rather than our principals? How many times do we choose to take a stand on something that is important but that is not of ultimate importance? Maybe it would help if we knew more clearly what God was calling us not to die for so that we were more clear about what cross God might ask for us to take up and be willing to die upon for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

Any thoughts or reactions?