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Author: Joe

Fan of Bruce Springsteen, the New York Mets, and The Simpsons... not necessarily in that order.

Have you emptied yourself?

Published December 25, 2011
Jesus "though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness." -Phil 2:6-7

My morning devotion on Christmas Eve directed me to Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV) – a passage we read to understand more about Jesus, but a passage originally written to a group of Christians in need of an ego check. The church in Philippi was apparently bickering over power issues, and issues of right and wrong. These are issues we associate pastors know well.

Paul’s advice to the church was to adopt the “mind of Christ,” a posture of humility. In context, I hear Paul saying something like, “You think you deal with people who don’t get it? Imagine being Jesus – God in the flesh – and having to deal with the likes of you and me. Thankfully Jesus did not wield that like a big stick. Instead, he put it aside and subjected himself to even experiencing crucifixion. That is why he is who he is!”

We associate pastors are leaders who are working under the authority of other leaders, and called to facilitate the members of our congregation to participate in that leadership. That is a lot of leaders in a small area. If we are not careful can become the too many cooks who spoil the broth.

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Thriving under a difficult leadership style

Published December 19, 2011

“The only person you have the power to change is you.” You have probably heard this more times than you care to count. I tell my children it is “Dad’s Secret to Life” (please don’t tell them I didn’t come up with it). Our recognition of this truth helps guide our relationships with our spouses, our children, and even the members of the congregations we serve. But I have met many associate pastors who have a great deal of trouble applying it in their relationship with their lead pastor.

  • Can you believe he asked me to…?
  • Do you know that she expects me to…?
  • Doesn’t she understand that is not in my job description, and doesn’t fall in the “at the discretion of the lead pastor” clause (oh, I will have to write a blog about that gem soon)?
  • Doesn’t he understand I’m not here to serve him?
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Finishing well

Published December 12, 2011
Finishing well

In recent weeks disturbing reports have rocked two storied athletic programs. Joe Paterno has been fired as head football coach at Penn State after one of the longest, most successful coaching careers in college history. Several weeks later Syracuse University, considered a premier basketball program, was rocked by a similar scandal. Assistant Coach Bernie Fine was fired after what has been reported to be the longest continuous tenure as an assistant coach in the same program. These two storied programs have had their reputations changed for the foreseeable future. Despite all their accomplishments and their formerly stellar reputations, each man’s legacy will be indelibly tainted by the actions he took, or in Paterno’s case failed to take, in the latter part of his career.

These incidents are a stark reminder of how quickly everything we have worked toward can be changed. One stupid decision, one compromise of our integrity, one choice based on expediency rather than morality can undo an entire career. Which is why our goal should be to finish well.

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Defending the margin

Published December 5, 2011
Do not write in the margins!

Swamped. As I begin the Advent season I’m already feeling it. I’ve written year-end reports, participated in our Christmas decorating event, and attended a church dinner. But there are still new classes to teach, new songs for the praise team to learn, a youth mission trip that needs my attention and an adult one that needs to be researched, new committee members that need direction, worship series for 2012 that need to be planned, and more. As if that wasn’t enough, our worship computer crashed last week, turning an hour of routine editing into 4 hours of slide creation. With all of that to do, taking care of the people in my congregation, not to mention my family, seems like an imposition. Wait. That can’t be right. Something is out of whack here.

As my day off approached last week, I was tempted to work instead. There was worship planning to be done, calls to be made, and people to visit. Maybe I could get ahead and make the rest of my week lighter, I thought. Many would applaud my dedication if I gave up my day off. But I know better.

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