Rich Lotterhos

2010-11-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

Birkman Consulting

2009-08-27T12:27:00.002-06:00

Recently I had the opportunity to spend the morning with my freind Doug Holm and a campus ministry director from Chile'. Marie' Jose' was a new staff member in Chile' when my daughter Kelly went to Chile' on a summer mission project to Santiago, Chile in 2003. I had met her when doing a week of team building with Doug in Concepcion. So now in July of 2009 Marie Jose was in the US to share her story and ministry. Doug asked me to go over her Birkman profile with her to help her better understand herself and to advise her on her future.

She is a delightful person who has had a very fruitful ministry over the years. I pray that our time together will be used by God to help her move forward in her life and ministry. It is not unusual for those who have spent seven years as a minister and also who are around 30 years old to need a fresh perspective and an objective "sounding board."

Coaching Leaders for Campus Ventures

2009-08-04T16:16:00.002-06:00

Over a year ago I began a relationship with Campus Ventures a campus ministry active on universities in Wyoming and South Dakota. Here is the website address: http://www.campusventures.org

I had completed the Birkman reports with the ministry leaders. I was invited to spend a morning with them during their staff conference. Of course this crew found a retreat center 45 minutes west of Fort Collins literally at the end of the road. I reviewed the main elements of the Birkman report and did an exercise in how each area of interest would look at the future. It was a great time of ministry. Here is what Jack Hall the general director wrote in reviewing the time. "Thank you for your words of encouragement. It was a pleasure working with you. You did an outstanding job with the limited time and number of people you had to deal with."

Thanks to the many ministry partners who enable me to serve in this way. I pray that these leaders will be deeply encouraged by understanding themselves and others they work with.

Stint has a new meaning

2009-06-22T11:48:00.003-06:00

I have often thought of a "Stint" as a "short-term" international mission. I have now experienced first hand a new "Stent." (they are pronounced the same.) On thursday afternoon I went to see a doctor because of a reoccuring problem. When walking uphill I began to experience a shortness of breath and chest pain. When I would stop and rest the pain would go away. I thought it had to do with congestion in my lungs, but within a few minutes with the doctor I learned I was wrong. Within the hour I was admitted to the hospital and had an appointment with a cardiologist. He scheduled a procedure for the next morning. By noon the doctors confirmed that an artery was blocked and I had a new "coronary stent" in place. I am grateful to God that all went well and that I had not had a "heart attack." There was no damage to my heart. By Saturday afternoon I was released from the hospital with a whole notebook full of instructions. I am feeling fine and after a walk uphill yesterday no shortness of breath and chest pain.

I am grateful to the doctors and their staff that cared for me, doctors Hudson, Reynolds, Schutz and McNeil. I am also grateful to the nursing staff and technicians at Avista Adventist Hospital. I am also grateful to my family and friends that were with me. Brenda returned from Mexico where she had been taking graduate classes on Saturday just about the same time I got home. Father's Day was a great time being with my children and our "adopted children." Thanks Rich Bledsoe, Don Wilcox and Eric Swanson for being at the hospital. Eric is always taking pictures.

Allison wins at Colorado Dulcimer Festival

2009-02-28T15:42:00.003-07:00

Our daughter Allison has become an awesome hammered dulcimer player. She is composing, recording and performing. She made a CD this summer with Philip's help as the producer. She recently entered the Colorado Dulcimer Festival in Fort Collins Colorado and was chosen as the champion player this year.

A visiting judge Christie Burn even wrote about Allison on her blog and posted the you tube video of her performance. Here is the link http://dulcimergirl.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/colorado-dulcimer-fest-allison-lotterhos/

I am amazed at how talented Allison is!!

Alliance for Vulnerable Mission

2008-11-21T19:20:00.001-07:00

The Alliance for Vulnerable Mission (formed 2007) seeks to promote Christian mission to non-Western people using a Biblical model of ‘vulnerability’, more precisely defined as – using the language of the people being reached, and not using foreign funds to support one’s key project or ministry. My friend and ministry partner Jay Gary serves on the board of the alliance. Jim Harries serves as the chairman of the alliance is a Church of God Missionary in Kenya, Africa.

In light of globilization and the advance of the church in the southern hemisphere, I believe it is important for the missionaries and the mission projects that are coming from the "economically developed" nations to review their future mission efforts to ensure that our good intentions are measured by the effects of our presence on the mission field. We must move from positions of "power" to to a position of "presence" with humility.

A series of meetings have been arranged in the USA and Europe in 2009 to further discuss the issues raised by the alliance. These one-day "conferences" are open to anyone interested in better understanding "vulnerable mission." While oriented especially to the mission specialists of churches, denominational mission leaders, mission professors, mission agencies and so on. The conferences have been arranged on a regional basis to make it as easy as possible for people to attend. I have agreed for Global Service Associates to serve as the coordinator of the meeting in Colorado Springs on Friday January 16 at the Penrose House. To register your attendance you can follow the link to http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=653538

The 4th Gathering of the Atlanta EFCLC

2008-11-21T17:36:00.004-07:00

I am very excited to be a part of the 4th and final gathering of the Atlanta Externally Focused Church Leadership Community. The gathering will be at Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, and our topic of discussion and action will be RECONCILIATION. Chip Sweeney the community director writes, "Obviously, we will undergird our time with the truth of our reconciliation with God and then we will dive into reconciliation as it relates to the different ethnicities and cultures that we represent AND practically how we can work together and be a model for the rest of Atlanta. This will truly be an inspiring time that you and your church will not want to miss!"

We will start at 7:30 am on Thursday January 15th, and we will go through dinner and into the evening with a fun activity together – maybe bowling? On Friday, the 16th, we will start at 7:30 am and we will be done by 4:00pm.

It has been a great ministry opportunity to serve as the facilitator of these gatherings. I believe that the spirit of love and comraderie will continue to mark the relationship of these ministry leaders as they trust the Lord with a "2020 Vision" to see the city of Atlanta transformed by the mercy and grace of God.

To learn more about the Leadership Community format and how to faciltate the gatherings feel free to e-mail me and let me know how I can be of service to you.

A Vision Large Enough to Encompass a Whole City

2008-11-21T17:05:00.002-07:00

One of the most enjoyable ministry opportunities in the last two years has been to visit the ministry leaders in Mexico. I continue to hear the good reports of how God is blessing the service of those leaders that I had the privelege of spending time with. One of those leaders is a man named Joe Cross.

He recently wrote this update, "Coming to Mexico City over two years ago I had no idea what to expect. (And the unexpected certainly has happened during our time here, perhaps even on a weekly basis.) But I did have one clear objective upon arrival: Help lead an effort to start Christ-centered movements on more than 400 university campuses. At the time, I felt that was a “big” dream, and one that would involve a lot of people and resources and a whole lot of faith. But as our group of leaders stared at this awesome possibility placed within our small hands, God lifted up our chins ever so slightly and helped us see a broader horizon. What I beheld caused me to tremble. God wasn’t just asking us to seclude ourselves to the safe confines of the college campus, but He was requiring our participation in an effort already long underway – the transformation of His supercity. I won’t ever forget that gut-wrenching moment when the Lord spoke His will so clearly. We would launch movements on every college campus, but we must also focus our attention on the pressing needs of the whole city.

Fortunately for us, this really wasn’t so much of a pioneering effort as it was a collaboration effort. Without much ado, God opened up doors that would connect us with the rest of His body well at work within the city, and other believers from outside that would aide the venture. And in a short time, miracles happened as literally thousands of laborers mobilized together to raise up a network of over 50 campus movements and numerous other initiatives that encompassed everything from assisting the poor and caring for street children to engaging business executives and high-ranking government officials."

Please pray for Joe as well as other "kingdom-minded" ministry leaders to have a vision that grows so large that the only way to work is in collaboration. Thanks Joe for embracing the vision and know that your work for the Lord done in faith and the power of the Spirit is never in vain. The great thing that God does is change your way of thinking, relating and planning that will affect you for the rest of your life regardless of which city you live in or which path you may take.

Leadership Models

2008-11-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Models are important way of thinking and discussing any issue. This is particularly true of leadership. Some models are complex while others can be very simple
The test: "If some idea is Biblical then it should transcultural. It should be easy to translate into many languages." I never forget when I was in Cyprus and I was having a discussion about vision with a group of middle east leaders. Often in America we embrace the importance of a group of leaders developing a shared or common vision in a collaborative way and then write a simple vision statement to communicate to our "followers." We were looking at a well known verse, Proverbs 29:18 which is translated in English, "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law." NIV "Where there is no vision, the people perish (scatter): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." KJV Even in the English context "vision" is associated with "law." What came as a surprise in Arabic this verse is translated, "Where there is no seer (or prophet) (literally a person who gives the law of God) Vision is not simply a statement of direction to communicate to followers to motivate them toward a common purpose, it is very personal. The question then become if a leader listens to God then why should they work with other leaders to develop a statement of vision, are they not the vision and would they not speak for God?

Do You Need and Executive Coach?

2008-11-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is the title of an article that appeared on Forbes.com written by Hannah Clark dated 01/12/07. Some of the highlights:

"You may be a brilliant negotiator, a financial whiz or a technical genius. But do you have what it takes to manage other high-level employees? If your communication skills have been a sore spot during your annual reviews, a leadership coach might be able to help. Once a tiny industry, dominated by boutique firms, leadership coaches have moved into the mainstream."

The trend is driven partly by demographic shifts. In North America and Europe, the executive-age population--i.e., baby boomers--is nearing retirement. Companies need to start focusing on developing internal leaders, rather than just recruiting from the outside.
"There is going to be a real premium for companies to try to retain talent," says Mark Marcon, an analyst with Robert. W. Baird. "And the talent out there to replace the people retiring is going to be scarcer and scarcer."
Meanwhile, India and China are growing faster than their business schools can churn out candidates. While the twin tigers are developing a large class of professional workers, the executive ranks are still thin.
"It's going to take another generation before they have enough management talent," says Peter Felix, president of the Association of Executive Search Consultants, which recently published a survey about the executive job market worldwide. "It takes a whole generation to train effective, modern management."
Leadership coaches often work with managers who have been highly successful, but see barriers preventing them from reaching the C-suite. Some are technical whizzes who don't have the interpersonal skills to manage a large staff. In other cases, coaches are called in when there has been turnover on an executive team, and the senior officers need to get to know each other. Leadership coaches can help a new CEO adjust to his or her position, or aid a board trying to develop a succession plan. The price for such leadership insight can vary, but it's not for executives with low bank balances. LeaderSource charges anywhere from $25,000 to $65,000 for a coaching engagement, which lasts a year or more and involves 20 to 30 sessions."

I believe that more and more leaders in new missional efforts will require a leader coach to help them make sense of themselves because most of the traditional support systems friends, family, traditions, experience can be relied on to continue to give encouragement to move ahead.

Retirement and Financial Security

2008-10-11T14:21:00.000-06:00

With the economic turmoil last week there is a great deal of uncertainity about the future. Here is a quote in the Boulder Daily Camera from a reader who was commenting on a story about the plunging stock market, "My new plan is to start saving aluminum in my backyard one beer can at a time! With the price of metals going up daily and stocks going down this is the only fail-safe retirement plan I can think of."

I used to have a lot of confidence in my ability to manage my retirement plan, but I lost most of my retirement two years ago through making a risky high-yield investment with other friends in what turned out to be a "pyramid scheme." So now that the rest of America is seeing their retirement plans quickly losing value because of risky financial schemes by the leading investment bank officers, I can see my loss in a different perspective. In an AP report on Tuesday, October 7 it stated, "Congress' top budget analyst estimated that Americans' retirement plans have lost as much as $2 trillion in 15 months." The "criminals" whether the pyramid scheme bosses or the bosses of these investment banks have stolen our financial security and robbed us of our confidence in the future.

As I have gone to the Lord in prayer to ask for justice, He has caused me to ask forgiveness for my own misplaced confidence. He alone is to be my confidence, He alone is my security, and I must respond in faith to His will for my life. I have been encouraged as I have meditated on the Psalms, particularly Psalm 31, 32 and 33. "No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save."

Once I regain my hope in the Lord, "collecting aluminum cans in my backyard might just be the best retirement plan for now." It certainly can't be worse than trusting in the idiot money managers who have lost $2,000,000,000,000 in 15 months or than trusting in myself when I foolishly invested in a risky scheme!

Born Again Church

2008-10-09T17:45:00.000-06:00

In every generation the Lord extends his kingdom through the church as it is born again by the gospel of the kingdom. This new birth in no way diminishes the timeless "never-changing" truth of the scripture or the timeless "never-changing" message of the gospel, but the "church" must be recreated so that it will be salt and light in an "ever-changing" world that is forever "hostile" to the gospel. That is why Peter refers to the church as "aliens" in a foreign land living a life that is radically different then the world.

The church through no malice will naturally seek to either conform, to confront or to hide from the changing culture and world around. The church grows comfortable with it's forms, with it's practices and with it's expectations of what the church is supposed to be and as the world changes the church loses it's ability to "connect to the culture," and to "influence the world with kingdom values." The salt becomes tasteless and the light grows dim or is covered by the forms and practices that seemed best 40 years ago.

So as believers we are faced with the choice of being "crucified, dead and buried with Christ," in order that we might by faith be reborn as a new creation to reflect the beauty and the new life of the resurrected Jesus in this new generation. Who wants death?

That is why Global Service through Project Revive is a sponsor with Foothills Community Church in Arvada in bringing the "Born Again Church" Tour to the Front Range Oct 17 and 18. I believe this could be some of the best dialogue, interaction, information, and ideas to help us as a church connect and influence the post-Christian post-modern culture that surrounds us. I am inviting you to attend with me. As a sponsor you can purchase discounted tickets for $55 by calling me or leaving a comment. For more information on the two day schedule and the presenters visit: http://offthemap.com/live/denver/denver/

Coaching Leaders

2008-09-23T17:21:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite ministry activities is helping those in ministry think through their gifts and passions and find the right place at the right time. Here is an encouraging note from Angie Dexter who is a missionary in Mexico with Campus Crusade for Christ. "I happened to be in Puebla this February when Rich was doing some team building/evaluating using the Birkman with the Mexico national team. I was able to meet with him and receive some much needed direction regarding my future. Rich helped me understand why I was feeling “burned out” and ineffective in my prior job. It was a tremendous blessing and God-send for me to meet with Rich. He really understood me and gave me advice based on who I am… I’ve since decided to change ministries in Mexico and do something that’s more in line with my abilities and personality. I’m currently in Colorado and have been able to peak into Rich’s office and talk with him. I know I can trust him to give me good, solid counsel. He’s so good at ministering to people in ministry and speaking truth into our lives....Thanks Rich!"

Becoming a Ministry Partner

2008-09-04T14:43:00.000-06:00

I would like to invite you to join me in my ministry.

There are a variety of ways you can partner with me:

* Commit to praying for us daily.
* Give a special needs gift.
* Join our monthly financial support team.

You can give in the following manners:

Send your first check by mail and payable to:
Global Service Associates
P.O. Box 62038
Colorado Springs, CO 80962
Please include in the memo:Rich Lotterhos

Give via the web using your credit card / One Time Special Needs Gift:

Give via the web using your credit card / Monthly or Annual reocurring gifts
Select your contribution amount: Select your frequency:

Transforming Cities/Transforming Lives

2008-04-22T11:44:00.000-06:00

The great cities of the world are the greater context for individual people who live, work, study, shop or play in that city. When I think of tranforming a city it is both about the context and the individuals. In the past I have thought that if there are a sufficient number of individuals who are transformed by the power, presence and purpose of God that they would somehow be able to transform the environment of the city and the city would reflect the power, presensce and purpose of God. But as I look back over more than thirty years of service to transform individuals, the environment of the city has not improved. The approach of missional leaders today must face the reality that our cities and the underlying problems in the cities are overwhelming individuals who many times feel powerless to change things.

As we continue to focus on transforming individuals we must also create collaborative missional leadership communities that will focus on transforming the city in which they live. As I have spent time in Atlanta that is what I see these 40 to 50 men and women from 15 different churches seeking to create. They have developed a 2020 vision for the city of Atlanta and the relationships that they are forming will be a basis for the ongoing deliberate actions to see transfromation. I hope that other missional leaders in the great cities of the world would begin to work in this way.

Restoring The Soul of the City

2008-03-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Many people think that if you help someone get a new haircut, a new wardrobe and/or a new job you’ll transform a person. But those barely scratch the surface of what is really going on deep in a person’s soul; hurt, loneliness, pain, anxiety, and confusion. Yet to be able to love and care for your friends who are hurting we must listen, spend time and learn all that is going on deep in their lives.
When I was in Mexico struggling to communicate with an interpreter I realized that just as God has created a person with a soul, He has created cities with souls. I believe that the millions who live in our cities are shaped by the “soul” of the city: the cultural and ethnic heritage, the industry and commerce, the history, the art and education, the spiritual life, and the social life of the city. The soul of the city also bears the hurts, the crimes, the loneliness and anxiety. In order to see a city-wide supernatural, spiritual and physical transformation we must take seriously "restoring the soul" of our city. A recent UN report states, “In 2008, the world reaches an invisible but momentous milestone: For the first time in history, more than half its human population, 3.3 billion people, will be living in urban areas.” We’re doing our best to learn, listen and observe the soul of a city. Our dream is to bring together the whole church to share the whole Gospel to the whole city. We believe this city transformation will take humble and collaborative partnerships with civic, social, business, cultural and religious leaders. We’re trusting God that in the next 12 years our ministry will instigate movements of city transformation in 20 cities around the world so that more people will experience the love of God.

Prayer One Denver

2008-03-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

Monday Morning at 7:30 I gathered with 15 church and ministry leaders to connect and to take a helicopter ride over Denver Metro. Over the last two years a business man who loves to fly and his pastor have ministered to others by flying them over the city to gain a new perspective on the city and of God’s heart for the city. This ministry is known as “Prayer One.” For 25 minutes we flew 500 feet over Denver. As we flew we prayed and ask God to use us to transform the city. I was struck by how small Denver looked and was reminded that ministry is not about us; it is about God. He has always cared for cities and most importantly He cares for the people who live there. Pray with us that God will connect us to the right leaders, partnerships, ideas and plans that will leverage our efforts.

Team Consulting with CCC Mexican National Team

2008-02-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

On Monday I traveled by bus to Puebla. At the invitation of the Mexico National Team of CCC, I was there to help them work together more effectively. They have some significant challenges both internal and external. Kim Cranson had made the arrangements and set up the schedule for my time. As I have gotten to know Kim and her husband Robin, I have a great appreciation for them. It was great to be back in Puebla. I meet with the team on Monday night and I enjoyed seeing Carlos Miranda, Steve and Terry Morgan again. On Tuesday I met non-stop with team members individually or as couples to review their Birkman report. On Wednesday we meet as a team for twelve hours. Thursday I meet with the Campus Ministry team and then after lunch I continued to meet with individuals and follow-up appointments from the day before. Friday at noon back by bus to Mexico City and then a flight home. I pray that the Lord will use my time with these wonderful people to be a blessing to them.

City Transformation Minatitalan, Veracruz

2008-02-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

Early Saturday morning Agustin and I were off to Minatitlán, a city in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz. A pastor of a church and Agustin's good friend named Ceasar invited us to come and a lead a pastor's conference on Saturday and speak in his church on Sunday. We flew to Villa Hermosa which is the capital city of the state of Tabasco where the floods had occurred in the fall. It appeared as we drove through the city that most of the commercial center had recovered, but many of the poor who lived along the river banks were still in need of assistance.

When we arrived there were 80 to 100 people gathered for the meetings. They had actually come from several surrounding cities as well. One of largest oil refineries run by PeMex the national oil company is near Minatitlan. We met in a facility that was owned by the PeMex workers union. After an early lunch, Agustin and I made our City Transformation presentation. It is always a challenge when you are tired from traveling to stay sharp in speaking and then Agustin had to interpret for me, but the Lord was with us and we delivered a strong challenge. We ending the meeting in prayer for the city by having everyone in a circle face outward. That evening we had a great dinner with Ceasar at a local cafe (Sea Bass "VeraCruz" style and homemade corn tortillas!) That we evening we had a great time of fellowship in the Lord. Ceasar told me his life story and what God was doing in his life and ministry. What an encouragement it was to me. God used that time to give me some deep spiritual lessons, but I will save that for later. Sunday morning we had a great time of worship and then Agustin and I gave a message on "The Kingdom." What a great response. A couple from the church drove us back to Villa Hermosa for our return flight to Mexico City. (After really bad service on American Airlines it was a pleasure to fly Mexicana Airlines.)

Mexico City "Enfoque Mexico"

2008-02-03T08:02:00.001-07:00

I have continued a ministry friendship with Agustin the former national director of CCC. Agustin also attended the Global Learning Community that Eric Swanson and Sam Williams hosted at the Lost Antler Ranch in Estes Park. Together Agustin and I have been presenting a message of City Transformation to ministry and church leaders in Mexico City. We met the first time in the fall, and on the 24 and 25th of January we made a second presentation in Mexico City. Jorge Dorcas, Jose'(Joe Cross) and Eduardo (Craig Joring of Camp Ed renown). The first day we discussed launching a movement of City Transfomation in Mexico City. We shared some of the lessons we are learning in other cities, we discussed a Biblical framework for working together and for setting a course of direction. Most were very excited. The second day we sought to create an experience of a Leadership Community gathering with both presentation and interaction. It was interesting to watch as these leaders responded to a different way of "meeting" and to a different style of communication. We were encouraged. We also meet several leaders who want to follow through on our time by sharing these ideas through their relational network and to continue to meet with Joe and Craig to discuss a plan for the city!

Denver Student Conferences

2008-02-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

There were two student conferences in Denver from January 2 - 6. While the students were meeting I was ministering to the staff leaders of Campus Crusade for Christ and Campus Ventures, a campus ministry in Wyoming and South Dakota. I use the Birkman Method® as a tool to assess strengths, interests, needs and spiritual gift patterns. The individual appointment issues ranged from personal and leadership development, marriage, and ministry career coaching. I also spent time with 25 year CCC staff veterans to discuss the next 25 years of life and ministry.

Global Service Associates

2008-01-15T09:45:00.001-07:00

I am a member of Global Service Associates, which is an association of "leaders in mission." We are a non-profit missional order who are followers of Jesus who desire to live and serve our world in a way that reflects the grace of God at the dawn of the 21st century. As a community of leaders we want to experience a common vision, a common commitment, and an uncommon comraderie. We desire that our ministries would overflow from our life of faith, our hope in the reign of God, and our love for God and others. As each member-leader seeks God's direction and blessing for various ministry initiatives we expect the result of our ministries will be greater innovation, collaboration, and inspiration. As an organization we want to be known for financial integrity, authenticity, shared responsiblity and goverance by an independent Board of Directors. Our ministries may have different names but our foundation is the same. Currently I manage our order of global servants and Jay Gary is the Chairman of our Board.

Calling

2007-04-19T12:15:00.000-06:00

One organization that I am a member of is the Colorado Career Development Association (CCDA) is a state affiliate of the National Career Development Association (NCDA), and a division of the Colorado Counseling Association (CCA). The organization exists to serve those who have an interest in career and workforce development issues in Colorado. I have found this to be good experience that has put me in contact with dedicated career counseling professionals.

On April 20th CCDA has invited Gregg Levoy to be the keynote speaker for its annual conference. Gregg is the author of "Callings: Finding and Following An Authentic Life" (Random House). The conference brochure says, "His writings and workshops focus on the idea that any significant change you want to make in your professional or personal life will align or re-align you with your passion and sense of purpose, with your deepest values, with a fit between who you are and what you do. This then is his definition of a calling. That calling could be to make a career change or creative leap, take on a new role or let go of an old one, launch a new venture, or simply make a course-correction in your life or work. Levoy's seminars take a creative approach to the challenges of listening and responding to those calls. The result of engaging your deepest passions-----and thus motivations-----will show up in your work and in your life as greater enthusiasm, creativity and health." Unfortunately I will not be able to attend because I choose to attend the City Impact Round table in Texas, but his description of calling is very compelling.

For leaders in mission knowing God's calling has always been an important motivation for getting involved in a mission effort, launching a new mission, or making a career decision. As a college student the call of Isaiah in Isaiah 6 was an important step for me to make in realigning my life and career with what I believe to be God's will for my life. How do we know God's calling for our lives? It begins with surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. As the good shepherd in John 10 Jesus goes before us and call us to follow, as sheep. "the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out... his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10: 3-5.

From my experience it comes after we have made some decisions and begin to act on those decisions then God "confirms" His call. Isaiah writes, "you will hear a word behind you when you turn to the right or to the left, 'This is the way walk in it." Ephesians 2:10 provides assurance that because we are God's workmanship He will guide us to the good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I also believe that God's calling will always be consistent with our design. As we recognize our strengths, our interests, our spiritual gifts, and our abilities that are demonstrated through life, these are guideposts to know God's calling. John WP Oliver was my pastor when I was a college student. I met with him to discuss my future. He gave me some advice that I have never forgotten, "Discerning a need does not constitute God's call. In life you will be exposed to many needs but you will have to choose which need God intends for you." This took the pressure off of me and caused me to look to the Lord to direct me.

City Impact Roundtable - El Paso Texas

2007-04-19T09:28:00.001-06:00

This is the first time I have attended the City Impact Round table. I decided to attend this year because of the invitation of Glenn Barth who serves as the convener. This year's focus is The Dynamics of Transformation, A Consultation for City-Reaching Practitioners. Glenn has recently agreed to serve as the president of the ministry that was founded by Jack Dennison known as CitiReach International. Sam Williams and Eric Swanson of Tango have been working with Jack to launch a "Good Cities" initiative which Glenn will lead.

Another reason I wanted to attend is that I am gathering information about city reaching so that I might use that information in resourcing the growing number of city reaching movements including the growing Denver Metro movement where I live. My interest has been growing because of my relationship with leaders from around the world who have been part of the Global Learning Community at the Lost Antler Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado. Another reason my interest has grown is because I also served as the lead facilitator in a Leadership Network Leadership Community on the Externally Focused Church that Eric was directing. I sense that God is working in the lives of the leaders and churches to bring about a new way of communicating the person, presence and power of Jesus Christ to the unbelieving world.

I have often thought that the Old Testament example of Israel when they were in exile is the example for the church in a "Post-Christendom" world. Therefore, the words of the prophet Jeremiah serve as a statement of mission for the church "...seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29:7.

Leadership in Short Term Missions

2007-04-19T09:21:00.000-06:00

I prepared a paper for a recent meeting of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Evangelical Missiological Society on "principles of partnership" that were important to the success of the Short-term Mission efforts of the US Campus Crusade for Christ. I hope to continue to develop this "case study" of a successful mission effort from 1980 through 2000. In sharing the story I hope that some of the lessons we learned can be instructive to the next generation of mission leaders. Here is the link to the paper:

http://www.christianfutures.com/shortterm.shtml

Leaders Need Friends

2007-02-14T22:06:00.001-07:00

Emerson said, "Every man passes his life in the search after friendship."

"Pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:10

Why is it that 70% of pastors who leave the ministry say they have no one they can consider a close friend? Why is it common for leaders to feel alone or lonely? Why is it that leaders in ministry find it difficult to make good friends. I think we are all guilty of having "transactional" or "win-win" relationships rather than simply enjoying relationships with friends for who they are and not what I will gain from a relationship or to "motivate" those I lead to follow.

At the end of the day yesterday I met Don at the Old Santa Fe Grill, a few minutes later Eric joined us and then John came in. John joined us for a few minutes before keeping a ministry appointment with another man. I have known Don, Eric and John since moving to Boulder in 1990 and I consider each of them best friends. These three men have been friends with one another for much longer than I have known them. All three have been leaders in ministry for years. They have worked together, and then they have served in different organizations, but their friendship continues. Their friendship has been built over a life time. I think their relationship is a great picture of true friendship.

In 1 Samuel chapters 18 - 23 there is another great picture of friendship, the relationship between Jonathan and David.

Here are 5 principles of true friendship that I see in their story:

Be committed to your friend (1 Samuel 18:3-4).
Be loyal to your friend (1 Samuel 19:1-7).
Be honest with your friend (1 Samuel 20:1-9).
Be willing to suffer for your friend (1 Samuel 20:10-42).
Be encouraging to your friend (1 Samuel 23:15-18).

Here are some proverbs that also illustrate these principles:

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." Proverbs 27:6
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

What steps should I be taking today to develop life long friends?

21st Century Leaders

2007-02-13T12:00:00.003-07:00

In leadeship development circles there has been a great deal written about "Transactional versus Transformational Leadership." Is the movement to "transformational leadership" simply a cultural trend from modern to postmodern leadership or is this the leadership style that will be most effective in the 21st century? Another question, "Is there something lacking in the 'win-win' leadership strategies that misses the heart of God for people in relationship?" The next question then is, "How can I become a transformational leader?"

That has lead me to think of a three dimensional model of leadership. The two dimensions of leadership I was taught by Howard Hendricks was that a leader knew where he or she was going and could persuade others to follow. These two elements are related to having a clear purpose and then the power to move a growing number of people toward that purpose. Now I believe the unstated element that was always in the background now needs to be in the foreground. The third dimension is "presence." We have always discussed the character qualities of leaders but what about the way in which all of those qualities blend and are being used in light of the spiritual and emmotional health of the leader? What presence do we bring? Perhaps this is at the heart of the question about "vulnerablity and humility" in mission. Not simply changing our tactics in mission and restating our purpose but to bring the presence of the one we follow, the one who washed the feet of his disciples, the one who poured out his life so that we might live.

I have become more and more convinced that as leaders we need to be developing our sense of "self awareness," so that we always anticipate our "presence" as we move into different contexts of ministry. Secondly then we need to know how our "presence" contributes to our understanding of our purpose and any given time and place and to how our "presence" affects our "power" to influence, direct or manage those who we serve.

Leading from the Future

2007-02-12T09:03:00.001-07:00

I just read an article by Jay Gary who is a long-time friend and now ministry associate. He is the Chairman of the Board of Global Service Office, directs the Christian Futures Network and is on the faculty of Regent University School of Leadership Studies. Here are some highlights:

"What has occupied your executive team's attention the past three years? Chances are you have been restructuring departments or re-engineering core programs for immediate gain, rather than regenerating your strategies or reinventing your organization for the future. It is said that on average, corporate management devotes 90% of their time on the "Inside and Now," leaving 10% of their energy to focus on the "Outside and Then."

That forward focus might be even less in the non-profit or small business sectors given that the urgent often preempts the important due to limited resources. While shoring up today's operations is vital and necessary, it is no substitute for creating tomorrow's programs. So, how can we lead from the future, rather than the past?"

Jay's answer is to develop "strategic foresight." He writes, "Planning develops strategies for present operations while foresight creates the framework for future actions, five to ten years out." When asked about the secret of his goal scoring success, Wayne Gretsky said,"I don't skate to where the puck is, I skate to where the puck is going to be." In times that are changing it seems to me that we should reorient our actions toward the future by cultivating foresight. If you want to read the entire article I put a link to this article on the Global Service Associates web site http://www.globalassociates.org

The Barnabas Ministries

2007-02-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Spoke today by phone with Dale Frimodt. Dale married Marlene Root. Marlene and I worked together here in Colorado as a part of the CCC International University Resource Team before she married Dale. Dale was a staff member with CCC as well and was a part of the "I found it" campaigns. Dale had a burden for pastors and started the Barnabas Ministries in 1977. The Barnabas Ministries is an interdenominational ministry seeking to serve the body of Christ by providing encouragement, counseling and consulting for Christian leaders, including pastors, church leadership and missionaries.

Dale writes, "In today's world, ministers, missionaries and other Christian leaders are all on the front lines of spiritual conflict. Even in the best of times, those in ministry can feel isolated and alone, overwhelmed with the demands of ministry, burned out, and experiencing relational difficulties with family, staff, or those with whom they serve. In America today...
1400 pastors leave the ministry each month,
70% of them say they have no one they can consider a close friend,
and almost a quarter will experience a forced exit some time in their ministry.*"
*Research by Pastor's Institute and Fuller Institute Study 1991

Dale has helped many in Christian leadership address personal problems in their lives, resolve conflicts in their churches, and get refocused for ministry. Dale has chaired a steering committee to offer a Care Givers Forum, which is an annual gathering of people from across the U.S. and elsewhere who are involved in the ministry of caring for professional Christian workers and their families. Find out more about Dale and the forum at their website http://www.caregiversforum.org/

Innovation and Leadership Styles

2007-02-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Of course any human enterprise requires leadership. In business there is a continuous stream of study on leadership. These studies often influence leaders in the church to create organizations that reflect the latest trends in business. Once structured a leadership style can actually become a part of the organizational culture of that church and over time it is simply reinforced by a succession of leaders. In rapidly changing times when new ideas are needed innovation of strategy can be implemented, but will not create the results hoped for. The problem was not in the strategy but in the leadership structure. What may be needed is innovation of management not strategy which could be much more difficult and even painful.

Since the failures of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and with the threat of a global outbreak of the avian flu, there has been much discussion about crisis management. “In the complex and uncertain environment of a sustained, evolving crisis, the most robust organizations will not be those that simply have plans in place but those that have continuous sensing and response capabilities.” (Noria)

Noria created a comparison between two types of organizations, which reflect two styles of leading, which I’ve adapted this article.

Directive Styles:

Hierarchical
Centralized Leadership
Tightly Coupled (greater interdependence among parts)
Concentrated workforce
Specialists
Policy and procedure driven

Delegative Styles:

Networked
Distributed Leadership
Loosely coupled (less interdependence)
Dispersed workforce
Cross-trained generalists
Guided by simple yet flexible rules

From “Survival of the Adaptive,” Nitin Noria, Harvard Business Review, May 2006, pg 23

Which of these leadership structures do you thinking would more likely accelerate innovation in a rapidly changing context?
What changes would I need to make in my leadership style to create an environment for innovation?
What changes would I need to make in the way in which I train or equip others to implement innovative strategies?
Could I state the simple guidelines or flexible rules for leading in my organization?

I am not suggesting that one style is “good or bad.” We need both styles, but it is important to be aware of the impact on those we are leading. We then need to communicate why the structure we have chosen is appropriate to our situation. Finally, we should either develop in the leadership style that is needed or we should ask someone else to lead out of their strength. 02/04/2007

Birkman Leadership Styles

2007-02-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

In my work in developing local campus ministry leaders with Campus Crusade for Christ around the globe, one of greatest lessons I tried to pass on was the importance of adapting a leader’s natural or preferred style of leading to the context of their ministry. Often younger leaders either tried to follow the leadership style of a more senior leader that they admired or reacted to a leadership style of a senior leader that had offended them. Often a cultural model of “leading” may have a great impact on developing leaders from among university students in one context but fails in another cultural context.

As a consultant, one of the tools I use is the Birkman Method. Roger Birkman has identified three styles of leading: knowledge specialists, directive managers, and delegative managers. A person may have an intense preference for one style or they could have a balanced preference. This affects their perspective on whether one style is “good or bad.” It may also affect their view on issues such as spiritual authority or decision making. (If you have your Birkman report you can find your natural or preferred style of leading on the Interview Guide top right column. The scores reflect the intensity of your preference with 1 being the least preferred and 10 being the most preferred.)

When we look at the Bible and see examples of leaders it is very easy for a person to pick examples of leaders that fit one’s own perspective. Of course when we look at Jesus we often see him fulfill the roles of a prophet, a priest and a king. I can compare these roles to Roger Birkman’s three styles of leading. A prophet is like a knowledge specialist bringing truth and wisdom to our lives which points us toward a future; a priest is like a delegative manager serving as our representative to a higher authority then ourselves, and who empowers and serves us to accomplish the responsibilities’ that we own; while a king is like a directive manager serving as a representative, of a higher authority then themselves, and uses their authority so that we might accomplish a shared outcome. Which style is right? I believe it all depends on what God’s purpose is for His people who are being led at that moment. The issue is to develop a flexible style of leadership in light of God’s purpose, our context and the people who God has asked us to lead.

Serving Leaders in Mission

2007-01-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

Recently at a Global Learning Community at Estes Park I heard Sam Williams sharing about the future of his ministry and he repeated a statement that he had heard Bob Buford make which went something like, "At this point in my life the fruit of my ministry is growing on the trees of others." I felt as though that was what I wanted to be true of my ministry. Even though I still want to be directly involved in ministry locally when I think globally I want to be more involved in serving others who are leading in mission.

Since 1984 when I moved to California, I have seen myself as a part of a "global mission" labor force. Since then I spent most of the time living in the US, and I traveled to minister for various lengths of times in more than thirty nations in every part of the world. In 1989 when I moved with my family and became a resident of Manila, Philippines for two years, it changed everything but this sense of global ministry.

Because of that perspective on ministry when I think of leaders, I think of pastors, missionaries, staff members of mission organizations and professional volunteers in ministry. I believe that today leaders in mission should not be defined by place of ministry, position in ministry, or means of support. I desire to serve leaders regardless of national, ethnic-linguistic, and cultural background. I do think that leaders and their families who have been called to live "make their home for two years or longer" in a culture other than their original culture need additional services.

When I think mission I want my focus to be on those who are "crossing boundaries or borders" to advance the mission of Jesus Christ. Those who are going with the love of God to reach people on the "margins" of the gospel. In light of globalization I believe the distinctions of home and foreign missions are no longer as important, because the ability to adapt to and work in diverse cultures, to understand how to minister in different contexts and to collaborate in multicultural, ethnic or national teams are all a part of mission today whether at home or abroad.

Qualities Associated with Contextual Intelligence

2005-11-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

I believe every leader has different starting points in life. The challenge is not where a leader starts but where a leader finishes. I have been certified in several assessment tools to help leaders understand where they are starting in order to help them take the next steps toward their goals. My perspective on the tools is that they can provide valuable information to help a leader have greater self awareness and to then act on that information. Some of the tools that I have used are the DISC profile, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the Birkman Method. Of these the Birkman Method provides a better framework for leaders who are passionate about accomplishing their mission in a business or organization. (For more information - here is a link to the Birkman website www.birkman.com) Using the Birkman in a systematic way for building leaders in an organization can shorten the time involved in decision-making, problem-solving and strategic planning, as well as improve the performance of working groups or teams.

When the idea of contextual intelligence was introduced to me, because of my experience and training, I instinctively asked the questions: How would I recognize a leader with contextual intelligence? What are some distinquishing characteristics of a leader with contextual intelligence? How would I measure those qualities? How could I help a leader develop his or her contextual intelligence? Has anyone done the research and created a tool to assess a leader's starting point? If I were selecting someone for a leadership position how would I know that the person would have a capacity for contextual intelligence? I am in the process of answering those questions. If anyone is interested in collaborating on this subject please feel free to e-mail me.

Here are some of my initial thoughts about the qualities associated with contextual intelligence. The first quality that comes to mind is the ability to take decisive action in the midst of apparent paradox. In times of rapid change there will be many trends that seem to be moving in two different directions and important decisions need to be made. A leader who can see the path and move forward without having "it all figured out" would demonstrate contextual intelligence. How many executive meetings seem to be a waste of time because someone can not see a clear option to take because of contradictions. Thomas Friedman in his book The World is Flat, writes,"The great challenge for our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people but also do not leave them behind." pg46 By the time everyone can "figure it out" the world will have left them behind.

Jesus often presented his followers with a paradox and asked them for decisive action. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Can you imagine that some in the crowd who heard these words were thinking, "Now how does that work? How can I save my life by losing it? If I want to live I must first die?" They stayed where they were trying to resolve the tension, but those who understood their times who heard these words took decisive action, they followed Jesus. And they "turned their world upside down."

Understanding the Times

2005-10-27T06:36:00.000-06:00

Here are two Biblical examples of Contextual Intelligence

The first example is of leaders who did demonstrate that they understood the context they were living in and took action. I Chronicles chapter 12 is the account of the warriors of Israel gathering together to support David as the new king over Saul. In verse 12 the warriors from the tribe of Issachar are described as those "who understood the times and knew what Israel should do."

The second example is of those who did not have contextual intelligence. In Luke 12:54 Jesus said: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?" Unfortunately John describes what happens in his gospel to this generation, chapter 1 verses 10 and 11, "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to those who were his own, but his own did not receive him."

We are living in a time that requires leaders who will seek together to understand the times, to recognize the presence of Jesus in the world today (perhaps in places and ways that we did not expect), and to take collaborative action. Will we show up at "Hebron to support the king as the warriors of Issachar did in their day?

Leaders for the Mission

2005-10-26T07:02:00.000-06:00

Leaders for the Mission in the 21st Century

I attended the Strategic Foresight Conference at Regent University School of Leadership Studies in September. While there I was introduced to the idea of "contextual intelligence." Leonard Sweet who was one of the presenters referred to a research project by Harvard Business School's Leadership Initiative. I found on the HBS site an article about the project, "What Great American Leaders Teach Us." The findings of the research project support the need for Christian leaders in the 21st Century to develop "contextual intelligence."

Tony Mayo defined contextual intelligence as the "ability to understand the macro-level factors that are at play during a given period of time." Sounds a lot like the ability to understand the times and the currents of history that we are living in. Tony said that the most surprising finding of the research project was that the "role of contextual intelligence became an increasingly compelling proposition...A business leader's abilitiy to make sense of his or her contextual framework and harness its power often made the difference between success and failure."

Why is this so important today? In light of the rapid changing environment we are living in, the effects of globilization, the emergence of true followers of Jesus within different religious traditions, and the hugh issues facing us as we seek to further the advance of the love and presence of Christ, we need to have frameworks for decision making and collaborative action that will help us navigate the future.

David Smith, a lecturer in Mission and World Christianity at the International Christian College in Glasgow, writes in his book Mission After Christendom, "Every day the church must wake up and ask itself, 'What kind of day is today?' For no two days are alike in her history."

The Big Horn Ministry

2005-10-24T23:32:00.000-06:00

Last week I was visiting Spencer and Annette near Gunnison. I took this picture on the way up to the "Alpine Tunnel."

The Future of Global Missions

2005-10-24T22:25:00.000-06:00

“Where do we go from here?”

Just as the industrial revolution introduced the Modern Era the information revolution is the transitional advance to the next era in history. We don’t yet know what will be post “post modern.” We can consider trends that emerged in the last decade of the second millennium. These trends seem to be gaining momentum and are emerging as contributing factors in a “New Third Millennium Era.”

There are social and cultural trends that will affect every future human enterprise whether it is business, government, education or missions. Those leaders who are able to recognize these trends and harness the human energy that will be released by them will more likely succeed in accomplishing their vision of the future.

Certainly as believers we know that God is orchestrating history and He expects us to consider the times in which we live. From a human perspective we should place our mission efforts in the currents of those times. But that is not enough; we must also seek wisdom from above. We must expect and anticipate what and where are the “Streams of God’s Mercy” that are flowing to lost in all the nations of the world. We must continually ask the question, “What are those ‘Streams of Mercy’ that will further the Missionary efforts in boarder ways than we could possibly imagine?” Where is God working and what difference will it make to our planning and allocation of God’s resources.

So as we consider the future of the missionary enterprise we must consider both the cultural and spiritual currents that will affect our prayer and work. Those mission leaders who recognize those currents and harness the human and divine energy that will be released by them will succeed in accomplishing a God given vision of the future. Those leaders who have their heads buried in their present realities and who are relying on past practices or models particularly models that are based on modernity may find themselves outside the streams of God’s redemptive power.