I think one of the things we fear most is change.

No concrete data to back that up, but really, think about it. When change threatens to affect us, we become very scared. It’s even worse when we have no control over it.

I can deal with change to an extent. If something is changing that’s generally ok with me. Change is necessary. In fact, change is often one of the best things for us and for our ministries.

But it gets hard when almost everything seems to be changing. One thing is manageable. Sometimes even enjoyable. Two or three starts to get a little stressful. Four or five generally sends us into anxiety attack mode.

At times like this it’s hard to remember God’s promise that he will never leave us or forsake us, and his reminder to present our requests to him to experience peace. But that’s really the only option we have.

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So I’m not sure when it began, but somewhere along the way we created this weird 30 seconds or so of hand shaking and greeting at church.

What’s the purpose of this? Is it to make us feel like more of a community? There’s two things that happen here:

1. You sit next to people you don’t know. You then shake their hand, introduce yourself and then promptly forget their names even as they’re saying it.
2. You sit next to people you know. They tell you to great people around you. You do the awkward “Hey I know you but the singer guy up front said to greet people so there you are and here I am” thing. Everyone feels just a little bit more awkward.

Seriously. I apologize to all of you, but if I’ve ever shaken your hand during one of these and we’ve introduced ourselves, I probably don’t remember your name.

I think it’s probably a byproduct of us trying to make the worship services into more than they’re supposed to be. Trying to make them fill too many roles that other aspects of church are meant to fill.

If it doesn’t serve a purpose, why do it anymore?

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Category: Random, Thoughts on Ministry
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At the beginning of the Future Leaders Program we took the StrengthsFinder test. The test showcases your top five strength “themes.” Basically it allows you to gain a better understanding of who you are so that you can focus on your strengths.

It was interesting at the time, and I saw myself in it a bit, but I really didn’t have a frame of reference to judge it by, because I think that college is almost like a bubble isolated from the real world…you don’t necessarily interact with the world the way you do after college.

So, after almost an entire year out of college, I randomly went back and looked at my results for the test. I was struck by how absolutely on-point the results were, and how I’ve seen all of them emerge in me throughout the year.

In case you were curious, my top five strength themes are (in this order):

• Achiever – People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
• Responsibility – People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.
• Learner – People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
• Developer – People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements.
• Discipline – People who are especially talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create.

If you know me then you’d probably agree that is absolutely who I am.

What really struck me though was when I was talking with another Future Leader the other day and we realized that all 11 of us are so different. We have different styles and personalities. Yet you can see tremendous leadership potential across all those differences.

I went back and looked at the list of all of our strengths, and it was pretty interesting to see how different some of our strengths are.

The words of the psalmist in Psalm 139 ring especially true:

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
-Psalm 139:13-16

We are all incredibly different, uniquely created by God to fulfill His purposes.

Throughout the year we’ve seen so many examples of the Body of Christ, how we all fit together like pieces of a puzzle, and this is just the latest example.

Anyhow, I thought it was pretty cool. If you haven’t taken the StrengthsFinder test I think it’s a pretty good thing to do, if only to gain some self-awareness.

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I don’t think I’m going to retire.

I think when I get old enough to even start thinking about it, I’m going to move to Rwanda. That sounds pretty good.

Just thought I’d share. Glad I’ve got my long term plans taken care of.

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Sometimes we forget what ministry is about.

Sometimes we think that it’s about…

Programs.
Strategy.
Tactics.
Buildings.
Seats.
Music.
Web Sites.
Social Networking.
Tradition.
Community Events.
Sermons.
Podcasts.
Books.
Blogs.
Ourselves.

We think that the things we use to accomplish ministry are the point of ministry. This is not true.

The point of ministry is to bring Christ to a hurting world. We have the remedy, it is our job to bring it to the broken and bruised. To carry light into the darkest parts of the world.

The tools to accomplish this should never become the point of ministry. The means to the end are not the end in themselves.

I know I sometimes allow myself to make some of these tools into the point. Particularly the “cool” web stuff that I get to do at work. But then I encounter someone or hear a story about someone whose life was changed so drastically by the rescue that God provides, and it brings me back to the real point.

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