Archive for July, 2009
Preaching | Gentrified
Posted by Todd Engstrom in christianity, pastoring on July 7, 2009
My good friend Logan Gentry has some excellent thoughts on preaching, and asks some great questions. Below is a quote from the synthesis of his thoughts on what the point of preaching is:
It seems to me that our preaching has a 3-fold reach in regards to focus and application. It seems that each message has an individual application in how we view God, a community application that explains to the body how this message affects the local church they sit in and informs the strategy or theology of their vision and then finally how it affects the way Christians live in and engage a secular society that doesn’t agree with them.
Go give it a read and chime in here!
Leadership | Service
Posted by Todd Engstrom in leadership on July 6, 2009
As I’ve been thinking on discipleship for the last few weeks, it naturally has been provoking thoughts of leadership. I’m going to start a new series with my philosophy and practice of leadership and leadership development, especially within the church.
Service
The foundation on leadership is very simply service. Godly leadership is very simply a selfless act, and a desire not for positional leadership, but of sacrificial living.
These Scriptures are abundantly clear that first and foremost, leadership is about loving and serving Christ and His people.
Vision is useless unless it is done in service to others to the glory of God. Strategy is worthless if you are failing to love and serve people. Leadership is hollow if you are not leading toward Christ and his calling to sacrificial, Spirit-led obedience.
I find I am more prone to desiring the position of leadership, rather than being a leader. What about you?
Triperspectival Leadership | Church Matters
Posted by Todd Engstrom in christianity on July 5, 2009
There is a good compilation of resources on Triperspectival Leadership at the 9 Marks blog. Here’s an intro to the idea from the post:
To over-simplify, the insight is that church leaders tend to be prophets, priests, or kings. Prophets love to proclaim the word of God and dream about where God is leading the church. Kings love to put systems in place to make it happen. Priests make sure that everyone is cared for and feels God’s love along the way.
Understanding your church leadership in light of those strengths (and attending weaknesses) can help you identify blind-spots and make good decisions about staffing and new leaders. I have found this really helpful as our church incorporates new elders and thinks through how we can do things better.
This concept, although not limited to simply to leadership, has been a great tool to help people understand what they naturally gravitate toward in leadership. I’d also recommend that you take a look at Drew Goodmanson’s material here.
Independence Day
Posted by Todd Engstrom in personal on July 4, 2009
Happy Independence Day!
I’m celebrating by performing a wedding ceremony this evening, followed by a great night of fireworks in the neighborhood (fireworks are legal in our neck of suburbia…it’s like Beirut on the 4th in Wells Branch).
On another note, Chris Tomlin’s rendition of Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) has been playing in my head all day long, and I am thankful for the work God has done in me to set me free.
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
~Galatians 5:1
May we no longer be subject to sin, but experience the grace of Christ which truly sets us free on this Independence Day.
Hyperlinks – 7.2.09 (College Ministry Edition)
Posted by Todd Engstrom in college ministry, links on July 2, 2009
Below are some links for those who are interested in College Ministry:
- Exploring College Ministry – Benson Hines writes his observations and thoughts on college ministry after 2 years worth of research.
- College Ministry Thoughts – Chuck Bomar posts some good research that is useful as you think through ministering to a specific demographic.
- Campus Church Networks – There are some good resources here for thinking through missional communities on campuses.
- The Values of Generation Y – This was a good post exploring some research and its implications on college ministry from Rhett Smith.
- City Campus Ministry – Resources from the College Ministry of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City.
- Harvard Business Review – An encouragement for students to take a year doing something unassociated with their future career.
As always, you can find out what’s going on with The Austin Stone College Ministry at our blog.
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