Tribes Thoughts | Leadership is Influence
Posted by Todd Engstrom in leadership on May 29, 2009
One good insight from Tribes has been thinking through how leadership is influence, which is practically exercised through commonality of an idea and communication.
Godin’s most basic argument is that marketing has changed the rules for markets, and more concretely, the internet has changed the face of marketing to provide greater influence to individuals disconnected from institutional power structures.
Smart leadership is found in understanding the ever-changing communication landscape, and how you can continue to connect with your “tribe”.
For me, I think I’m going to make a more concerted effort to share the ideas I’ve been chewing on here, and see if some of them are actually worth pursuing.
So one simple question for you as a reader: will you help me filter some ideas I have for the future?
Picture from Badger.20
Refreshing Perspective | The Blueprint
Posted by Todd Engstrom in books, college ministry, evangelism on May 28, 2009
I’ve really enjoyed reading Jaeson Ma’s book The Blueprint: A Revolutionary Plan to Plant Missional Communities on Campus.
Jaeson is certainly cut from a different theological tree than I am, but I have been challenged and refreshed by his perspective. The book is essentially broken down into three sections: Prayer, Evangelism, and Missional Community. The whole book is saturated with the Holy Spirit, and it has been a good challenge to me to consistently pray for the presence and power of the Spirit in my life.
I just finished the second section, which is an application of a life that is solely fueled by the prescription of prayer that he outlines in the first section. The section focuses on practical demonstrations of the Spirit’s power on campus through worship, evangelism, prophetic preaching, and healing.
Although I’m not sure I agree fully with the strategy Jaeson advocates, it’s a great challenge for me to consistently push myself and students to be more bold in their witness and take much greater risk with the gospel through demonstrative action that is Christ-exalting.
I’d recommend reading this book, simply because it is a refreshing challenge and a great story of what God has done through Jaeson’s ministry. Bottom line, he’s in love with Jesus and desperately wants to see campuses transformed.
Passivity | Between Two Worlds
Posted by Todd Engstrom in christianity, college ministry on May 27, 2009
The following is a quip from Kevin DeYoung’s Just Do Something (via Between Two Worlds).
Passivity is a plague among Christians. It’s not just that we don’t do anything; it’s that we feel spiritual for not doing anything. We imagine that our inactivity is patience and sensitivity to God’s leading. At times it may be; but it’s also quite possible we are just lazy. When we hyper-spiritualize our decisions, we can veer off into impulsive and foolish decisions. But more likely as Christians we fall into endless patterns of vacillation, indecision, and regret. No doubt, selfish ambition is a danger for Christians, but so is complacency, listless wandering, and passivity that pawns itself off as spirituality. Perhaps our inactivity is not so much waiting on God as it is an expression of the fear of man, the love of the praise of man, and disbelief in God’s providence.
This is a good, strong word for many college students I interact with. I hear quite often language like “I’ll pray about it” or “I’m not sure I’m called to that” when talking about simple steps of Christian obedience. Often times the issues shouldn’t be taken lightly (stepping into leadership, going on a short term mission trip, etc.), but I’ve seen such a tendency to over-spiritualize these kind of decisions in order to avoid taking a hard step.
Let’s think comparatively for a second: do you need to pray for weeks on end about spring break vacation in florida? Do you pray for weeks on end about joining leadership in your other school activities?
I’m just sayin’…
Biblical/Theological Preaching
Posted by Todd Engstrom in christianity, theology on May 26, 2009
/images/scan0005.jpg "preaching")
Halim Suh’s sermon from Sunday at The Austin Stone is an excellent example of applying biblical theology to understanding a difficult text of scripture.
Halim did a fantastic job of grappling with 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 by articulating an overall biblical teaching of manhood and womanhood and through Genesis 1-3, and applied the overall perspective toward understanding Paul’s view of women in this text.
The first argument Halim made was to establish the absolute equality of men and women, as created in the image of God. Using the Trinity, Halim made the parallel that as Jesus is equal to the father, so are women to men. However, he then articulate the distinctness of the sexes, and as all members of the Trinity have a role, so too do men and women. In humility women submit out of their equality to fulfill their designed role and display the glory of Jesus.
Halim then applied these ideas in order to understand this passage. His basic argument was we must understand the “when and where” of what Paul is teaching here, not simply take it as a blanket ordinance for the practice of church. Based on Halim’s study, the text is about elders weighing a prophet, and women are to remain silent in this process of weighing a prophet because they are excluded from the office of eldership based on 1 Timothy and teachings elsewhere in scripture.
I’d highly recommend listening to it if you would like a good lesson in good exegesis with a view toward the overall teaching of the Bible.
Tribes Thoughts | Assimilation is Connectivity
Posted by Todd Engstrom in assimilation, leadership on May 25, 2009
In Tribes, Seth Godin talks about Senator Bill Bradley’s elements of movement:
- A narrative that tells the story of who the tribe is and the alternate future they are building
- Connection between the movement leader and the tribe
- Something to do, or actionable items
In my context, number two is the hardest to accomplish, and I’m thinking through how my ministry and our church can do a better job of connecting leaders and the tribe. Assimilation ministry is essentially fostering the second point, connecting individuals to the leader.
Adapting the model for church, here’s what I come up with:
- Narrative and alternate future = preaching and visionary leadership
- Connection between leader and tribe = assimilation and “community”
- Actionable items = mobilization
Preaching and visionary leadership can engender actionable items, but sustainability in mission comes from the second point.
I realize this is pretty simple, but it seems to make sense to me…any challenges/thoughts?
Connect
Comments