Convention Seminar 2012

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Matthew 10:16

We are sent daily into a “whitewater” world of rapid change, chaos, business interactions either random or lawful, and relationships fraught with the complexity of human freedom.

“Since 9/11, people have become significantly more reflective and introspective, showing more interest in spirituality at work… Life issues demand that you deal with evil and death, with how to summon courage and manage anxiety, and how to reach greater heights of ethics and responsibility.” Peter Koestenbaum

Preparing people to be centered in God’s Reign, leading others into the greatness of God’s love lived in this world by nurturing and awakening who we truly are in God’s greatness through developing a sense of God’s vision, ethics, courage, and reality.

Greatness VisionEthicsCourageReality

 Awakening and nurturing others to who they truly are in Christ  Empowering others to live “Life” in this world  Converting to a leadership mind-set of “greatness” in Christ  Developing leadership strategies: vision, reality, courage, ethics

 Strategic Side (left-brain): organizational structure, finance, goals, programs, services, building, staff, ecumenical alliances, daily time management, managing relationships and groups, etc.  Personal Side (right-brain): motivation, character, maturity, will power, freedom, meaning, ethics and values, culture, responsibility, loyalty, commitment, sacrifice, love, courage, etc.

 Vision – system thinking, action/reflection, understanding time  Reality – outcome focused, self-awareness, direct contact  Ethics – meaning, communication & care, teamwork  Courage – anxiety, freedom, motivation

 System Thinking – whole organism with many parts; understands connections, underlying assumptions & myths; ability to re-create in constructive ways *  Intentional reflection on what we do – nonattachment, transcendence, proactive, stimulation  Understanding Time – be time rather than live in time finding meaning, focal point of existence

 Outcome focused – relentless & realistic about what can be done, pursue concrete results of your vision/mission which are relevant *  Self-awareness – responsibility for own emotions, feedback, truth about self, self starter  Direct Contact – be present, connected to ourselves, each other, God, the local context, the world

 Meaning – passion for meaning, vocation, calling  Communication & Care – love people, develop your heart and show it to people, values & character  Teamwork – commitment to make others successful, team thinks and acts with leadership, priority of team over individual *

 Anxiety – face it, explore it, reveals truth of human condition & provides answers to eternal questions  Freedom – fact inside your heart, power over your life, truth is what you actually do, choice of energy, centeredness *  Motivation – you can only motivate yourself arising from pride, honor, self-esteem, accomplishment, self-development

Vocation MissionTeamworkGoalsFormation

Union with God Mystical Understanding CompassionVowsPrayer

Self Awareness CreativityLoveAnxietyRelevance

Something Worthy Ideals & Causes Meaning & Responsibility Isolation & Risk Opposition & Pluralism

Ideal Self Spiritual development Capacity for intimacy Inner authority Physical health

Clear Expectations Importance of Leadership Value leaders Confront misbehavior Name cost of poor leadership

Missional Identity ImagineLoveConversion Contextual Relevance

Participating in Jesus’ mission? God’s Vision? Healthy Relationships? Kingdom values? Feedback Data?

Generosity Opportunity What money can do Risk givingCapacity

 Vision – Look at the fields, they are white for harvest, ask the Lord of the harvest for laborers  Reality – Go make disciples, teaching them all I have commanded, baptizing them…  Ethics – Jesus sent the 12 giving them authority to heal  Courage – No longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me

God, we have no idea where we are going. We do not see the road ahead of us. We cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do we really know ourselves, and the fact that we think we are following your will does not mean that we are actually doing so. But we believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing. We hope that we will never do anything apart from that desire. And we know that if we do this you will lead us by the right road, though we may know nothing about it. Therefore, we will trust you always though we may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. We will not fear, for you are ever with us, and you will never leave us to face our perils alone. Amen