Category Archives: Church Culture

February 16, 2013 · 9:10 pm

Point of View: How Perspective Influences Cultural Trends and Communication


Railroad tracks

A Narrow and Vanishing Perspective

I only have one opinion so it is the only one I can give.  I know that sounds narrow minded and resistant, but isn’t that really what it boils down to with everyone?  However, the problem with opinion is that many time opinions are irrelevant in an atmosphere of constant change of culture and communication technology.  As a result, one of the challenges in modern world is to understand the speed that culture is changing right before our eyes and how the communication of ideas is in constant state of flux.  Therefore,  on the high speed information network, the challenge reinforces a constant need to adapt to changing constructs and to understand that there may be an inhibited ability to comprehend the rate that information passing before our eyes is  feeding a blurred generational and cultural myopia.  In a world  where a narrow perspective is vanishing, some people may ask: Does any generation have an absolute truth or a point of view that is constant, timeless, and irrefutable through all of time, generations, and cultures to balance information contained in the communication of ideas?  Obviously, while there are differences about the answer, the ideas that many people hold as timeless principles of truth seems to be quickly vanishing in the milieu of ideas and being edited within the context of modern culture. A strong point of consideration about information and communication in a world that is technology bound is the strong evidence to suggest that the happenings of culture today are affecting, not only what subjects are relevant to the times, but how communication occurs in the 21st century.

In recent blog post Ed Stetzer (2011) cited Adlai Stevenson who stated, ‘”That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in another.’ He did not have a particularly high view of the next generation, but he does challenge us to consider the radical changes in thinking that are sometimes seen between generations” (Stetzer).   The apparent point to be understood is that every generation has a perspective that shapes contemporary beliefs— what is deemed important—values that form a perspective about level of importance of certain ideas.  In addition, it is not just the message of communication and values that is important, it is the fact that methods of communicating from the past are vanishing and being replaced on the super highway of technology. Consequently, what is apparent from an understanding cultural transformation in the 21st century is that a present cultural perspective is shaping point of view and validating the principle that both the vehicle and the message in every generation creates a shift in how people in a given generation arrive at a destination that they believe is truth and in a vehicle that the present generation creates its own mind-set.

Just as people from different cultures, races, and people groups think differently about important issues, generations are cultural subgroups of the macrocosm of human existence.  It is evident that each  thinks differently about matters of  believed to be of importance.  However, remember that successive generations hold a different point of view that is emerging and is relevant to the time.  Therefore while people may disagree, different perspectives are worth taking time to consider. It is said that one thing common to every generation is how the collective perspective is internalized. Ed Stetzer  (2011)  cited George Orwell’s perspective, which states that “Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it and wiser than the one that comes after it” (Stetzer).  Someone from a past generation may ask: Are current generations really more intelligent or are earlier generations wiser?  Obviously, the answer depends on perspective – what it looks like from where you are standing or pontificating.

What perspectives are influencing the way life is understood in the 21st century?

The perspective, the unique way life is understood today, is a sociological and cultural phenomenon. For those who want to deny reality and continue to ignore what is shaping the point of view of the emergent culture of the 21st century only creates frustration and disconnection, which does not offer any substantive answers or a reasonable framework to understand reasoning behind current ideals.

Ideologues and philosophers offer suggestion about what is occurring, but unfortunately understanding ideals and philosophy alone will not provide efficacy that creates effective communication. Ideals, are generally moral ideas or mores’ based on certain group identification that create expectations about how people should think or act. Philosophical assumptions are the ways that beliefs are rationalized into reason.  Thus forming, the informational content of perspective. Values or axiology has more to do with what is deeply felt, importance, passion, and motivation that affect beliefs. For example, the   felt importance of something believed to be true.  When tension deposited in life experience that conflicts with values, it results in conflicting ideas about importance that creates a  disconnect between perceptions and experienced reality.

The question is formed: Who/what is right how can the way values are felt be rationalized with experience that does not match a reality believed?  Unfortunately, I find myself at odds with most idealist and the emphasis upon what should be and find myself focused upon what emerging culture is saying. As a point of reference something that needs to be understood is how to  connect perception to reality.  Consequently, the constant flow of information  redefines the importance of what seems logical in one generation as information is disseminated and absorbed into successive generations.  Therefore, there is a tension that exists in the message and mode of communication that results in aberrations in what is felt about the information, which places the greatest emphasis upon perspective.

Obviously, anyone can give an opinion about what is wrong with something.  However, knowing what is wrong is not the critical issue in communication of solutions that are workable.  One perspective that some people have is to write people off who look different, think different, and have a differing perspective.  Another point of view is to embrace the culture and learn the language, thinking, and mindset of the 21st century.  Seeing someone else’s perspective is not whitewashing culture or moralizing behaviors, it is asking why do people do that in the way they do and understanding if the desire is to connect, communicate, and build meaningful relationships that we need to understand more than what we know.

With the increasing isolation of people and the desire to have relationships, there is a tremendous opportunity to step outside a solitary opinion and understand people as part of a culture that thinks different than we do.  The opportunity demonstrates a tremendous potential, if we will take time to understand how perception formation is impacting beliefs and governs the content and methods of communication in the 21st century.

Point of View Perspective Beliefs God Theology Church Traditions Statistics Surveys Theory Demographics Communication Context Relationships Unchurched Christian Universalism Philosophy Vision Mission Outcome.

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December 3, 2012 · 10:31 pm

Ed Stetzer – What is Transformational Church?


Ed Stetzer

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If your church is experiencing inward drift and has lost its sense of mission, understanding of purpose, and is in decline. Here is a explanation of one of the services that I can offer you as a Transformational Church Consultant to help get your church on target by discovering the strengths that you possess and developing them to experience transformation and spiritual life in the body.  Ed Stetzer says, “People sometimes ask me about Transformational Church (TC), particularly after I mention it on Twitter as I did last week.” Click on the link below and explore.

Ed Stetzer – What is Transformational Church?.

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December 1, 2012 · 1:39 pm

Established Churches and Inward Drift


A interesting article by Thom Rainer, CEO of Lifeway Products that explores churches that become inward in focus, thus creating closed-loop cultures within the church.  Rainer describes the characteristics and consequences that develop, which lead to organizational degeneration.  Click on the link below and enjoy.

Established Churches and Inward Drift.

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May 23, 2012 · 1:09 am

So, Why Do People Really Go To Church?


 

Have you ever been in one of those churches that has convulsions every two or three years and found yourself wondering why people really go to church there?  Well do not feel like you are alone; many people are wondering the same thing.  In fact they may wonder why you still go there.  After growing up as a PK and serving for almost 40 years as a pastor, I have come to understand that when people are hurt, manipulated, and mistreated; they do not want to go to church.  If you have ever wondered what motivates people to attend church and stay in a church,  take it from someone with a lot of time in the trenches of church life, the reasons why people go to church are numerous, and sometimes the reasons are bizarre and not very logical, little alone spiritual.

The Simple Answer is that it is Sociology and Culture

Elmer Towns said once that when people go to church that they look for someone who is like them and if they cannot find someone to connect with like them, they will go somewhere else.  For instance, if you live in the South or parts of the Midwest, social standing, or social identification might be determined by which church you attend.  Think about it for a minute, look around yourself the next time you go to church and ask yourself the question:  What kind of people go to this church?

Guess What that Tells You? 

The people that you see are the kind of people that your church is going to attract.  Look around and what you will see is that your church has characteristics that are common to the people that are there.  If you have  ever wondered why disorganized, disheveled churches attract people with a lack of spiritual discipline or people who value disorder as if it were a spiritual gift, remember people reflect their personal values in their religious lives and how they value what is important in the life of a church.  Theorist’s call it the homogenous principle: like kind attracts like kind.  As a result, when you have an unruly member who terrorizes people with their dysfunction, it says as much about us as it does about them.  The simple answer is that sociology and culture drive the ability of a church to reach people. A fact that is very true is that if you want the church you are  at to be larger, better, something different than it is, it must experience a cultural, sociological, and value change to reach people that are different.

Family Connection Drives the Church Bus

For some people, their children also bring them back to church.  Sometimes people feel the awesome responsibility of molding and shaping young lives to be happy and productive for the future, and sense almost instinctively that those things require faith and knowledge of God.  We know they will not develop a strong moral core from the society around them.  It did not work for us, did it?  And so we bring them to God’s house, and come along with them, sometimes for the first time since our own childhood.  And as our children learn about Jesus, we experience a wonderful renewal of our faith.

Friendship Drives the Fellowship Wagon

Friendship brings us to church, too.  Sometimes we are invited by friends; then, come with them.  Nevertheless, so often it is the desire for friends –good friends, caring friends, friends who share our values –that brings us to church in hope.  God knows, loneliness can eat at our sense of well-being.  Being new in a community often accentuates that longing to love and be loved.  In addition, this is as it should be.  God means for the church to be a place to build long-term caring relationships, to be a community in every sense of that word.

Another Answer is that it is Material or Social Networking

For many people going to church is the main social event of their life.  It is where their family congregates and decides how spirituality will be expressed.  Think about this: How about joining a large church to network for your business?  It does happen.  However, before you judge too harshly, consider that when you’re looking for a future husband or a wife, networking in a church isn’t a bad place to start — at least you’re likely to find people with the same value system.  Many people go to church to find a wife, date their girlfriend, spend time with their friends, and make business contacts.  Look around the average church and ask yourself if the people are there because of the deep conviction about the theology of the church, or are they there for some other reason.  Unfortunately, the church has become more about the material and social than it has about having a servant’s heart to worship God through servanthood.

What About Fear and Guilt as Motivators?

Fear or Guilt? Unfortunately, many people who go to church, especially in fundamental churches are plagued by fear of what might happen if they don’t go and sometimes guilt about what is wrong in life.  I have often said that guilt tends to make people hide –In a crowd, a church, beneath some leaves to serve as a cover for what has happened in their lives.  We hear guilt from the pulpits, guilt leads to fear and fear to conformity to appear to be religious.  People attend for the most human of reasons. Family history has its place. Children of Catholics are most often Catholic, in orientation at least. Habit and duty figure, too. However, let me talk for a moment about what I see most.

Hurt, Pain, and a Search for Answers

Hurt is way up there on the list.  At times, we find ourselves reeling from some of the most painful wounds imaginable.  Estrangement of a spouse.  Loss of a loved one to death, loss of a family, loss of a job, loss of innocence, loss of health, loss of hope.  We are on the ropes; we are down for the count.  It’s only natural to seek healing in God, and it’s amazing how God uses some of his dear people to be channels of God’s healing, hope-filled, non-judgmental love.  I can’t begin to count the times I’ve seen people’s hurts healed within the context of a healthy congregation.

Discipleship and Personal Growth

For many people, personal growth is a factor in regular church attendance.  Gradually people allow the Holy Spirit to clear the smokescreens and allow God to bring to the surface the things we need to face.  Men sometimes decide to grow up and get past when once-upon-a-time they saw a hypocrite in church and refused to commit.  People move beyond resentments at having to attend church as a child.  God allows us to learn about ourselves as we grow past childish rebellions, we grow up, and we are freed once again to include God in our personal exploration.

The Search for Significance and Meaning

For many people, especially men over 40, the need for significance is a strong motivator in why we go to church.  Something inside of us wants to make a difference, to do something meaningful, lasting, to be part of a cause bigger than ourselves.  Church is a perfect context for this type of fulfillment, since, at their best churches change communities for good –one person at a time.  Unbelievably, there are people who are asking, “What do I have to give here?” rather than just “What can I get?“

Worship and Intimacy through Knowing God

Believe it or not people attend church in order to come to know God, to honor him through worship and by their very presence in his house.  The French philosopher Blaise Pascal put it succinctly, “There’s a God-shaped vacuum in every man that only God can fill.”  You and I have felt that emptiness.  We’ve wondered at times if we’ve lost forever that most important link of faith that shapes who we are and who we can become.  People come to church because they are searching, and they find they can search for God in this context better than they can in other places.

 ”Our hearts are restless,” said Augustine, “until we find our rest in You.”

 Some motives are better, some worse, but in one sense it doesn’t matter much what is your motivation. What matters is the process that begins when we enter a relationship with Jesus Christ an allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives.

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August 20, 2010 · 3:15 pm

A Journey Toward Understanding Abusive Behavior


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How Can Abuse Be Described ?

Abuse is any behavior that is designed to control and subjugate another human being through the use of fear, humiliation, intimidation, guilt, coercion, manipulation etc. Emotional abuse is any kind of abuse that is emotional rather than physical in nature. It can include anything from verbal abuse and constant criticism to more subtle tactics, such as repeated disapproval or even the refusal to ever be pleased.

Emotional abuse is like brain washing in that it systematically wears away at the victim’s self-confidence, sense of self-worth, trust in their own perceptions, and self-concept. Whether it is done by constant berating and belittling, by intimidation, or under the guise of “guidance,” “teaching”, or “advice,” the results are similar. Eventually, the recipient of the abuse loses all sense of self and remnants of personal value. Emotional abuse cuts to the very core of a person, creating scars that may be far deeper and more lasting that physical ones. In fact there is research to this effect. With emotional abuse, the insults, insinuations, criticism and accusations slowly eat away at the victim’s self-esteem until she is incapable of judging the situation realistically. She has become so beaten down emotionally that she blames herself for the abuse. Her self-esteem is so low that she clings to the abuser.

Emotional abuse victims can become so convinced that they are worthless that they believe that no one else could want them. They stay in abusive situations because they believe they have nowhere else to go. Their ultimate fear is being all alone.

Types of Emotional Abuse

Abusive Expectations

  • The other person places unreasonable demands on you and wants you to put everything else aside to tend to their needs.
  • It could be a demand for constant attention, or a requirement that you spend all your free time with the person.
  • But no matter how much you give, it’s never enough.
  • You are subjected to constant criticism, and you are constantly berated because you don’t fulfill all this person’s needs.

Aggressing

  • Aggressive forms of abuse include name-calling, accusing, blaming, threatening, and ordering. Aggressing behaviors are generally direct and obvious. The one-up position the abuser assumes by attempting to judge or invalidate the recipient undermines the equality and autonomy that are essential to healthy adult relationships. This parent-child pattern of communication (which is common to all forms of verbal abuse) is most obvious when the abuser takes an aggressive stance.
  • Aggressive abuse can also take a more indirect form and may even be disguised and “helping.” Criticizing, advising, offering solutions, analyzing, proving, and questioning another person may be a sincere attempt to help. In some instances however, these behaviors may be an attempt to belittle, control, or demean rather than help. The underlying judgmental “I know best” tone the abuser takes in these situations is inappropriate and creates unequal footing in peer relationships. This and other types of emotional abuse can lead to what is known as learned helplessness.

Constant Chaos

  • The other person may deliberately start arguments and be in constant conflict with others.
  • The person may be “addicted to drama” since it creates excitement.

Denying

  • Denying a person’s emotional needs, especially when they feel that need the most, and done with the intent of hurting, punishing or humiliating.
  • The other person may deny that certain events occurred or that certain things were said. confronts the abuser about an incident of name calling, the abuser may insist, “I never said that,” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” etc. You know differently.
  • The other person may deny your perceptions, memory and very sanity.
  • Withholding is another form of denying. Withholding includes refusing to listen, refusing to communicate, and emotionally withdrawing as punishment. This is sometimes called the “silent treatment.”
  • When the abuser disallows and overrules any viewpoints, perceptions or feelings which differ from their own.
  • Denying can be particularly damaging. In addition to lowering self-esteem and creating conflict, the invalidation of reality, feelings, and experiences can eventually lead you to question and mistrust your own perceptions and emotional experience.
  • Denying and other forms of emotional abuse can cause you to lose confidence in your most valuable survival tool: your own mind.

Dominating

  • Someone wants to control your every action. They have to have their own way, and will resort to threats to get it.
  • When you allow someone else to dominate you, you can lose respect for yourself.

Emotional Blackmail

  • The other person plays on your fear, guilt, compassion, values, or other “hot buttons” to get what they want.
  • This could include threats to end the relationship, totally reject or abandon you, giving you the the “cold shoulder,” or using other fear tactics to control you.

Invalidation

  • The abuser seeks to distort or undermine the recipient’s perceptions of their world. Invalidating occurs when the abuser refuses or fails to acknowledge reality. For example, if the recipient tells the person they felt hurt by something the abuser did or said, the abuser might say “You are too sensitive. That shouldn’t hurt you.” Here is a much more complete description of invalidation

Minimizing

  • Minimizing is a less extreme form of denial. When minimizing, the abuser may not deny that a particular event occurred, but they question the recipient’s emotional experience or reaction to an event. Statements such as “You’re too sensitive,” “You’re exaggerating,” or “You’re blowing this out of proportion” all suggest that the recipient’s emotions and perceptions are faulty and not be trusted.
  • Trivializing, which occurs when the abuser suggests that what you have done or communicated is inconsequential or unimportant, is a more subtle form of minimizing.

Unpredictable Responses

  • Drastic mood changes or sudden emotional outbursts. Whenever someone in your life reacts very differently at different times to the same behavior from you, tells you one thing one day and the opposite the next, or likes something you do one day and hates it the next, you are being abused with unpredictable responses.
  • This behavior is damaging because it puts you always on edge. You’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and you can never know what’s expected of you. You must remain hyper vigilant, waiting for the other person’s next outburst or change of mood.
  • An alcoholic or drug abuser is likely to act this way. Living with someone like this is tremendously demanding and anxiety provoking, causing the abused person to feel constantly frightened, unsettled and off balance.

Verbal Assaults

  • Berating, belittling, criticizing, name calling, screaming, threatening
  • Excessive blaming, and using sarcasm and humiliation.
  • Blowing your flaws out of proportion and making fun of you in front of others. Over time, this type of abuse erodes your sense of self confidence and self-worth.

http://www.eqi.org/eabuse

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March 10, 2010 · 6:41 pm

What Are You Attracting?


The five dimensions of Meta-leadership as deve...

Is there person out there that can stand up and be a model of what a leader is and that can lead in any organizational structure? Idealism tends to posit an opinion that one size can fits in every situation. Some may think that all you have to do is be a leader, have the title, have the badge and you can lead. Dr. Leroy Benifield said that while he was in the Philippines that when indigenous pastors were ordained that they began wearing a suit coats and carrying a brief case. An individual can have the look of leaders and still not be able to be able to influence or persuade others to follow. The story illustrates how some view leadership as an appearance or a badge which should be recognized. When positional leadership is the paradigm that governs how leadership is delivered, it requires a lot of image management, lacks authenticity, and suggests compliance to a position rather than following a person. I wonder what does our style, philosophy, approach to leadership suggest about how leading occurs. The truth is that people will only follow a badge or a position so far before they stop—then what happens?

I have heard it said that leaders always recognize others that are leaders. Behaviorally, people tend to respond to and are most comfortable with people are philosophically and behaviorally like we are. It is interesting that those who are leaders attract those who can potentially become leaders. The question is: what kind of leaders will they be? If leadership is influence, the kind of leaders/followers that we attract may say something about how we are who we are as a leader. Unfortunately, if we have a one size fits all approach to leading, we will only attract people at the level we are able to lead and relate. If you feel like you are attracting compliance officers, it may be helpful to get some diagnostic data from someone who can help bring understanding to the factors that affect how leadership is delivered and what our behaviors are eliciting from those whom we lead.

A salient point about effectiveness is that we have to adapt and refit to be effective. We adapt to clothes, computers, food, automobiles, but when our personal domains are challenged, there is resistance to change. When change is internalized as a threat, it becomes the first step at being an ineffective leader. On the back of my business card it says, “embrace change as a friend, not an enemy.” Change management is a skill that must be learned to be effective. Leadership is more about the leader than it is about other people, conditions, or situations. I heard an ex-marine say one time, “we have to adapt to overcome.” Adapting is not conforming, giving up your convictions, identity or selling out, it is leading. Peter Ducker said, “The leader of the past knew how to tell; The leader of the future will know how to ask.” If you’re a leader and you know the destination that will bring a more favorable outcome, then the question that needs to be asked is: how am I going to lead?

Effective leadership is dynamic—it is alive and creates growth and change, it is context driven—the need determines what needs to be done, it is adaptive—one size doesn’t fit every situation.

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March 6, 2010 · 6:41 pm

When To Give up Control


Figure 20 from Charles Darwin's The Expression...

I heard a story once that illustrates how fear of the unknown can inhibit the ability to get past a setback when it means releasing control and trusting something other than what is already known. Imagine this and see if it sounds familiar? The story is told of a man who rode in his car while it was being towed to be repaired. When they arrived at the repair shop, the tow truck driver told him, “I didn’t think I was going to make it up that big hill.” The man replied, “I didn’t either. That’s why I kept the brakes on so we wouldn’t roll backwards.” The unfortunate thing about this story is that it illustrates a pattern of behavior where control, anxiety, and fear can disable attempts to navigate through problems.

It is easy to look at this guy in the story and see what he was doing and how it affected the outcome of trying to tow his car. However, while in the middle of a crisis, it is hard to identify how the same behavior affects the ability to make good decisions?

It is hard to think clearly and make good decisions when in the midst of a crisis. Instead of changing the way situations are managed the tendency is to increase the grip of control which can restrict momentum in a positive direction. When problems, changes, and challenges occur fear is internalized about a loss of control and anxiety occurs. The result is that there is the impulse to tighten the grip to control circumstances. Unfortunately, the harder that change is resisted, the more difficult it is to manage things as they escalate–control results in a loss of control. The question that this behavior raises is: Where does this response come from? The answer is that sometimes that prolonged circumstances and inflexibility to change results in distorted perceptions about what is happening and how response should be given. A result is that it sets off a domino effect that riddles down to everything and everybody that is connected to that single issue that is trying to be controlled.

Fear of releasing control disables the controller and everyone connected to the behavior. In an organizational culture control, fear and being indecisive at the moment when a change strategy needs to occur cripples the person in control, but also impacts everyone and everything that is organically related to the behavior. Imagine the frustration of the tow truck driver who was trying to perform a service and give assistance when he understood that the individual that he was trying to tow was behaving in a way that disabled him from being successful at his work? It is a truth that behavior has an effect upon what individuals are doing, but also everyone who is working to achieve, and those who are trying to help. Instead of accepting help, the controller holds on tighter and puts a strain on everything in the system. Could it be that when control is released and others are empowered that it can bring success and result in what is really desired from the person who is holding back progress? A lesson to be learned is that when control and fear are in charge that the outcome results in behavior that disables a positive outcome– in reality it predicts failure.

The unfortunate response of holding on to a distorted belief that is in-congruent with reality is that results in behaviors which defeat instead of helping. One of the important things that everyone needs is a network of mature, balanced, and well-rounded people who can provide a healthy way of looking at what is happening. Otherwise the need to hang on to things that may be distorted by how they are understood may result in failure because of a self-defeating response. If you are interested in success, it may be that an evaluation of behaviors from someone else who can be objective may provide helpful information that can enable releasing the brake and embracing empowering behaviors that can help us to be successful at getting up the hill. Try trusting someone close to you who is trying to help you … if you will let go and listen.

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February 4, 2010 · 5:59 pm

What Are Others Seeing that Makes an Impression Worth Following?


Pillars of Influence

Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.(Viktor E. Frankl )

While we have little control over circumstances or the actions of others, we control our reactions to them. And anyone can learn how to think more positively and operate with an attitude, regardless of circumstances, temperament, or intellect. The way in which one chooses to cross the transitions in life determines whether they fall or get to the other side. Believing you can reach the immediate goal and having a sure footing will enable continuance but also success at leading people to do the same, here are some things to think about:

Who Do You Act Like?

To start thinking positively, begin by positively. Most people wait until they feel like it before taking action, but that’s going about it backwards. Instead, you’ve got to act your way into thinking. By putting desires into action, you can establish a of thinking correctly and the result is a positive way of acting that reflects that we intend to succeed. If you tend to think negatively, break that habit by choosing to have and exhibit a plan that is focused on the goal and the outcome of actions. Our actions reflect an attitude that we can and will … What will acting this way do this do? Besides improving your personal well-being, you’ll model the actions you want your followers to take as well. As they see your commitment to being positive, they’ll follow your example.

To reap a successful harvest, a farmer doesn’t plant seeds and then just expect them to grow on their own. He must continually water, weed, fertilize and nurture the growing plants if he wants them to reach maturity. Likewise, if we want a successful life, we need to spend time every day nurturing our attitude. We must nourish the seeds of positive thinking, or they won’t grow. And if we don’t pay attention to our crop, weeds of negative thinking will spring up and choke the positive plants until they die.

Focus On What is Positive and Brings a Successful Outcome.

Don’t feed the weeds. It does make a difference what we think about and how we view our life. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good report … think on these things“

Pay Attention to What is Happening Around You.

Have you noticed that whenever you buy a new car, you suddenly see others driving that same model everywhere? I’m sure you’ve figured out that those other cars were there all along; you just weren’t looking for them before. Now that you have that particular car yourself, your eye is trained to notice it.

Realize that Beliefs Drive Perception: People see what they‘re prepared to see.

That’s why it’s so important to train yourself to look for the best in others. There is good in the worst of us and bad in the best of us, if we look for it hard enough. So whether you notice positive traits or imperfections depends almost entirely on what you to see. When we consciously look for the best in people, we allow their good traits to have a positive impact on our life and leadership.

Understand the Creativity Leads to Productivity.

You might believe that great ideas come only to the geniuses of the world. But in reality, discovering an idea is more a function of attitude than aptitude. An open-minded, creative person looks for ideas anywhere he can find them. He considers every option and doesn’t reject anything until he’s thoroughly examined it for any good he can find. Thomas Edison, one of the world’s great inventors, discovered some of his best inventions after other ideas went wrong, and he found another use for them. In fact, that’s exactly what happened with the phonograph. If you keep an open mind and explore every idea presented to you, your people will follow your example. And the new ideas you discover together will contribute to your success. Many people tend to take attitude for granted. They assume that they’re stuck with the attitude that they have. Yet your outlook on life, as well as that of your people, can be changed. And the impact of positive thinking is so significant that it deserves regular attention. Take an attitude inventory today, and set yourself on the right track of thinking. Before you can change your world, you must first change the way you look at it.

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January 28, 2010 · 3:21 pm

The Value of Weakness


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“Whatever brings you to your knees in weakness carries the greatest potential for your personal success and spiritual victory.”When I am weak, then I am strong.” These words, taken from Paul’s writings in 2 Corinthians, bring thoughts of contradiction. How can we be strong, when we are weak? How can we function, when it feels as though our world will break and fall apart? Shouldn’t we try to hold everything together, not letting anything slip beyond our control, our rescue, or our grasp? None of us can escape the pressures of life. Most of us know what it feels like to be disappointed. We know the painfulness of embarrassment, the sting of rejection, and the sorrow of failure. Regardless of the level of control we have over our lives, there always comes a time when the stove-top settings end up on high and lids come boiling off the pots and pans. What pots are boiling out-of-control in your life? Is there a financial need? Maybe there is a relationship problem you are facing, and your prayer each night before you turn off the light is for God‘s wisdom and guidance in handling it. Countless people have physical needs that go far beyond what many of us can imagine. Regardless of what your situation is, you can trust this principle: whatever brings you to your knees in weakness carries the greatest potential for your personal success and spiritual victory. No one enjoys feeling weak, whether it is emotionally, spiritually, or physically. There is something within the human spirit that wants to resist the thought of weakness. Many times this is nothing more than our human pride at work. Just as weakness carries a great potential for strength, pride carries an equally great potential for defeat. It cannot co-exist with God’s Spirit of love and humility. Pride was Satan’s downfall, and it is the one element that must be removed if we want to experience the peace that comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. As long as pride is involved, there will be a distance between you and God. This happens because pride resists the loving nature of God. It can’t stand to be humbled, and this is the very thing God calls us to be. (James 4:6; 1 Peter 3:8) Instead of moving you toward God, pride separates you from Him by tempting you to be strong in your own strength and not in the strength of Christ. Paul learned a valuable lesson in this area. God allowed him to be buffeted by a severe trial in order to humble him and remove the potential for pride. (2 Corinthians 12:7) As a young man he was trained by one of the greatest scholars in Jewish thought and culture. He understood the elements of the law and practiced them with great zeal. Yet when he came face to face with Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road his life was changed. He no longer viewed the world around him through human eyes. God gave him spiritual insight that far surpassed anything he had known. Still, he had to be broken further so that God could use him in an even greater way.

Like everyone else, Paul faced temptation. He was not spared affliction. One in particular was severe enough for him to pray three times for its removal. Later, he recorded its existence in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. It was through this time of weakness that Paul learned a new principle: weakness is strength. Frailty in a certain area is not something that should bring embarrassment. When we are humbled before God, He sees the meekness of our hearts and sends His strength and blessings into our lives. ;”Even though Paul could have listed many personal accomplishments, he chose to tell his audience what he believed was the key to experiencing a victorious life, and that was in accepting his weakness so that the strength of Christ might live fully in him. He was writing about living a completely surrendered life to Jesus Christ. “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (v. 9). We are called to be strong in Christ. Our strength is not within our ability or ourselves. It is in Christ who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:19) God knows until we come to the end of ourselves there is little chance we will turn over the reins of our lives to Him. He has given you a limited free will. This means that at any time He can step in and put a stop to a problem or a certain course you have chosen to take. Many times, He does not do this because He wants you to see that on your own you will struggle and fall, but in Him you will have strength and victory. We do not know the trial that Paul was facing. He called it a “thorn in the flesh.” In the Greek, the word thorn means a stake used for torturing or impaling someone. This was not a gentle infliction. It was painful. He writes that he was buffeted by it, indicating that the trial was either ongoing or recurring.

When Paul felt he could no longer withstand the blows leveled against him, God reassured him that His grace, the grace of God, is sufficient for anything he faced. There are several ways you can respond to trials. You can blame others or even God for your circumstances. You can become bitter and resentful; you can give up and end up fighting feelings of depression; grit your teeth and strive to keep all the lids perfectly on the pots, even though the heat is turned up on high; or you can surrender your desire to control your life and let God take care of you. Weakness has the ability to bring you to the end of yourself.It is there, you realize your need for someone greater. Only Jesus Christ can calm the storm that is battering your life. Only He can provide the wisdom you need to stand and not fall in times of temptation. Obedience and commitment are two key principles for spiritual success. When we submit our lives to Jesus Christ we are telling Him that we are ready to obey His commands. This is an indication that we are committed to Him and seek to lay down our human desires in return for an eternal perspective. Submission is a tough command, and you cannot do it without the help of Christ.If we disobey the Lord, He will allow us to hurt until our wills are broken. Painful as it is, experiencing a season of adversity may be the only way many will relinquish their need for control over their lives.
However, trials are not always a result of sin, they come to strengthen us and fit us for God’s service. Submission to Jesus Christ is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of holy allegiance, or great internal strength, power, and peace. God’s goal is for you to be weak from a human perspective but strong from a spiritual one. It is then that He fills your life with a resilient strength far beyond the comprehension of this world.

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