I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING BUT FAIL: So Try Parasailing in a Windstorm – by Stan Toler
Stan Toler uses a humorous approach to remind us of our God who can do amazing things. He focuses in on the amazing things God does in and through us with chapters like: Chapter 1: God Can Love Me Even When I Don’t Write on His Facebook Wall, Chapter 4: God Can Heal Me Even When the Doctor Shakes Her Head and Walks Away, or Chapter 5: God Can Guide Me Even When the Lady on My GPS Has Laryngitis. He reminds us that God can do amazing things, but we have a role to play too, “If you want to mature in Christ, you have to surrender all you have and all you are to Him every single day.” (p. 66) He reminds us that God is at work, and we are invited into relationship with Him, joining Him in what He is doing in the world.
Roundabouts and Traffic Circles are similar in that they help keep traffic moving without forcing anyone to come to a complete stop. I was pretty nervous the first time I encountered traffic circles. There were not any traffic circles in the small town where I learned to drive. I knew how to come to stop, watch for traffic, and then proceed. The idea that I was supposed to merge into this moving traffic and then leave the circle at the right spot was a little unnerving. I have since learned the benefits of traffic circles and roundabouts.
Roundabouts have become more common in the province where I live, not just traffic circles in the congested areas of a city but also at major intersections on highways. These have replaced 4-way stops, allowing traffic to keep moving. Traffic must slow down, yet doesn’t need to stop completely, which I’m sure large trucks appreciate especially. They don’t have to come to a complete stop and then get their heavy load moving again.
This made me think of how sometimes churches or organizations need to make wholesale changes to deal with problems that negatively affect them. Do they need to come to a complete stop or can they make changes on the fly? I’m reminded of observing how some hockey teams who are no longer winning regularly try to make changes. Some give up and trade away any player of value to try to do a complete restart. Others make significant tweaks in their organization without losing seasons to a restart. A roundabout is an example of making changes as you keep moving forward.
When churches have suffered a loss of member for an extended period, it becomes clear that changes need to be made. Often, if they have lived in denial for too long, they will need to come to a complete stop and start over. In some situations, a complete stop means a change of pastoral staff and a period of renewing vision and resetting strategy. In some situations the complete stop means completely stopping all functions of the church, even closing the doors for a brief period of time in order to start a new work down the road.
Like a roundabout, slowing down is preferable to the complete. Yes, the church must slow down. Maybe there are programs that need to be shut down or reworked completely. A pastoral transition might be required. Often someone outside the church needs to come and coach the church through to a better future. The church stops almost all activity for a time, while still maintaining regular Sunday worship services and a physical presence in the community. The church doesn’t come to a complete stop but slows down enough to consider the reality of what they are facing.
Most roundabouts have at least three alternatives for drivers to leave the circle. You may leave the roundabout at the exit that keeps you going straight ahead, or you can take a turn to the right or left. A church too, needs to consider if some simple realigning is all that is needed, and they can keep moving ahead in the direction they were already going. On the other hand, it may be the time to take a turn a little to the right or left. A complete stop is not required, but some restructuring on the fly may mean a change in vision and replacing some programs with others that fit better with the new vision and the current culture of the church and its community.
Like my first experiences with traffic circles, when a church realizes it needs to change, trying something new can be quite unnerving. Hopefully though, most churches will recognize that slowing down to make changes can help them avoid a complete stop.
Church leaders, be willing to adjust your vision and programming when necessary. Church members, work with your leaders as they guide you to a better future. Trust God to guide you as you ask Him to help you make the right changes.
I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.
THINKING, FAST AND SLOW – by Daniel Kahneman
As the title says, this book is about thinking. Slow and fast refers to the two systems Kahneman describes in the book. System 1 is like instinct. This is our automatic thinking system where we don’t have to exert any effort to know certain things like one object is bigger than another or that 2 + 2 = 4. This is learned thinking, by experience or by effort. System 2 is where we have to take time to ponder something in order to come up with the right answer. Our choices and decisions originate from system 2. The first part of the book and the explanation of how these two systems work, is the best part of the book. The rest of the book then works through various examples of how our understanding of these systems affects our everyday lives. A great book on thinking to make you think!
There were a few times this summer where I was driving in unfamiliar territory and realized too late that I should have taken an earlier turn. I was headed the wrong direction and unsure how to safely turn around. Many intersections have “No U Turn” signs, sometimes with just the symbol, other times with the words “No U Turn” also posted. I would have loved to just turn around and go back to the starting point.
In my experience working with churches in transition, I could have used No U Turn signs a few times. Some churches long for the “good old days.” There is a hope that if only they could get back to what they were like and the programs they ran some years ago, when the church was growing, then things would turn around in the church and it would start to grow again.
In my experience working with churches in transition, I could have used No U Turn signs a few times. Some churches long for the “good old days.” There is a hope that if only they could get back to what they were like and the programs they ran some years ago, when the church was growing, then things would turn around in the church and it would start to grow again.
The reality is a church cannot forget the last few years and the experiences they have gone through and just start over. Time moves on. Culture changes. The congregation changes, and so does the community around the church. Instead of looking backwards, the church must learn how to move forward with clarity and purpose.
I love working on vision with churches. I love to help them see the reality of today and the possibilities of tomorrow. Instead of churches looking back to a certain period of history as the high point for the church, I want them to see that God has great things in store for them, so the best times are still ahead. It may take some work, and prayer, and trusting God, but looking back will not help. I tell churches that as we work on vision, I do not expect there to be radical change from what has happened in the past and what is going on in the church at the present. Instead, I believe God has the church on a trajectory that may need some adjusting here and there but the future will generally be consistent with their history.
The same applies to our personal lives. Many of us can look back to certain periods of our life where we felt things were going really well. Looking back, those seemed like stress-free times, times of excitement and joy. As tempting as it may be to somehow replicate what we once had, life moves on. We have new experiences. We have new responsibilities and new relationships. As we grow our family and develop our careers, we can’t just drop all of that to return to a more carefree time. Instead, we need to find a way forward, to try new roads and look for what God is going to do in our lives in the future.
U-turns are tempting because they seem like a quick and easy fix. Let’s just get back there and try again. This is usually not an option if we are leading a church or setting direction for our personal future. Time moves on like water under a bridge. Our past is not a static thing we can return to. We need to keep looking ahead.
The reality of being human is that we cannot start over. Yes, we can come back to some original principles to live by. We can reorient ourselves to God and His Word. We can re-establish guidelines for our life that served us well in the past, but we cannot remove history and start over. Sometimes a map directory in a mall has a little icon stating “you are here” so you know where you are starting from. The reality is, we are where we are. Now we need to know how to move on from here. We cannot change the past, but we can make changes for our future.
May God help us to learn from the past and keep moving ahead. U-turns to an earlier period in our life or in our church are not possible. Keep moving ahead.
I noticed a driver sitting at an intersection, treating a merge lane like a stop sign. There was an open lane in front of her, but she was stopped, waiting for the traffic to end. She did not seem to understand that the lane she was about to enter was wide open. It was only as she entered the lane that she would be able to accelerate to the traffic speed and merge over into the lane she was hoping to get into. And at times I have done the same thing. I know I should merge but hesitate because it seems like there is no room, especially if I have not driven that road before.
Merge signs generally indicate two roads or lanes joining into one. Two common places these signs are used is at intersections where they assist in free flow turning and, on the highway, where a multiple lane highway narrows to one less lane. These signs alert drivers to cooperate and allow those in the lane that is ending to enter their lane.
There are two roles for drivers when encountering a merge sign that reminds me of two experiences in life.
ONE: Merging from one lane into the other
Some of us are cautious drivers. We do not want to force our way into traffic. It seems too dangerous to use the merge lane when others are going by at the speed limit – or faster. An introvert can relate.
This is how introverts often feel in life. Merging into new situations brings fear of the unknown. They do not want to force themselves into new situation or new relationships. It seems dangerous. The others already all know each other. Will they welcome me? It is tempting to not even try new situations or to get to know new people. What if it doesn’t work out well?
If we are caught in a merge lane in life and are hesitating to move over into the main flow of traffic, we need to recognize that the merge lane eventually ends, and with it, your opportunity to make friends with that person or try that new experience. Sometimes, as we hesitate, life moves on by. Do not be too afraid to try something new. And if it doesn’t work out, try something else. Push yourself to continue to learn and grow. It doesn’t matter whether we are introverts or extroverts, we need to develop perseverance to keep trying new things and looking for new friendships.
TWO: Allowing others to merge into my lane
I am not naturally a courteous driver – just ask my wife. I have to work at reminding myself to allow others into my lane and not just push ahead with no consideration for others.
Some of us need to learn how to consider the needs of others and allow them to merge into our lane. This applies to more than smooth and safe traffic. This applies to life as well. We need to be aware of those around us who are having a hard time fitting in. It may be at church, or at work, or even in our neighbourhood. We need to open our circles to others who need a place to connect.
Sometimes we get frustrated with people who are not aware or understanding of what we try to do as leaders. Slow adopters annoy us because we have a plan and want people to follow us at our pace. It may be that there needs to be space and time given for those who are still figuring out how to merge into your lane. Leadership requires clear communication of vision and patience for people to get it and move into pursuing it. Let’s learn to make room for others.
We need to make sure we do not treat merge signs as stop signs but slowly and steadily move into the traffic flow. We can ask God to give us determination to push ahead when we are scared, and ask God to give us patience for those who are slow to merge in.
On any road trip you take, you will pass signs warning about wildlife in the area – especially if you are in a rural area. These signs are intended to make you aware of the local wildlife because of the potential dangers you may face if you and your vehicle encounter them. These signs are used to keep you safe – both you and the wildlife. For me, these signs notify me of the possibilities of seeing some of the animals common in that area.
In many areas of Canada the danger comes in the form of deer or moose. Deer are dangerous because they move fast and can come across the road in front of you when you least expect them. I know. I have had an encounter with one that stopped us on the side of the highway and made us wait hours for a tow truck to haul us and our car home in the middle of the night. Moose are dangerous because they are so big. Hitting a moose might not just damage your vehicle but cause you injury as well.
I recently made a trip up to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There were many signs alerting us to the possibility of meeting bison on the highway. We did see some. Again, very big animals that would do a lot of damage to a car and its passengers if you were to hit one at highway speed. Majestic animals to watch, but not one you would want to hit.
Some signs are more unusual. There are signs near Lethbridge, in southern Alberta, warning of snakes crossing the road. I don’t think there would be much danger to a car if you hit one, but these signs are also to protect the snakes.
Speaking of protecting vulnerable animals, I like the signs that warn of ducks and geese crossing a road. Mama ducks and geese and their babies are very vulnerable. They have nothing to protect themselves with, and they are not very fast. The adults just head across the road and the little ones follow in a neat straight line. I remember recently just barely maneuvering around a mama leading her ducks.
So what might these road signs teach us?
They remind us of how unpredictable things can be. If you come around a corner, or pop over a hill, you have no idea what may be on the road. I have seen moose, elk, deer, antelope, bison, ducks and geese, coyotes, even a cow. I narrowly missed a horse on the road once driving late at night.
Life, and what we encounter, can be quite unpredictable. We don’t know when we may get a health scare. Even healthy people can have heart attacks or fall and break a bone. We often go through life as if we are in full control. We make plans. We dream and strategize. We have expectations. We think that if we work hard, it will all work out. Unless we have been surprised too many times.
Too many encounters with “wildlife” can make us paranoid. We are scared to drive at night, or too nervous to drive the speed limit. Instead of moving ahead with excitement and anticipation, we fear every next move, wondering when the next shoe will drop.
These wildlife warning signs can remind us that we are not in control of all that happens. There are always potential dangers lurking around every corner. But we do not need to be afraid.
We can be reminded that God is in charge. God is sovereign over all things. Nothing happens that God does not orchestrate, or allow. As we place our trust in him, we can move ahead with confidence. Not confident in our efforts or that everything will go exactly as we want, but that it will go exactly as God wants. Our confidence is in God. No matter what happens, he will walk with us. No matter what surprises we encounter in life or in business or as leaders in the church, we can trust that God is in charge, and he will direct our paths.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.
WE SPEAK: Proclaiming Truth in an Age of Talk – by Mike Baker, J.K. Jones, and Jim Probst
We Speak is laid out as a teaching chapter followed by five daily readings to keep the content in your mind over the week. The Discussion Guide at the back makes a book one could use for a small group or class setting. The authors remind us that “our message all these years later is still the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.” (p. 19) As followers of Jesus, we can say many things and talk about all of who God is and what Jesus has done, but the basic message comes down to what Jesus did in bringing us salvation. This is the message we have for others. We need to recognize the urgency of speaking the message, and the responsibility that is place by God on us to share that message. We may not feel qualified to speak, but we can all talk about the hope that we have. Let’s continue to speak.
We began the Summer Road Signs Series with speed signs. Now we’ll go to the opposite: stop signs. While moving forward and heading toward new adventures and new goals is exciting, there are times when we must stop. Eventually we have to take our foot off the gas, apply the brakes, and stop.
Stop signs remind us of a few things. Sometimes we need to stop because we are coming to an intersection, and other traffic may be coming through. If we don’t stop, we may be hit by other traffic. There are times when we need to slow down and stop in life. We have all kinds of distractions and frustrations and even opportunities coming our way all the time.
Sometimes we need to stop to just reset ourselves, to get our bearings. We need to remember to watch out for what is going on around us. Are there dangers we have been ignoring? Are there opportunities we have missed because we have been going forward with such passion and determination, we never recognized them? Slow seasons can give opportunity for us to stop and assess where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.
For ourselves and our families, stopping to spend time reconnecting is valuable. Summer can be busy chauffeuring kids to camp or swimming lessons or tutoring. It can fill up with family gatherings and other expectations. But take time to spend with your family doing very little except being together. Instead of working on another project or chasing another busy thing, slow down and just listen to each other and talk about each other’s dreams and desires, hurts and frustrations. Pause to listen to each other.
In our desire to move ahead, have we left people behind? Do we need to give time for our team to catch up with us? As pastors, we set vision and direction for our churches. Are we giving time for our teams and churches to capture that vision and move with us? As leaders, our jobs include thinking about our goals and our vision all the time, but the reality is that those lead have other things on their minds too. They are not necessarily prioritizing moving towards these goals at the pace we are. A stop sign may remind us to give time for those we lead to catch up.
A stop sign could be at a T-intersection where we need to choose right or left. In our desire to move ahead, there are times we need to stop to figure out our next direction. What’s next? Just blindly choosing a direction in order to keep going may take us in the opposite direction of where we should be heading. Even if you are confronted with two equally good options, the stop will give space to allow you decide which one to take.
A stop sign may also be a reminder to just pause. We all need, in biblical terms, an occasional sabbatical. When God created the world, the seventh day, the final day, was a day of rest. It was a time to recognize that the work that had been done was enough. It’s okay to stop. To rest from busyness and take a break. A sabbatical is a reminder that our worth is not found in what we produce or what we do. When the work stops, you are still loved by God and valued as a person, a child of His.
There is also value in having other “sabbath” times. Taking a vacation can be a sabbath as we stop doing and pursing and producing and enjoy the people around us and take pleasure in the world God has created.
Yes, it is fun to move ahead at full speed, but it is important to recognize the stop signs and take the important breaks that refresh and reorient us for the next part of our journey.
Enjoy the stops signs!
Keep looking up,
Andy Wiebe
P.S. Next week’s road signs: Watch for Wild Animals
I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.
HOPECASTING: Finding, Keeping and Sharing the Things Unseen – by Mark Oestreicher
As the title states, the book is about hope. Mark Oestreicher defines hope as: “Hope is faithful confidence that God continues to author a story that moves us from vision to action.” (p. 24) His belief is that hope is not something we work hard to get, but we can only have it as God gives it to us as we spend time with him. He describes a number of enemies of hope, each a distraction that takes our eyes off of hope to other things. I like how he shows that our role is to be Hope carriers to the world around us, already giving them a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven.
Are you in need of some hope? This is the book for you.
Many of us will be taking road trips over the summer. Maybe you already have. There are many signs along the road that guide our driving, so over the next two months, I will use these familiar signs as reminders of how we can live our lives and honour Jesus along the way.
I want to start with the sign that I think I like the most: speed signs. In Canada, these signs often show a maximum speed of 100km/h on the highway. I recently enjoyed a drive up to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. While I enjoyed the trip, I did not enjoy one large section of highway that was limited to 90 Km/h. When we are fortunate to travel on divided highways, we are allowed to drive 110 km/h. I like travelling in the U.S. because often the speed limit is even higher.
I like this sign because it is all about getting to where you want to go as fast as you can. This is not about taking a leisurely drive for no reason. The focus is on what is ahead. You don’t need your rearview mirror for this sign!
One of the joys of my job is to help churches look ahead with clarity and purpose. Yes, we do take time to look at the past and understand the present, but we do this to clarify vision, and ultimately look at where we are headed and how best to get there. It is forward thinking and forward planning. We have a destination in mind and develop a map to get us there in the best way possible. No matter what speed you are travelling at, it is all about moving ahead.
While we recognize the importance of brakes, we love using the gas pedal more. The goal is to keep moving forward as quickly as possible in order to get to the preferred future we have in mind.
We set the destination. We map out the route. Maybe, if it is a longer trip, we even plan where we will stop for meals or gas, or even an overnight stay in a hotel or with friends. With a church, this means setting some short-term goals that will help us move along to the final destination, while giving us a way to measure progress along the way. If we trust God for 10 new believers this year, it is helpful to set some goals as to how we will help friends and family become new believers in Jesus first. We need to set some more immediate goals that will help us share Jesus with people regularly, praying along the way that some of those we share with will come to know Jesus.
In our personal lives, these same reminders from speed signs might direct our thoughts to pursuing personal growth. Keep moving ahead looking for new experiences and new encounters with learning opportunities. Set personal goals that will move you in the right direction.
In my own life, this forward momentum is evident in my love for learning. When I finished high school, I attended a Bible College. I wanted to learn what I could to become equipped for Christian ministry. I thought I would be involved in fulltime camp work or some kind of Christian education. Halfway through my Christian Education degree, God spoke through a few people and adjusted my destination to be pastoral ministry specifically. I added an extra year of education so I could get my Pastoral Degree as well. As I began ministry, I wanted to keep learning. I began taking courses at a seminary level. I was in no rush to complete the degree, wanting only to keep learning, so it took me over 20 years to get my Masters of Arts in Leadership and Ministry. Presently I am applying for the opportunity to pursue a Doctorate of Ministry. I desire to keep moving forward, to keep growing as a person and as a pastor.
Speed signs are about moving ahead at the highest speed allowed. I encourage you to consider where you have been going slower than you should. Maybe God is asking you to pick up the pace and keep moving forward to what is next. Trust God to guide you as you look to him for the right destination to pursue.
Elevate with Andy 