A few years ago I asked a few people to help me see myself as “pastor” and “leader”. Through the process of that three month conversation I made a number of commitments that I revisit often and fail even frequently. Here’s where I’m at with these:
- I open myself to lead within the context of loving relationships.
- I open myself to receive personal criticism as a sober gift and to search it for God’s invitation.
- I open myself to not to teach or preach if I cannot interact with people.
- I open myself to ask more questions and make observations inviting participation rather than give answers.
- I open myself to let my life authenticate my voice.
- I open myself to hear, see, know and learn from Christ in others.
- I open myself to missionally link beyond what I see as safe today.
- I open myself to decrease, to become less and to celebrate others more.
- I open myself to ask for forgiveness when I wrong, to love when wronged, and to regularly express my need of others.
- I open myself to love my limitations.
- I open myself to be open seeing God where I might least expect him – “You never know.”
- I open myself to introduce chaos when I feel most secure.
- I open myself to respond to the many and varied actions my communities call forth from me.
- I open myself to hold any sense of vision with humble suspicion.
peace, dwight
leading postures
Wow. Challenging commitments! Introducing chaos into the places of security and linking to people that dont feel safe seem escpecially hard.