It’s an exercise in being out of control. Corporately… Nationally… World-wide-ly.
Out of control.
We’ve never been here before!
Coronavirus. From a news feed from a distant city in China to National Emergency at home. Quarantines. Daily updates. Closed schools and restaurants.
Social distancing… now common to our collective vocabulary.
We’ve never been here before!
The stock market! Down ⅓! From a tribe of “wise investors” in the American economy to “who would have thought…”
We’ve never been here before!
Just like you and your congregational leadership, we’re making contingency plans today to replace yesterday’s contingency plan.
Learning communities are being postponed. We’re looking at contingencies to offer them online. We’re preparing to take all of our training to our digital platform (like 1000 Young Leaders) if necessary.
How quickly the shift!
I’m particularly prone to drift toward the perception of Invincible…until I’m not!
Some simple reflections:
- Nebuchadnezzar was invincible, and then he was not! (Daniel 1-4)
- Pharaohs were invincible, and then they were not! (Genesis 41 and Exodus 1-14)
- Saul of Tarsus was invincible, and then he was not! (Acts 9)
- Goliath was invincible, and then he was not! (1 Samuel 17)
- Mordecai was invincible, and then he was not! (Esther)
- Ninevah was invincible, and then it was not! (Jonah)
- Kings Herod were invincible, and then they were not! (Matthew 2, Luke 23, Acts 12)
Contrast that with:
- Daniel, who was convinced, but had no control.
- Joseph in prison and later Moses in exile were convinced, but had no control.
- Paul the Apostle (no longer in control and invincible) with a changed heart convinced. but had no control.
- Shepherd boy David…no armor…just sling and stones…absolutely convinced, but had no control.
- Queen Esther (“for such a time as this”) defending the Jews convinced “if I die I die,” out of control.
- Jonah was slow to be convinced and experienced three days of “out of control” in the belly of the fish.
- The wise men, Jesus, Peter exceptionally convinced but exercised no control.
Let me guess. The program “backpack” around your congregation is suddenly lighter than it was a week ago?
Here’s a crash course in Unlearning and Relearning.
In many ways, we’re struggling just like you in trying to adapt to a place where we’ve never been before. Is it a momentary blip? What are the lingering long-term implications and effects?
We take comfort together that the God who covenanted together with Abraham to provide and protect when he was called, “Leave your country, your family and your father’s home for a land I will show you,” (Genesis 12:1) is the same One who covenanted together with us in our Baptisms and declared us to be His own.
If I could offer a simple question: How do you gain a posture of confidence…convinced confidence…while being increasingly out of control?
We’re blessed to be in the journey together with you and your leaders.
