What Does It Mean?

I live on fairly nice little street in a smaller little dead end neighborhood.  You can't really drive through my neighborhood and get to another one.  All roads into my neighborhood start from the same road and lead out to the same road out.  The houses are modest, most lawns are well kept, and many have flowers in the yards, bird feeders among the landscape, swings on porches, patio furniture in the yard. 

What does it mean to live there?

It means I mow my lawn and weed the flower beds.  I trim the trees and rake the leaves.   It means I take in the mail and take the trash to the curb.  Empty bins are returned back to the house.  I repair the sidewalk and keep it clear. 

But what does it mean to live there?

I live among people, families, couples, children, and singles.  So I'm polite to my neighbors; I wave in passing, play my music low and observe the boundaries between our yards.  I've learned their names, returned the wrongly delivered mail. 

But what does it mean to live among them?

I'm a follower of the Forgiver who just happens to work at a church. 

So what does it mean to live there?  The same thing it means for every follower of the Forgiver.    It means that living there is more that mowing the lawn, being polite and learning names.  It means that living there is a part of my calling, my place of service, my purpose. 

It means that living there is a vital part of the advancing the kingdom.  It means I have a role to discover in the relationships of those around me, friendships to be develop, and lives to be shared.  It means I have a savior to be unveiled, a light to be lived out, love to be demonstrated, truth to be shown. 

What does it mean that you live where you live?

The same thing.

The Man in the Window

What's on the Scroll?

I was reading in Psalms this morning, Psalm 40 to be specific, and I was hit with another one of those leadership moments. I was struck by the wording of verses 7-10.

7 Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-
it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

What a powerful thought. David understood that on a scroll before God things about him were already written. A godly leader is always aware that a record is being kept of not just deeds and accomplishments, but a scroll detailing character and habits is perpetually being written before God. As I sit in the window at the coffeehouse I ponder, "What was written on the scroll about me?"

David knew the character of his heart and life were reflected there.

· I desire to do your will.
· Your law is within me.
· I stand for righteousness.
· I speak of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

What would be written about me on the scroll? What would be written about you?

Every leader who follows the Forgiver should remember this truth. There is writing on the Scroll.

The Man in the Window

Running in the Face of Challenge

I got asked how my "Couch to 5K" running program is working.  I admit I'm learning a lot about myself.  For instance, I know I can run for over 25 minutes without stopping. Now I admit I'm not setting a blistering pace, but I'm running.  I know that I can run and not have my old knees give out.  I know that it takes a determined effort to start, and that getting going seems harder than I expected.  But as I've begun to run longer distances (well longer for me), one of those leadership principles is jumping to my mind.

You see, this week I've begun to run 2.1 miles without stopping.  Okay, it's not a great distance for runners, but for me it's the first time since I was in the military 34 years ago that I've run that far.  And considering that I only had to do it once in the military, 2.1 miles seems like a huge hurdle.  Just the thought of it is overwhelming.  As I set out it seems insurmountable.
 
But I've discovered a secret that works for me.  I have the IPod loaded with uplifting, inspiring music, but that isn't enough.  My secret to running in the face of this bigger challenge is this-I spend a lot of time looking at the ground right in front of me.  I watch the sidewalk, the road, the trail about 10 feet in front of me.  I glance up occasionally and see my progress, but most of the time my head is down and I'm watching the road.  I run 2.1 miles, 10 feet at a time. 

Leadership is often like that.  A leader will face challenges and hurdles.  More often than we would like, those hurdles and challenges seem huge, insurmountable, overwhelming.  Staring at them can be flat out discouraging and defeating.  But real leaders know the secret of facing challenges and hurdles-set your face and keep running.  You keep plugging away bit by bit, step by step.  You look up occasionally and judge the distance to the overall goal, and then you put your head back down and run on.  Building, analyzing, recruiting, modeling, implementing, evaluating, organizing, defining, detailing, equipping, encouraging, we run on-step by step toward the goal.

Proverbs put it this way, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. "

Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV

Staring into the face of some big challenges?  Put your head down and run on.

The Man in the Window

NEWS

NEW KINGDOM ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE.  On Thursday evening, after months of meetings, forums, discussions and prayer it became offical.  On August 1st Sandusky Allaince Church will cease it's ministry.  The remnant will merge with Norwalk Alliance Church in a New Kingdom Advance Initiative targeting the an overlooked demographic.  31% of families in Sandusky are led by single mothers.  28% led by two parent families undereducated and underemployed.  We're targeting that demographic.  Pray for the core as it seeks the Father's will.

Bruce D. Rzengota
Norwalk Alliance Church

Prayer is not preparation for the battle, it is the battle.

Simple Lessons

I never cease to be amazed at how easy it is to stumble over our tongue.  Using it can lead to encouragement and relationship and at the same time it can be used in ways that lead to hurt and alienation.  Someday, it will be great to be far beyond the times when I trip over my tongue.  God continue to tame my tongue.

the man in the window

My wife and I headed for Mansfield on Saturday. Planning on spending an enjoyable day at a matinee and browse through our favorite bookstore, we settled in for some good conversation on the drive. As we headed south out of town I glanced down at the dashboard and noted we were "Running on Empty."

I admit the lyrics to Jackson Browne Hit from my teen years ran through my mind.

Running on, running on empty

It's interesting how long I'm willing to let the car run on empty. The warning light wasn't on yet, though I expected it to come on at any time. On the country roads we were taking there were few gas stations along our route. The few that we would come across would likely be higher in price that those in Mansfield, so I determined to just keep (sing it with me) "Running on, running on empty."

In order to just keep running on empty I had to put a few significant possibilities out of my mind.

Running out of Gas was a distinct possibility. The consequences of Running out of Gas would be significant. Not only would there be the loss of time, but I could find myself walking to a gas station in the cold and rain. But it was only 35 miles to Mansfield, so why not just press on.

It's interesting how much running on empty consumed my thoughts as we traveled. Every few miles I looked at the gauge. Still no warning light. We had to be just about on fumes. But even as I came upon gas stations, I ignored the empty gauge and kept driving.

Thinking about it this morning as I sat in the window at the coffee house I realized how easy it had been to ignore the emptiness. I was aware of it. I know there could be consequences, but I just pressed on. Sometimes I realized how much I can be like that spiritually "Running on Empty." Ignoring the emptiness that has crept into my life, I just keep pressing on as though it didn't matter. Sure I know there are possible consequences when we run on empty. But it's too easy to ignore them.

Consequences like:
I get more impatient
I lack compassion
I'm more vulnerable to temptation
I begin to act like I'm entitled to special favor
I'm cynical
I'm critical
I'm disobedient, distant from God
Running on empty is a problem maybe a big problem waiting to happen.

Been running on empty lately? Just hoping that you don't experience problems?

This leader has been reminded once again how important it is to avoid "Running on Empty."

Jackson Browne penned it this way.
I don't know where I'm running now, I'm just running on
Running on, running on empty
Running on, running blind
Running on, running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Paul said it this way.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

How are you running this week?

Trickle Charge

I own a 500 Piaggio automatic motorcycle. I purchased it a few years ago to help with the ongoing gas crunch we were feeling as prices at the pump soared. I ride it from April well into November and occasionally have even ridden it on an unseasonably warm day in December or March.
Last Thursday on April 1st I went to ride and discovered that my battery was dead. It was my own fault. Being out of town and then country so much over the last two months, I had never thought of starting the bike and getting it charged.

No big deal (I thought). I'll simply give it a jumpstart and be off (right).

Challenge #1: I had no idea where the battery was. After opening every accessible compartment, looking through each service port on the fairing and fenders I still had no Idea where it was.

Challenge #2: I had to locate the owner's manual and seek the information I needed on how to get access to the battery. That would also necessitate locating my reading glasses. A quick read later (not hardly - the Italian owner's manual was not organized in what seemed like a logical way) I discovered the battery was under the tail light compartment.

Challenge #3: To get access to the tail light compartment and the battery, I had to remove the rear hard top stage carrier. Of course since this was an add-on accessory, the owner's manual didn't cover its removal. 20 bolts, four screws and 30 minutes later, I had access to the tail light cover.

There it was, the battery. Success was in sight. I took a 2 amp trickle charger and hooked it up to the terminals. Six hours later, I tested the battery. Fully charged. I tried the starter, and the engine turned over and started.

Success.

I recently spent a month in West Africa,
working with Teams from the US Alliance, the Canadian Alliance, HCJB Global, international workers and indigenous workers doing the same thing (sort of). In the midst of a country locked in darkness as team of individuals installed a radio satellite relay station to allow the Holy Spirit trickle charge access to the land.

To get it hooked up required facing numerous challenges, lost luggage, delayed tools, three cases of heat exhaustion, one broken arm, average weight loss per man was 12 pounds. But in the end, the switch was flipped and it worked.

For all those who went, who gave, who prayed, who stood in the gap, who picked up the ministry pieces at home, the labor was not in vain. In Paul's words, "We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NIV