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Living in Community

This week I had listened to a Defining Moments audio session from WIllow Creek on Willow's small group journey. One of the best things was hearing Bill Hybels describe one of his small group experiences, and hearing him share how rare deep biblical community can be.

Then last night the small group of which Betty and I are a part met. We are trying to keep meeting during the summer - but with all of our schedules it has been tough, so it had been a while since we were together. It was a special time. Coupled with what I had heard on the tape about how rare deep community can be, this morning I find myself very thankful to God for the blessing of our group! I know that no matter what was going on in my life they would be there for me. We pray for each other, care for each other, and share what God is doing in our lives together. It truly is what God designed relationships to be.

Thanks, God, for my small group!

Transformational Leadership

Today I am spending the day in a seminar taught by Jim Galvin on transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is all about leading people in such a way that their lives are transformed by your leadership. Amazing and challenging stuff!

Here's a question: Do you challenge those you lead to engage their brains and their creativity in what they do?

When I think about it, the leaders I have most loved were those that challenged me to stretch and gave me a chance to use my gifts. How about you?

What, Exaclty, Happened Here?

If I could go back in time and observe one location on the whole face of the earth, it would be the place pictured above. 

I'm pretty confident about some of what I would see - the building of the al-Aqsa Mosque (shown above) sometime around 700 AD. I'd see two temples built and destroyed - Solomon's and Herod's. I'd see Jesus teach in the courts of one of those temples. There would probably be a small church there in the 5th century, built by Emperor Constantine's mother. Maybe even a temple to Jupiter in between Solomon's and Herod's temples.

But there are people that believe I would see a lot more. Would I see Abraham climb that mount with Isaac - or Ishmael? Some would tell me I would watch Mohammed ascend into heaven from this spot. Some would even tell me that, if I went back far enough, I would see God himself shape Adam out of clay from this hill - and then rest from his creative labors on the seventh day. 

Isn't it amazing, though, that out of all the 500 million square kilometers of surface area on this planet, three of the world's major religions claim this one hill as the epicenter of their faith? I will never forget walking on that hill and pondering what the dirt beneath my feet had seen. 

We are in a new series at our church called, "The Star, the Cross, and the Crescent." It should be a great series, but somehow I wonder if we can communicate the depth of the mystery and amazing power of that place and the religions it represents.