Citizens of the Kingdom

A couple thoughts from Peter Block in his book Community that I think will be helpful. (Peter's a consult for businesses and as far as I know is not a believer. I say this because I'm fascinated by a business guy who writes a book named "community".)

He's language is citizen. and the goal or him is citizenship. (If you'd prefer you can exchange it for disciple)

A citizen is one who is willing to do the following:
+ Hold oneself accountable for the well-being of the larger collective of which we are a part.
+Choose to own and excercise power rather than defer or delegate it to others.
+Enter into a collective possibility that gives hospitable and restorative community its sense of being.
+Acknowledge that community grows out of the possibility of citizens. Community is build not by specialized expertise, or great leadership, or improved services; it is built by citizens.
+Attend to the gifts and capacities of all others, and act to bring the gifts of those on the margin into the center.
(Peter Block, Community page 65)

This is going to take some time to process frankly, but our goal would be to function as pastor who enables an environment in which citizens (disciples) can happen.

What do you think?

Peter Block

So I bump into my friend Wade on a weekly basis at a coffee shop we both frequent. Last week he introduced me to a book by Peter Block and his ideas.

Listen. You can't let the sun go down without buying a reading the link below by this guy or buying one of his books. It is brilliant.


Link

If that link doesn't work try this one. Then download the Civic Engagement file. Page 6 is my favorite.

After you read it. Come back and thank me.

Youth Ministry Consulting

I started the Riddle Group 3 years ago today. I've done this full time since then. During that time I've experienced the joy of using my gifts to encourage and support local church leaders. I am excited about what the next 3 years will be like for the Riddle Group. I feel like I've found my rhythm and have seen God work the situations we've been invited into. Along the way we've never advertized. We pray for folks, we've initiated one-on-one conversations and we've seen churches transformed by what God can do in a church that wants to see great things in their youth ministry.

Since the beginning I've been committed to only working with churches who want to change. We don't sell ourselves to anyone. This has come with obvious pro's and con's, but we remain committed to this strategy. You want to change, we can help. But we aren't going to convince you that you need it. I hope that I am living and leading the RG generously. There is plenty of need for youth ministry consulting to go around. I'm also confident that no one does what the Riddle Group does, as well as we do it. It's with this spirit of generosity and confident and trust that I want to share with you some other folks who do this kind of thing. That I trust.

Jonathan Reitz is a Riddle Group consultant who has recently started his own full time initiative. Jonathan is a great consultant and coach.

Mark DeVries is one of the most humble guys I know. He's been doing consulting for a long time and was gave me amazing advice as I started the Riddle Group (and before). His company is named Youth Ministry Architects. Here's link. Save it. Architects is hard to spell.

Bill Easum blows stuff up. He's founded Easum Bandy and Associates years ago and is a great guy. I run into a lot of his clients who are looking for youth ministry consulting too. It's good to partner in an informal way with Easum Bandy.

If you are looking for consulting, give these guys a call, or we at the Riddle Group would be humbled to help you. These folks will all take care of you.

Full Plate

Things that I need to give attention to this week:
- Riddle Group (working with 4 different churches this week)
- New Church (impossibly long list of things to do)
- Writing - (Editing the second book is underway)
- Emergent Cohort (organization of)
-Family Stuff
What am I forgetting?

Exciting Day and I'm tired

I woke up this morning and caught a plane to Dallas to meet with Mark Matlock and David Welch of Wisdom Works. It was a productive meeting about the future or both our organizations. Lot's of potential and I'm excited about what it holds for us. We're developing two consultant training modules that will be really exciting for veteran youth workers looking to make a difference in their part of the world. It's something I've been hoping to do for quite a while and has a lot of potential for supporting youth pastors and local churches around the country. Mark and David are super sharp guys and I'm humbled to get to work with them. more later.. (But if you are interested ... let me know)

anyway I'm tired. My 8:00pm flight is delayed until 10:45pm. ugh! I'm tired and not feeling 100% and I'm ready to be back in Tulsa.

Views on Managing Ministry

If you supervise people as a Senior Pastor, a Youth Pastor or in your business chances are you manage one of these ways. Each of these mindsets directs your actions.

Mindset:
Status Quo - "Everything is fine. What we do and the way we do it don't need to change."

Action: Nothing changes, nothing is evaluated, we never look beyond, or outside our current reality. This manager ignores voices for change, because they see no real need for change. They truly believe everything is ok the way it is.


Mindset:
Ministry by Control - "We deliver great ministry, by keeping bad ministry from happening. Great programs, led by great people with mistakes weeded out before we start."

Action:

Folks with this mindset are micromanagers. They seek perfect ministry and mistake free programs as the way to effectively minister. This mindset drives them to control the process down the smallest details. If it's a pastor, he gives the go ahead for each song the youth pastor wants to sing, gives the thumbs up or down for the topics that will be discussed. Additionally, these folks drive people away, but never are able to see that they are part of the problem.

Mindset:
Ministry by Responsive Service - "We will never have a perfect ministry, but we will do what ever our people want and need from us."

Action:
Ministers who work like this may not be organized, but they make up for it in pleasing people. Mistakes will happen and while striving to make a congregation happy, he/she may also loose the trust of the staff they are leading. The action leads them in many directions at once and causes them to be reactionary. Staff view this as trying to follow the wind and they view it as unsafe. No one wants to work for someone who wants to make other people happy at a staff persons expense. (or the visions)


Mindset:
Ministry thru a better process - "We will establish objective tools to more efficiently develop a consistant desired outcome with as few variations as possible."

Action: This is a popular approach by progressive churches who hire business folks to lead them. Large churches, especially multi-site churches do this so that ministry is uniform, effecient and that each venue, or expression is consistent with the home church. While these ministers/leaders can make changes on a dime, and have consistent product (usually what they are hoping for) it means they have little use for context, and input from those further down the line. The product is king, and people become carefully screened and selected cogs in a machine to produce the product. People who work in these environments may love being a part of the energy the church, but tire fo not being valued as a human being.

Mindset:
Total Ministry - Ministry is the transformation in the way we think, work, live and minister together and is a reflection of what we value, how we reward (or discourage) and how we measure what successful ministry is.

Action:
What do you think the action is for this mindset?

San Diego - NPC

San Diego was a good trip. I met with about 15 Pastors from all over the country for an hour each on Wednesday and Thursday. I'm humbled to meet with these folks. It's good for me. I was telling Scott Kail, the other consultant onsite and general rockstar, that I hope that I have the thirst for insight and direction that these folks have when I get into my 50's and 60's.

I ate off diet twice. Uno deep dish pizza was soo good. So was California Pizza Kitchen. Hanging out in John Raymond's suite I grabbed a handfull of M n M's but was immediately spotted by Tony Jones who called me out and then Doug Pagitt (sitting next to me on the couch) reached out his long arms and demanded them. It was good accountability. Doug ate them for me.

I'm looking forward to being at NPC next year.

NPC Day one

I arrived today at the National Pastors Convention. I'm doing some work with YS providing consulting for pastors who are looking for support with their youth pastors or youth ministries.

A couple things on my mind.

The Big Girl Bed
First, Mikayla is in a big girl bed. Tonight is her third night in it. I've put her to bed the past two nights.
Night #1 I put her back in bed 94 times. Supernanny eat your heart out.
Night #2 I put her back in bed 21 times.
Tonight... Pam gets to put her to bed. Pam has a bad back, so I'm praying it goes well.

My Right Knee
My right knee hurts. I've agitated my hammy and it makes my knee ache. Advil is my friend.

Sun
The weather here is great.

Friends
I've run into several friends this evening. I'm rooming with my friend Scott Kail. I've run into Kyle Meador, Shelley and Doug Pagitt, DAn Kimball, John Raymond, John Frye, Tic Long and several other YS staffers.

National Pastors Convention

I'll be in San Diego for the National Pastors Convention next month. I'll be providing consulting for church leaders (Senior Pastors and Executive Pastors) for the convention. If you are planning on being there, or if you live in the area let's connect!

mark@theriddlegroup.com