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Leadership and management studies are a hobby of mine.  In my retirement a thought will often strikes me in a new way – sometimes with clarity that has taken 60 years to mix and mingle!

The church has often been called the army of God.  For that reason, many have balked at the idea that church meetings are just social clubs.  “The mission is primary.”  We have a great commission which guides our working together, and quells uprisings that could be seen as antisocial or unloving.

For some, the principle of a kingdom has become increasingly prominent in the church.  This is a group of people who join around affinity to a king.  Rebels may arise, and they are invited to leave the kingdom or suffer consequences.  One might call this a social club.

You can walk into a church and sense the overall atmosphere.  Driven churches are program oriented – empathetic churches are people driven.

A well rounded church needs both sides.  The currency of Jesus’ kingdom is balanced – sometimes the coin toss shows one side or the other.  But if we forget that there are two sides, we will set aside our mission or fail to love others.  Neither is acceptable.

I find David Timms to be one of those bloggers who put often read and understood cultural and biblical thoughts into a new light.  His latest blog is an example.  Just a peak read – the rest of the blog is found at https://davidtimms.wordpress.com/2017/01/07/the-gate-of-the-year/

“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” That seems a reasonable and fair prayer. But Minnie Haskins, in her famous poem quoted by King George VI, knew that what we need is not light and understanding, but trust and Presence. Our lives are not transformed by clarity but by confidence. Some of us, of course, believe that clarity is what breeds confidence. But our hope is in the Lord, not any certainties about circumstances.

So, I’m listening to James K. A. Smith lecture at various colleges and universities.  I can almost gauge what will come next.

This is both security and boredom. 

I know where his next steps will take him.  I can probably tell his next story.  There is a sense of home to what he says.  I’ve heard it before, I hope to hear the same thing again.  Yesterday, today, tomorrow, James K. A. Smith is the same.

On the other hand, I get kind of bored because I know what is coming next.  I’d like to hear some new revelation, some new approach to the old world around us.  Are there no new stories to illustrate the point?

And the point is, my head rehearses what he says – over and over even after the video is done.  And my heart subconsciously dissects what is said, finding place where the peace of the video becomes more than just talk and delivery, but becomes weighted heaviness within my soul, a place that anchors my virtues and my character.  As I continue in this whole life reflection on what has been repeated over and over, I’m coming to a deep seated sense of my own inclinations.  I can’t explain it all yet, neither can I live just on the feeling that this is right.  Somewhere in between, I’m finding a wholeness that is born out through repetition.

Long paragraph to say- the dough is best stirred more than once!

Well, the weather is cool out today.  Deep freeze cool!

At the local grocery store, I was heading out the door into the sub-zero weather.  Trails of hoary breath could be seen emitting from exiting shoppers.  Branches were laden down with crystalline ice.

A slight eavesdropping moment occurs.

“What are you going to be doing today?”

“I’m going home to chill.”

And here I thought life was already cool enough!!!