Monthly Archives: November 2011

It’s the Monday after the Annual Meeting of the NWBC (the 64th or 65th annual meeting if I’ve counted correctly). Several observations: 1. it appears that the number of registered messengers grows a little smaller every year; 2. It seems that the average age of the attenders increases slightly every year; 3. the business sessions are over very quickly and without any significant questions. The past two years I have presented the budget on behalf of the Executive Board- the 2012 budget required a significant reduction in personnel – and there were no questions from the floor.Do people read the budget? Do they understand the budget? I was prepared for a healthy exchange of questions and answers… and was a little disappointed that there were no questions from the floor. The line up of speakers was one of the best we’ve had in the past few years. I did miss allowing the president an opportunity to speak on Tuesday evening as we’ve done in the past couple of years. But then having the opportunity to hear Wayne Cordeiro was worth the change. Having served on the Order of Business Committee in the past I must commend the current group for doing a superb job of planning. Having been on the Executive Board the past couple of years has given me a deeper understanding of all the details that must fall into place for a successful annual meeting. However (and you sort of knew that was coming…) let me share a couple of additional observations: First, I wonder if we have done an adequate job of helping our church folk truly understand the role of a regional convention? Since we have adopted a strategy that has moved NWBC and NAMB workers closer to the churches I am not sure we have truly communicated just how important a regional connection is for the advancement of the kingdom of God in the Northwest. The Pastor Cluster groups and VBS training are the most visible signs of how regional networking can advance our agenda, but there is more to our work as a regional convention than just these two vital areas. While I have no specific agenda or solutions I hope to discover ways to make the work of our regional network more significant to the people I serve as pastor. Second, are we using the time that we gather to our best advantage? Certainly networking and reconnecting with friends is a significant part of the meeting. I was unable to attend the Q/A session with Ed Stetzer, but I would hope we can build more of these kind of opportunities into the planning. I know Ronnie Floyd had to catch a plane, but an Q/A time with him would have been interesting, as well as a time with Wayne Cordeiro. Well, it was a great meeting. I was humbled by the confidence expressed in me as the convention chose me as the President. I will prayerfully consider the challenges ahead and seek to serve in such a way to honor the purposes and presence of God as He works among and in us.

I have been working with some very bright people in our community on thinking about developing an integrated educational system for all children ages 1-20 (the Gov of Oregon has developed several initiatives to this end…we are trying to stay in step with the Gov and legislative decisions regarding these issues). A couple of key issues: what information do we need to have in order to provide access to available resources (remember, in the US public education model all students (i.e. even those with any type of physical and/or mental and/or emotional disabilities must achieve the same educational measurements as other children). Children who live in disintegrating families; children who live in serious and significant poverty; children who are homeless; children whose biological parents were struggling with addictions when the child was conceived all need an education, Various social service agencies (some state funded, some federal funded, some privately funded through non-profit organizations) have been developed to assist in meeting these challenges.
The problem is simply this: is it possible to pull all the providers to the same table and have a meaningful discussion about providing the right resources to the children and families currently being served in our educational system.
THis is a huge challenge, and an undertaking for which none of my education prepared me for…but we are plunging ahead with the assistance of some very very capable and bright people currently working in a variety of social service agencies.
It is an interesting challenge to say the least…and one which is forcing me to think differently about the assumptions that have directed my thinking.
Appreciate your prayers and any knowledge or insight you might have!

Early this morning- or late last night—I haven’t been sleeping very soundly- I was struck by this thought: I plan ministry activities/preaching/teaching/worship/discipleship and the like based on the people we have reached. What would need to change for us to plan these things for those God has given us responsibility to reach? Am I ready for the challenge of changing our entire church system so that we are geared to those to whom we are trying to reach?
Do I know who we are trying to reach? What kind of relationships must we build in order to reach these who live in our community?