Teaching Without A Net

In the effort to achieve two things last week, I taught for the for time (EVER) without any notes!  I took nothing with me when I walked up on the platform that was even without a music stand, lectern or podium.

Initially, I was hoping to create a smaller, more open and transparent feeling in the room, since TNL is in a questions and response series.  I wanted to keep alive the conversational, give and take feeling from the preceding week's gathering. Over all, I want this kind of feeling to be TNL's posture and not just a gesture (read Andy Crouch to know the difference) or gimmick we use.

I was also hoping to discover some insights into how to shorten talk/sermon prepararion. I think this is going to take a lot more experimenting with to know if it will really accomplishing this goal.

However, I had no way of knowing the profound impact teaching without notes would have on the community itself.  I just thought it was going aid me in my delivery and organization.  Little did I know it would  impack the community like a ton of bricks.

Some people where a little uneasy, because they know something was different but could not figure it out.  Some picked it up right away. Others picked up on exactly what I was hoping for: transparency, honesty and and a feel of intimacy. Still others thought could unfold the entire talk to others afterwards

Out of all the comments made no one had anything negative to say.  All in all, it seemed the no notes technique yielded more fruit than I would have expected.  Granted, I did this one time.  More time is need to see if this was a fluke or if there was some other reason for evening (eg. the Spirit of God!!!).

Even though it was not the easiest thing for me to do, nor was it as "smooth" as I would have liked, I will continue to work on this type of talk delivery.

(I am not sure if it will translate with only the audio, but here is the talk from Tuesday anyway.)

Experts Say People Don't Like Experts

“They” (the experts who offer wisdom and advice) say people in postmodern culture do not want experts who offer wisdom and advice. They don't want people telling them the way things are or the way things should be. Ironic?! This is particularly true in terms of faith and spirituality. They point out that with the increase in a relativistic point of view; each person believes they are their own best expert on everything.

However, I have found this to be somewhat incorrect. People want pastors and church leaders to help them navigate the complex maze of life and faith. There are times when a voice calling into the fog cautioning them to turn left or right, to stop or start is necessary. They know they are in need of direction, validation and explanation, however not in a vacuum.

Before people are willing to allow others to speak into their lives offering knowledge and guidance there has to be a few prerequisites:

1. Input into another life is not welcome apart from community. No one, likes unsolicited advice or wisdom, not matter how good it is, from a total stranger. It is easy to discount their input by saying or feeling, “who do they think are they? They don’t know me.” A relationship offers a foundation of trust, exposure and a chance to see if the advice giver actually smokes what they sell. Community, developed over time, removes barriers and open channels for the exchange of issues and wisdom.

2. Humility needs to be added to the mix as well. Intellectual humility (“This is my experience, I don’t know everything.”), spiritual humility (“I am on a faith journey too and I have not arrived yet either.”) and relational humility (“You are free to take my advice or not, it’s your choice.”). There is nothing more repulsive than an authoritarian know-it-all.

3. In conjunction with humility, there needs to be vulnerability. People need to see and know those in or with authority are human too, fallible leaders who able to learn from their mistakes. In order for this to happen people need to see into each other’s life and know each other’s weakness. Possessing this information does not undermine the leader authority, but empowers it.

These are just a few of the necessary pieces for those in leadership to cultivate in order to hold a place of valued authority in anothers life. All of these are deposits into the “bank of permission.” By this I mean that when the time comes to make a withdrawal with the authoritative and powerful calls to action, conviction and or accountability, it does not come from out of the blue. Through these prerequisites you have been given permission by those you speak to/with to play your trump card, the “listen to me” card or the prophetic, “God’s Word has said” card.

It Should be the What Not the How

Recently, Franklin Graham has been in the news, again.  A few days ago he was disinvited to the Pentagon Prayer breakfast in Washington DC. The reason was that he is too divisive and not unifying enough. Graham is quoted in the current edition of Newsweek as having said Mohammad, “only leads to the grave” and that Islam is a wicked and evil religion.   

Now, don't think Graham has a beef with Islam in particular because I don’t think he does.  He is just an outspoken Christian and I bet he would say the exact say things about any other religion or spiritual movement that is not Christianity. Any individual, thought or religion that is not for the God of the Bible is against the same God, Graham would say.

It is not surprising Graham has received some heat these days.  He is leveling some volatile condemnation upon Islam.

However, I don’t think it is just those in the “liberal media” or in those “mainline” churches that have a problem with Graham’s words. In the book of Ephesians Paul writes to the church about maturity and growing up in the faith. He writes in 4:15, “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.”  

Interesting, maturity is tied to the way we speak!

Even though what Franklin Graham has said is ultimately true, I have to think there is another way to get his point across.  There has to be a way to speak the truth in love.  According to Paul, being able to do so is a sign of growth and maturity.

I would rather be challenged for the things I say and not the way I say them.  I would rather be persecuted, ridiculed and ostracized for the truth and accuracy of my words, then for the actual words I use. I would rather be engaging and persuasive with my words, than repulsive and repelling.

I wonder if there is a way to express disagreement and dispute with out being volatile or immature?

Upcoming TNL Series

Q&R  [Question and Response]
Few questions go unanswered with resources like Google and Wikipedia at our disposal. These tools work when you need to build a fence, find a recipe, or write a haiku; but what about questions of faith, God, purpose, and life? Some questions may not have an easy answer, but do require a response for those who follow the teachings of Jesus. Over the next 4 weeks TNL will be asking questions and offering responses. Tuesday, May 18 we will begin with an open forum from our community - Tuesday, June 8 will be specifically for those who have questions about spirituality and the Christian faith. Join us as together we have an honest dialogue about the questions most important to discover a response.