tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51159526102228811842024-02-08T10:15:32.171-08:00pieter van waardePieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-83103997877458419292011-10-17T12:23:00.000-07:002011-10-17T12:23:00.080-07:00Can the Yankees REALLY buy a championship?<link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cdanef%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cdanef%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cdanef%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I will concede my bias up-front: I am a die-hard Yankees fan. I came by it honestly. I grew up minutes from the George Washington Bridge and cheered for the team long before Moneyball became vogue. Yet even with this candor, I am certain I will be judged as one sleeping with the enemy and therefore hopelessly non-objective.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But hear me out, if for no other reason than the potential humor value.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Presently I live in Cardinals country, and since the Yankees’ most recent collapse (and the beloved Cardinals resurgence), I have received my fair share of ribbing. The tweets and texts have poured in about how lower-budget teams are winning the day. However, in the years when the Yankees did better, these same friends sent other tweets/ texts about how the Bronx Bombers </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Italic","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">only win</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> because they can attract and keep the best talent (Cliff Lee being the lone anomaly).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thus, when the Yankees lose, I should feel doubly bad because they “shoulda” won. But when they win, I ought not celebrate because they “bought” the crown. In short, my fellow baseball enthusiasts feel obliged to enhance the depth and length of my suffering when the Yankees lose and shame me out of my celebration when they win. It’s getting old. And maybe that‘s the real reason I am writing this blog; I’ll talk it over with my therapist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But here is the deal: people can’t have it both ways. Either money makes all the difference, or it matters very little. I want to argue that money has less “performance power” once you are making it, and over time it actually becomes a “performance inhibitor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Yankees organization has plenty of money. However, despite the argument to the contrary, the Yankees do not have an unlimited supply of it – no one does – therefore when any team (even the Yankees) over-pays athletes, they eventually have less resources available to pay others. Today, the Yankees are already feeling the pinch with A-Rod and Jeter, and it will be interesting to watch what they do with Sabathia (who has an opt-out clause up for negotiation). Then in two years, Robinson Cano is up for a new contract, and he is going to want his mega-payday too. They are just not going to be able to do it all. There is a limit -- even for the Yankees -- and I predict that the next few years will be very interesting (and probably not in a pro-Yankees way).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Obviously, more dollars up-front can buy the best talent in any given moment. But the way contracts work – and the way "great" talent ages (and you are stuck with them) – means that at some point you can no longer afford great new talent. So over the long haul, the Moneyball option is not a sustainable solution. Besides this financial reality, I think there is another issue that actually puts well-paid athletes at a disadvantage!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Playing for the pay hike ahead of you is a great human motivator for performance. It is the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Italic","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">hope</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> of millions that legitimately motivates people to be at their best every day. Athletic readiness and effectiveness are all about motivation. Money motivates. The hope of big money motivates big time. Perhaps that is why smaller-market teams might actually want to thank the Yankees for the ways they help their players to be more competitive (while they have them). Is it possible that their athletes are playing hard NOW for the bigger payoff that the Yankees can provide down the road?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">BUT, once they have the money, that motivation no longer exists, and the pressure increases. Now they have to play to earn the salary they are already contracted to receive. I think that transition is hard to make (just ask A.J. Burnett)! One of the ways the Yankees have been able to do "it" over the years is creating and maintaining the mystique of the pinstripes: it is about the pride of 27 championships and the heritage of the past (blah, blah, blah)...<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I think it will be harder and harder for this to be </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Italic","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">enough</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> in the years ahead. I don't think the Yankees will be able to compete (financially) in the very environment they themselves helped create. They will at some point no longer be that pride-infused organization. They will be the fools that spent way too much on way too many, sinking the ship and the heritage that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman Italic","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">was</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> such a cool part of rooting for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: white;">Then again, if they can pull off winning in spite of all of that, I say hats off to them, because at that point it will no longer be about the money.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-51179060703574363312011-04-14T12:29:00.001-07:002011-04-14T12:41:02.468-07:00Learnings from the depths of a detox<div class="MsoNormal">On April 1<sup>st</sup>, I started a 21 day detox. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have been doing one for the last three years. I usually do it in January. Somehow it slipped my mind this year. Imagine that! But, I was snacking too much and putting on a few pounds, so I knew I needed to get the cleanse on the calendar. Many of my friends participate in some kind of Lenten fast so this seemed like the right time to do it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My “detox program” is prescribed by a doctor friend out of Austin. It includes whole food supplements and nasty tasting shakes that you drink twice a day. But, the real heart of it is that I can eat just fruit, veggies, and baked chicken or fish (4 ozs. twice/day). This, of course, means no bread, no coffee, no dairy, no coffee, no candy or chips, no coffee or ice cream. There also means no wine or beer or coffee. No nuts or cereal. No coffee or creamer. No dark chocolate. Did I happen to mention that I can not have coffee? All I am allowed to drink is water and herb tea. Otherwise nothing! Nadda! No cheating!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">May I just say that the first week was miserable?! Part of the reason I didn’t do a blog last week was because I was a little afraid of what I would write. I wasn’t exactly pleasant (you can ask my wife if you need confirmation). I had a splitting headache. And I thought to myself, “What in Heaven’s name possessed me to do this? I am a reasonably well-behaved guy. I only get to enjoy a few ‘earthly pleasures.’ Why should I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">purposefully</i> go without them for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">21</span></b> freakin’ days?!” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">See, aren’t you glad I didn’t do a blog last week?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Interestingly enough, now that I am about halfway through, I actually have some significant benefits to report. First, I am sleeping hard. I can not remember when I slept this well in a long, long time. Second, I have lost some weight. That feels good. That starts to make it feel like there is a real reward for the misery. I am also learning to savor the food I do get to enjoy. I eat slower and enjoy it more. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">However, there is an additional benefit this time around. It is spiritual. It is centered around the scripture where Paul admonishes us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). I think it is easier for us (in general) to weep with those who weep. If the Spirit of God is active at all in our lives, then we are touched by other people’s pain. When someone we care about is hurting, it seems almost axiomatic. We will hurt too. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But, when someone has it good or when something really great happens for someone else, I am not sure it is as easy to enter into their joy. When something great happens, even for a friend, I often find myself thinking, “Why did they get that? I work just as hard as they do!” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I can be envious. I can be jealous. When I am on a detox, I can even pout. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But, something new has been trying to take root in my soul. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Everyday while I am on this detox, there are people eating and drinking things I wish I could be enjoying. The opportunity for resentment is high! Of course, it probably doesn’t help that I have the kind of friends that as soon as they find out I am on detox, they run chocolate chip cookies under my noise just for the fun of it. I know, I know. Time for new friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The point being is that I could get hacked off that they get to enjoy something I wish I could have. Therefore, I could spend my time wishing I didn’t have to do without. OR, I could take joy in their joy! Rejoicing with those who rejoice is hard for me. But, this season of refraining from some things I like – while others are free to do so – has given me a wonderful opportunity to practice this discipline.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, for these last few days as I smell the coffee brewing in the office in the morning, I say to myself, “Thank you, Lord, that my staff gets to enjoy coffee this morning. I rejoice with them!” This is so much better (and more mature) than turning off the warmer underneath the pot.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The somewhat surprising thing about this practice is that after getting over the initial hump of “I wish I could have some,” it feels really good to enter their joy. It feels right. It feels mature. It feels (and is) a lot like Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is not to say I won’t savor my own cup of coffee on Easter morning. I most certainly will! But, for now, I will just take pleasure in you getting to enjoy yours!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-4686281283752220662011-03-28T21:00:00.000-07:002011-03-28T21:00:35.565-07:00And the winner is...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">One of the great things about the world of technology is that a person can walk through a project like this and not feel alone.<span> </span>It has been quite overwhelming actually.<span> </span>I have felt so supported and encouraged in this endeavor. I wonder how I got so lucky to have such great friends.<span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">To everyone who joined me in prayer over this last week – thank-you!<span> </span>Your advice, perspective and input are invaluable.<span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">Soooo… drum roll please…<span> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN"><span></span>I made a decision on Friday to follow through with Bridge Logos...the contract I already had in hand.<span> </span>Here is my reasoning:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><ol style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN"></span><span lang="EN"></span><span lang="EN">The BL deal was a good deal when I signed it in June, and the delay didn't change that.<span> </span>If anything, my interactions with them have been much more positive since their re-organization, and they seem anxious to re-establish themselves as a "reliable" publisher.</span><span lang="EN"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">I will be a bigger deal at BL than I ever would have been at Zondervan. At BL, I am the proverbial "bigger fish in smaller pond." I had already approached Zondervan (through my sister) a year ago and they weren't interested then. I wasn't sure how much more interest my new contact might be able to generate than when my sister tried.</span> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">When I talked to my Zondervan contact on Friday AM, she said that she never actually spoke to anyone there but did forward my proposal. However, they are notoriously looonnnngggg in their approval processes. So, when I explained the situation to her - even she encouraged me to take the offer in hand.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">The good news about Zondervan is that they are releasing a book in the early summer where Woodcrest is featured. To follow that up with another book by the pastor of WC in the Fall (which is when BL is planning to release it), makes a lot of sense from a PR stand-point. I can leverage their publicity efforts on the first book without having to wait for them to get interested in mine.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I couldn't get over the hump (emotionally) to self-publish. I didn't want to have to raise funds for the inventory nor do the "pushing" required to get the book noticed. BL has committed a marketing person to get shelf space in Christian book stores and help coordinate speaking arrangements - and that just feels so much better than self-promotion.<span lang="EN"> </span></span></li>
</ol><span style="color: white; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: inherit;">With all that in favor of the BL option, I sent them my most up-to-date manuscript on Friday - and now here we go (again)!</span></span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN">Lord lead on!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><span style="color: white; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">piet</span></span>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-90721177882812594742011-03-24T22:38:00.001-07:002011-03-24T22:38:42.428-07:00Now what?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DoNotShowMarkup/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">At this time last week, I had nothing new to share about my manuscript.<span> </span>All that changed on Friday.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For those new to the blog, I finished a manuscript for a book two summers ago entitled, <i>unsettled… life beyond the yellow ragged couch</i>.<span> </span><span> </span>It took me about a year to find a publisher willing to print the book. <span> </span>I sent the manuscript off to the publisher in September of 2010 eager to begin the process.<span> </span>This past January that same publisher wrote me back and said that the book was now on the back burner<i>.<span> </span>Blah, blah, blah, “…economy…” Blah, blah, blah, “organizational re-structuring…”<span> </span>“Mr. Van Waarde, you probably need to find another publisher.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That was not the news I wanted to hear, but whatya gonna do?<span> </span>I threw myself a pity party (literally). <span> </span>After I had enough fun feeling sufficiently sorry for myself, I started looking elsewhere.<span> </span>Along the way, a good friend told me she had connections with a prominent Christian publisher (Zondervan) and that she was willing to share the manuscript with her connection.<span> </span>I think this may be happening this week.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Additionally, I have been re-exploring self-publishing.<span> </span>With Kindle, iPad, and all the other electronic reading platforms available, self-publishing has some attractive opportunities that weren’t available even three years ago.<span> </span>However, that would mean a lot of self-promotion – which I hate.<span> </span>But, if that’s what has to be done, I think there are enough smart people around me to help me figure it out.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Soooo…<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While I have been pondering all these things, I get an e-mail out of the blue from my original publisher which says, “Hey, Piet.<span> </span>We love your manuscript.<span> </span>Send us your latest edits.<span> </span>We’re ready to get started.”<span> </span>What?!<span> </span>Wait a minute!<span> </span>I thought this wasn’t going to happen?<span> </span>I e-mailed them back to make sure they had the right guy.<span> </span>They did.<span> </span>And, they again reiterated that they really are anxious to get going.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whoa!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today I feel in quite the quandary.<span> </span>Now what?<span> </span>It would seem I have three legitimate and reasonable options:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal">Go with my original publisher and move forward with a group of people that seem anxious to publish my manuscript.<span> </span>I have a good contract, and it is conceivable that the book might be released before the end of the year.<span> </span>This is a deal “in hand”.<span> </span>Additionally, it isn’t like there are others banging the door down to do this.</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal">Wait and see what happens with the mainstream publisher.<span> </span>There are no guarantees.<span> </span>But, if I can get on with these folks, there is a lot more support.<span> </span>Given Willow Creek’s and NACR’s connections to Zondervan, there seem to be a lot of valued-added possibilities.<span> </span>But, again, they may not like it or take it and while I am waiting, my present publisher could decide to move on to someone else.<span> </span>Then, I’d be stuck with nothing.</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal">I could self-publish.<span> </span>BUT….<span> </span>Self-publishing requires a pretty substantial capital investment up front because I would have to do all the printing myself.<span> </span>In addition, this would require engaging an editor, investors and PR folk.<span> </span>I’d also have to do a lot of “pushing” myself to get the message out there.<span> </span>I’m not unwilling to try, but I did the self-publishing route the last time, and I have several cases of books in my basement to show for it.</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, I thought I’d throw the options out there and see if my very smart friends have some counsel to share on the subject.<span> </span>No such thing as bad advice on this one.<span> </span>I’m just curious what you think.<span> </span>And, if nothing specific comes to mind, would you consider joining me in prayer?<span> </span>Thank-you!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And, I’ll keep you up to date!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Piet</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">I was at lunch yesterday being introduced to a friend of a friend.<span> </span>In this introduction, there were many nice things said about me and the work of our church in the community.<span> </span>These are always fun to hear.<span> </span>But truthfully, I am never really sure how to react to that; because I know that the “success” I have known (both as a person and a pastor) is a product of so many other people.<span> </span>I get a lot more credit than I deserve.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The good news is that the discomfort led me to an idea about this week’s blog post. <span> </span>I want to use this note to affirm and express appreciation publicly for four people who have made ongoing and sacrificial investments in me and the church I get to lead.<span> </span>Without their contribution, I would not be the man I am today nor would Woodcrest be the church it is today.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">DR. ROD CASEY – Rod joined the Woodcrest staff in January of 1995.<span> </span>He came with a passion for seeing the local church be effective, but he also unashamedly said, “I am here to serve you.” It is one thing to say that, but it is another thing to live it.<span> </span>He has.<span> </span>It doesn’t really matter what he is asked to do, he always does it with heart and skill.<span> </span>Over the course of time, he has worked with small groups.<span> </span>He counseled the hurting.<span> </span>He helped with singles.<span> </span>He wrote leadership development curriculum. <span> </span>He conducted weddings and funerals.<span> </span>He preached great sermons.<span> </span>But more than anything else, he was and still is a confidante and counselor to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Currently, his greatest contribution to our ministry is that he is our resident theologian.<span> </span>Believe it or not, every church needs a great theologian, because the church is not <i>just</i> a business.<span> </span>It is not <i>just</i> a not-for-profit organization.<span> </span>It is not <i>just</i> an educational institution.<span> </span>It is a faith community – and everything we do has theological implications (whether or not we realize it).<span> </span>Rod has kept our theological lens clear.<span> </span>He has helped steer this work in a way that honors Christ not just in our mission and vision, but in how we think and act.<span> </span>What a gift he has been to me and us (and all of mid-Missouri).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">CHRIS MITCHELL – For most people who know and love Chris, it is because of his amazing talent as a musician.<span> </span>He is all that.<span> </span>He was classically trained. He has toured with a Christian band.<span> </span>He makes most songs sound better on our stage than they sound on the recordings by the original artist.<span> </span>What many people may not know about Chris is that he is an extremely gifted and caring leader.<span> </span>He leads a large staff of musicians and technical personnel (both paid and volunteer).<span> </span>He is always thinking about the next grand production whether it is a CD project, an Easter weekend, or a new video venue.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In this last season, he also served as the staff liaison for the construction of our new youth facility.<span> </span>Think about this for a moment.<span> </span>How many pastor-types do you know that can help manage a two million dollar construction project and sound like Bono singing U2 all in the same week?<span> </span>Ex-act-l-y!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Beyond all the great work Chris produces, I am most grateful for his heart for people, which he hasn’t kept from me.<span> </span>He has loved me in some very tender places of my life.<span> </span>Though I serve as his “boss”, we actually live and serve together more like co-laborers and brothers in Christ! <span> </span>I am a blessed man!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">BETH BRAMSTEDT – Beth is our senior staff person.<span> </span>By that I mean she has served at Woodcrest longer than anyone else.<span> </span>She started working part-time at the church while going to MU while pursuing a journalism degree.<span> </span>Now she serves as our Administrative Pastor.<span> </span>For Beth, this isn’t just her title.<span> </span>This is who she is.<span> </span>She is a pastor by calling and an administrator by passion.<span> </span>In our context, that means that she (and her very capable team) works hard to remove any/every structural barrier that might impede our capacity to sustain effective ministry.<span> </span>Specifically, she oversees our marketing, budgeting process, facilities, and volunteer services.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In my world, what Beth helps me figure out is sequencing.<span> </span>You can have great ideas and great people passionate about doing great things.<span> </span>But, when the timing gets off or people don’t understand how one part of the organization affects actions in other parts of the organization, things get very confusing very quickly.<span> </span>People get upset.<span> </span>Finger-pointing becomes common place.<span> </span>Soon, everything becomes political.<span> </span>Few people will ever really appreciate the value of Beth’s instinctive capacity to know who, what, and where things fit at what time – and how our long-running effectiveness has so much to do with her diligence on this front.<span> </span>Thank you, Lord, for Beth!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">KAREN LAUGHTER – Karen serves as the pastor in our family life ministries.<span> </span>For those from birth through college age, Karen stands watch and gives/leads (with unrelenting passion) both kids and parents alike.<span> </span>Karen is the consummate learner.<span> </span>If she doesn’t know it, she learns it.<span> </span>She is tireless worker.<span> </span>If a person needs extra time or a lesson needs some extra attention, Karen willing gives it.<span> </span>She is quick to admit her short-comings and regularly under-sells her part because she is so busy giving credit to everyone else.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">More than most people I know, Karen is a lover of souls.<span> </span>She wouldn’t think twice about scooping up a toddler in her arms, patiently listening to a broken-hearted 13 year-old girl, or call out the immature antics of an 18 year-old boy twice her size.<span> </span>She lives for this.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">How did I get this lucky?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have seen my share of arrogant leader-types, who think it is all about them.<span> </span>I am sure I have my moments too.<span> </span>But, sometimes the talent and spirit of the people around you is too impressive to ignore. I am a blessed man.<span> </span>Because of the people I have been privileged to serve alongside, I am a better man.<span> </span>If I can add value to others as they have added value to me, then I will have lived a good life.<span> </span>But, they sure did set the bar pretty high.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Guess I can’t retire anytime soon…</div>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-39443259542291852292011-03-09T14:32:00.000-08:002011-03-09T14:36:12.924-08:00What I would rather not admit….<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Over the last few weeks at Woodcrest, we have worked through the subject of hurt; the hurt we carry and the hurt we cause. We spent a lot of time talking about forgiveness. We defined it. We illustrated what happens when we don’t extend it as well as the mess we can create. We talked about how to ask for it and why it matters so much.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">When all was said and done, it turned out to be a rather emotional series. My inbox has been full. I have had more Facebook messages in the last two weeks than I have had in a long time. My appointment calendar is packed, as well. The point is that people have had a lot of questions and a lot of specific concerns that reminded me of something I have been thinking about for some time as it relates to my own relational journey.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I want to share something more on the personal side. I feel more than a bit vulnerable putting <i>this</i> out there, because it can be so easily misunderstood. But, in the course of my conversations over the last few weeks, I realize that what I myself have been addressing may not be mine alone to bear.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Once a quarter, I take a three day break in order to get away and spend some time in silence and solitude in order to pay closer attention to what is happening in my soul. Sometimes it is not easy to figure out what is really going on “down there.” This has been very fruitful for me. A question I have been pondering for the last year or so is about love. “Why do I love people?” I have tried to honestly evaluate my core motivations on this all important subject – especially for people in ministry.<br />
<br />
<i>What is my motivation for love?</i> <br />
<br />
My initial thoughts were as follows. On one level I thought of love as a decision one makes in response to Christ’s command. If we are to be about anything as Christ followers it is love. We are commanded to love God and people. It is a step of obedience. In fact, Jesus said it was (and is) the most important thing.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Beyond that, I love because I am drawn to certain kinds of people. I find them attractive spiritually, emotionally, and/or physically. We have things in common. We can joke and laugh together. I like this kind of love. It is easy, and it is fun.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">So there is a love prompted by duty, and a love prompted by pleasure. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">All this made sense to me except for the fact that I often found myself disappointed by love. This didn’t make sense to me. Because, if I tried to do this well (and it was the most important thing), why wasn’t it more satisfying?<br />
<br />
What I have come to understand and see about myself is that my practice of love is much less mature than I would like to believe. What I have discovered is that, more often than not, my love isn’t really about God or other people at all. It is actually about me and what I hope to get out of it. I love God because of the blessings I hope that He will bring me. I love people so that they will be nice to me, like me, and think I am a good guy. I know this because if God doesn’t “love me back” in the ways I think I deserve, then I am disappointed and mad. If other people don’t reciprocate my love in the way I hope, I am disappointed there as well. One of the biggest heart aches of my life is that my expectations are rarely (if ever) met. <br />
<br />
That sucks! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Nor is it really love!<br />
<br />
I don’t want to stay here. I want to learn increasingly about real love. I haven’t figured all this out yet, but one of the things that is increasingly making sense to me is that when I try to manage my own love needs through how I love God and others, I am regularly disappointed. Will God love me in the ways I expect? Will people reciprocate my love in the ways I think I need? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">No! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">So, what I have been trying to do is find times to let God love me in the ways He prefers by just being more available to Him in seasons of silence and solitude. To not be demanding. To not set unrealistic expectations. Just let Him love me. He does so generously. Over time, that has begun to lower my expectations about what people give me – because I am no longer as needy. I don’t “need” them to do certain things in certain ways for me to feel like they have responded with a “reasonable” level of return love. I seem freer to love in a way that is actually more unconditional. Dare I say that? Conversely, I think I am also freer to ask for what is reasonable without being manipulative and codependent.<br />
<br />
Do, I always get that right? No. Do I still have to manage expectations? Yes! However, slowly but surely I see things shifting.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">I share all this because when we are talking about the relational hurts of life, we can’t just think in terms of improving our capacity at managing the disappointment, frustrations and debilitating moments of relational break-down. In addition, we need to ask the more penetrating question of “Why does all this matter to me so much in the first place?” </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">If my candor helps prompt that kind of reflection, it will have been a worthwhile risk.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: white;">Piet</div>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-70290334553382897092011-02-22T20:18:00.000-08:002011-02-22T20:18:48.896-08:00Marketing Jesus<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DoNotShowMarkup/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">I do not see myself as an argumentative sort.<span> </span>I am generally a peace-maker, a unifier and collaborator – not a divider.<span> </span>I am also quite tired of the endless haranguing that happens among Christ-followers about things that, at the end of the day, don’t matter.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, it is with some reluctance that I take on the article that I gave as a homework assignment last week.<span> </span>My willingness to press past my hesitations is based on the fact that I think this article is representative of a growing sentiment in certain Christian circles that I find disturbing.<span> </span>And, if people with an opposing view don’t share their concerns about what is missing or incomplete in the argument, then it can be assumed that there is nothing more to be said on the subject. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is why I want to offer a tweak to Mr. Galli’s article entitled “Super Bowl Evangelism” <a href="http://ht.ly/3RnEa">http://ht.ly/3RnEa</a>.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">First, let me start by pointing out where I agree with what he writes.<span> </span>If his most fundamental message is that the church needs to be more loving in its evangelistic efforts, I am his biggest cheerleader.<span> </span>I say, “AMEN!”<span> </span>Too much of what is passed off as “evangelism” has little to do with what Jesus had in mind in Matthew 28:18-21.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My sticking point has to do with making marketing the mortal enemy of this kind of love.<span> </span>I have an MBA from a Christian graduate school.<span> </span>When we studied marketing, we talked about the activity of connecting real human needs/desires with effective products and services.<span> </span>Is this a legitimate activity?<span> </span>Did Jesus do this?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the more fascinating parts of Jesus teaching ministry is the degree to which he appealed to desire.<span> </span>He would say, “Aren’t you <i>hungry</i>?<span> </span>Learn from me.” (Matthew 5:6)<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Was Jesus using marketing tactics?<span> </span>Well, you might say, “Jesus was appealing to the more noble side of ourselves and our desires.”<span> </span>Perhaps, but sometimes he left his appeals unqualified.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Luke 6, Jesus is talking about the importance of sacrifice and love (even for the sake of one’s enemies), and I find it interesting that he justifies his appeal by promising a “great reward” in heaven.<span> </span>Is he marketing heaven?<span> </span>Why not say, “Be loving and sacrificial, because it is just the right thing to do?”<span> </span>Why the appeal to reward?<span> </span>That could be interpreted as appealing to the flesh…employing those dark-side marketing techniques.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I sincerely believe that if we didn’t know that Jesus said something like this and the church picked it as a slogan or a series title, the outcry would be momentous: <i>“Just another pitiful example of MBA-trained pastor-types trying to market heaven!”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps part of why I get so agitated about the outcry is that it almost makes it sound like Madison Avenue “discovered” marketing when, in fact, the reason Super Bowl ads work is because they are based in certain truths and principles that God himself ordained.<span> </span>Even Mr. Galli admitted he prefers the ads to the game itself.<span> </span>To be consistent, it would seem that he would find the ads appalling and offensive to his Christian sensibilities.<span> </span>Now, can marketing approaches be tainted, twisted and deranged? <span> </span>Certainly!<span> </span>But, does that make marketing the enemy?<span> </span>No!<span> </span>Rather, let’s critique the approach or the application, because the core assumptions may actually have their roots in something God himself created and endorsed.<span> </span>All truth is always God’s truth.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But, what makes this discussion more then theoretically offensive (for me) is that there are real (and I would say harmful) implications associated with trying to do what Mr. Galli is suggesting when it comes to teaching on any matter of gospel significance.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He insinuates that in order to motivate and encourage people to be more loving (in their evangelistic efforts) we should simply tell them to do so and count on the Spirit to prompt some mysterious work within them.<span> </span>But, later he states that we should actually be (proactively) more like Jesus and not “market our neighbors but love them.”<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">OK.<span> </span>But, can we consider that if it is desirable to be like Jesus on the activity-side, might we legitimately consider trying to be like Jesus on the teaching-side too?<span> </span>Because far from just “telling” them what to do, Jesus seemed extremely interested in making it compelling to do what he commanded.<span> </span>He used analogies they would understand.<span> </span>He appealed to desires that were naturally inspiring and based in human want and need. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don’t think we want more “telling” in American pulpits.<span> </span>I don’t think we want pastors being less prepared or less persuasive under the guise of “making room” for God’s Spirit.<span> </span>It would seem to me, that there is already quite enough of that.<span> </span>In fact, perhaps a case could be made that it is the <b><i>lack</i></b> of “marketing understanding” that has contributed to the anemic zeal for authentic evangelism in the church today.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It would be my contention that it is an act of great compassion to work hard at making the ways of Christ understandable and compelling.<span> </span>And, if a little understanding of the marketing mix might make one more effective in that assignment, might I suggest that we all stop by Amazon and pick up the book <u>Marketing Gurus</u> and learn all we can. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Respectfully submitted for your consideration…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Piet</div>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-6571129002026167712011-02-17T19:15:00.000-08:002011-02-17T19:15:08.191-08:00Homework<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This week's blog post is a request. Your assignment, if you will, is to read this article from Christianity Today. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">http://ht.ly/3RnEa</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I'll give my thoughts on this next week.<br />
<br />
Enjoy...if you can. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
<br />
</span>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-10965804599295309382011-02-09T16:52:00.000-08:002011-02-09T16:52:23.279-08:00What do we do about our sisters?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DoNotShowMarkup/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:DoNotShowInsertionsAndDeletions/> <w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--><div class="MsoNormal">My parents had five children.<span> </span>I am the oldest.<span> </span>My sister (Elsa) is the youngest.<span> </span>I am very close to my sister.<span> </span>She lived with us for a season while she was trying to pull things together after a painful divorce.<span> </span>She eventually found a wonderful husband and now lives in Colorado Springs.<span> </span>Elsa is a prolific writer and has been a constant source of encouragement while I have been trying to figure what is next for my own manuscript.<span> </span>She will be in Columbia this week.<span> </span>I can’t wait to see her.<span> </span>Elsa’s smile is infectious, and I am sure we will have numerous talks late into the night that will be mutually uplifting.<span> </span>I’m so glad she is coming!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last week, I was in Redding California.<span> </span>I spent most of my time with Sarah Sumner. <span> </span>She and her husband (Jim) hosted me in their home, but much of my time was spent with Sarah.<span> </span>She is the dean of the seminary that is creating the Master’s program we will be bringing to Woodcrest.<span> </span>For three days, I went to various meetings with her.<span> </span>I met some amazing people and marveled at her leadership.<span> </span>She is wise, quick-witted and a person of high integrity.<span> </span>We talked at length about my manuscript and often talked late into the night about matters of personal and spiritual significance.<span> </span>How good and pleasant it is to have such a dear sister in the Lord.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">OK, let me stop right there for a moment and ask you to take stock of what is happening in your thoughts as you process what you just read.<span> </span>Do you feel nervous?<span> </span>Are you worried about what might be <i>really</i> happening between Sarah and I?<span> </span>Does this sound like fodder for juicy gossip?<span> </span>Isn’t it interesting how often that is our first thought?<span> </span>Did my story about my flesh and blood sister affect how you read about my time with Sarah?<span> </span>What would you have thought had I just started this note talking about my time with Sarah?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Quite ironically, one of lunch meetings I had with Sarah last week was with another visible Christian leader in the community (who happened to be a male).<span> </span>Part of our conversation was about a lunch the two of them had several weeks before.<span> </span>It was a “problem” because he was a man and she was a woman.<span> </span>And, because their lunch was just the two of them…people were “talking.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In a day and age where Christian leaders regularly fail us (most notably on the matter of sexual purity), I can understand why this was a “problem” for my brother.<span> </span>He is a young, handsome, prominent and highly-regarded Christian leader in the community.<span> </span>I understand the complexity of what he was trying to navigate.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That is why I adhere to a similar set of boundaries myself.<span> </span>I never have lunch alone with a woman.<span> </span>I avoid traveling in a car alone with a woman who is not a member of the family.<span> </span>No extended counseling sessions with women.<span> </span>I even wrote about the importance of these “necessary boundaries” in my first team-building book.<span> </span>It is all about minimizing risk, protecting personal boundaries, and understanding the power of perceptions.<span> </span>I get it!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But, I was challenged by Sarah’s response to my brother at the lunch we shared together.<span> </span>I have been pondering it ever since.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She said something to the affect of, “Why must we automatically sexualize male/female relating?<span> </span>Why must every encounter between a man and a woman necessarily raise questions about sexual infidelity?<span> </span>Certainly, in the scriptures we have numerous pictures and images of appropriate male/female relating.<span> </span>In fact, the most common image is that of a brother/sister connection.<span> </span>If we can’t model that in the church…who will?<span> </span>Should we allow the excesses of the few circumvent the benefits to the many?”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">WHOA!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This morning I did a brief Bible study on the times and places where we find a reference to the image of “brother/sister” in scripture.<span> </span>There were seven pages of references in my on-line concordance (168 references to be exact).<span> </span>Let me note a few of them:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“If your <span>brother</span> or <span>sister</span> sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Matthew 18:15</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my <span>brother</span> or <span>sister</span> who sins against me? Up to seven times?”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Matthew 18:21</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these <span>brother</span>s and <span>sister</span>s of mine, you did for me.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Matthew 25:40</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“Whoever does God’s will is my <span>brother</span> and <span>sister</span> and mother.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Mark 3:35</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Mark 10:29-30</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the <span>brother</span>s and <span>sister</span>s encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Acts 18:27</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>I do not want you to be unaware, <span>brother</span>s and <span>sister</span>s, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Romans 1:13</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Finally, <span>brother</span>s and <span>sister</span>s, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>II Corinthians 13:11</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">OK, I think you get the point.<span> </span>Through out scripture there is a constant drum beat of brother/sister relating that is good and right…dare I say normal?<span> </span>But, I believe my friend’s response to Sarah is the more common reality in Christian community today.<span> </span>He said, “Sarah, I hear what you are saying.<span> </span>But, <span> </span>I have no idea what that actually looks like.”<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps I have an advantage that I have a “blood sister” whom I love and feel very close to.<span> </span>My connection with her is all about her and who she is in her womanhood, but it isn’t sexual, or maybe better said: “It is not erotic.”<span> </span>Therefore, I have a mental image and real-life experiences of what relating to a sister-in-the-Lord looks and feels like.<span> </span>By saying that, I do not mean to suggest that I have it all figured out.<span> </span>In fact, I’d like to get clearer on it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps even this post can help start a new level of conversation.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What do you think?</div>Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-47106065396376054992011-01-30T21:15:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:15:02.237-08:00Even in suffering...Viktor Frankl was a survivor of one of the most horrific POW experiences imaginable. He wrote about that experience in a book entitled <i>Man’s Search For Meaning</i>. It is a powerful story. I was on the verge of tears for much of it. Toward the end of the book, he writes about how one sorts through such heart-wrenching suffering. Here is where his writing was at its most profound.<br />
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<i>It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think to ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual...</i><br />
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<i>When a man finds that it is his destiny to suffer, he will have to accept his suffering as his task; his single and unique task. He will have to acknowledge the fact that even in suffering he is unique and alone in the universe. No one can relieve him of his suffering or suffer in his place. His opportunity lies in the way in which he bears his burden. </i><br />
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For the last couple of weeks I have been sorting my own plight of trying to find a publisher for my manuscript. It seems almost absurd to speak of my publishing challenge in the same piece as Frankl’s suffering at Auschwitz. <br />
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They are not comparable.<br />
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However, I am also aware that when people minimize their own challenges – because they can find someone who is facing harder challenges still – they only circumvent their own progress. In fact, making the most of the learning opportunities given to us through the smaller and less ominous struggles gives us real knowledge and experience for navigating the larger ones. <br />
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So, following the advice of Frankl, I have the responsibility at this juncture to find the right answer to this problem. I need to accept that this is where I am. No one can fix this for me. With God’s help and wisdom, I will move forward toward that which gives me the best shot at doing what seems right given what I know at this point in my life. May I have the courage to do that – and not give up.<br />
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Lead on Lord!Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-39480446184568674702011-01-19T15:06:00.000-08:002011-01-19T15:06:54.683-08:00Getting what you need…After getting the bad news from the publisher, I decided to give myself 10 full days to feel sorry for myself. During those days, I did what most “wound-lickers” do. I moaned and groaned to my wife. I complained about how “the industry” has forgotten the little guys! I even started watching Glee.<br />
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As the 10 days were winding up, I realized licking my wounds wouldn’t be enough. I needed something else to snap myself out of the malaise. I needed a party. I decided it would help to be around people I enjoyed who could help me laugh. My daughter called it a real world “pity party." I liked that and decided to run with it. I invited several couples to come to my very own pity party.<br />
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When the five couples arrived, they gathered in my kitchen. I started the festivities with a little speech. I reminded them why they were there and told them that I needed a little cheering up. I was bummed about the loss of the publishing contract and wanted to be around some people who might help me leave my worries behind for an hour or three. <br />
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We set out some snacks and a couple bottles of wine, and I made everyone play a bunch of silly games. The objective was achieved. We laughed for hours.<br />
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The next day, one of my friends pulled me aside and said, “I just want you to know I really enjoyed myself last night and was impressed by the fact that you were so bold about getting what you needed. You weren’t afraid to admit you needed some help and you planned something you thought might turn things around. That inspired me. AND...thanks for inviting me!”<br />
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His comments reminded me of conversations I have had over the years where I complained to my wife about how “nobody noticed” that I needed a pick-me-up. I wanted someone else to get me what I needed. Over time, Carol just started saying, “Look, if you want a party, plan your own! People will come. There are a few people who kinda sorta like you. Get what you need."<br />
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For once, I listened to her advice. <br />
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I believe many people waste too much time hoping that someone else will recognize they have a need and do something about it. But, doesn’t that always end with dashed expectations? No one notices. Therefore, no one cares. May as well eat some worms. If you need a party throw yourself one. <br />
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Even if it’s just a pity party.Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-77939101029901561762011-01-11T14:29:00.000-08:002011-01-11T15:39:49.922-08:00It's all about God (I think)When someone decides to do something for God, I think the general assumption made (at the front end) is that this is just for God – especially if it feels sacrificial. Sometimes Christ-followers do something, because it is being asked of them. It is about obedience. It is about faithfulness. It is about doing the right thing.<br /><br />It is hard to discover that what we think is for God is also often a lot more about us than we care to admit.<br /><br />When I started writing my book, I believed it was prompted by God’s Spirit. I felt like I was on an assignment for God. There were words and ideas inside of me that had to come out. I believe they were words placed in me by God – not as some kind of weird mystical transaction – but words birthed out of life experiences, personal study and the occasional unexpected “ah-hah” moments (that I believe were essentially grace gifts from the Lord).<br /><br />The assumption I made was that because these ideas wanted out of me and were also of help to people I spoke to about them, it only made sense that these ideas ought to find a broader audience. That felt right. It seemed logical. I encountered signs along the way that I interpreted as “go ahead signals” from God. I felt like God wanted me to do this for him. I was following his lead.<br /><br />I still believe all that, but getting dumped (I mean, “delayed”) by my publisher created feelings in me that made it obvious that this project wasn’t just about God. <br /><br />It was about me. <br /><br />If it were solely about God, then it wouldn’t matter so much that it wasn’t happening on my time line. I wouldn’t be jealous of other people getting contracts from the “big boys” while mine was being put on the shelf. In short, I wouldn’t be taking it all so personally. If this weren’t about me, it would be less important to me.<br /><br />I would be more ready to say what John the Baptist said as he watched Jesus’ ministry gain greater notoriety than his own. He said, (of Jesus), “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30). That ain’t easy to say and mean. That is the lesson of my week.<br /><br />My good friend Dr. Rod Casey has a little saying that I love to share with others. <br /><br />“Sometimes you are the curriculum.” <br /><br />Sometimes, what we are experiencing isn’t so much about what we are doing – or hoping to do – sometimes it is more about who we are becoming and what God wants to do on the inside.<br /><br />I much prefer sharing that idea than having to re-learn it myself.Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-21171009846374031182011-01-05T09:16:00.000-08:002011-01-05T09:22:35.519-08:00Facing it myself...Yesterday, I sent my fourth e-mail to my publisher – with no response. This has been going on for more than a month. I was beginning to feel a bit unsettled.<br /><br />However, when I got home from work last night, there was a letter on the counter. It was from the publisher. I opened it with some trepidation. It was too thin to include my edits. But, perhaps it held some answers to why I hadn’t heard back from them. <br /><br />The one page letter began by talking about the challenges facing publishers in these economically difficult times. It also noted that several key staff transitions at Bridge Logos have delayed production on all new authors’ works. My book was now being slatted for 2012-2013. But no guarantees. The letter closed by saying that if I wanted out of the contract (in order to explore other publishing options) I was free to do so.<br /><br />UGH! My heart sank.<br /><br />I didn’t want to start over. I just sat there for a few moments. Numb. <br /><br />Everybody faces disappointing moments. So, I am sure you know the feeling. Your mind races with all kinds of conflicting thoughts. They come out of every part of your life experience. “This isn’t fair!” “Why me?” “But, God, I thought you led me to this place and these people?” “Whenever a door is closed, God opens a window…” <br /><br />At first, all these thoughts carry equal weight. It is hard to decide where to land – and sometimes it isn’t even a decision at all. Sometimes the strength of the feelings decide for you. I guess that is why it feels so unsettling, because we feel a bit out of control.<br /><br />Ironically, the working title of my manuscript is “unsettled” and the basic premise of the book is that our unsettledness is a signal that God wants to do a new work in our souls. I still believe that is true. But, I wonder what that means for me here and now. Most of the time when we talk about our seasons of unsettledness we talk about them after the fact...when we know what they mean. But today I am writing from the middle of one. I am not sure what it means. I am being reminded that when life shakes things up it is not fun. <br /><br />Unsettledness is disconcerting – every time!<br /><br />So, here I sit Lord, in the middle of what I feel. I need help sorting. I want to be open to what you may be trying to say to me in this. Yet, I have to confess, this feels pretty rotten. I don’t understand it. I wish it were different. I think this is unfair. But, I know I don’t have the full picture. I am working on believing there are things you are doing in the midst of this. You are not surprised by it. You can still do something in the midst of it. Would you help me to believe it and see it?Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-61587127948210967762010-03-30T09:38:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:39:24.845-07:00Why I am not a fatalist...You hear it in the phrases people use:<br /><br />“It was just meant to be…”<br /><br />“It is what it is…”<br /><br />“That was inevitable…”<br /><br />“There ain’t nothing you can do about it”<br /><br />“Everything happens for a reason…”<br /><br />The seeds of fatalism are every where. Should this surprise us? Perhaps not.<br /><br />Increasingly, however, I notice people of faith (inadvertently?) using the same language. People may not realize what they are doing, and I don’t mean to suggest that because someone uses a phrase (in passing) that it makes them a hard core fatalist. But, I suspect it might serve us well to raise our awareness. Because, in the end, words do mean things. We are shaped by the things we say.<br /><br />At the heart of fatalism, we find (in practice) the removal of personal responsibility. Choices are inconsequential and fate controls life’s outcomes. I can see why this may have appeal on some level, but personally I can’t go there. I have concluded that the image of God (that I bear) is inextricably linked to my freedom of choice. I am where I am because of choices I have made (by at least 51%). Therefore, even when it is hard to accept that reality (because of painful consequences) I am simply not ready to give away the essence of what it means to be human.<br /><br />But, perhaps more importantly, why does this matter on a practical matter:<br /><br />1. If my choices are the primary contributing factor to what I experience in this life than I have a reasonable hope for change. I – and the world – can be different, because we all bear the image of God and have this amazing capacity to choose. However, if fate (destiny, disease, and dysfunction) carry most of the weight of what I know in life; then my choices will never have enough leverage to move me in a different direction. In fact, no one can ever really change, because the trajectory of life is set. All we have is what we have always known. Redemption, then, is but a cruel joke.<br /><br />2. It really gives me something to celebrate next weekend, because those places that have been broken by my poor choices can find forgiveness in the cross of Jesus Christ. And his bodily resurrection unleashes a power in the realm of the Spirit that energizes my choices with a persevering capacity that I could never muster on my own. If fate is the most significant variable influencing my life’s direction than Easter doesn’t ultimately matter. It may have happened, but it doesn’t really mean anything! And if it doesn’t mean anything, why celebrate it at all?Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-14830784903285863372010-03-23T09:37:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:38:20.118-07:00Pantheism vs. EnvironmentalismThe movie Avatar got a lot of attention as a film. Obviously, much of the attention came as a result of its cutting-edge 3D technology and its financial dominance as the highest grossing film of all time. However, many Christian groups expressed concern over its pagan message www.movieguide.com But, the real question in my mind is: “Does any of this really matter?”<br /><br />I think it does. It does to the degree that we can discern the line where responsible environmentalism ends and pantheism begins.<br /><br />In Genesis 1:26, we read:<br /><br />Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”<br /><br />Therefore, implicit in the creation of humanity was the clarification of our purpose. God has given us a role. We are to rule/care for creation in a way that honors and respects the one who created it. John Stott, a highly regarded evangelical scholar, wrote about conservation long before it was “hip” to do so.<br /><br />If we think of the earth as a kingdom, then we are not kings ruling our own territory, but viceroys ruling it on the king’s behalf, since the king has not abdicated his thrown. Or if we think of the earth as a country estate, then we are not the landowners, but the bailiffs who manage and farm it on the owner’s behalf. God makes us, in the most literal sense, ‘caretakers’ of his property.<br /><br />John Stott, Involvement: Being a Responsible Christian in a Non-Christian Society<br /><br />Therefore, being “environmentalists” in the original way the word was defined, actually best reflects what is asked of us in the creation mandate. According to Webster’s Dictionary, here is the definition of Environmentalism.<br /><br />Advocacy of the preservation, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment; especially: the movement to control pollution.<br /><br />Now, there are those that want to make the word mean a lot more than that, but I am not ready to give the word away. I think what is often promoted as “extreme” environmentalism is actually pantheism revisited.<br /><br />What is pantheism? Here is what we read on the World Pantheism website:<br /><br />Are you searching for a path that focuses on this Earth rather than some imaginary beyond, that makes saving the planet its focus not saving your eternal soul, that respects individual choice rather than pushing prejudice down people's throats, that values reason rather than fanaticism?<br /><br />Do you find it impossible to believe in supernatural beings, and difficult to conceive of anything more worthy of reverence than the beauty of Nature or the power of the Universe?<br /><br />Do you feel a deep sense of peace and belonging and wonder in the midst of Nature, in a forest, by the ocean, or on a mountain top? Are you speechless with awe when you look up at the sky on a clear moonless night and see the Milky Way strewn with stars as thick as sand on a beach? When you see breakers crashing on a rocky shore, or hear wind rustling in a poplar's leaves, are you uplifted by the energy and creativity of existence?<br /><br />If you answered yes to these questions, then you will feel thoroughly at home in the World Pantheist Movement.<br /><br />http://www.pantheism.net<br /><br />Interestingly enough, CS. Lewis (that great Christian apologist) thought that pantheism was more corrosive to Christianity than atheism. And anyone who is paying attention understands that it is a movement that is regaining momentum – certainly with the Hollywood elite.<br /><br />My own sense of this is that perhaps part of the reason that pantheism is gaining a fresh hearing is because we have fallen short on our own commitment to responsible environmentalism – which is certainly promoted and assumed by what we read in Genesis 1:26. Therefore, as serious students of scripture we only have ourselves to blame if some other group takes up the banner that we were given (and misapplies it in a way that undermines our own faith).<br /><br />Therefore, instead of being wholesale critiques of what is being proposed, perhaps we can link arms, get creative, and be leaders in a way that champions the cause as God meant for it to be understood.<br /><br />May the Lord help us to do that together!Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-44079286686380768222010-03-16T09:37:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:37:44.950-07:00A little Facebook survey...Last week, I did a little informal survey on my FB page, and asked the question: “What does it mean to you (personally) knowing God as the creator of the universe (if anything at all)?<br /><br />I was actually overwhelmed by the responses. I received dozens of replies and many of them took note of the importance of purpose. Let me share the essence of what I read:<br /><br />When I think of Him as creator I can’t help but think of people. He made us sooooo specifically & intentionally. It increases my confidence about our value, which then raises the whole matter of stewardship and why we should care for ourselves and each other…<br /><br />My faith in God (as creator) gives me hope ... it gives me a sense of purpose in life that I cannot imagine living without. It keeps me from giving up!<br /><br />I think that our being made in the creators' image gives us our creativity, and it gives creativity value in all its forms whether artistic or scientific. Appreciating the created order and being “in it” gives meaning to life on so many levels whether that's through smearing some paint on a canvas, writing some computer code, or analyzing a string of DNA...<br /><br />On my drive to work every morning I notice the colors of the early sunrise and KNOW that my God created this! If there is this beauty “out there” then that same kind of beauty must also be “in here.” What does that have to say about all of us?<br /><br />Knowing God is my creator gives me a sense of security - if He can create all this then he can surely protect me, care for me, and love me… I have peace, joy and love all because I know the One who made the sunrise and sunsets, the mountains and the ocean, the laugher of a child, and the timely touch of a friend who knows you are hurting…<br /><br />It keeps me in constant awe of my experiences. I cannot not be in awe, no matter how much I would like to contain it :-)<br /><br />I would say I'd be a lot more afraid living in a 'chance' world. Chaos is violent and frightening. There is no place for mercy in a world ruled by chaos and chance. In a naturalist world “the strongest always wins'” and, being one of the not-so-strong, I would be left unprotected.<br /><br />God being the most incredible artist, having created all we know, is comforting to me, because if He made me in His image, then I am more than I often think I am.<br /><br />I was overwhelmed in reading these responses. In fact, I was so intrigued by what I read I wanted to ask another (larger?) audience. Do you have thoughts on this? Does knowing that there is a personal creator God behind the beauty of creation mean anything special to you? Why/why not? Please feel free to email me through this site or message me through my social media sites.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-51246563781722653862009-07-24T09:37:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:37:20.055-07:00Now whatAfter a very emotional three weeks, with the loss of my dad and my brother’s son, I am back in the office trying to bring some measure of focus back to the book project. In thinking about where to go from here I have made a strategic decision about how to end the book. Even though the last few weeks have been challenging on a level that is difficult to describe, it has also provided a perfect illustration of what I spent the previous 30 days writing about. Amazing actually! So, I have decided to write an epilogue to the book. I will chronicle the various ways where God – by means of his Spirit and through the kindness of his people – met me in the ways I needed him most. As you think about it, you might pray for the grace to say/write it well.Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-85622688067298130002009-07-04T09:36:00.000-07:002010-07-06T12:36:39.434-07:00In awe...I'm in Florida where my mother, brothers and sister are remembering my father who lived (and died) with no regrets... Couldn't be prouder. Thank you for your prayers and well-wishes. We are absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and kindness we have witnessed. I'm truly speechless and that doesn't happen often. I've spent the last 30 days espousing the glory of community; I am now awed (all over again) by the experience of it...Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5115952610222881184.post-52092470290426445142009-07-01T09:36:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:36:34.481-07:00Finished with the book!I'm FINISHED!!! For any of you that are interested in following my progress with the book from here on out, you can follow along on twitter at https://twitter.com/pietvanwaarde. As many of you now, I am a tad technologically challenged so please be patient with me as I try to navigate this world that "twits" or is it "tweets"? Twit or tweet - not sure it matters... O brother... GEEK!Pieter Van Waardehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408643673562945457noreply@blogger.com0