today was my clergy-cluster group. 5 clergy types (4 pastors and a resource minister) get together once a month. We're studying a great book Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning. (It really wrestles with the difficult questions of faith.) We talk, we laugh, we share, we pray, we are honest with one another as we share our journeys of faith. I am really coming to depend upon these guys. It is a wonderful model of caring and working togeher in spite of theological differences.
Today as we shared, a phrase came up - "moving from survival to success to significance." We weren't sure that it is an accurate path but spent very little time talking about it.
I've been thinking about it this evening... For me, I hope it is not an accurate assessment of the journey of faith. If I have to be "successful" before what I do can be significant, then much of my time in ministry, much of my life, has been wasted. Perhaps one could even say that much of Jesus' ministry was wasted if that is the path. He was not successful by most standards... he didn't have a huge following of committed people. He didn't have political clout. He didn't have money or stuff. Instead, he did significant things - touched people's lives, gave of himself, offered a new paradigm in which success and significance are not even remotely related. One can have either... or both, but not having success does not preclude significance. I pray that at least some of my time has been significant.
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2 comments:
Well, I can tell you that you have made a significant impact in my life as far as my faith and in my childrens lives as well.
Lynn H.
thank you Lynn
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