By: Garrick Roegner on February 28, 2014
The motif of entering into the desert, a dry and waterless place, for a time of spiritual testing, pain, and growth is prevalent throughout the Bible. Shelley Trebesch in her book Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of a Leader explicates these periods of isolation for Biblical leaders from Moses to Paul, not…
By: Julie Dodge on February 28, 2014
“Out of the crooked timber of humanity nothing straight was ever made.” (Immanuel Kant)[i] As an undergraduate I took a course in psychological theory in which we were encouraged to consider each major theory and ask critical questions about their theological basis (if any). One of the exercises that stood out to me was a…
By: Ashley Goad on February 28, 2014
When someone says counterculture, I tend to think of the yogurt shop down the street that markets healthy frozen cups of goodness. There is also CounterCulture Coffee and endless CounterCulture vegan and vegetarian restaurants. What is this word “counterculture?” Miriam Webster defines counterculture as, “a culture with values and customs that are very different from…
By: Bill Dobrenen on February 28, 2014
This might age me, but I have always loved the music of Peter, Paul, and Mary. Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers began performing together in Grenache Village in the early 1960’s. Their music was traditional American Folk, and they popularized such songs as Lemon Tree, 500 Miles, and Puff the Magic Dragon. …
By: Richard Volzke on February 28, 2014
Heath and Potter’s book, Nations of Rebels, reminded me just how consumer oriented that I am. I’m a typical American that unfortunately allows manufacturers marketing to influence how and what I buy. Reading this book and answering the questions that the authors asked allowed me to see just how much branding and marketing influences the…
By: Richard Rhoads on February 28, 2014
You need to talk with Larry; he is a man of humility and great wisdom. These were the words my Pastor spoke to me after asking him, “Who would be a good person to seek out for mentorship during my time in seminary?” To be honest, his words surprised me. I’m not quite sure what…
By: Phil Smart on February 27, 2014
When tested by Myers Briggs, I found myself as an ENFJ, not an INFP. Perhaps this is why Isolation by Shelly Trebesch didn’t move me or inspire me as other readings have. It’s not that I haven’t tried to think as she suggests, and I do understand the value. Some parts of the reading actually…
By: Fred Fay on February 27, 2014
Literature on effective leadership had been prolific. Ken Blanchard defines it as “the capacity to influence others by unleashing their power and impact for the greater good”.[1] Leadership is influence for mutual good is a good starting point. Kouzes and Posner add that leadership as “the art of mobilizing other to want to struggle for…
By: Sharenda Roam on February 27, 2014
“Jesus & Isolation in Reverse” While reading “Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of a Leader” by Shelley Trebesch this week for my doctoral program I ran across her “Table 1 – Summary of Fourfold Processes in Isolation,” (44) and “Table 2 – Isolation Examples and Their Experience of the Fourfold Process.” (47)…
By: Chris Ellis on February 27, 2014
Isolation—A Place of Transformation In The Life of a Leader is written by Shelley Tresbesch an Assistant Professor of Leadership and Organizational Development at Fuller Seminary. She identifies two types of isolation. The first is ‘the setting aside of a leader form normal ministry involvement in its natural context usually for an extended time in order…
By: Deve Persad on February 27, 2014
For almost three years we have been a one car (notice that it starts with “C”) family. This past year my son obtained his driver’s license. As a result we needed to purchase another vehicle. We did so, gladly, even willingly. Research was done, test drives were done, we even waited for a sale and…
By: David Toth on February 26, 2014
As district church planting director for my denomination I was really enjoying the ministry! Talking with leaders, both pastors and others, who showed some interested in see an new church planted was not a chore, it was invigorating. And then, quite involuntarily, God threw a curve ball. Move to Hungary? As a Christian and Missionary…
By: Mark Steele on February 23, 2014
I became keenly aware of the emotion that comes from church splits when I tried to help a CEO friend find a consultant to lead his leadership team through a strategic planning process. Unbeknownst to me at the time, he was the CEO of a denominational split over sexual diversity issues. The strategic development consultant…
By: Richard Rhoads on February 23, 2014
With the United States having 50 independent primarily self governing States, you would assume that many have similar laws. Yet, for many states within the union, old bizarre laws still remain on the books. Here’s a few which may provide some laughter or in some cases, tears. In Ohio, it is unlawful for a…
By: Garrick Roegner on February 22, 2014
A few years ago, my church was picketed within the span of a month by both anti-gay protestors and pro-gay protestors. Our church members kindly offered both groups free coffee. We are currently, at least in the USA, and probably in the wider evangelical global church, caught up in a debate over sexuality. It has…
By: Becky Stanley on February 22, 2014
When a child is conceived the first inquiry often is not whether it he or she is healthy but whether the tiny human is a male or a female. And it is the sex of the child that goes on to define an individual’s primary identity. Society by and large continues to live by the…
By: Miriam Mendez on February 22, 2014
My copy of the book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is almost all marked with yellow highlighter. And almost every three or four pages has post-it tags sticking out of the pages. There is a reason why my book is marked in this manner. Is it because: (a) the yellow markings are…
By: Michael Badriaki on February 22, 2014
Weber’s book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, was intriguing as another foundational and classical resource of understanding how modern western society might have gotten to where it’s at today. History seems replete with evidence of the West’s influence on religion and market economics. Polanyi corroborates the fact that the modern “market society…
By: Mitch Arbelaez on February 22, 2014
The work of frontier missions is the work of bringing the Gospel to a people who have not yet heard, nor have had any ability to hear, for there is no culturally identifiable Christian witness among that people group. In this work of frontier missions we look for the wonderful effects of the Gospel…
By: John Woodward on February 21, 2014
The underlying theme in Max Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is that capitalism needed a new ethic. The very nature of capitalism to the pre-modern Christian mind was irrational—“where a man exists for the sake of his own business, instead of the reserve”[i] – and “incomprehensible and mysterious, so unworthy and…
