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Space\u2026when I saw the name of this store in London it immediately caught my attention. It seemed that from the time I applied to the Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Global Perspectives, space became my new word. Do I have the \u201cspace\u201d to do this now? How do I make \u201cspace\u201d for this in the midst of the other responsibilities I have in my hands?\u00a0 What kind of \u201cspace\u201d will this take up in my life?\u00a0 How much emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical space will I need for this? What space do I need to give up or let go? What space am I being called to take up now? Is there space in my checkbook? Will there be space for me? Who will make space?<\/p>\n
Space: noun, often attributive \u02c8sp\u0101s <\/strong><\/p>\n The Merriam-Webster[1]<\/a>dictionary provides an assortment of definitions for the word \u201cspace.\u201d\u00a0 Let me share a few of the definitions and how they were reflected before, during and after the \u201cAdvance\u201d for me.<\/p>\n Space: a period of time<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em> Can we all agree\u2026it took a long time to get to London!\u00a0 For some of us it was less than 22 hours, for others it was way more than that.\u00a0 And yet for me it wasn\u2019t hours\u2026it was years. For several years I had been in a discernment process about doing my doctoral work. Yet in God\u2019s perfect timing I am here! \u00a0And I know that just as it took time for this journey to begin, it will also take time to do the work. I appreciated Jason\u2019s ramp up tips: relax, trust the process, and learn the process.\u00a0 His encouragement and challenge to ask questions,\u2026ask questions\u2026ask questions\u2026were both affirming and liberating. \u00a0Jason provided a welcoming, open and safe space to ask questions among new friends and colleagues. What a great group of colleagues and fellow theologians! \u00a0I am thankful for each one of you.\u00a0 The openness and hospitality of the mentors, professors, staff and guest speakers was top-notch! \u00a0And thanks Jason for your last tip- \u201cyou all are already smart and capable to do this\u2014-we believe in you!!\u201d Amen!\u00a0 The space that our lead mentor continues to provide tells me that he wants us to succeed, to grow, to be challenged and to be the best leaders God has called each one of us to be.<\/p>\n Space: the opportunity to assert or experience one\u2019s identity or needs freely.[2]<\/strong><\/a><\/strong> Jason provided an excellent overview of the doctoral program.\u00a0 Here are my top three take a ways: (1) critical thinking (2) critical thinking (3) critical thinking.\u00a0 I think you get my point, at least I did!\u00a0 The last sentence in the Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools<\/em> is one that has stayed engraved in my brain.\u00a0 \u201cIf we want critical societies we must create them.\u201d[3]<\/a> And this was and is an area where I continue to be challenged by.\u00a0 At the \u201cAdvance\u201d each presenter, through their teaching, demonstrated that in order to create critical societies, we must become critical thinkers.<\/p>\n For example, Andy\u2019s presentation on \u201cMetaphor-What is It Good for-Absolutley Everything\u201d was insightful and stimulating. He challenged me to think about metaphors and how we need to consider them when it comes to scripture. After the \u201cAdvance\u201d I am more appreciative of how metaphors help me to see the lovliness and splendor of scripture by bringing them to life with imagery in our mind\u2019s eyes. A picture is created or birthed from words. What a powerful way to look at scripture.\u00a0 He introduced me to Paul Ricoeur, whom I was not familiar with, but now am curious about.\u00a0 In addition, the space that Andy provided us with in walking us through the technology component of the program was priceless.\u00a0 MaryKate\u2019s presentation on \u201cEmbodied Leadership and Power\u201d reminded me that what we do is heard louder than what we say. In defining leaders and followers, Jay Lorsch contends that one obvious reason people follow leaders is because leaders have power or influence over them. He shares that the power may be positional and one of control over the person. [4]<\/a> \u00a0However, the power MaryKate presented is about an embodied leadership and power that offers the leader the ability to carry herself\/himself in power and be the servant of all, not over all. She also challenged us to \u201cthink about leadership as more physical than mental, more relational than behavioral, more in Christ than about Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n Space\u2026an opportunity for privacy or time to oneself. What kinds of superpowers would you want? What would you most desire? Wisdom, \u201cthat is rooted in listening is a profound spiritual attentiveness.\u201d[5]<\/a> Martin Percy\u2019s presentation indeed invited us to make space with and for God.\u00a0 He asked questions that I continue to reflect upon on a daily basis.\u00a0 For example, \u201cWhat do Leaders Need?\u201d \u00a0He shared that leaders need energy, vision, high levels of intelligence, compassion and wisdom. However, in the busyness of doing leadership, I can become preoccupied with the things that drain my energy, murky my vision, and hinder my critical thinking. \u00a0There are times when I am more preoccupied with the tasks and things of ministry and I forget to be occupied with the One who called me. The making space to \u201cslow down,\u201d \u201cnot to be in a hurry,\u201d and to \u201cbe prayerful and alert\u201d were not new learnings for me.\u00a0 Yet, because of the space that Percy created, he challenged me to hear and see it in a new way.\u00a0 The call to leadership, Percy reminds us is a call to wisdom, it is a call to be occupied with God.\u00a0 As leaders we need to make space for private time with oneself and God.<\/p>\n Space – an interval of distance or time between two points, objects, or events.<\/strong><\/p>\n The questions that continue to resonate with me and challenge me the most are the three questions that Martin Percy asked that \u201cforms the heart and soul of what leadership may be about.\u201d \u00a0Between the \u201cwho\u201d and the \u201cwhat\u201d of each of the questions, we need to take time and make the space to develop as leaders.<\/p>\n Perhaps, I need to start by asking who do I want to be?\u00a0 Or if I apply the Merlin Factor to these questions then I can say, who I am, and this is what I have done about it.<\/p>\n I am a leader who is intentional in creating critical thinkers in the area of theology.\u00a0 There seems to be an abundance of misconceptions, stereotypes, myths and false impressions about theology in the Christian community. Theology is not only for a few superior intellectuals, it is also for the Christian seeking to understand their faith.[6]<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 As a pastor and leader, it is my responsibility and burden to create communities that are able to reflect in a theologically sound manner. Reflection involves a certain amount of critical thinking\u2014questioning the ways we think and why we believe and behave the way we do.[7]<\/a>\u00a0 Without this kind of reflection the Christian community runs the risk of interpreting and applying the scriptures in a wrong and often dangerous manner. Unreflective thinking creates unreflective faith which creates unreflective lives.\u00a0 Because of the space that I have taken in my own study and in reflective thinking I now can say that my community is one who is engaged in reflective thinking about their faith and how it connects in their daily lives. I am a leader who creates critical thinkers in the area of theology.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is the church and what are you going to do about it?\u201d \u00a0The church is a community of faith that is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live as witnesses and agents of God\u2019s love, mercy and justice in the world. \u201c\u2026What does the Lord require of you, do act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.\u201d<\/em>(Micah 6:8) \u00a0As a leader who has created a reflective, critical thinking community, then the church is intentional in examining the areas of justice and mercy on a daily basis. How are we being fair and just in our dealings with people?\u00a0 What are the issues that are brewing in our neighborhoods?\u00a0 Where do we as a community of faith stand in solidarity with those who are disempowered and oppressed by the structures and institutions that \u201cknock the socks\u201d right out of them?\u00a0 Do we show mercy to those who wrong us? These are questions that move the church to be the feet and hands of Jesus among those who are in need of hope and in need of abundant life. Wherever poverty, hunger, greed war and injustices are found this is where the community of faith, the church, must say, \u201cwe are here!\u201d For this is where Christ would be standing and is standing. The church has to take time to develop a good and solid understanding of who we are in relation to God in order to understand that we cannot do anything alone.\u00a0\u00a0 How we live out our faith affects the lives of many people, locally and globally.<\/p>\n We are a reflective thinking community whose doings makes God\u2019s presence and the values of the Kingdom (love, mercy, justice) real in the midst of our local and global community.<\/p>\n Why even bother with ministers and leaders and what are you going to do about it?\u201d \u00a0I have completed my D.Min. in Leadership and Global Perspectives\u2014that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to do about it! \u00a0Healthy leaders and ministers are those who take time to develop supportive friendships and hold each accountable.<\/p>\n Leadership is about creating and strengthening relationships, about building commitment\u2026about adapting behavior to increase effectiveness\u2026it\u2019s about creating meaning\u2026True leaders are merchants of hope, speaking to the collective imagination\u2026, co-opting them to join you in a great adventure\u2026Great leaders inspire people to move beyond personal\u2026\u201d[8]<\/a><\/p>\n If I truly care about leadership, then I also must make the space and time to care about other ministers and leaders.\u00a0 As leaders we can fall into the trap that we\u2019re in this thing called leadership, alone.\u00a0 That is the farthest thing from the truth. \u00a0Our overworked, overbooked, overcommitted lives of leadership can often create a sense of loneliness.\u00a0 Working on my D.Min. demands that I make space for study, reflection and thinking.\u00a0 This is in addition to the work of ministry that we are already doing. \u00a0This is a reality.\u00a0 And this can take up a lot of emotional, physical and social space.\u00a0 However, we must transform our loneliness.\u00a0 When we practice an intentional belonging to each other and in the world, we experience a transformation from our loneliness into a more vibrant and peaceful sense of calling.[9]<\/a>\u00a0 We need each other for support.\u00a0 We need to cheer out colleagues on to the finish line!<\/p>\n We can often become competitive in our leadership.\u00a0 There is nothing wrong with being competitive, but if it is the detriment of your sisters and brothers in leadership, then what are we as leaders modeling for those we lead? We\/I must be mindful of praying for my colleagues who are swimming and sometimes floating in the waters of leadership. Why do I bother with ministers and leaders because God has also called them and we are called to also be in community with each one another.<\/p>\n Space\u2026an area that is used or available for a specific purpose.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Lancaster Hall Hotel became a space not just for sleeping, but a space for building relationships, learning, and worshipping.\u00a0 The rooms sleeping quarters were small, but that did not matter, because the spirit of community was enormous! The space that was created for meaningful interactions for both \u201cco-horts\u201d was a blessing.\u00a0 Our chats after the Advance were very different. We can \u201chear\u201d and \u201csee\u201d each other now!\u00a0 Every Monday mornings, I feel like if we are entering into \u201csacred space\u201d when we enter the chat room. \u00a0Of course, some of us need at least two cups of coffee to have this experience!\u00a0 We have made safe space for each other.<\/p>\n The \u201cAdvance\u201d in London became a space of grace for me.<\/p>\n [1]<\/a>. http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/space#<\/a> (Accessed, December 21, 2013)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n [2]. Ibid., definition 2.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n [3]<\/a>.\u00a0 Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools,<\/em> (Tomales, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2009), 23.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"image\"](\"https:\/\/31.media.tumblr.com\/b19861bb882cce51a85214a595ce8071\/tumblr_inline_mya7lwJonF1s96ypu.jpg\")
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