Flags Jump-Starting Discipling

Yesterday was a big day for my family. Flag Day. While there is historical significance attached to this day, it is not the history which makes this a big day for us. Rather, for years this is also the day on which we get up a couple hours early and run house to house setting up roughly 1,200 flags through several local neighborhoods. What can I say - strenuous work has a way of asserting itself as a priority for us.

As we got started going, I was mentally gearing up for loping at a decent pace and finishing the task as quickly as practical. I mean, as fun as running/walking for several hours is, there's no point to extending the time any longer than needed. Which is why I was a bit put out when my younger sister, no more than 2 houses into the day, had a question about how to stick the flags into the ground. "Really", I thought to myself, "there goes hopes for a quick, smooth day."

This was followed by a reminder from the Lord of what this really was - an opportunity to teach my sister. Indeed, you might even say it was an opportunity to disciple her. As that thought stuck with me, there were several facets of discipleship which our flag run highlighted for me:

1. Discipleship Isn't Convenient - I had this conception of discipleship as something which I could control. That is, it could happen at the pace I wanted to make it happen, almost as if it could be added to a calender and scheduled in advance. The truth is, that's not always the case. It's a process which is happening all the time. You can't turn off when you are speaking into someone's life - even if it would be more convenient to impact them at a different time.
2. Discipleship Happens in a Historic Context - As was mentioned above, we've been running these neighborhoods for years, generally several times each year. Most of what I was teaching/modeling for my sister was skills which I'd learned walking with my Dad when I was helping him as a young tyke. When disciplining others, it is helpful to remember that there is history behind what they are learning. That history helps give a context for the idea/skill being taught as well as added authority to the one teaching.
3. Discipleship Doesn't Always Look Like Teaching - My passion includes sharing new ideas with people. There aren't many things which get me quite as excited as seeing the lightbulb turn on and knowing that someone has picked up a new idea and will be seeing the world in a new way moving forward. Not all teaching is going to happen in a pre-planned, structured environment. Conversation in the car, project we are working on, putting flags in the ground - there are plenty of times where I'm discipling others that aren't in a classroom.

Down the road, I'll be trying to learn from my from our flag running experience. Specifically, I'll be trying to keep a closer eye out for the unexpected platforms which God will give to impact the lives of those around me. That being said, I know that discipleship covers quite a bit more than I've been able to look at in this post. With that in mind, I'd love to get your input. What facets of discipleship have you found to be important to keep in mind? How are you planning to be more intentional about your discipleship of others moving forward?

Of Leading and Reading

Leaders are readers

This phrase has a a cliche feel. It's one of those phrases which contains a gold mine of truth and consequently is thrown around so much that it gets worn out. Today however, two sentences from a school book shed some light on why this phrase rings true:

"Whatever role others might play, it is Tutu who is the compass. He guides us in several ways, the most important of which is language."

These sentences from Country of My Skull highlight one of the most important tools leaders have at their disposal: words. You see, because Truth really is true, our words are either true or false. Either they accurately describe and depict reality, or they present a sham world.

If we are going to lead others effectively, we need to clearly, concisely, and correctly communicate about the world. There is no other option. You see, Evil has a way of painting up its own version of the world which looks deceptively accurate. It has had quite a bit of time to learn how to take what is false and make it look like reality. This means that if we are going to be effective in the Battle between Truth and Falsehood, we need to be skilled in the wielding of words. We need to be able to paint reality in such vivid and accurate colors that the sham world will be shown up for what it is.

One of the first steps in wielding words is to have the words to begin with. As a friend pointed out in a blog post on our company's website, the best way to gain these words is by reading. Interact with the thoughts left by others in their books leaves a fuller understanding on how the world really works. The more this understanding is developed, the better we will be able to verbally express our thoughts. 

Simply put, leaders read because it gives them the vocabulary with which to lead. It allows them to be able to clearly communicate how to go about living a good life.

In case you do not have a list of books you will be working on, here are a few which I have found to contain quite a bit of insight into the world: The Bible, The Lord of the Rings, and A Severe Mercy. They are all worth reading and rereading.

If you aren't in the middle of a book right now, please start one. According to Dr. Michael Bauman: "You either master language, or are mastered by those who do." Mastering or being mastered, the choice is up to you.

Above I listed several books which I have found to clearly communicate truth about the world. What books have you come across which did the same for you?