Summit 2010 - Session 6 - Dr. Zhao Xiao

.:Beyond Economy: China's Transformation with the Cross
Four Stages or Platforms that Countries can have Influence
1 - Economics Stage - China was everywhere
2 - Political Stage - China is on U.N. Security Council
3 - Sports Stage - China hosted Olympics
4 - Faith Stage - Rarely see Chinese influence

Leadership is not just about influence. It also must be about thgoing the right direction

We must recognize, accept change.

What is the significant change between now and 500 years from now?
The most significant thing in the 20th century is not the two world wars or the rise and collapse of the soviet union. It is the rise of china because it will influence generations centuries into the future.

Summit 2010 - Session 5 with Adam Hamilton

.:When Leaders Fail
This is not an inspirational talk. But I think that for some of you, this may be the most important talk and could save your ministry or your church.

A study that was done in 2005-2006 of 1050 pastors had 30% admit to some sort of sexual impropriety during their ministry life.

Though there is not a one size fits all approach, our story might help.

I want to talk about three things

1. Share about how my church handled a situation in this area
2. Why Church leaders have a hard time in this area
3. Five "Rs" for resisting temptation in your own life

Summit 2010 - Session 4 - Craig Groeschel interviews Tony Dungy

.:The Mentor Leader
"Stubbornness is a virtue - if you're right."
Being a pastor is similar to being a coach:

• What do you do the rest of the week?
• People watching can call better plays from home (or the pew)
• You can work yourself into the ground.

Known for encouraging a life of balance

• We are going to win, but you can't make football your life.
• You can be passionate about it, but you need to have other interests.

Summit 2010 - Session 3 - Christine Caine (Founder of the A21 Campaign)

Leading from a Place of Hope

I'm sorry that it took me so long to respond to God hearing your cry that I didn't come sooner.

The Cry of the World to Us:
If what you believe is true, then where are you? Because we live with no hope.

This is Our Time of Greatest potential
Ephesians 5:14 - wake from the dead, you who sleep.
Jesus Christ is the hope of the world and His church is still the best vehicle to bring that hope to the world.

It is our Job to Lead from a Place of Hope.
If we don't have hope, then how on earth can those without Jesus have any hope at all?

Summit 2010 - Session 2 - Jim Collins

Never, Ever, Give Up

5 Stages of Decline

Step 1 - Hubris Born of Success
It is not success that leads to failure, but outrageous arrogance that inflects suffering on the innocent
Bad decisions taken with good decision are still bad decisions

Three very different leaders
Darwin Smith - Kimberly Clarke
Had a charisma challenge
Funky looking guy, socially inept introvert
"I was just trying to be qualified for the job."

Anne Mulcahy - Xerox
She was magnetic
She did not expect to become CEO, but was determined to fix the company
She was surprised that she became CEO and never sought it
"I was an accidental CEO."

Herb Kelleher - Southwest Airlines
Not normal
Rents a stadium and resolves a trademark dispute with the CEO of other business with an arm wrestling match.
"When the going gets weird, the weird become CEO."

What do these three leaders share in common?

1. It is not about them
2. They never, ever give up
3. They are level 5 leaders

(What separates the Level 5 Leaders from the Level 4 Leaders is humility of a very special type - it is an absolute commitment to do whatever it takes)

Summit 2010 - Opening Session with Bill Hybels

I though I'd give blogging through Willow Creek's Leadership Summit this year.  We'll see if I actually make it through the whole thing.

From HERE to THERE
 
Getting stuck in a leadership slump
Half-a-dozen problems around Willow Creek that he just couldn't seem to resolve and right about this time, his secretary came in and dumped half-a-dozen new leadership books on his desk.
Then he started looking at the books and thinking about the problems and thought, "Maybe I've come to the end of my run."

Then had a wedding to do, and thought, "This will be good, because I know I can do weddings. Not my favorite thing to do, but I know I can do them. I've done hundreds of them."

Went through the whole wedding and everything went fine until the very end when he gave the nod to the vocalist to sing the final song, but she shook her head no.

"I can't even do a wedding right!"

He was in a slump.

Told God, "I need help. I don't know anything."

God told him, "Bill, you've been leading for 3 1/2 decades. You know a few things."

Leaders move people from Here to There.
We are HERE (current reality), but someday we are going to wind up THERE (preferred future) and we will all love life, our church will be stronger and better and more like Jesus.
He used to think the first step was to just describe "There"

Our Favorite Five

Our little guy Eli is just past the 6 week mark and there are a few items that we have come to love.

#1 BumGenius 3.0 diapers

They’re more expense up front than disposables, but save a ton in the long run.  We’ve got the one-size and plan to adjust the snaps out as little man grows.  Eighteen is the magic number for us as it allows us to have a couple in each of our diaper bags and still have rotations of seven. With a nighttime insert that protects from those massive night pees, they work great. We just toss them in the washer every night and haven’t had a problem yet.

#2 Prince Lionheart Ultimate Wipes Warmer and Natural Flannel Baby Wipes

this is an awesome idea.  Working in a daycare, I always felt bad for the poor kids’ bottoms getting wiped with the ac-temped wipes.  The warmer takes care of this for our guy and we can toss the flannel wipes in with the diapers

#3 SwaddleMe 3-Pack

I was a little skeptical of these at first, but after Rachael explained them to me and showed me how to use them, I’ve become a believer.  They are perfect for swaddling at the shoulder or under the arms. But the best part about them is the design that lets you set one in a car seat, snap the little one in and swaddle around both baby and straps.

#4 Boppy Feeding Pillow

I know my wife love this as it puts Eli at the perfect height for breastfeeding (Full disclosure: My wife is short.  Okay she’s very short – with one of those small strike zone torsos. Taller women might need an extra pillow to make the Boppy hit the perfect height). I like the Boppy because I can use it to snuggle him up to me at night when Mommy is tired and just needs some sleep.

#5 bumGenius Diaper Sprayer

This sprayer is easy to install (I think it took a crescent wrench, a pair of scissors and about 4 minutes), works great and is useful for far more than the makers intended.  Trust me, you’ll be really glad for it the first time your little one drops a deuce in the baby bath or decides to display the projectile spit-up trick they learned from their baby friend or if Dad is just a hairy beast that needs to hose down the shower after using it. Seriously – lots of uses. Oh, and it makes spraying out cloth diapers pretty simple too.

So those are our most useful, awesome favorite baby items so far.  I'm sure we'll have more to come. What are yours?

We are safe at home.

Full day: Rachael's done w/ surgery & in recovery. My sister & brother-in-law walked out of the hotel this morn to a guy breaking their car's driverside window.

Rachael's surgery is scheduled for this 2:30 or 3ish this afternoon. She will need to be kept overnight. I hope I can take her & Eli both home tomorrow morning.

Eli received a clean bill of health earlier today, but Rachael is the one they won't release. She's getting her gall bladder out tomorrow. Hope to go home after

Eli's billyrubin test this morning showed his level back down at 10. Another test at 2p will let us know if we're heading home or spending another night.

So it turns out that parenting is supposedly easier if at least one of us gets some sleep. Since they won't let Rachael leave, I'm heading home for a nap.

Wish I could say we're on our way home, but it looks like it'll be at least 1 more day, maybe 2.

Eli's bilirubin level is at 12 so they've set up a light kit to shine on him tonight to combat jaundice. We'll be here for at least 1 more night.

Eli's here and healthy. 2:22a on 4/26/10

Still pushing

Tomorrow's just a song away.

Still 100% effaced, but now 8cm. 12 hours since her water was broken. Might still be here before midnight.

At 6cm and 100% effaced, Rachael's going for the epidural. 3.5 hours of sleep last night just wasn't enough to last.

Rachael's at 5cm and they gave her some IV fetanyl to take the edge off the pain and hopefully let her rest for a bit.

Cut the lights and we're both trying to rest a bit before we get to the final stretch.

Upped Rachael's oxytocin (again sp?) level to 22. She's really starting to feel the contractions now.

80% efaced (sp?) and 4 cm. They're working on it.

My sister Connie and brother-in-law Tim arrived with new clothes and diapers for Eli.

I think I'm more sick to my stomach than Rachael at this point. Little to no sleep for me means an upset stomach every time. Rachael's at a 5 on the 1-10 scale.

@kshermer (Kris) and Lacey visiting @3CSLP (Rachael) before heading to church.

Mom and Dad made it to the hospital by following an ambulance.

Rachael's a 3 on the 1-10 contraction scale. So far, so good.

Contractions started, but pretty far apart. Things moving along.

Rachael's all pricked and sticked and drifting off to sleep for a nap before everything begins.

Holy crap, it's hot in this delivery room! I thought hospitals were supposed to be cold, you know, 'cause of germs and stuff.

Check-in takes a lot longer when they are expecting you.

Heading to the hospital for Rachael's induction. Who knew five o'clock came twice a day?

T minus 11 hours 'til we head to the hospital.

Thanks Iceland (He said sarcastically)

My theology professor (Dr. Grudem) is stuck in England due to the whole Iceland volcano fallout, so Ryan's theology professor, Dr Chay is pitch hitting. Now I understand. It's stressful and exhausting just listening to him.

I did get my paper done though, so that's awesome.

5 days 'til Eli - get excited

Denying Yourself

A friend of mine asked me last week for my thoughts in response to these questions:

How would you explain the concept of "denying yourself" to teens?
What does denying ourselves look like today?
What is it not?

In thinking about this, my first response is that "denying yourself" is living a life filled with intentional choices to curb your natural wants and desires in order to make the world a better place for others.

One way this works is by giving not of our excess, but out of our need. what I mean by this is that I think Jesus changed the standard from the Old Testament 10% to a New Testament standard of giving until it changes how you live. Or looked at from the positive side of things, changing how you live in order to give.

I think it might be a little easier to address with adults who have jobs, budgets and direct-deposit paychecks. With teenagers who might or might not have a job, it's hard to decide what that looks like.

Maybe it's giving hope to a child across the world through compassion international. (little more than $30 a month) or by pooling $ with your friends, pulling down a carload of $1 menu food and heading out to feed homeless with a meal they might really appreciate more than a cold ham sandwich and power-bar.

I don't know if any of that helps, but it's what's on my mind right now.