Category Archives: Contemplative Spirituality

Making Plans Without God

God’s leaders have been making plans without him since the beginning of recorded history. Abraham and Sarah grew impatient and decided Abraham would sleep with Hagar. Moses impulsively killed an Egyptian in a misguided effort. The ancient Israelites demanded a king like other nations. Jonah preferred to go in the opposite direction from God’s assignment. Judas Iscariot quit following Jesus’ slow plan to the cross and took matters in his own hands. As leaders we cast vision. The problem is that we can easily cast visions from our own minds, not the mouth of the Lord (Jer. 23:16). As leaders we “get things done.” The problem is we may be getting them done apart from the unpredictable movements of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:8). As leaders we are told to grow our following. The problem is we are to be followers first (John 21:19). These are only a few of the challenges around this. Read more.

Patience and the 4-Year Rule

When we take on a new role or position, it is helpful to remember Tertullian’s (155–222 AD) wise counsel: “It is God’s nature to be patient. One of the signs the Holy Spirit has descended is that patience and waiting is always by its side.” A few years ago Bobb Biehl, one of my mentors, shared an application of this principle that has served me well. It is the 4-year rule: When you take on a new position or role, it will take you 4 years to learn it. (This applies even if you have been in the organization for 20 years yet are moving to a new role). Year 1: Orientation – It takes one year to adjust to your new role. By the end of the 1st year, you are beginning to understand where things are, how to relate to co-workers, the strengths and weaknesses of the ministry, etc. Year 2: Experimentation – By the. Read more.

Power and Wise Boundaries

The most painful lessons I’ve learned in thirty-five years of Christian leadership have involved the exercise of power and having wise boundaries. The minefields surrounding the use of power are rarely acknowledged, much less openly discussed, in Christian circles. How do I handle dual relationships (e.g. when I am both pastor, friend and employer)? What are the boundaries I need to set with people whom I serve? How do I respond when inappropriate people, at inappropriate times, exert power? These are only a few of the many issues around this critically important topic. In fact this was the impetus for me to write The Emotionally Healthy Leader. Take some time with the chart below. It will give a quick overview of the core issues around applying EHS to power and wise boundaries.PS Send me your comments and thoughts on Twitter @petescazzero.

EH Leader Podcast: Embracing Silence

I seriously embraced the spiritual practice of silence 13 years ago, and my relationship with Jesus began to deepen and widen in ways that I never could have imagined. This podcast is our invitation to you to seriously consider deepening your practice of being still before Him (Ps. 37:7). For as Isaac of Nineveh (7th century) said so eloquently: If you love truth, be a lover of silence. It brings you a fruit that tongues cannot describe. In the beginning we have to force ourselves to be silent. But then, a certain sweetness is born in the heart and the body is drawn almost by force to remain in silence. Click the video below to watch or the link to listen to the audio file. LISTEN HERE

3 Killers of Effective Leadership

I called Bobb Biehl a couple of years ago at a moment I found myself “unclear” and “fuzzy.” He shared with me 3 killers of effective leadership that have served me since that conversation. The following is my expansion on his points: 1.Fog When we don’t see clearly where we are, where we are going, and how we are going to get there, leadership (and life I may add) is hard. We know that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Lk.5:16). It was a great struggle for Him, at times, to fully and clearly submit Himself to the will of the Father in critical moments. How can we expect it will require any less of us? Let me suggest 2 things if you are in a fog. First, receive your fog as God’s prompting for you to spend extended time alone with Him – perhaps a ½ day or a 1-2 day. Read more.

Wise Political Engagement. Is it Possible?

What does faithful political engagement look like as Christ-follower in the midst of the divisive, harsh, and acrimonious election year in which we find ourselves in the USA? My concern is that we not allow the world’s pressure to form us, but rather that we respond in a way that reflects and honors Jesus. In 1981, I spent three months in the Philippines during a time when the church found itself divided over the increasingly, repressive dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Some Christians vigorously opposed the government and were on the streets protesting and going to jail; others supported Marcos wholeheartedly. A very few others had decided to take up arms (taking cues from the insights of liberation theology). While the environment was fiercely anti-American, I was blessed to be visiting as an IVCF staff worker and allowed to listen in on their theological reflections in the midst of their highly charged, political environment. It. Read more.

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