Leadership Thankyou

On Monday the 1st November I had the privilege of celebrating with a fantastic bunch of VIVs (Very Important Volunteers). We said thank you to those who exercise leadership across Logan Uniting Church and to their spouses. Below is part of what I shared with those who attended:

The longer I am in leadership and the more I read about leadership the more I find that very few leaders are born leaders. Also not all, in fact not many, great leaders are naturally charismatic, up front, “go getter” type people.
This is how leadership develops:

• You become a leader when you see a need and seek to fill it; see a possibility and seek to help it happen.
• You become a good leader when as you seek to fulfil this possibility God’s heart catches your heart (passion); and you begin to gather others to help fulfil this possibility.
• You become a great leader when God’s passion has taken such a hold of you that you pay the price of leadership. There is always a price to yourself and even those you love (time, energy, tears, burden of responsibility etc). You also discover it is impossible to fulfil God’s purpose (possibility) on your own and so your focus becomes developing team. You no longer seek to fill the need or achieve the possibility on your own but as a team.
• An exceptional leader has all the qualities of a great leader but a further shift has happened. An exceptional leader is no longer worried about success and certainly not their own success. Rather they are focussed on God’s purposes succeeding and the people they serve succeeding.

Exceptional leaders interplay these 2 foci: doing all they can to help the people they serve grow as disciples of Christ, living in God’s purposes; and together in relationship (team) with them working to bring about the miracle of God’s kingdom being built here on earth
As I look out I see great and exceptional leaders. I say this not just to be nice. Many of you are in leadership because you saw a need and chose to fill it; you saw a possibility and chose to have a go at it. As you did, something of God’s passion began to fill you. I watch you pay the price of leadership – time, prayer, tears; not feeling like serving this week or month or year, but rolling up your sleeves and doing it because you believe God is calling you to. I hear your heart to help those you serve grow as disciples of Jesus - your focus is on those you serve, not yourself.

THANKYOU!

Yours in Christ
Graham Keech

Together on the way

photo: Nathan Dean

The Uniting Church in Queensland is currently in a process of seeking to discern God’s direction for the church in Queensland. This began in January 2010 and will culminate at the Synod meeting in October 2011. The process is being called “Together on the way, enriching community”. Hundreds of people across Queensland have already been involved in various workshops. At the Synod meeting in May this year the following “call and values” were affirmed:

The Church’s Call at this Time
In response to God’s call at this time, the Uniting Church in Queensland is committed to:

Uniting in Christ
acting with love
living with hope
witnessing in faith
working for justice

Gospel Values
As the Uniting Church in Queensland sharing in God’s mission in the world, we will be guided by values that derive from and give expression to God’s reconciling action in Jesus Christ.
In response to God’s grace, we are called to live out these values:
Faithfulness
Compassion
Humility
Truthfulness
Justice

These gospel values will inform our lives as individuals and as the community of the Uniting Church in Queensland.

Faithfulness
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)
We respond to God’s faithfulness to us by living the gospel story by gathering in worship and sharing good news.
Related themes: prayer, renewal, community, belonging, hope

Compassion
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
Caring for others and being cared for is at the heart of our Faith. Caring is the ultimate basis for true community. Compassion is the force that drives us to eliminate suffering and encourage new ways of being in the world.
Related themes: love, action, respect, reconciliation, inclusion

Humility
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. (Phil 2:5-8)
We are called to reflect a Christ-like life towards others, through service, sharing the gospel and demonstrating servant leadership.
Related themes: grace, wisdom, insight, service, generosity, forgiveness, wonder

Truthfulness
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14-15)
As Jesus is revealed to us as the light of the world, coming in glory, truth and unfailing love and faithfulness, so we will be known for our integrity, truth telling and honour for all people.
Related themes: integrity, advocacy, reconciliation, honesty, forgiveness, peace

Justice
Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him and he will proclaim justice to the nations … He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. (Matthew 12:18, 20)
Because God requires that we do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God, so we understand that all we have is to be shared with others and the resources of our planet directed to the benefit of all. We will achieve this in word, deed and action.
Related themes: mercy, hope, risk-taking, commitment, mission, advocacy, action

Current steps
Currently congregations and agencies across Queensland are being invited to reflect on and offer insights into the vision and direction of the Uniting Church in Queensland over the next 10 years. The following helps us do this:

A vision is a picture of the preferred future. Visions need to be developed from time to time by people to ensure the dream, the call can be revitalised and lived out in our time. It calls us beyond the present, it makes us uncomfortable, it challenges us, it demands change, it invites repentance and transformation. What is the vision the Uniting Church of Queensland is being asked to name? What do we want to be doing in 2020? How can we be – Uniting in Christ, acting in love, living with hope, witnessing in faith, working for justice?



Process steps:
• Imagine it is 2020 – let us vision what we can do into the future.

1. In 2020 you have gathered with a group. Who will be there? There are reports from a variety of places. What sort of groups, people etc will be providing these reports?
2. You are pleased with the changes that have happened in the Church and the way you have responded to the Call and Gospel Values created in 2010 and the vision you set at that time.
3. You know the Church has been revitalised and the Church has enriched communities, locally, state-wide, nationally and globally.
4. What has happened? What do you see in the Uniting Church in Queensland?
5. How do you see the Church – Uniting in Christ, acting with love, living with hope, witnessing in faith, working for justice?

• Jot down concrete examples of what is happening in 2020, for example:
1. worshipping in homes
2. ecumenical worship, especially in rural areas
3. strong advocacy on government policy

• Now, as you look at the Vision for 2020:
1. What stands out for you?
2. What excites you? Disturbs you?
3. What insight have you gained into the Uniting Church?
4. What part of the Call and Gospel Values document do you see reflected in this vision?
5. What is not reflected here?

If you would like more information on the “together on the way, enriching community” process please go to http://together.ucaqld.com.au/
Otherwise talk to myself, Glen or Tim Robinson.

Please pray for the Uniting Church in Queensland and perhaps engage in conversation about this in your faith life groups and/or write down your personal reflections and send them to me.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Remembering the disadvantaged & disempowered

photo: Corey Grunewald

On Sunday the 22nd August I preached from James 1: 27 - 2: 13 on God’s heart for those who are disadvantaged and disempowered; and reflected on how easy it is to exclude people. I argued that “in order not to show favouritism (that is to deliberately or inadvertently exclude people) the dominant culture (which at Logan Uniting are those who are white, speak English as their first language, are ‘Ok’ financially, and reasonably able bodied) must purposefully and deliberately create space and show favour to those who are not part of this group.” I then asked us to think about, “who are the unseen ones – the ones who sit on the outer at work or at church or at our social groups; the ones whose voices are not heard; who are not usually invited out or included first in activities?” I also asked all of us to deliberately look beyond our circle of friends and those who we relate to easily in order to “see people” and then to step out of our comfort zone to include them.

A couple of weeks later (Wednesday the 8th September) I attended a remembrance service for the “Forgotten Australians”. I attended because a friend of mine was speaking at it. “Forgotten Australians” are the survivors of childhood institutional care in Australia. They are now adults, some in their thirties, some very elderly; and include indigenous children, child migrants and others who were placed in institutional care for a whole range of reasons.

I was sitting beside a lady who in 1951 at the age of 12 was sent with 11 other girls (the youngest being 5) to Australia. The Priest at the orphanage in London signed her deportment papers without any reference to her parents. Upon arriving in Australia, she and the other girls were sent to Neerkol Orphanage outside of Rockhampton. This lady was telling me that back in London they would leave the orphanage to go to school or church or on outings. At Neerkol the school and church were part of the orphanage and for the next years of her life she NEVER left the orphanage.

A Senate Inquiry identified systemic deception, neglect, exploitation, brutality, sexual assault, poor health care, denial of educational opportunities, removal or loss of identity etc. within childhood institutional care. Apart from this, such children suffered deep and lasting feelings of separation and abandonment.
As I sat in the service I heard words like, forgotten, unseen, invisible, and I found myself reflecting on the sermon from the book of James. In November 2009, the Australian Parliament, through the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, formally acknowledged and apologised for the experiences of Forgotten Australians and Child Migrants, their harsh treatment and their ongoing trauma. At the remembrance service I attended, people spoke about how this apology has helped them feel heard and seen.

My friend who spoke was in institutional care from the age of 2 and as a teenager experienced physical, emotional and sexual abuse by staff within a local institution. I also met two ladies who claimed to have experienced abuse within Uniting Church institutions. One of these commented to me that those who grew up in institutional care benefit a lot from a relationship with a secure person who provides an experience of acceptance and stability. Over all the years relating to my friend (17 years all up) I had always felt I was never doing enough to help. It seems just being a faithful friend was and is the best gift I can give.

It was an amazing experience and introduced me further to a group of people who have been disempowered and disadvantaged, whom God loves and whom He calls us (well I guess at least me) to serve well.

I continue to ask all of us to look beyond the circle of people with whom we naturally relate, asking God to show us those He wants us to befriend/serve/show His love to.

Reflections from Global Leadership Summit 2010

The key to Logan Uniting Church fulfilling its redemptive potential is every person passionately following Jesus, listening to the prompts of the Holy Spirit and stepping outside of our comfort zone in witnessing and serving.
As part of our trip through the USA Glen and I attended the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit in Chicago. This was two days of world class business and church leaders sharing their insights - FANTASTIC.
SOME of the standout speakers were:

Jim Collins
Jim Collins, nationally acclaimed business consultant, serves as a teacher to leaders throughout the corporate and social sectors. Author of the best-selling books Good to Great and Built to Last, he is a student of companies—how they grow, how they attain superior performance, and how good companies can become great companies. His writings, based on groundbreaking research, have been featured in Fortune, Business Week, The Economist, USA Today, and Harvard Business Review. His latest volume, How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In, looks at common mistakes of organizations in a state of decline, and what leaders can do to reverse negative patterns and flourish anew.

Key Learning
Organisational decline is almost always self-inflicted
Stages of decline
1. Hubris born of success
2. Undisciplined pursuit of more
3. Denial of risk and peril
4. Grasping for salvation (Search for silver bullet)
5. Capitulation.

In the last 100 years only 18 of the fortune 500 companies are still alive and kicking – what they have in common is that they have more reasons to endure than money – they have undiluted core values which are not open to compromise. (E.G. Apple, Sony, Proctor and Gamble.) They changed their practices but not their values. They were also not afraid of “BHAGS”, Big Hairy Audacious Goals.

Andy Stanley
Under the leadership of Andy Stanley, North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, has become one of the largest and most innovative churches in the United States. Founded in 1995, the church has grown to three campuses and a weekly attendance of more than 22,000 people. They have also helped plant more than 20 strategic partner churches across North America. Stanley is a dynamic speaker and author whose books include Visioneering, Next Generation Leader, and Communicating for a Change. His latest volume, The Principle of the Path, explores a basic truth that can eliminate regret, as it helps to successfully move people from where they are to where they want to go.


Key Learning
• Myth – Great Leaders solve problems and relieve stress – actually problems and stress should not always be eradicated but leveraged for good.
Leveraging tensions
1. Identify the tensions to be managed in your organization
2. Name those tensions – are both sides good (e.g. Salvation and Justice)
3. Inform your core
4. Continually give value to both sides
5. Don’t weigh in too heavily on your personal biases
6. Don’t allow strong personalities to win
7. Don’t think in terms of balance but rhythm, seasons of focus.

T.D. Jakes
Named by TIME magazine as one of the “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America,” Bishop Thomas Dexter (T.D.) Jakes is an entrepreneur, global advocate, philanthropist, and pastor of The Potter’s House. Located in Dallas, Texas, this multiracial, nondenominational congregation has more than 30,000 members. Known for his service to both the church and the global community, he’s led initiatives to combat domestic violence, homelessness, poverty, and AIDS. A prolific writer, Bishop Jakes has authored more than 30 books, including two New York Times bestsellers.

Key Learning
• You cannot clone passion – people must receive it – but it is more than emotionalism it is commitment to a cause or endeavour
• People follow people who take risks for great causes
• You cannot do things without people – treasure them
• Evaluate what people can do – challenge them with something they can reach, do not defeat them with something they cannot reach – gift assessment is crucial
• Do not let depletion become normal – re-fill.

(Thanks to Steve Everist, Associate Pastor Pittwater Uniting Church, for the above
summaries)

These are only three of the 13 speakers we had the privilege of being challenged, equipped and inspired by.

On the 8th and 9th of October a large group from Logan Uniting will attend a video version of the Global Leadership Summit at Gateway Baptist. This is a fantastic opportunity to be equipped as a passionate disciple of Jesus.

We still have some very early bird registrations available and once they are taken, church council will contribute $30 each for a further ten registrations. Please contact the church office and make an investment in your growth and therefore in God’s Kingdom.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

September 2010 - Avoiding Burnout

Photograph by Forrest Cavale

Earlier in the year a member of the congregation asked me how you avoid burnout in ministry. This was in response to them becoming aware of a number of ministers who had experienced burnout and/or depression. My response was that at least the following four things must be in place. (I believe these to be true and necessary for all of us whatever our vocation in life to help avoid burnout and in fact are necessary if we are to mature as Disciples of Christ):

1. Do the internal work:
If we are to mature as Disciples of Christ then at some point we must allow God to look deep within us and to surface our hidden drivers and wounds. All of us have “drivers (motivators)” within us – some are healthy and some very unhealthy. Even the healthy drivers if not understood can lead us to overdo something and burnout. Understanding what is important to us, what we avoid, why we respond positively or not so positively to people and situations is critical to emotional and spiritual health. The book “Emotionally Healthy Church” by Peter Scazzero has some great tools for helping us do this (you can order one from the bookshop). Often we also need a trusted counsellor or friend who is good at asking questions that take us deeper than we would normally go.
There really is no way of avoiding this journey if we want to keep maturing in Christ and if we want to protect against burnout.

2. Ensure you have times of re-creation:
Fun, friendship and faith are actually the keys to this. I am absolutely convinced that having fun is one of God’s keys for emotional wellbeing – it is as important as sleep. What do you do each week that you really enjoy – that is fun for you?
Healthy friendships where you don’t have to wear a mask but are free to genuinely be yourself are also important in being renewed emotionally.
So too is faith – and not just faith as an abstract concept – but faith as a growing relationship with God that is renewed by taking the time to be still, alone, reflect on scripture and wait on God.

3. Clarifying the unique way God has designed you to serve:
For me this has meant looking closely at what my role as Senior Minister involves and what my unique gifts/strengths are. I have then identified where these intersect and seek to focus the majority of my time on these. I call them my four ‘big rocks’ – the things I am uniquely designed to do in my role here at Logan and they get first priority in my allocation of time.
What are you passionate about? What do you do well? How are these finding expression in your daily vocation (paid or unpaid work)?
If you don’t answer these questions you will end up doing everything and nothing (feeling like you are not really contributing anything worthwhile) and/or being constantly driven by the expectations of others.

4. Ensuring you have people who encourage you to do the above three things:
This is where “intentional faith filled friendships” (meeting with 2 other people of the same gender for accountability, encouragement and prayer) and/or “faith life groups” come into play.
I find it helpful to have people who encourage me to take time for fun and re-creation when they see I need it. It has been important to have people who ask the hard questions regarding what I am doing about my internal work. I meet in an intentional faith filled friendship where each week we talk about what we have learnt in our times with God (this helps hold us to account). It has also been helpful to have others affirm my choices in prioritising my work (around the “4 big rocks”) as there are times it means I will say “no” to people or not meet certain expectations.
I am not really sure why I am writing about this topic. All I can say is that as I prayed about Keech’s Korner this came to my heart.
I hope these insights are helpful.

Yours in Christ
Rev Graham Keech
Senior Minister

August 2010 - Hi from the States

Photograph by Richard Wong

Hi from the States. The trip is going very well. We had five days in Los Angeles and are now in Atlanta. The broken leg is fine – just a bit uncomfortable and tiring. Glen says “Hi” and we both thank you for praying for us and for our families.

So far there are two churches that stand out to me. One is Church Multiplication Associates (CMA). This is a movement passionate about leading people to Christ, making disciples and planting churches. They started by visiting a local coffee shop and doing three things:

- Drinking coffee
- Playing games (chess etc – whatever people enjoyed)
- Listening.

In the process many people came to Christ. In fact so many that they decided to move to a different coffee shop which was darker (people here were into Satanism and a witches coven met regularly at the coffee shop) in order to win more people to Christ. One great quote is “bad people make good soil; there is a lot of fertilizer in their life”.

CMA does church in people’s homes, coffee shops – wherever. Once the church reaches 12 people it multiplies and a new church is started. As a consequence there are now literally thousands of churches that are part of this movement, with a 25% conversion growth rate.

The key to the movement however lies in their Life Transformation Groups (LTG). This is a group of three people of the same gender who meet each week. Each week the members read one book of the bible and share about it when they meet. If one person has not finished the reading, all re-read the book until eventually all three people have read it. This repetitious immersion in the bible is the key to health. The LTG also have accountability questions they answer with each other. And the third component is that they pray strategically for pre-Christian people. Once someone comes to faith in Christ the LTG’s divide and two LTG’s now meet. There is never more than three people in an LTG. It is actually the LTG’s that carry the DNA of the movement and are the key to ensuring disciples, churches and the movement itself grows in health.

The second is “The Dream Center”. This church began 15 years ago led by a 19 year old, very new pastor – Matthew Barnett. Matthew thought he would grow a church on great preaching and worship but discovered the needs and poverty in downtown Los Angeles were so great he had to take a different approach. He chose to “find a need and fill it; find a hurt and heal it” and this continues to be the mission statement of the church. From very small beginnings The Dream Center now uses an old Catholic hospital as its base and serves over 40 000 people every month. This involves food vans, a mobile free health clinic, working with people on skid row (the area of LA where homeless sleep on the street); one section of the ex-hospital is a live-in discipleship centre for people from the streets or prison; another for families who are homeless, another for women at risk and so on. Along with serving there is a clear passion for people to discover the transforming power of Jesus.

We attended the Sunday worship service which was very contemporary with dance music and fantastic technology; but people we spoke with were clear, “this is not church – church is Monday to Saturday – this is when we celebrate.”

The key learning from these growing, active, transformative churches (and also from some that aren’t doing so well) is the importance of a clear understanding of who God has called a particular church to be. This involves very clear DNA (purpose and values/culture). Those that are continuing to be used powerfully by God do not stray from this clear DNA (no matter how big they grow or how many activities they undertake) and every person is expected to live it out. As one leader put it “if disciples don’t carry the DNA, your church doesn’t.”

At Logan Uniting we have a clear purpose: “Drawing people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ” through a culture of Fun, Friendship and Faith. This means every person who is part of LUC must be praying for, serving, sharing faith with pre-Christian people and also participating in biblical community (Faith Life Groups and/or Intentional Faith-Filled Friendships) – this for us is what church is about. For us also, corporate worship is not church, but a chance to celebrate God and all He is doing, as church.

Yours in Christ
Rev Graham Keech
Senior Minister

July 2010 - Ministry Leadership Team

Over these last couple of days I have heard some wonderful stories of what God is doing in and through you, God’s church. We had five first time commitments at Kid’s Games and a number of recommitments. It is not the number that is impressive but the change in young people’s lives. Hearing the story of one of the children, who has no Christian background and for whom this was their first Kid’s Games, and the way in which they are so excited about Jesus and reading more about him, is absolutely uplifting. I also heard the story of a young mum who has just joined one of our play groups and who is experiencing an amazing sense of being loved and cared for. Another story involved children who are 8 and 9 years old praying for their Kid’s GIG leader. GREAT STUFF!!!

These are just some of the stories of what God is doing. Whilst I am incredibly encouraged by this I have a very strong sense that there is even more “Breakthrough” that God is wanting us to walk into as a church. I shared this with the Ministry Leadership Team on Tuesday and called them to trust God more, take courageous steps and make big decisions. Below is some of the growth stretches I see for every member of the MLT:

Glen: multiplying faith life groups and leaders and coaches.
Heather: developing the financial viability of the counselling centre so we can continue to keep good counsellors and expand the service.
Tim R: developing youth discipleship and multiplying youth faith life groups (and for these to be so effective there is little or no drop out of young people when they finish youth ministry). Also the development of life groups in the Carbrook area.
Craig: a clear vision of how corporate worship helps build the Kingdom of God through LUC and developing more teams and leaders to help us move into this.
Liz: increase the teams for pastoral care and prayer so we have a very strong “net of care” across LUC.
Libby: helping more and more people and leaders catch the vision and passion in her heart for children and young families so we see a multiplication of fruitfulness
Tim B: growing teams that will strengthen and multiply resources and communication across our church.
Jim: passionately pursuing discipleship with staff and students. Jenny Munns: (Jenny’s position is funded by the government and she leads our Pitstop ministry; and whilst not part of the MLT has an important role in our= outreach): expanding Pitstop beyond PPP to include health and finances; and not just running successful programs but helping people move closer to Jesus and connect more fully with LUC.
Me (Graham): calling forth success in and through the MLT; calling every member of LUC to genuine discipleship; shaping our church around the discipleship process so that more and more and more (and multitudes of) people are coming to faith in Christ and growing as His disciples.

I was very clear with the team that stepping into this “breakthrough” in God did not require people to work harder but to trust God more, take courageous steps and make bold decisions I share this with you not just so that you can pray for each member of the Ministry Leadership Team but as a call to arms, a call to prayer, a call for God to release more of His unlimited power, a call for each of us to step into what we know God is calling us to do and not to back off or get sidetracked. We are together the body of Christ and it is only as EACH one of us trusts God more, take courageous steps and make bold decisions that WE as a church will fulfil our potential in helping build God’s Kingdom.

Yours in Christ
Rev Graham Keech
Senior Minister