December 2010
Harris Coaching and Consulting            
Thoughts for Leadership and Life


In This Issue
Humility in the Face of Mystery
Resources - Made to Stick
Coaching Offer
What is Coaching?

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Friends and Colleagues,


Advent and Christmas is a time when God confronts us with mystery to great to comprehend.  In my main article I invite you to welcome not knowing.

The resource I highlight this month is a resource that I wish I had had when I first began preaching.  Deceptively simple, it has the potential for making each of us better preachers and writers. I hope it will help you, too.


As you lead your congregation, how are things working for you?  I'd love to coach you, whether things are going really well or not so well.  I'll ask deep questions to help you clarify and focus.  Give me a call or send an email.

If you know someone who might benefit from coaching and/or my thoughts here, please use the "Forward to a Friend" button in the newsletter (that way you'll avoid problems with spam filters).

Here's to clarity about how God is leading us!

Peace,

Bob



Humility in the Face of Mystery


My two older granddaughters have read all the Percy Jackson thrillers.  Percy, for those of you not exposed to this older elementary/middle school genre, is a half-blood.  His mother is human and his father is Poseidon, god of the sea.  Percy discovers that the old Greek gods weren't just myth, but rather are alive and well and still creating mischief.  Mt. Olympus has moved from Athens to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building (the current center of world power).  They are great reads, very imaginative.


I admit to being a bit startled when one of these granddaughters noted that "Pop, I like the Greek myths better than the Christian myths."  But when I thought about it, I realized that there is a bit more gore and craziness in them.  They are great adventure yarns that try to make sense of the mystery of life and death.


This Advent-Christmas season is a time of mystery.  We wrestle with the fantastic notion that the God of all creation somehow became incarnate in a baby, that as much of God that could be in a human was somehow in Jesus.  We attempt to proclaim this through music and art and sermon.  And we can't.  Because this mystery is beyond our comprehension.


People with a 19th and 20th century "modern" perspective could easily scoff at this quaint, naive story, saying that it was "scientifically impossible."  But post-modern science, with its fuzzy boundary between matter and energy, properly steps back and says "hmmm...let's see what is going on..." 


What is going on here?  I don't know for sure.


What is God doing?  How is the Holy Spirit moving?  In my community?  In the church?  In me?


Where is God present, bringing new birth in the midst of suffering and oppression?  I don't know, but I'm looking.


In a dysfunctional church, how is the Spirit moving, perhaps allowing a shattering of what we're comfortable with and birthing something new?  I don't know, but I'm looking.


In this time of mystery, I encourage you to be humble in the face of so many mysteries, to be open and not know.  Be open to new directions and adventures for yourself and your church.


As you deal with the mystery and ambiguity in your particular situation, I'd love to coach you.  How about exploring coaching in the new year.  Send me an email or give me a call.


May the God who came in mystery and wonder be with you.


Please email or give me a call.  I'd be glad to talk with you about the process and set up a demonstration coaching session.

 
If you know someone who might find this newsletter helpful, please forward it to them - and please use the button in the newsletter.

Here's to healthy churches - with healthy leaders!


Resources - books and other resources that have been helpful

Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Here's a book to put on your Christmas list!  Brothers Chip and Dan Heath address the question: "why do some ideas stick and others don't?"  (or in clergy talk, "why do some sermons really seem to speak to our listeners and others are totally forgettable?")


They use the acronym SUCCESS:  is your message


Simple - they get to the point quickly and clearly.  "It's the economy, stupid!"


Unexpected - get attention with surprise and hold it with mystery.  "what local restaurant has slime in the ice machine?"


Concrete - use lots of hooks (like Velcro); tell a fable; create a typical target customer (neighbor) "Saddleback Sam."


Credible - Help people believe using understandable statistics or great questions.  Remember "Where's the beef?"


Emotional - Make it real with stories about real people.  And connect it to their core values and identity.  "Don't mess with Texas" was an anti-litter campaign!


Stories - a great reminder for preachers - stories simulate action and inspire people to act.  Think Subway's Jared who dropped from 425 lbs. to 180 - eating Subway's sandwiches!


Needless to say, Jesus was a master story teller.  Why then, do so many sermons drift off into theological ether, giving hearers little clear ideas of the concreteness of the good news?


Get this book.  It will help you be a better preacher.


What books or resources have you found especially helpful?  I'd be glad (with available space) to share your reviews and/or suggestions.
A Christmas/New Year's Offer

Coaching at half price for the first five to ask.  I'm rapidly accumulating enough hours for the next level of coaching certification (the Professional Certified Coach).  In what will be mutually beneficial, I offer coaching at half my usual rate (ie. from $100/session to $50) to five persons who sign up for 10 sessions each. 

Consider how you would like to grow.  Where are you restless?  How would you like more focus and clearer results?  I can help.  Give me a call or send an email.


Future Issues (monthly)
  • Leading from Below
  • On Not Shooting Yourself in the Foot
  • Links to back issues are available - email me if you'd like more information
     

I hope you have found this newsletter informative and helpful.  Please subscribe to continue receiving it (or unsubscribe to stop).  If you'd like to explore coaching, please email or call me.

If you have found it helpful, please forward it to friends who you think would appreciate it. (And please use the forward button on the newsletter itself.

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Bob
Robert Harris
Harris Coaching and Consulting