What I learned about leadership

As I sit in my hotel room in Vientiane, Laos and reflect on yesterday's activities, I am impressed with how much I learned about leadership, organization, and management in 24 hours. I learned it in the most unlikely places and from the most unlikely teachers.

It does not seem to matter whether you are the leader of a US-based ministry or organization, the administrator of a 403(b) or 401(k) plan, or a headman of a small tribe of Laotian people, the basic issues and needs for leaders remain the same.

Here are at least some of the basic leadership lessons I learned:

1. The capability to see and cast a vision people will follow
2. The ability to articulate the expected results of that vision in a way that stirs followers minds
3. A team of dedicated supporters
4. The willingness to risk
5. The resources to implement
6. The organizational skills to “see it through”
7. Putting replaceable systems in place to support ongoing growth and achievement of the vision
8. The faith the see it through, even during the hard times

Wow, all that in one day? 

Well no, the essentials have been learned through a lifetime of experiences, but I was clearly reminded of them because of what happened yesterday.

Here is the context:

The country of Laos has a long and storied past being landlocked between 5 surrounding countries: Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Myanmar.

Each time I look at the map and see Laos as a connecting point for South East Asia, I am reminded of the strategic location of Israel throughout recorded time. Both Laos and Israel are a pathway to get to someplace else, and a connecting point between strategic powers. Consequently, a location of strategic importance.

Laos is made up of some 47 tribes, each with their own language or dialect. Lao being the largest tribe, while tribes such as the Hmong and the Cur are spread out not only in Laos, but some in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Why is this relevant to a discussion about leadership and organization?

Well, when I think of all the different pieces to the organizational puzzle that we deal with regarding 403(b) or 401(k) retirement plans and the associated services, the situation in Laos is not dissimilar. Each and every organization has multiple systems and groups of people that need to be addressed in order to accomplish any organizational or ministry goals.

It is our job as leaders to understand, appreciate, organize and lead these disparate parts to a visionary goal.

The Capability of a Leader to See and Cast a Vision People Will Follow

Because Laos is a “closed”, communist country, I will have to speak in euphemisms.

The vision is to bring “hope” to the people of this region.

The strategy is to raise up leaders and supporters in each ethnic and geographic area united around a single vision of ‘hope.'

In order to accomplish this grand vision, and then assist each area to support the vision, will take a miracle.

This is where faith comes in.

As we know, planting a common vision within a small ethnically or focused group is hard enough. Bringing that vision and having it embraced and then implemented is hard. Under a corporate or spiritually focused umbrella is “humanly” impossible.

Even though it will be difficult, engagement with “hope” for millions of South East Asians, particularly in the 6 countries mentioned before, is the vision.

During discussions about how to implement the vision, we raised the issue of sustainability. If the leaders at every level are not in economically sustainable life situations, the likelihood of the vision being seen through to fruition is nearly zero.

So the term, Sustainable Vision was born.

The Ability of a Leader to Articulate the Expected Results of That Vision In A Way That Stirs Followers Minds

After a day of visitation and dialogue about the vision, concrete steps were being taken to provide support for family. Steps were also being taken to provide sufficient resources to leverage the activities that will bring “hope”. In the midst of all this, I was impressed with the practical similarities between our vision and the circumstances of the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as they left Egypt en masse.

When they left Egypt there was one leader in charge of a million diverse, yet interrelated families. No organization, no structure, perhaps not a clear understanding of the long-term opportunity, vision, and defensive mentality of leaving. There was no clear understanding of goals and objectives. If you are familiar with the story, that observation will make sense.

At the same time, a similarity that because of the amnesty of the vision, and the lack of skills and resources to implement or reach or sustain the vision, the need for a huge amount of faith without “human” resources is palpable. The idea of a journey towards a vision of hope for many different people in physical juxtaposition but miles, or kilometers, apart culturally and economically.

What an opportunity for our “higher power” to demonstrate capacity, wisdom, and capability.

Other Elements Needed

As I sat eating Tilapia grown on a local fish farm, and talking about this vision with 3 local leaders, the main man with the vision, looked me in the eye and said: “You know, that we are a people with little sustainable “business” and economic skills. We need to learn these skills so our vision is sustainable. We need curriculum - what to learn, teachers - to teach us, and coaches - to help us become the best at this. If we do not find these things, we will not succeed. We have faith that they are available and that He will provide them.”

And then he said, “Will you help us”.

"If I Call, Will You Go?"

Here I sit the following morning with a lump in my throat.

The last time I heard such a clear call was almost 30 years ago. That time I ended up in Timbuktu, Mali. Certainly, another remote location that many people had heard of but where most could not find it on the map.

Such is His call.

Items 3 through 8 on the list above are all important. For leaders, however, the vision comes first and the willingness to both lead and be led comes next. The skill sets are then needed to make the Vision a sustainable one.

Is there a role for you in this vision?

As I get on the plane to head back to Colorado Springs I’m thinking about how this vision can be made sustainable, and what my, maybe your role, in it could be.

Certainly, lots more to think about, and to think about deeply.

You know, for some of us this may be the Future-Funded Ministry that we talk about so often. It is certainly in the Future, will change people’s lives, takes prior experience and skill, a willingness to stretch, grow and give back, and certainly takes faith.

I pray you will be encouraged by this current story, use it to reflect on your leadership opportunities, and be blessed with His challenges to bring “hope” to the world.

Come take the journey with us, Trusted Advice along The Way.

Bruce Bruinsma

Ageism, Longevity, Old

The time from retirement to the end of life is getting longer - a lot longer.

There is more time to do nothing if you are into that. There is more time to discover your calling and add new meaning and purpose to the end of your life. The good news is that whenever you are approaching the time when your vocation ends and the pay check stops, there is time to hear your call, discover your purpose, and live out a high impact life.

A key life goal is to be Faithful for a Lifetime.

I just read a quote, “The worst thing in life is to be successful at anything that has no value”. In other words, being successful at nothing is still exactly that, nothing. For so many, the end goal of retirement is in fact to do nothing. Further, developing a high level of skill in a recreational activity is satisfying, but only if you can leverage the lessons to help others.

Figuring out this retirement thing can be confusing. In our society, culture has a distinct way of reacting to the idea of retirement. Because death is frightening to many, other than committed believers, the diseases that kill most of us come to mind first. And a close second is money and the potential pain of not having enough. Heart disease, cancer diagnosis, mental or cognitive developments (dementia and/or Alzheimers), circulatory issues and then respiratory function lead the thought process that is health related. Translating savings and social security into monthly income highlights the money issues. How much will that be and is it going to be enough?

The length of time in front of most of us creates a whole new set of topics and concerns that prior generations did not have to deal with.

They died before the current reality of living longer became an issue. I remember as a boy, learning that most people living in the decades between my grandparents and my parents stopped working at about 65 and then died within 5 years of that date. As I remember, many times it was within a year of when they stopped working. Coincidentally, I also remember wondering if it was retirement that killed them.

We all are too aware of the medical advances that prolong life and life expectancy. Along with medical advances and what we now know about diet and the importance of simply taking care of yourself, it still seems to catch people by surprise when it is suggested that the time between retirement and death is 30 years.

This duration of time can be hard for many people to accept. They are confronted with the blank pages of life ahead and not understanding exactly what is needed to paint those pages with activity, let alone meaning. It is a disconcerting realization and can often be confusing. Some want to continue to duck the opportunity as being too scary while others are just bewildered and anxious to embrace the opportunity.

My personal journey of making sense of this stage and filling those blank pages with meaning and purpose is both challenging and exciting.

The opportunity to embrace the opportunity and to change the outcome of those decades for thousands from “nothing” to something of value is personally energizing. It is a life purpose I can be passionate about and it is a life purpose I am passionate about. The Live with Meaning Foundation and Retirement Reformation Movement will fill those blank pages for me.

An early question about this topic is, “What is the difference between ageism, longevity and old?” When initially considering these three, the tendency is to simply conclude that they are synonyms. We react that way because we think about retirement, the 4th Quarter, as one life stage instead of the three that it is. In addition, we don’t differentiate between ageism, longevity and old.

A brief definition of each will help make the distinctions between them. Without distinctions in mind, we can’t expand our comprehension. Creating a lexicon of longevity is important to understanding it. Here is an example:  Bob Buford’s Halftime definition of Life 1 and Life 2, might be expanded to now include Life 3. Life 1 extends through the 40s while Life 2 is defined as the remainder of life. Let me suggest that Life 2 ends at around the age of 65 and the time after that is Life 3. Life 3 then becomes an addition to the lexicon of longevity.

Defining Ageism: The biological process of ongoing deterioration of life’s support systems. When a key part of any life support system fails, we die. Ageism is sometimes used to describe the way we characterize those over 65.

Defining Longevity: The ongoing chronology of age. Longevity is the expected or usual length of time a group of people will live. Longevity is based on a group while ageism is about the individual.

Defining Old: How old you are is not a function of age or longevity, it is a function of attitude. Attitude is the way you think about something or someone and is reflected in your behavior. Your attitude determines your relational age, not your chronological age or in what longevity group you find yourself.

How we think impacts all aspects of our life. Here is a series of connected thoughts that will change the course of your life:

Principles guide thinking.

Thinking guides acting.

Acting determines character.

Character determines your life, relationships, and future.

  (Robert Bender)

The future referred to above reflects longevity and age. It is how we handle the “old” that is the most important.

It is important because it is here that we find our meaning and purpose, and as Christians, we play our unique and key roles in building the Kingdom of God demonstrated to us by Jesus.

The meaning of old has changed significantly. Visualize a 60-year-old in 1940, 1950, or 1960. Now visualize a 60-year-old in 2017 and later. Yesterday I saw a news story about a woman in her late 60s who is a fashion icon across the western world. She is active, attractive, and amazingly engaging.

In many churches and organizations what we want from the old people is for them not to be "grumpy" or have a bad attitude. Oh, and we want them to keep giving too. The opposite of grumpy is someone filled with the Spirit and demonstrating how Jesus lives in them and then this is reflected to others.

It helps to understand the differences between ageism, longevity, and old. The interaction and points of intersection between those different ideas is a good starting point in understanding what it will mean to live a life of meaning and purpose during Life 3 - the 4th Quarter - the 30 years of your life after retirement.

Life is a journey, longer than we realize and filled with more opportunities to impact others than we acknowledge.

Let’s figure out how to travel together experiencing the love, joy, and peace of a Jesus follower. Let’s be faithful for a lifetime.

Bruce

The role of money in retirement

I just finished a presentation to 75 missionaries. As I looked out the window of the conference room the waves of Corinth Bay were cresting with white foam. It was hot, but it was beautiful.

The subject of retirement is not one that most missionaries, or many others, are clamoring to discuss.

They know they should, but it scares many of them. Unfortunately, retirement means so many different things to different people. Each person seems to have their own perspective or their unique reason for not having a perspective about it. They don’t want to think about it and it is almost like there is this blank page in the future that we have dubbed “retirement."

Money is part of the Retirement Equation

Money is part of the retirement equation. Perhaps it is the most misunderstood piece to the retirement puzzle, particularly for Christians. Because of a misunderstanding about money’s role and the lack of perspective about it, it is interesting that money is often the first thing Christians think about when retirement is brought up. I am acutely aware of this because for years I’ve heard consistent replies when the subject is brought up. The response is as follows: “I’m not going to retire and God is going to take care of me.” Clearly the phrase, “God will take care of me” refers to the physical support issues which in our culture means financial resources, or money. Money is not important and I’ll get it from somewhere. Kind of an oxymoron don’t you think?

The least important part

After dealing with the financial side of retirement for 30 years, I’m now convinced that money is the least important of the issues to be addressed. At the same time, I’m convinced that when the other more important issues are attended to, the money issue will be addressed also. Dealing with the issue and doing something about It flows naturally out of a Godly perspective of our life roles during the last 30 years of life. Yes, that is the length of time we may have after the paid work stops.

So, what then is the role of money in retirement?

After the first one hundred or so discussions about the subject, the consensus by Christians is that the role of money in retirement is to be able to live comfortably and be able to give. Both are admirable priorities. Next, comes the desire, particularly among Baby Boomers and older, to leave something for their children.

Is “Nothing” a Goal?

After those three priorities - to live comfortably, to give generously, and to leave something for the children, the conversation generally stops or simply continues with platitudes designed to fill the air space of the subject but not to actually contribute to further understanding. The underlying theme of our culture about retirement is inherent in the dialogue.

Here it is: The goal for a great retirement is to have enough money so I can do nothing. And anything beyond that should bring pleasure to me. In other words, the goal is to be able to do a whole lot of nothing. Unfortunately, “nothing” does not have any meaning nor purpose attached and is pretty hollow after a couple of years. This quote from a fellow passenger on a flight from SE Asia sums it up: “I’m at the end of doing nothing." Well said.

Here is a quote from the e-book available soon at FutureFundedministry.com,

“ A life without purpose is a life without meaning; a life without meaning is a life without hope; a life without hope further separates you from God; separation from God is no life at all.  ”

Stability and Flexibility

So, then we get back to the role of money in the retirement equation which is to provide stability and flexibility. Another way of thinking about flexibility is choice. The freedom to make choices, especially in response to God’s call on our lives, is a distinct blessing. Stability and choice are two of the characteristics that allow us to minister to others in the most effective manner. The boundaries within which we can work are expanded and the barriers to ministry reduced. Stability allows and enhances our ability to be focused and efficient while flexibility allows us to respond to the call, directions and opportunities to enhance the Kingdom that God puts in front of us. The “in front of us” extends to the end of our lives, not stopping at 65, 70, or even 80.

Money has a key support role allowing for more effective ministry.

Effective and Efficient

Having access to the right tools always brings better results. A number of years ago I was meeting with a missionary leader from India. In the course of the conversation, I asked him what were the two most important tools necessary to expand the work in his part of the country. His answer surprised me: “We need Bibles and bicycles." Bibles surprised me because at that time it never occurred to me that a pastor could even exist without a Bible. Little did I know. Second, he shared that each pastor provided leadership to multiple churches and that the waling time between them was significant. “How much more efficient they would be if they had bicycles!” was his response to my further questioning.

Clearly additional funding spent on Bibles and bicycles would bring stability and flexibility, efficiency and effectiveness to those ministers.

The Freedom to Choose

The freedom to choose is one of the great desires of men’s hearts over the centuries. When you think about it, the inability, either because of capacity or coercion, to make personal choice is the essence of the freedoms we hold dear in our country. So many do not have it.

One of the great restrictors of freedom, is poverty or lack of adequate financial resources. While there are other inhibitors to choices, the lack of capacity to “pay for something” is certainly one of them. The ability to choose to respond to a financial need in a meaningful way in your faith community or family is a great blessing. The ability to go where called without serious consideration to cost is wonderful.

Money can buy time

Thinking about having enough money to buy time is one more insight into the flexibility part of money in retirement. You can buy the time needed to contribute talent and energy in response to God’s call.

Again, stability and flexibility are key benefits that come as a result of having prepared financially for the 4th Quarter. Can God use you in mighty ways if you have not prepared? No doubt. However, as I read my Bible, being prepared is better and closer to God’s heart.

Stay with us as we Journey towards Future Funded Ministry.

Let’s journey with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Bruce

What is your call to ministry?

What truly constitutes our call to ministry?

Four elements come together to produce a valid and obedient call (that counsel of God mentioned in Psalm 32):

A strong personal conviction or motivation felt by an individual to engage in something very specific that impacts the life of others.

It’s important here to realize that this isn’t a single instance, but it’s likely that we will have more than one call during our life.

The second element is something we refer to as effective enablement, which can come through general life experiences, education, or very specific personal events and occurrences.

In some cases, the enablement is obtained during a relatively brief time period, while in others it may take decades. It can involve such things as skills (including healing, art, and speaking), knowledge (foreign languages and biblical knowledge, for example), attitudes (like mercy and courage), and personality traits (such as gentleness and boldness).

The third key element is opportunity to perform the ministry to which we are called.

An opportunity can be spontaneous and short lived, occurring as an encounter on the street, in a store, or in a tragic emergency. It can also be long-term, to the point that a particular life path opens up one situation after another to impact individuals in on-on-one encounters or with large groups. God knows when and where our motivation and enablement come together and puts us in the right place at the right time to serve others’ needs.

We are to surrender to God’s leadership in general and to each specific prompting God delivers. This is the fourth element and it clearly rests on each of our own shoulders.

Specifically, it does no good to have motivation, enablement, and opportunity it we don’t step up and do what’s needed right then, when, and where it’s needed. The surrender might be just a few moments—an interruption to our day to address a person in need. Or it can be a long time—maybe, even an entire lifetime—that willingness to be devoted to a singular cause or type of ministry.

God leverages the unique capacities of each to carry out His redemptive plan for the world. When we examine the parable of the vine and branches from the book of John, the visualization of the branches spreading and growing in support of the vine connects us to the the result of our individual preparation, call, and response.

Shrinking World, Expanding Life

Judy and I rolled out of bed about 5 am. Threw opened the drapes and gaped, one last time, at the beautiful sight of the Bay of Corinth. We could not escape visualizing all that had taken place there and in the vicinity. Paul’s experiences and his messages to the Corinthians changed not only our world but the entire world. Amazing!

A one hour ride to the MarcoPoulos Athens airport - what an appropriate name - and a flight on Aegean Air to Heathrow. A bit of a hectic transition time, but we got two seats in row 50 on a British Air 747 that put us on the next leg directly to Denver.

A 20-minute wandering through the Disneyworld like lines to passport control, a quick verification accompanied by a terrible picture, and then our 35-minute line through the TSA entry process. All said and done complete with the agent’s “welcome home” smile and we were in the country and close to home.

Just one more wait for our two bags, another line, and the bus to the parking spot where we left our car. An hour drive home with Judy gently breathing in the reclined passenger seat and the welcoming shelter of Cathedral Pines.

All very interesting, but here’s the point - we went from Athens, Greece to Colorado Springs, CO in less than a day. I know, I know, the world is shrinking and I’m not the first to tell you. During our time at the missions conference we were attending, we connected with key leaders from 25 countries. Their stories touch the heart of ministry and our ability to help them expand their thinking to include not only the geography of ministry but its duration was truly the most rewarding part of the trip. 

The World is shrinking, has shrunk, and will continue to shrink

The world is shrinking both because of enhanced transportation options and because of the technology that connects us.

Everything seems closer, sooner, faster, and more impactful. I calculated the number of countries I’ve been privileged to visit over the last 30 or more years. If I’ve counted right it was my 62nd or 63rd country. We met a couple on the cruise who during their 25-year role as leaders of a major denominational publishing ministry had visited 150. That even got my attention!

On the ship going from New York to Southampton, we communed daily with the newly retired Anglican Bishop of Malawi. An American from Nashville, he has ministered in in that country for 55 years. When I asked him how often here returns to the States, he said, “Twice a year to visit family and friends.” He then added, “I’m 80 and there are fewer and fewer people left to see, you know.” He continued, “But there seem to be more and more places where I can still be of help.” And to myself added, “Yes, I know!”

So, while the world gets smaller and shrinks, our life expectancy grows.

Have you wondered about either of these dynamics so specific to our times?  If you have, it is likely you have pondered these two new realities separately and not in any joined or coordinated way. I hadn’t either.

How long is retirement

One of the questions I asked the assembled ministry messengers at the conference was, “How long is retirement?” They looked at me with a bit of a blank stare until the intent of the question seemed to dawn on them. While the simplistic answer is, “Until the end of your life," it took some additional prompting for the full comprehension of what that really means to sink in.

While we can, and will in future communication, delve into more of the issues of aging and life expectancy, the bottom line is that we are living longer. Simply put, our life expectancy is 30 years beyond whatever age you choose as the point of “retirement."

Retirement being the key transition point from where and how you are paid for your labor to the subsequent 30 years that will come next.

I always chuckle when I think of our Social Security system here in the United States. When it was established, our life expectancy was roughly 63. Pretty cost effective to set up a retirement funding plan in which the majority of people will be dead before the benefits start. Or to be generous, one that will only have to be funded for a few years. In the near future, 25 percent of Americans will be over 60 and the average age of those individuals will continue to grow almost in a straight line over the next 20 years. A recent analysis reported that today’s 7-year-old has a possible life expectancy of 104. You can see the opportunity, can’t you?

There are few faith-based ministries that would turn down additional, experienced, committed, available, non-paid staff. Amazingly, God does provide. Think about every church and Christian ministry in the US - nearly 500,000 of them total with 20-100 new and active supporters. I’m not talking about money which is another topic but rather about how God has prepared and called available workers to represent Jesus to the nations. How exciting is that?

We will need to make significant changes in the way we think about our Seniors.

While seldom say it, our current expectation and hope for our seniors is that they not be grumpy and continue to give. With that thinking, we miss a huge opportunity to build the kingdom while simultaneously diminishing our Seniors to a role that is “less than.”

An Explosive Vision

An explosive vision for future ministry expansion is possible because the world is shrinking due to transportation and technology.

Added to that fact is the new reality that there are potentially millions of Christian workers becoming available worldwide. There is much more to be said on these topics involving issues to be identified and addressed, infrastructures of the mind to be developed, and support systems to be built. But God has already and is currently preparing the faith-based community of believers for such time as this.

Prayer

My prayer for a Longevity Dividend is twofold:

1.     As a Christian community, we will recognize the extended opportunity afforded us and;

2.     And as individuals, we will listen to God’s call on the rest of our lives and respond to the meaning and purpose available to us.

The Retirement Reformation

The Retirement Reformation is a growing movement of Christians who glimpse the vision and are willing to respond to it.

Those who are energized by God’s plan for their lives and are willing to step into a new arena of their lives with focus, determination, and commitment to build His Kingdom while experiencing a little fun along the way.

Stay with us as we continue our Life Journey together.

Your comments and insights are part of the Journey.

Bruce

The Sea

Do you remember the first painting you ever saw of a big body of water? And do you remember your first glimpse of the sea? Each one of these memories shaped an impression of something bigger and more powerful than ourselves - the one who created the sea.

For those of us who were raised in church and Sunday school, we were impacted by the picture of Jesus walking on the sea and beckoning Peter to join him. Peter in fact did and then his fear caused him to sink. I remember it scared me a lot to think about trusting and then sinking. But it did not sink in that there was a connector of faith between the two acts…..the stepping and the sinking.

The power of God vested in Jesus impressed me when He said, “Peace be still” because He could calm the seas! Now that was real power.

Jonah and his seafaring journey has made its way into my lexicon of the sea as well. The only way the other passengers on the boat were saved was because they followed Jonah’s command and threw him overboard.

Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome. Amazing.

Judy, Brent, Bethany and I were standing on the shore of the Pacific on the Oregon Coast. We’d finally learned that going to the shore in Oregon was not the same as arriving at the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan with swimsuit, pail, and shovel. No, the Oregon Coast is much more formidable.

As we stood about 60 feet back from the boiling coast line, a huge wave emerged surrounding a 40-foot limbless tree, bare roots and all. We watched mesmerized as the tree was thrown from the wave and started to roll toward us. Having a 40-foot tree, 5 feet in diameter, hurtling towards you is a scary sight.

We scrambled backward, Judy hauling Bethany and I dragging Brent. We retreated about another 25 feet and stopped to see what would happen. The tree stopped its roll about 10 feet from us. We slumped to the sand and I made the astounding observation, “We could have been killed." So true.

Brent thought it was exciting. Bethany thought it was scary. Judy thought we were crazy for standing so close. And I was relieved.

So here Judy and I are on another sea, 5000 miles from the Oregon Coast. The Atlantic. The captain told us today that it was the second largest sea, about 1/3 the size of the Pacific, which impressed me.

A picture of the Atlantic today can replace 1,000 words. With no good camera, I guess 1,000 words will have to do. Why bother? Just like those images conjured up by the stories of Jesus, Jonah, and Paul, the sea I’m looking at out my stateroom window is almost as impactful.

Yesterday we sailed over the spot where the Titanic sank. Our son Brent is a Titanic aficionado. We have been to about 20 Titanic exhibits and Brent has virtually every book written about it. Bethany even made a special trip with him to Missouri to see the latest tribute to the great sinking. We get the story of the Titanic in all its detail.

This morning I went to the ship's library to do a little research on the Cunard liners Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary. Quite amazing stories as both of them were troop ships in WWII. As a matter of fact, my dad was on the Queen Mary as one of those troops. They each carried over 10,000 troops at a time from the US to Europe and back.

After WWII, they were decommissioned and re-fitted as passenger liners.

Dad came back to the US from Germany and France in 1945. The war ended in the spring. It is now just over two years later, September of 1947, and he once again boards Queen Elizabeth, this time going from New York to Southampton, England. The only thing different is that this time, he had his wife Grace and 7-year-old son Bruce along with him.

I can’t prove it, but I strongly suspect that I’m the only person on board who traveled on this ship only once before and the time difference was 70 years. As I said to Ezra and Mary, our dinner mates, “I make this journey every 70 years, whether I need to or not.”

Enough about the history. Now about the sea. There was a strange vibe on the ship this morning. The seas from New York had been relatively calm with 2-3 foot swells being the norm. Today is different. As I look out the window right now, the fog has moved in. Before the fog, I saw the swells of yesterday growing into the waves of today.

Wondering about the height of the waves I turned to channel 23 where all the details are clearly displayed. 20-25 foot waves are what it said. Now as the fog is clearing I can see that they are right! They roll and rise only to sink again before another rise. One amazing fact about this ship, however, is that I can hardly feel the difference between the movement of yesterday and the waves of today.

The Captain just came on over the loudspeaker to give his daily briefing. In addition to confirming our location and the wave height, he added that there were wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour, the water temperature is 14 degrees centigrade and the air temperature is 57 degrees. I’m going to stand on the deck for a few minutes so I can describe what I am seeing.

Gray, roiling turbulent water with whitecaps crowning the surf-able waves. It seems as if they are breaking in multiple directions although I know we are heading northeast at 22 knots. Strangely there are occasional blue patches of water that show up amongst the gray. I have no idea what causes that and must ask the captain. He seems to know what he is doing.

The sea in this state is fascinating. As I’ve walked around the ship from the Commodore Lounge on the 11th level up front (forward to those who demand correct maritime vernacular) to our cabin veranda mid-ship on floor 5, to the art gallery on level 2 aft (that means in the back) there are people sitting and standing mesmerized by the sea. Some are taking pictures, one woman was praying, some are excited and some reflective. The sea strikes different people in different ways.

Including the crew, there are over 3500 people on this ship. A potpourri of people. Large, small, men, women, children and grandparents, experienced traveler and quaking novices, they all are subject to the same dynamics. They all have choices about how they respond to the sea.

Isn’t that true of the large and small issues of life?

We all have joys, fears, and choices to make. I’m so pleased that I’m in an intimate relationship with the creator of the seas. As many others have observed, the God who made the seas is indeed great. The beautiful thing is that He loves me and He loves you. He does have a plan for your life and He does protect and empower you so you can carry it out.

I thought a little reflection about how the sea might be the encouragement and connection with God you need for today. I know it is true for me. We’ll get back to leadership issues and how to navigate His world. For now, just be comforted by the one who controls the sea in all of its might and variety.

Stay with us on Life’s journey. Always remember, we are to be “Faithful for a lifetime.”

Bruce

Choices and Decision Making

Strange how often we duck a decision.

We wiggle and squirm hoping the issue, the event, or the person will go away. Kind of like Pavlov’s experiment, the issues evaporate often enough that we are willing to continue with this dysfunctional behavior. This escape occurs often enough to reinforce the way we ignore reality.

I was waiting for a plane a couple of weeks ago. Sitting next to me in the waiting area was a mother and her 4-year-old son. The boy was cute and obviously bright. For almost five minutes I watched him eyeing the plane’s passengers. When one of them caught his eye, he reacted immediately. He literally dove under the row of seats we occupied, which were now above him. Not only did he take the lightning fast dive, but he also put his hands over his head and shut his eyes. At first, I thought it was a little strange and then I realized that he was scared and not able to face reality. Eventually, he reappeared and boarded the plane holding his mom’s hand.

I share that story because so often those we associate with do their own version of a “lightning duck under the seats." And just maybe you and I do some version of it too.

Choices are varied and decisions are final.

Both choices and decisions have key characteristics that are worth considering.

First, our choices. When faced with an issue, event, or challenging person, it is instinctual to begin to assess our way over, under, around, or through the problem. There is a high degree of discomfort when we do not see a legitimate choice or set of choices and it takes will power, energy, and perseverance to gather up those varied options. It is hard work to first find the dots and then connect them.

Some time ago when I was faced with an issue, I spent a couple of hours exploring different approaches. When I was certain I had all of them outlined, I decided to run the problem by another wise friend. After about 15 minutes of banter and problem exploration, he said, “Why don’t you…?” You guessed it, he presented an option I’d not thought of at all. As it turned out, his was the best of the options.

Here are some takeaways at this juncture:

1.     Take time to understand the legitimate options available to you.

2.     Bring wise counselors into the process.

Here is another insight into the choice issue. The variety of options or possible solutions you can identify are limiting in the sense that you may not have your arms around all of the options. While that observation is intuitive, I’m convinced that the fear of the unknown option is one of the factors that limits, or at least impedes, our willingness to make any decision at all.

Not wanting to be wrong often results in us doing nothing. And that, in and of itself, is the definition of being stuck. It is strange how fear shows up even in the development of choices.

Next, comes our decision - choosing from the identified options. A common idea that arises in this process is the following: once I make a decision I’ve eliminated all other choices. Knowing that when we make a decision, disregarding other options, we are also responsible for the results. “It comes with leadership,” you say. And indeed, it does. However, even if the mantle of leadership rests comfortably on your shoulders, the responsibility for setting the menu of choices, and then making the best decision is often difficult.

I take great solace in two ways:

1.     I have God’s wisdom available to me assuming I avail myself of it through the Holy Spirit.

2.     I have access to a community of believers for insight, wisdom, and support.

Choices and decisions - they are what shape our present and future. And they are ultimately the elements that shape our destiny.

Acknowledging that all of our past decisions are what shape our future, the presumption is that we should make better decisions the older we grow. We have experienced the pain that comes from making poor decisions and have been encouraged by the joy and satisfaction that come from making good ones. When our decisions are lined up with God’s plan for our life, we can be assured of a future with both meaning and purpose.

I’m continually amazed at how much I have yet to learn, which is encouraging in the sense that when you stop learning, you’re functionally deceased. And as Carl Reiner purportedly advised, “First thing I do in the morning is check the obits. If I’m not there, I eat breakfast.” Good choice!

Stay with us as we Journey through Life together. It is a journey that lasts a lifetime.

Bruce

The Critical 50s

Whether you are seeing through the front windshield of your life, you are in the middle of it, or you are glancing through the rear view mirror to see where it went, your decade of being 50 Is critical.

You are too old to be young, and you are too young to be old. You are a “tweener” for sure.

Here are some of the ways life changed during your 50s:

1, The kids left, almost through college, and you can feel the financial strain beginning to lift.

2. Your spouse goes back to work or changes jobs and perhaps you do too.

3. If you have daughters, you have a wedding or two yet to pay for.

4. Grandkids show up and become a focus for your family.

5. You’ve read Bob Buford’s book, Half-time, and you are wondering what going from “success to significance” even means for you.

6. You start actually thinking about a “bucket” list and begin talking about how to fit those items into your life and yes, your budget.

7. You learn how to look up your retirement account savings and are appalled because you were sure there was more in there. You use the provided calculator and learn that your savings will translate into about $400 a month and fear starts to well up from within.

8. The employer provided 401k or 403b becomes more important, all of a sudden.

9. You start spending money you don’t have yet to do some of the things you’ve always talked about but could never afford. Now it is time to “live a little."

10, Your parents are now getting really old. Time and money need to be allocated there too. And the grandkids need stuff, and you are the prime source of stuff satisfaction.

There is so much more so pause for a moment and add your items to the list above. Starts to be a pretty long list. Each decade of life has its issues and no decade is more susceptible to both over and under compensating for what is behind and what is ahead.

And here is the real heart of the financial matter - if you are not ramping up your savings now, the lack of funding for ministry or anything else will be acute.

Said more simply, “You won’t have enough."  

Of course, the earlier you start saving the better because the laws of compounding work in your favor instead of against you. Starting to plan to support your older self early is best. The middle years, during your 50s, is the best time to plan and save. Why? There is still enough time and you’re most likely in a better financial position to put a few more dollars away.

When you are approaching the turn towards 60, much of your future is already pre-determined. Pre-determined in that your willingness and capacity to save has already reached its zenith. This does not mean you can’t continue to work for pay until you are 70 or 75. Often health or your employer have something to say about how long you will continue to contribute to the cause and for the benefit of the cause. More people want to work after age 65, so preparation for the time when the pay check stops is important.

There is more to it than money.

Relationships change as a function of age and circumstance. Learning how to fall in love again with your wife or husband is a challenge for many. My mother in law continued to buy bread and baked goods long after the household was reduced from 5 growing kids to two senior adults.

There is a spiritual dimension to being 50 too. Whatever spiritual connection you determined to have in your 20s or early 30s most likely has progressed without much additional thought until now.

The 50s are that time of both evaluation and re-evaluation.

“What is important and what is important to me now and going forward?” Those pesky thoughts about meaning, purpose, and significance stick their heads up either again, or maybe for the first time. It is tough to play “whack a mole” with them, they keep re-appearing.

I know for myself, the 50s, now clearly in the rear view mirror, was the time when I reaffirmed my faith and began to see all that I was and all I was doing as part of God's grander scheme for my life. As a matter of fact, it was in my 5s that I locked into the certainty that God did, does, have that plan. Once that issue was firmly planted in my mind, the next issue was to understand the plan and get on with it. Perhaps you are still at the seeking stage or not gotten there yet.

If you are beyond your 50s,  similar issues keep reappearing and are uniquely connected to each decade of life that follows. I’m afraid it is not “one and done." Re-occurring examination using the language of “Why am I here” and “What should I do” are foundational to a life filled with love and joy, rather than being stuck in the grasp of discontent and ongoing sorrow, ongoing emotional pain.

Acknowledging the reality of longevity, the fact that our older years now stretch to 30 of them, and that money, health, and relationships will occupy our time until we die, the 50s become the decade of preparation.

Since our 20s, 60 plus seemed a long ways away. The future was represented by the issues of our parent's parents, and was psychologically disassociated from our lives. Then all of a sudden, we are about there and we want to understand the future so it’s unknowns won’t be so scary.

It doesn’t seem to matter whether you are a ministry leader, a ministry worker, or the man or woman in the pew, the 50s are critical and they matter. They matter a lot.

As a reminder, it’s time to come face to face with:

1.     Spiritual realities

2.     Financial realities

3.     Relationship realities

4.     Health realities

Those would seem to be the “big 4." There are lots more little ones, so you might as well start with the obvious and work towards the subtle.

Be affirmed that the 50s are critical. Make the most of them, or if they have already passed you by, reflect on what you learned and maybe what you have yet to do. Then as Nike says,
“Just do it."

In His name and for His service,

Bruce Bruinsma

The Critical Savings Question?

I know I should save but I'm not. Why?

There are multiple studies showing that 45% of millennials have no savings. They don't have savings for a time between paychecks. They don't have savings in case of illness. And they don't have savings for future needs of any kind including retirement.

Now, retirement is something I know about having spent 30 years encouraging and facilitating savings for that purpose, to fund faith workers during the last 30 years of life. While we call it the Future Funded Ministry years, the issue is the same no matter how you come at it, "Will you have enough to...?" fill in the blank.

As Christians, we believe that there is a Kingdom building purpose in life, one that brings glory to God. What happens during those last 30 years is largely a function of the preparations made during the prior 40. Not only financially but experientially, spiritually and yes, even physically.

My observation is that there are too many of faith who have not connected with the truth laid out in the prior paragraph. When I do a data base sort on the 10,000 faith based workers in our database, Envoy Financial, and check out the average balance it is troubling. Certainly there are those that have other outside resources other than what is in their 403(b) or 403(b)(9) retirement savings accounts. Anecdotally, I believe that the percentage of those with "outside" resources is small at maybe only 10-15 percent. That leaves the remaining amount with not much of a balance.

When running those numbers it includes not only those in the millennial generation, those that followed the Baby Boomers, but incidentally the Baby Boomers as well. From this reality, the issue or problem of not enough resources to freely impact and change lives, is even bigger.

I recently read an article suggesting that saving for retirement has issues because many don't think it is possible, worthwhile or necessary. The author put forth a circumstance suggesting that by not buying that daily cup of java and instead investing the money in a moderate mutual fund could generate over $100,000 during a 30 year period. He observed that paying the equivalent of $100,000 for a cup of coffee was expensive. Much to his surprise, his newspaper article engendered a surprisingly wide variety of responses. He used an assumption of a 6% return and was questioned about the possibility of achieving such results. Yes it is possible!

He was challenged about his assumption that people could or should give up such a vital pleasure. On the one hand, I own a coffee plantation in Laos and I am always happy to see coffee consumption rise worldwide but on the other hand, that $4.00 cup of coffee is not really a necessity, or is it?

He was challenged about how realistic it was to assume someone could be that committed to taking the indicated action for 30 years?

This got me thinking about our very human nature. How many truth's do we know that we do not follow?

1. My health depends on healthy eating: I eat salads sometimes. And other times, I have a double cheese burger from In-and-Out with fries and a shake.

2. My mental acuity depends on actively using it to keep it shaper: I spend time on the couch doing nothing but watching aimless chatter.

3. My relationships require constant nurture: I procrastinate on returning that missed phone call.

4. My spiritual growth depends on my practicing the spiritual disciplines: I open my Bible when I go to church.

5. My writing skills depend on practice: I don't.

6. My relationship with God depends on the frequency and depth of our conversation: I treat my time as only for me.

You see the point? Consider your own list.  It's a good thing we serve a leader full of Grace, otherwise, I would be a total failure in each of the above areas.

Here is the concluding paragraph in the newspaper article that prompted this missive:

Saving success doesn't hinge so much on which expenses you cut back on, or which investment assumptions you use, but rather on the commitment you make.

In Russ White's article "Trying to Make A Lot of Out of a Little Money Ignites Debate" in the July 5th 2017 issue of USA Today's Money Section, he hits on a truth that applies to money and to many other additional topics.

Everything we do, when we do it to the glory of God, requires a commitment. Every Commitment is then a decision. It revolves around first knowing the act is necessary to achieve a given result and then deciding whether to do it or not. It's the decision part that is critical. And you know what comes with that decision? The painful but necessary truth of accountability. Saint Paul said that he often knew what was right and did not do it. So do I. So do you.

I started the conversation talking about millennials and saving for retirement and other necessities and let me finish with that topic. The "if we don't" issue is obvious yet obviously ignored. The circumstance that pains me the most is when a ministry employer takes donated dollars and prioritizes them for the retirment benefit of staff. Some, too many, ignore the gift.

The typical excuses include: too busy, don't know how, investing scares me as well as plain old procrastination. But all of these are hollow excuses. We make time for what is important or what we simply want to do and there is help available to teach us both how to save and invest. We have a couple thousand years affirming the fact that we do not know when the end is near while during the same time frame, the lessons of Matthew 25 affirming the priority of preparation and good stewardship are ignored.

 Success is just a decision away. Be committed to success.

Stay with us on the Journey with Truth Along the Way.

Bruce 

Intersecting Doing and Being

Judy often says that she is on the right side of doing and the left side of being.

Judy, of course, is my wife of 55 plus years. We’ve developed some short cuts to communication over those years. When I’m reading, studying, reflecting and praying she says I’m working on my “being." When she is busily about her committed tasks for the day, she says she is working on her “doing." As you might expect, her priorities are doing and much of my joy comes from the “being” side.

We all have both components. All of us are in the process of becoming what we will be while we go about doing what needs to be done. Upon reflection, there is more to it than what I’ve just described. Christians are called to be more like Jesus and then to reflect him by doing his work in the world. It seems to me that the more we become, the greater things we will do in His name.

So how does that play out as we move through different stages of life? During my early stages I was just wondering what I was going to do while the "being" part was automatically happening through great teachers at Oakdale Christian School. In the seventh grade I finished as essay with an assigned topic, “Where will I be in 30 years." I’ve still got the essay and re-read it the other day. I was quite clear back then.” I will be serving as a judge with the goal of being on the Supreme Court.”

With fellow Coloradan Neil Gorsuch just appointed to the Supreme Court, these old desires of mine came back to mind. Clearly I’m neither a judge nor have any prospect of serving on the Supreme Court of the land. Yet I can see the strains of that vision playing out in my “becoming” if not in my “doing."

A judge needs to run the courtroom and oversee its administration. A judge needs to understand the issues in front of him and make sure the law is being applied with both fairness and justice. A judge needs to understand and apply the accumulated wisdom, decisions and precedence of what other judges have found before. A judge needs to synthesize the issues and write about them in a clear and compelling manner. A judge needs to be able to justify his conclusions in a winsome manner.

I can’t say I do all those things well, but when I review the daily challenges of running a significant ministry/business organization, sitting with peers deciding future directions for ministries and churches, it certainly requires many of the same skills. Not saying I do them all well, but I am expanding my “being” so the “doing” is better.

I was wondering, what happens when I am at the juxtaposition of “being and doing?" You know, that sweet spot where work isn’t work and it just flows out of who you are? Pondering what it means to “step into God’s preferred future," as our pastor is fond of saying, seems to connect with the issue of “being and doing."

             When the “who you are” is disconnected from “what you are doing” there is no happiness, and not much meaning.

Being relieved that you performed well is a long ways from the joy of being in the middle of God’s will and accomplishing his directed task to the best of your ability. The juxtaposition of “love to do” and “needs doing” is at the heart of joyful living.  The "love to do" stems from our DNA plus the living experiences God has orchestrated for us. The "needs doing" stems from where we live and the juxtaposition of needy people who respond to our help delivered with love.

I wrote an ebook entitled Live with Meaning. The main point of the book is that without meaning there is little hope, and without hope there is little joy. So finding meaning allows us to experience joy and move towards our preferred future. Our preferred future is shaped by God through our DNA, our circumstances and how we choose to respond to them and God’s whisper to “Follow Me” becoming light to the world and the yeast that extends throughout it.

Stay tuned as we Journey with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Look for that interface between being all you can be and then doing all you can do.

Bruce

I’m just about at the end of nothing

I fly a lot.

Most of the time it is the fastest way to get from point A to point B so you can do what you have to do. 

Sometimes God does little (or big) miracles on planes.

They usually take the form of the person sitting next to you. You know, the unusual person that you start a conversation with and are glad you did. Yes, I recognize that this happens only occasionally, but when it does, it's astounding. 

Here is one: 

I was flying from Tokyo to Dallas on a Thursday. The prior Tuesday was spent being introduced and catching up on the amazing work of the underground church in a SE Asian country. As I waited for the flight I reflected on the energy, commitment, and personal perseverance of those I'd met with. I really loved the fact that they were listening and following God’s plan for their country and not being influenced by anyone (or group) from the West.

As we had wrapped up an amazing day together, prayed and confirmed our relationship in Jesus one more time, I asked if there was something special they needed that would make a major difference in reaching an expanding group of people. The leader answered clearly, “Yes, we need the Bible translated into into more of the tribal languages.” Not wanting to reflect total incompetence in this area I acknowledged the request and said I’d see what I could do.

Boarding that flight I was thinking about that problem and trying to conjure up creative solutions, or at least a process I could follow up on in order to find help. I thought of numerous things I could do, “Just call Wycliffe Bible Translators and see if they could help", "Google the topic and see what comes up", "Check with a few friends in the Gideons to see how they could help", "Send a note to the heads of the 20 mission organizations served by Envoy and see if anyone there could be of assistance", etc... At least I was trying to solve the problem with a bit of an action plan.

Settling down in my seat I awaited the arrival of my seat mate. For some unknown reason, I was anxious about who it would be. Maybe it was just the fear of it being a lady with a crying child or the omnipresent risk of it being a transoceanic alcoholic. It was neither. An American man around the age of 50 with the look of being well traveled sat down looked over at me with a smile, put out his hand and said, “Hi, I’m Bob."  I think I was relieved and figured that at least he would not bother me during the hours of sleeping, reading, and catching up with the latest movies. I was wrong. 

He asked a question. I answered. And the talk was on. Determined that we were both men of faith and had some acquaintances in common led me to ask the inevitable question. A question that took this conversation from interesting to “You’ve got to be kidding!” “What do you do?” Doesn’t seem too astounding, does it? “I’m the Regional Director for the Seed Company” was his reply. I supposed he was in the agriculture business and asked, “What kind of seeds?“

Bob smiled with that look signaling he’d been asked the question hundreds of times. “Seeds that grow to change lives and produce disciples for Jesus”. Like you, now I was immediately intrigued. My mind raced to the parables of Jesus about seeds trying to find the connection to his description. No luck. 

“The Seed Company is in the ministry of Bible translation. We are committed, along with others, to finishing the task of translating the Bible for all the remaining 1650 languages groups that still cannot hear or read God’s message to man.”

You could have blown me over with a soft wind. 

Here I was trying to be my creative best and find a way to help the underground church expand their ministry but God already knew the need and was preparing the way for the problem to be solved, the solution discovered, and the path to success prepared. Check this out: The need for additional and specific Bible translation into 5 tribal languages that I was sent to hear about and then carry that priority with me on an airplane two days later only to meet the person who could help facilitate the answer to the need sat down next to me on a plane from Tokyo to Dallas. If that isn’t both amazing and encouraging at the same time, I don’t know what would be.

There is more to the story, which I am saving it for another time. 

Here is another experience that reflects a different need and presented itself on an airplane:

This time the flight is from Atlanta to Charlotte - quite a bit shorter than Tokyo to Dallas. Same situation in which I was burdened with an issue as I boarded the plane. I’m writing a book about what I’m calling “The Retirement Reformation.” The thesis of the book is that there is a need for a big change in the way we think about retirement”. My concern I was wrestling with was how content was going to be received and the need for the Reformation acknowledged. It is just one of those needless fears that come up when you are striking out into new territory.

Again, the man who sat down next to me stuck out his hand and said, ‘Hi, I’m Richard." Some exchange of pleasantries later, it turns out Richard was a businessman who’d sold his very interesting business about 10 years prior. I could not resist and asked him how he liked retirement. That turned Richard loose. He unloaded his 10-year journey of bucket list travel and experiences. And then he stopped and turned to me. He looked me right in the eye and said, “ You know, I think I’m about at the end of nothing."

“The end of nothing?"

“I’ve got to change the way I’m going and find something to do that means something more than doing nothing.” Again, you could have blown me over with a gentle wind. He delivered God’s message to me by way of a living example of the need for “The Retirement Reformation”. We talked some more about what that might look like and how he could explore his options. When we left the plane he had a more determined attitude towards the future and I was joyously encouraged. You see, that brought clarity to the need for changed thinking and confirmed the purpose for my next 10 years. A praise indeed.

So why share those two airplane stories?

Simple. God answers prayer and provides the very human ways we are all called to Build the Kingdom. Imagine the changed lives inherent in the outcomes of those two stories. Amazing! 

Stay with us as we Journey with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Bruce

Mistaking Intentions for Accomplishments

A number of years ago I met with a ministry leader at a Christian College about his retirement plan. I’d noted that he was not participating in a very generous plan provided by the College. Because he was such a senior leader I was curious as to why he was not either receiving the gracious ministry contribution available or making any voluntary contributions.

Upon entering his office, greeting him and making some small talk about “the weather” I broached the financial issue at hand.

“It appears you are not participating in the College’s retirement plan. May I ask why not?"

He looked a little shocked. During his almost 20 years at the college, he was considered a wise elder stateman of the faculty and looked up to by many present and past students.

 “I think I am, aren’t I?”

“No, I don’t think so. At least not according to the retirement plan records.”

He reflected for a few moments and then added, “Oh yes, I was going to sign up.”

Rising from his chair he approached a two-foot high stack of papers. “I know I have those papers here somewhere.”

The stack really was about two feet high filled with loose papers and file folders. He used his two right-hand fingers much like a divining rod running up and down the stack searching…….for those account application forms.

“Ah, I’ve triumphed. Here they are and a little worse for wear. Are they still good?”

As I took the ancient forms from him, flipped through them, and answered his question with a question?

“It looks like the date on these forms is about 15 years ago? Can that be right?”

He took them back, re-examined them, sat back down on his chair, hard and said:

“Oh my goodness, has it been that long? And I never signed them either. What can I do?”

“Let’s sign new ones, quickly, right away. Would you like to know what the account might have been if you had participated?”

“I’m afraid of the answer, but yes I’d like to know as long as you don’t tell my wife.”

After making the calculations, the amount was over $40,000. Back then, $40,000 was a lot of money…..something like $90,000 in today’s dollars.

It is expensive to mistake intentions for accomplishments. How often do we make this mistake, not just with money, but with all kinds of resources and ministry assets?

Unfortunately, we often take the same approach with people and relationships. A person dies and we lament that the time is passed for us to repair the broken relationship. We lament the lost years of love experienced because of all the excuses accepted for not taking action.

A friend shared his lament because of another hesitancy to take action. His wife put a repair project on his “honey do” list. The fountain out front of the house had not worked for almost two years. Now they had the house on the market and an interested buyer showed up. They went through the house and were very interested. When leaving, they observed the fountain and commented on how attractive it was. They then asked, “Why is it not working?”

The realtor checked back with my friend who assured her that he would “Get it fixed, right away.” 

When he checked back with the Realtor a few days later, she told him that the prospects had “cooled” on the house.

"Why?"

“To tell you the truth, the prospects decided that if fixing the fountain that was right out front was not a priority, then what, that they can not see needing attention, is not being fixed either?”

The result was a lost sale and a challenged marriage relationship.

We do mistake intentions for accomplishments while often claiming accomplishments when they are only intentions.

An acquaintance of mine had a stinging way of referring to the act of claiming accomplishments when they are only intentions. He described this process as, “Telling the truth in advance.” My grandmother always referred to that as “lying."

Another difficult aspect to all of this is that we often “tell the truth in advance” to ourselves and those we love. We express it in hyperbole to our associates or anyone else willing to listen. In our Life Group, we quote weekly from the book of John in the Bible: “When you know the truth it will set you free”. The reverse is also true. When you don’t know the truth and/or don’t tell it, is captures and imprisons you. This reality is reflected in so many ways. We are trapped by our own words rather than being freed by them.

Jesus was truthful and intentional about his reason for walking among us and then sending His Spirit to help us along our path of commitment.

“Be faithful for a lifetime,” impact the world by spreading love like yeast and growing exponentially like a mustard seed. When we take this path departing from the “road of good intentions” and walking the path of wise decisions, compassionate relationships and actions that reflect Jesus love while building the Kingdom, the promise of the good life becomes real.

Be encouraged fellow laborers. It is a new day and we can begin again. Make that list of what needs doing, and then get started. Completed priorities and impactful accomplishments leads to a sweet night’s sleep. It will also lead to an eternity of relationships begun with those sweet words, “Well done, Good and faithful servant!”

Stay with us on the journey. Remember that to be faithful for a lifetime there is a funding component that cannot be ignored. Future Funded Ministry is the way we describe that piece to the lifetime of ministry call. Listen to the call and fund the associated action plan. It is worth it.

Trusted Advice along the journey.

Bruce

A Network of Retirement Plans

The term “networking” is exploding everywhere and between so many things.

You can’t turn around without either witnessing, being part of, or suggesting that some form of networking is taking place. And for a long time, we used the term “connecting” as a synonym. We then moved to the word “relationship” in order to humanize the process. I always felt this was a better term and involved the subtle invitation to friendship.

One of the ways that the idea of networks rises to the top of the conversation scale is within the medical insurance world. “What group or network or you a part of?” is a common question as we each try to figure out what is the best medical “deal” in our part of the country. “In Network” or “Out of Network” becomes understood as referring to a service or procedure that is either going to be covered by insurance or not. All too often not!

Congress is now wrestling with finding new ways to increase health services and lower costs simultaneously. Although that thought seems counter intuitive, it’s not. One of the options they are considering is to allow medical networks to extend across state lines. This seems to be a low hanging fruit alternative. Simply put, if you can get more healthy people in a plan it will cost less. We all know that the healthy pay for the physically challenged. Such is the nature of insurance.

So what about other benefit areas like retirement?

A few years ago a friend did a little research and he discovered that there really is no such idea within the retirement plan space. Except for the large church denominational plan, there is no “insurance” for the little guy.

Shining a searchlight on the subject, we know that Unions have had both defined benefit pension plans and some version of a defined contribution plan for years. The development of the Non-Profit 403b Plans including 403(b)(9) Church plans, then the IRA and then the 401(K) provided emphasis to the “saving/investing for the future” movement.

Unfortunately, there are still many small non-profits, corporations, and small organizations that do not provide even these options for their employees. A recent movement to set up statewide savings plans seems to have stalled permanently. Even programs such as SEP IRAs and Simple 401k Plans have not filled the void. One of the reasons given is that it still leaves the organization to set up and manage the plan.

I believe there is also the fear of not knowing how to select a good cost effective plan and then approve a cost effective investment menu are also barriers.

Here is at least a partial list of what is needed to set up a good plan. If we can accomplish that for multiple entities, perhaps we can then set up a multi-employer plan for small churches and non-profits that will eliminate, or at least reduce the cost as well as administrative barriers, while serving the long-term retirement needs of their employees and staff. Remember, each one may have as much as 30 years “in retirement." Or, from a Christian perspective, time to continue “building the kingdom."

Keys to a multi-employer retirement plan:

1.     Legal documentation coupled with an inclusive plan design. One that is good for a wide range of people.

2.     A designed, vetted, and monitored investment menu set up for a wide range of participants with differing amounts of investment knowledge and sophistication.

3.     A cost-effective delivery system that is not geographically limited.

4.     A Retirement Plan Oversight Committee to keep an eye on the plan and direct the educational activities needed to make it effective.

5.     A great online education system.

6.     An inspirational message that will encourage savings and preparation for that 30 years of retirement.

It will take a capable vendor like Envoy Financial, plus 3-5 key church leaders and/or ministry leaders to embrace the vision, put the pieces in place, and launch the project.

It is obvious to all ministry leaders that ducking the question of retirement preparation is like shooting yourself in the foot. It hurts and you can’t go anywhere.

The reality of those 30 years I’ve mentioned above are upon us. Here is one more way that the universal, or expanded church, can work together, be good financial stewards, and promote the growth of God’s kingdom here on earth.

Here is the definition of a Network: a group of organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other

Pretty simple really if the pieces are put together properly.

I would appreciate your thoughts as we grapple with real life issues together.

Bruce

We can be better than this

Is this the best we can be?

There are times when we are challenged as a nation—a people—to look beyond our own individual self-interests. I am reflecting on this point as the “gun control” conversation swirls around us.

During my lifetime, these moments of reflection have come as the result of someone dying. The deaths of Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King are points in time that have become permanent fixtures in my mind.

There are times when we are challenged as families to look beyond ourselves. These too often come as the result of a death. I think of the passing of my mother, father, and brother, as well as uncles, aunts, and cousins.

During the shock, pain, and sadness, I (maybe all of us) allow my mind to drift towards the meaning of these lives. Not only the meaning but also the guiding principles for the future that their lives suggest. Roosevelt's, the Kennedy's, and Martin Luther King’s prompt personal courage in the face of major challenges. Examples closer to home include my mother’s admonition to ‘love and forgive,’ and my Dad’s creative energy and unrelenting commitment to ‘make it better.’ My brother’s life (he died of AIDS) prompted a deeper understanding of the need to persevere.

The more recent shooting deaths across our country prompt reflections that involve social issues and questions that start with “How could … ?”

When Obama stated “We can be better than this,” I echo “Right on.”

Regardless of what you think of his politics, you cannot doubt the value of this very human question each of us must reflect and ask: “Am I contributing to the better?" “Am I sitting on the sidelines?” Or maybe “Am I part of the problem?” President Kennedy’s inaugural challenge to all of us is part of our National heritage: “Ask not … but what you can do for your country!”

It seems—after 7 decades of life—that a key question posed by Martin Luther King is very relevant. He said, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, ‘what are you doing for others?’”

These penetrating questions about life are independent of politics and cut to the very heart of “Being Human.”

As followers of Jesus, we are challenged to be “better” and to be thankful. When we are not thankful, and our “humanness” takes over, Grace is sufficient. We see this desire to be “better” played out in one of life’s great learning laboratories, developing a Future Funded Ministry. In this laboratory, we have the challenge of a lifetime: creating a financial base from which we can truly experience a Lifetime of Service. A Lifetime of Service that allows us to decide how much better we can be, and to whom we are going to minister, to serve. The Future Funded Retirement Plan provides the freedom to “be better” by doing better.

One of our Plan Sponsors recently asked me, “What is the most important reason for having a retirement plan?” My answer? “We demonstrate our love for God by preparing for—and then choosing to—serve others for a lifetime. That is the heart of Future Funded Ministry.”

We can all be better. Here is one formula: A good plan. A little help. Persistent effort. And a lot of prayer. Join me in the endeavor?

Let me know your thoughts and comments. Our dialogue continues.

Living with Trusted Advice together,

Bruce

Watch out, you'll burn your hands

Even in early old age, there is much to learn. Figuring out what you don't know is one of the hardest. And yes, it's precisely because you don't know.

While this truth seems self-evident, often it’s not. One result of not knowing is that life becomes full of surprises. Maybe not every day, but often. The surprises come rolling in from unexpected places. Most of them show up in human form with people being the primary source. Questions posed by others like, "Did you know........?,or, "Can you...."? Or "Will you......?" are often the harbinger of surprise. Watching people at the airport or in lines or even in church bring sometimes funny surprises and the insights that go along with them.

Growing up in the Dutch Reformed Church meant attending services twice on Sunday. For years I watched with fascination as the big wooden collection plate passed me by. The one with the green felt on the bottom so the coins wouldn't make so much noise or be so noticeable. I once heard a minister pray for more "quiet" money. One Sunday evening, I had a quarter to put in the plate. Mom, dad, and I were sitting in the back and unfortunately, the plate was heavy. A buddy of mine was sitting two spots away and he was not paying attention and dumped the whole plate on the floor. Pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters flew everywhere. Some rolled past surprised feet all the way to the front. Without a thought, I stood, threw my quarter and yelled, "Hey Chuck, here's mine too!"

Sunday in our life group a precious member shared the pain experienced by her 7-year-old granddaughter after she burned her hands on the glass fireplace screen. I never heard of such an accident. She assured me that it happens often. I was surprised to learn about this purportedly common, painful experience. Much to my surprise, I got a text from one of our team members the very next day. He was taking his 1-year-old to the "burn center." Learning to stand up, she crawled fast towards the fire and put her hands on the glass to help her stand.

Here's the point - there is always more to learn.

Whether it’s about ourselves, from other people or the circumstances of life. My grandfather's question still rings in my ears, "Why is experience the best teacher?" Answer: Because it is the most expensive."

A benefit of growing older is that we've had our hands burned more often.

Life's experiences and how we respond to them shape our present and our future.

I know not to throw good money after bad, that simplifying life helps, and that touching the hot fire hurts. 

Now the challenge is to keep learning and the to apply God's wisdom to the next experience. God continues to teach and we can - we must - continue to learn!

Bruce

Thinking about money

Last night we were visiting with a group of friends. One of them asked, “How important is money? Wouldn’t we simply be better without it?”

Almost everyone chuckled at such a naive comment. Then the conversation started to pick up steam. “I know someone who rejected money and lives on just what they need for the day”, opined one man. “Yes,” his wife said, “but his kids are hurting and don’t even have the school books they need”. “I think that is selfish,” chimed in another spouse. And by this time we were deep into the topic and everyone had their input.

“Is money the root of all evil?” started off another train of thought. “Money is just a commodity and is neither good nor evil, just something to be used," was the input of a financial planner in the group. “We all know that it is the ‘love’ of money, not money itself” shared a Bible teacher. You could almost hear most of the group thinking, “Maybe there is more on this we need to think about!”

In his book and video series, God’s at War, Kyle Edelman has a full section of the “God of Money”. He says:

“The god of money has been around for a long time. Back in the day, you knew him as gold or silver, and before that, heads of cattle of animal skins or anything that could be traded. These days he goes as cash, dough, bacon, benjamins, moolah, hundies, and the list goes on. He might take the form of a plastic card or be a file named “portfolios”.”

As much as we may try to ignore the issue, money is everywhere and connects us with virtually everything to do, go, buy, or support. We can’t ignore it. God certainly did not as there are over 2300 references to money or money connected issues in the Bible.

Money is addressed more than any other topic, even critical ones such as love and faith.

I’ve always thought that when God chooses to focus on an issue we need to collectively pay attention to what He is saying. Most of the observations, sharing of wisdom, admonitions, and encouragement about money are like rockets going off to get our attention. Here is some more of what Edelman wrote:

“We pay lip service to the idea that money isn’t that important, but how we spend our time and what we pursue seem to reveal our true belief. Money by the ton is the ultimate dream for so many people. When they talk about an ultimate fantasy, it’s winning the lottery or inheriting a fortune from some rich relative. Mark Twain wrote, “Some men worship rank, some worship heroes, some worship, some worship power, some worship God, and over these ideals they dispute and cannot unity—-but they all worship money.””

The heart of the issue is that we attribute to money the attributes of God: love of, power with, problem solver, encourager, and solace giver.

Those replacements are the idolatry of not only our age but of all ages. As our societies become more complicated the issues become more nuanced but the root of the problem remains the same.

Because of my 30-year involvement in the Retirement Planning and servicing industry, I’ve developed an acute awareness of the issues surrounding money. My own conclusion about the problems it causes has nothing to do with how much or how little of it you have. Here are some observations that speak into the issue:

1.     You learn more about life and priorities when you have too little than when you have too much.

2.     The challenge when you have too much is “What does God want me to do with the amount over “enough”?

3.     It is wise to evaluate your financial situation from the perspective of what you need and the balance for the work of the Kingdom. The alternative thought process is to ask, “How much should I give to God, with all that remains is mine”. The first approach is the best one.

4.     Understanding that we are to be faithful for a lifetime, not just a season, informs our thinking about retirement. Preparation for that time is important. Preparing spiritually, emotionally, physically and yes, financially, is all part of the process of being available for God’s direction during those last three decades and stages of life.

5.     Use the term Future Funded Ministry to describe the financial preparation needed.

6.     The lack of money controls us just as surely as its plentiful availability.

7.    We learn quickly how important money is to us when we start giving it away.

When we give equal importance when preparing for our future ministry and to the spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial pieces to the puzzle, we are indeed living a balanced life. When any of those are out of balance, a course correction is needed.

Knowing God and enjoying Him forever is the best!

Stay with us as we Journey with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Bruce

It’s a Mess Around Here

I’m sitting in the middle of a mess.

I decided to take a break, momentarily leaving the mess to rest and put these thoughts on paper. Well, you know what I mean.

Earlier this Saturday morning, Judy and I returned from a wonderful breakfast at our favorite local eatery. Judy shifted the mood. “Bruce, your office is a mess! Doesn’t Jerry Jenkins advise that where you write is critical to being a great writer?” She stepped into the office surveying the two computer screens, the various short stacks of papers, three piles of books, my briefcase satchel with an almost out-of-date projector and my old computer. The computer is a little sad having done yeoman-like service and now sitting against the wall with no cords, attached to nothing. “I can’t believe that you’ve still got your hat collection displayed on the shelves where you could put your books?” Now she was getting close to my soul as those hats represent 40 years of travel and worldwide experiences.

Upon closer inspection, I realize that there are 4 inboxes, too, each filled with important stuff. All stuff covered with good intentions and commitments to future action. With the launching of the Live with Meaning Foundation and the (now being written) book, Retirement Reformation, I’m clearly at a crossroad and I need to make some decisions.

 As a matter of fact, committing to the obvious but painful solution, I’ve now collected and piled almost 30 books on the round office conference table.  At least they, the books of all types, are off the counter top and my extended desktop. In order to make room for them on the table, there is now even more stuff on the floor. “Beautiful day”, I muse staring out the window. The guilty feeling of procrastination starts to well up prompting re-focus and forcing the already recognized priority of Judy’s directive, “everything with a place and everything in place”.

I don’t know about you, but when someone I love and respect directs a “truism” on me, I get a little defensive. “Ugh, it’s not as bad as it looks and I can straighten it out easily." Sure I can.

When we designed our home in the Black Forest of Colorado Springs, Judy designed what she affectionately designated her “Command Center”. Yes, a place for everything and everything in its place. For her first Christmas in our house, I found an old school craftsman to make a red neon sign that aggressively declares, “Judy’s Command Center”. You ask, “What does she have in her Command Center”. As I explain to guests who wonder, “Her desk, file cabinet, computer, sewing machine, paper shredder, paper cutter, ironing board, drawers bursting withsupport papers and utensils, stamps and envelopes, a contemporary washer and dryer, sink, and upper cabinets with tools, bottles of cleaning stuff, and a hand drill dangling a long orange cord.”

As I write this, a new vision of what my office can be starts to emerge. After all, I did design it at the same time Judy designed her Command Center. When the design emerged, I remember thinking about the size, function, and experience that I wanted in the office. “It must have gotten lost during the normal activities of daily living stretching out over the last year or so”. I think I can reclaim that vision if I focus, prioritize, and organize.

Dedication to a cause and the perseverance needed to accomplish it are important personal attributes.

I’ve learned that without them, not much happens, and they are now part of who I am.  Applying those traits to my office space is what Judy is challenging me to do leading to a result that I want too. Although, it’s taken me a very long time to acknowledge the obvious.

Re-organizing my writing and study space is now taking on a life of its own. First, the fact of a random mess needs to grow, not diminish. The reason is that the old files in my office file cabinet need to move downstairs to join the family archives that go back a generation. Once that’s done, then the sad storing of my “hats of travel and history” begins. The white plastic container sits in the middle of the room waiting for the gray locking lid to be attached and then to transport it to those same archives, on the lower level. A certain sadness goes along with these acts starting the new direction understandably coupled with an energizing tinge of anticipation.

Judy just came home from her Saturday journey of visits to the Library, local thrift store, laundry, and picking up what is needed for the rest of the weekend. She peeks in again, rolls her eyes, and concludes, “Oh boy”. I am quick to remind her that “You have to clean out before you can clean up”. She nods knowingly and heads for “Judy’s Command Center”. The neon sign isn’t on, but it soon will be.

I’ve written enough to make the point of this missive.

Acknowledgment of a problem is the first step to its solution.

Then, my Grandfather’s key insight, “A job once begun is half done." Finally, vision, purpose, and perseverance will take you to a better place.

Now I need to follow my own advice and finish the job. It really is “a mess around here.”

Bruce

Stay with us as we share Trusted Advice along The Way.

The Retirement Reformation: an emerging movement

In our prior text, we explored the context for the launch of the Retirement Reformation. We left our exploration with the following:

Next we will examine the actual components, the basic elements, the critical pieces of what makes up a movement. What are the essential themes that need to present? How will those themes be identified and communicated? and, what will be the Leader’s (s) role?

A.W Tozer brought this perspective:

““With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.””

The two ingredients - the two keys to movements whether social, political, or religious are rooted in a growing realization that there is a problem and the consequent desire for change as an answer is a component to solving the problem.

Another good description of the elements needed to identify a movement is: 

A pervasive and identifiable issue that is coupled with actionable solutions appealing to a certain group of people. With those keys the door is unlocked and then opened for a movement of significant impact resulting in societal change.

Neil Smelser’s observations about social movements help develop our understanding of them. He identified another key element with what he called an Initiating Event. This type of event is one that leads to a chain reaction of events leading to a growing group of people reacting to the event and a movement is born.

It has occurred to me that for any movement to flourish, there are a couple of needed elements:

“There must be an element of push back against some established norms or ways of doing things, as well as a positive energy moving the solution towards something very new.” I was momentarily exhilarated with this insight. “This Retirement Reformation” will be an exciting journey! Discovering new ways of thinking and doing while replacing an entrenched way of thinking about the 4th Quarter with something dynamic and new.

A friend of mine was scratching his head the other day during our weekly time together. He reflected, “You (referring to me) are a strange combination of Serial Entrepreneur and a pragmatic systematic builder”. I was waiting for more and he added, “It makes it hard for some people who don’t relate to one or the other part of you to stay connected.” I took that in and thought about it for a couple of days. My conclusion is that he was right.

Movements are similar in that they can be somewhat confusing. They are the beginning of something new while needing the structure and pathways leading to increased clarity and subsequent action. Whether it be life’s journey or that of a movement, there is bound to be some confusion, distortion, and re-orientation before the results are clear.

No doubt, the Retirement Reformation will exhibit these characteristics too.

Leaderless Leadership

The difference between leadership and spiritual leadership is the source of the vision that drives the enterprise, mission, or ministry. Here we acknowledge the role of the Divine. Next, the difference between Top Down Leadership and Leaderless Leadership is the degree to which we open our minds and hands to welcome and include others in the growth and development process. Acknowledging the source of the vision for the movement is a great starting place.

When we acknowledge God’s role in implanting the vision in us, it is easier to become His follower rather than always trying to establish proprietary ownership. It is easier to be guided by His vision as the source of the Top Down Leadership and Inclusive leadership to be the earthly format for growth.

If the idea of Retirement Reformation is to go viral, it will be because it has been God led, openly engaging, and energetically promoted. The role of the leader is to bring a compelling interpretation of both the problems and solutions with the transparency of purpose, while including other leaders and communicators into an ever expanding circle of trust.

Here will be the challenge for all God draws to the issue of aging and the Retirement Reformation:

To listen in new ways and respond in different ways to God’s call and divine purpose for all, both now and for a lifetime!

Let’s personalize it: You will listen in new ways and respond in different ways to God’s call and divine purpose for you, both now and for your lifetime.

If so, consider this prayer, “God, give me new ears to hear your call, wisdom to discern your preferred future for me, strength to carry out your will, and the ability to consistently reflect Jesus to all I meet.”

Join the Retirement Reformation, the movement for you.

If you prayed that prayer, you are now prepared to actively join the Retirement Reformation. So you understand a little more about what you are joining, here is a review:

Four key elements to a movement:

1.     A common problem rooted in an easily observed and experienced reality

2.     A common lexicon describing the problem and the solution

3.     A common methodology for communication and interaction among the like minded

4.     A common agreement about the solution to the problem and actions that emerge as a result of the solution

5.   A common commitment to following God’s plan for our lives: a commitment that extends for a lifetime.

Stay with us as we journey with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Your thoughts and prayers are always appreciated.

Bruce

Is it time to get the movement organized?

The opposite of organization is chaos.

Or, at least a significant absence of system, process, and structure. When there is no organization, frustration reigns. I read somewhere that if you don’t know where you are, you can’t possible determine where you are going. And if you don’t know where you are going, you have to settle for any port in a storm. Hardly a positive picture.

At our church, we have adopted technology that allows our Pastor, Bob Bender, to post his message outline online prior to the service. Each member can access those notes prior to the service and follow along during the service with the option of making our own notes adjacent to his. Bob is an outstanding preacher bringing clarity to key issues of life in such a way that they are both memorable and operational. Being able to add our own notes, reflections, and observations so easily enhances an already great worship and teaching experience.

It is snowing hard today in Colorado Springs. Being housebound, I took the opportunity to review the message for tomorrow from the ongoing series about Leadership. In it, Pastor Bob lays out the need, reflecting Jesus, to give leadership to yourself. Next, still reflecting Jesus, to lead and impact others. Continuing the progression, to then learn how to lead leaders and possibly to develop the skills necessary to lead a movement. That progression really struck home for me.

As we are about to launch the Retirement Reformation movement, I was attracted to that last step in the progression about “leading a movement."

What makes up a movement anyway?

How is it different from an organization, a company, or even an “idea”?  Once defined, how then does one lead it? Immediately my thoughts went to some obvious historical movements; our countries reach for freedom from tyranny. Moses and one million+ Israelites becoming God’s people in the wilderness. Gandhi using “non-violence” to overthrow an empire. The Protestant Reformers changing the face of Europe and subsequently impacting the world as a result of the movement of the many and diverse reformers. On and on it goes. Donald Trump even likes to talk about “Trumpism” as a movement as does Bernie Sanders - now there are two extremes for you!

So what makes up a movement and then how is it lead?

Way back in 2001 in a book published by the Johns Hopkins University Press entitled, Productive Aging: Concepts and Challenges the Forward written by Dr. Robert N.Butler, President and CEO pf the International Longevity Center-US, began this way:

Will 69 million baby boomers suddenly drop out of the workforce when they turn 65? Is it difficult to imagine this generation, with its talent, education, and experience, idling away the last 30 years of life?

In the 1950s sociologist, Ernest Burgess wrote that older people’s lives were notable “roleless.” Little progress had been made since then. Today (2001), the issue takes on new urgency as the average life expectancy rises to 76.6 and evidence suggests a cause-and-effect relationship among health, productivity, and longevity. Studies begun in 1955 by the National Institute of Health have demonstrated that older people who have goals and structure have a better chance of living longer. Thus, health supports productivity, and productivity encourages health. Productive aging would appear to be in the best interest of both society and the individual.

In his book entitled “Tribes”, Seth Godin writes:

Some tribes are stuck. They embrace the status quo and drown out any tribe member who dares to question authority and the accepted order. Big charities, tiny clubs, struggling corporations—they‘re tribes and they are stuck. I’m not so interested in those tribes. They create little of value and they're sort of boring. Every one of those tribes, though is a movement waiting to happen, a group of people just waiting to be energized and transformed.

A movement is thrilling. It’s the work of many people, all connected, all seeking something better. The new highly leveraged tools of the net make it easier than ever to create a movement, to make things happen, to get things done.

All that is missing is leadership.

He goes on to say, “The real power of tribes has nothing to do with the Internet and everything to do with people. You don’t need a keyboard to lead…you only need the desire to make something happen.”

Then there is the countercultural work of Brafman and Beckstrom entitled “The Starfish and the Spider” that opens with this statement, “The unstoppable power of leaderless organizations.”

We are at unusual times of “leaderless leadership” and the parallel need for continuity, consistency of message, and clarity of purpose. How then is a movement led? And how is that leadership different from management?

The journey of the Retirement Reformation will include the struggles that this dichotomy reveals. How will the many divergent voices, both secular and faith based, coalesce and become a movement? And, how will it be led?

Is it time to get the movement organized?

Next, we will examine the actual components, the basic elements, and the critical pieces of what makes up a movement. What are the essential themes that need to present? How will those themes be identified and communicated? And finally, what will be the Leader’s role?

Stay tuned as we continue on a journey together, with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Bruce

How do we get to our preferred future?

I recently met with a friend who wanted to talk about the future of coaching within the Christian community and he made a very clear distinction between “coaching” and “mentoring”.

He brought some clarity to me on the subject when he realized I was trying to put the concept of coaching into the behavior modification school of thought.

Mentoring has the context of advising or a low level of training, while coaching asks the question, “What if?” What if God does have a preferred future for you? Would you want to miss it?”

I certainly do not want to get into a semantic argument with all those out there who are big into either mentoring or coaching. What interests me is that there are approaches to changing lives that are emerging that are teachable, reproducible, and sustainable.

I’m personally part of a Convene group of CEOs. It has been an excellent venue for safe conversation and learning from each other. Christian Leadership Alliance is developing a similar model, and for a number of years, we sponsored the CEO Forums that are still active. Other groups such as Vistage, EO, and even YPO are further examples of value and this felt need to develop intentional relationships to address common issues and solve similar problems.

There is another similar, yet different process or methodology rising up to meet what will be a growing need.

It is Spirit-Filled Coaching. Here are the aspects of it that excite me:

1.     God has a purpose for each of our lives (perhaps one for each stage of our lives).

2.     We all deserve the opportunity to live a spirit-filled life with Jesus.

3.     With coaching, we can find God’s purpose for our lives and make it actionable.

4.     The result will bring meaning to us, a purpose for us, and a tremendous asset to our communities!

With this approach, we not only answer the question, “What if?” but we also develop a plan to change - not just a time to reflect and ponder. Don’t we all wonder, “How do I figure out and then get to my preferred future?”  In conversations and certainly in the audiences I speak to, there is always the question or the person(s) that come up afterward that want to know the answer to both those questions.

I’m reminded of the George Foreman ad, “George, what do I do with my idea?” and his answer, “See my friends as InventHelp”. Similarly, “Bruce, how can I know my preferred future and then put it into action”. My answer should be, “See my friends at Spirit-Filled Coaching!”

To my knowledge, no organization like that exist but it should. And in God’s time, it will.

Further, in this conversation with my friend, he made the point that “Transformation always comes in relationships.” How true that is!

Our spiritual transformation takes place in our relationship with Jesus. Our physical transformation takes place best within a group. Our financial transformation occurs as we interact with those we care about and are financially responsible for.

Oh, also as an intrinsic part of the building of a Future Funded Ministry Plan otherwise known as “Retirement”.

I certainly have learned the most during times of pain, particularly the pain of a strained relationship. It seems like we all learn the most from pain and suffering and not so much from joy and gladness. Strange isn't it? I wish it were the other way around and I could learn from the joy and gladness of life while just enduring pain and suffering.

My friend reiterated that coaching is “solution focused” while mentoring tends to be more focused on learning.

As we launch The Live with Meaning Foundation with its siren call to the Retirement Reformation, there will be a growing need to help people discover their preferred future and help guide them into their unique action plan. And if it is true, as I believe it is, that God has a plan for each stage of life, the need to be part of a periodic discovery process will only accelerate. As a faith-based community, we will want to share our discoveries about this process and raise up those who God calls to help - Spirit-Filled Coaches. Then, when we stretch out God’s call for a lifetime, not just a season, there may need for an additional ministry - Q4 Spirit-Filled Coaches. 

If you, your church, or organization would like to learn more about the Retirement Reformation that is breaking out, reach out and let’s talk.

Stay with us as we navigate the river of life with Trusted Advice along The Way.

Bruce