Currently I am busy preparing for several new and exciting adventures that will begin in the next few weeks.  One of those will be leading a teaching team in a series of gatherings that we will call Living as Mustard Seeds in Cracked Clay Pots.  The series will begin on Monday evening, September 19, 2011 at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas at 6:30.  All – visitors, members, anyone – are welcome!

We will begin with a six week consideration of a marvelous book by Dr. Bill Robinson, retired President of Whitworth University, titled Incarnate Leadership: 5 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Jesus*.  Bill’s book offers remarkable guidance for learning leadership and living.  I hope some of you might join us.  Here is a sample from Dr. Robinson’s book:

Humility’s Ally – Truth

Another way leaders can keep from wearing those jerseys of darkness that absorb the light is to put on the bright reflecting colors of truth.  If God got nothing more out of Christian leaders than the truth, he’d probably consider it progress.  Truth protects against pride because truth recognizes that every gift comes from God.  Truth recognizes grace as the means of our salvation and nothing about which we can boast.  Truth recognizes that the mirror is but a mirror; it’s not the object it reflects.

Truth also competes against a besetting tendency of Christian leaders: We like to spiritualize our accomplishments.  When we attribute a success to God, report why God gave the success, and claim we had nothing to do with the success, we’re speculating.  We don’t know the mind and motives of God.  “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).  Further, our efforts do play a role in what we achieve.  The truths is that when we do the work, God gives the increase.  Scripture connects labor with fruit; if you do the former, you get the latter.  That connection doesn’t give us bragging rights; it simply acknowledges that God uses flawed people to accomplish his purposes. (66)

We are indeed mustard seeds living in cracked clay pots!

*Robinson, Bill.  Incarnate Leadership: 5 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Jesus.  Grand Rapids:  Zondervan, 2009.