The Climb

This past summer, I spent a little time comparing life’s challenges with the sport of mountaineering, specifically in a couple of posts titled When Life Seems Like Mt. Everest. I have been planning to finish that series with a post focusing on how it is typically the journey a person experiences, rather than the destination, that is most important. However, I’m not certain that is completely true. I am at a point now where I see that both the journey, as well as our destination plays a vital role in our ability to successfully handle the challenges we come across in life.

First lets look at the journey we take. If we are not required to put in the due diligence of taking one step at a time, navigating the obstacles, feeling the burning fatigue in our muscles, and even managing the fear of the unknown…then most likely we will not appreciate the summit as much had we, in fact, endured those struggles. The sights, the smells, the details are all drawn out in an intimately vivid way from knowing what it took to be there. The journey gives us perspective, helps us appreciate where we have come, and even helps us gain a respect for those who have also made the same trek. A friend of mine who is an avid mountaineer, eloquently said this about the journey: “Climbing is a spiritual journey. One strives, suffers, hurts and often fails. It is the journey that teaches us what we are meant to know. The rewards are great to those who face the challenge yet realize that success lies in living to climb again. Some new land, some novel route and sometimes with new partners. On Belay!” It all boils down to the fact that the summit experience is not complete without having endured the entire journey.

However, I feel we often reduce the role that the destination plays as practically insignificant, which I feel is unwise. The destination is often the source of our motivation, which has a very direct impact on our performance, our drive, and our desire to get through the difficulties of the journey. My desire to reach the summit gets me through all the crap I have to endure. When my body is screaming at me to stop, when I feel as though I cannot continue and I want to give up and turn around, I refuse to listen because there is something greater than me that is calling out my name. This is the power of the destination, and it really does matter what that destination is.

There seems to be a direct correlation of the importance we assign to our destination to the level of suffering we are willing to endure in order to reach it. It is quite obvious when someone is fully committed, or should I say devoted, to their destination, their summit, their purpose, their mission, whatever you want to call it. The level of focus, the drive, the determination, and the willingness to continue on no matter how difficult, all play a vital role in their ability to reach the summit. Unfortunately, I would say that the converse is also true. The person who is indifferent about their destination will never willingly endure the struggles required to reach the summit. They will be forever limited to mediocrity, as it is often the case that the most spectacular sights are indeed the hardest to reach. Those summits reveal their beauty only to the most dedicated.

So, for me…I realize that everyday I wake up with a choice. A choice to get up, and make the most of what I’ve been given, recognizing that there are going to be days that I just want to sit down on the ground and give up, feeling like there is no way I can continue. But when those days do come, when I feel that my days have all passed and my plans have all been shattered, I reach down deep and am reminded of my ultimate destination and that the desires of my heart are in fact turning night into day, and while in the face of darkness, light is most definitely near.

Picture by Dave Pullin

When Life Seems Like Mt. Everest...(part 2)

Route Planning
Once you have selected your Expedition Team, you must next determine your route up the mountain, which can either lead you toward great success or tragic failure.

Being in the lead position of a rope team on a glacier can be quite stressful. You not only set the pace for the team, but you also have to exercise extremely good judgment with every step, seeing as one of the primary threats in regards to glacier travel is falling into a crevasse (huge cracks in the ice). So in order to minimize risk, there are several things mountaineers make certain they do.

Gather Beta
Many rock climbers take pride in a successful on-sight climb (leading a climb, on your first try, without any hints – beta). However, glacier mountaineering is a little different. You willingly accept any beta you can acquire: possible routes, route condition, accumulated snowfall, avalanche probability, difficulty, weather forecast, etc. If the particular mountain and route you are interested in has already been done, then you want to learn from that experience. Of course you want to thoroughly vet the beta you receive, as it might be outdated, or even incorrect.

Campsite Selection
Determining where you will camp is not so much about where you will place the tent, rather it is more about your ability to accurately discern how far the team will be able to travel in a given day, allowing for a certain margin of error. This, seemingly simple task, is actually one of the more difficult skills to master in all of outdoor travel. Consideration must be made for pack weight (which changes as food is eaten), accessibility to water, climber ability/fatigue, weather, exposure, acclimation, as well as many others. Pushing the team too hard will likely result with exhaustion or even injury. Not challenging the team's ability will result in boredom, frustration, maybe even desertion.

Cutting Steps
Contrary to popular opinion, traveling on ice can be extremely difficult. Imagine walking down your driveway after an ice storm and you get the picture. Due to this, there are times you must cut steps into the ice, which can be a tedious and exhausting process. Using the adz of an ice ax (the flat, wide end), the person in the lead swings the ax and literally cuts each step into the ice. Care must be made that the distance between steps is just right. Cut steps too far apart and it may cause someone to fall. Cut steps too close together, and precious time & energy are wasted. The interesting thing is, that as each team member uses a single step, it becomes well defined, making it easier for the person after to use the step.

You are probably ahead of me in terms of relating this to our everyday, but when you feel like you are in the dregs of life, the motivation to develop a ‘route plan’ is likely not there, but it doesn't have to be anything formal. Talk to others who have been where you are, determine what your first milestone will be. Give yourself something to focus on and allow yourself a little reward when you get there. Finally, pay attention to the steps you are cutting, pausing to remember to look up to ensure you are still on the right path. The steps we cut in our personal lives will most likely include the difficult (and sometimes horrifying) work of introspection and self-awareness. It is labor-intensive, but required, and most definitely worth it. This is the hard part of life, but it is also where we grow and recognize we may actually be stronger than we once thought we were.

Photo by Dave Pullin: NOLS Outdoor Educator Course '99: Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA.

When life seems like Mt. Everest… (pt. 1)

Expedition Team
Many often speculate at a climber’s motivation to summit a 29,029' mountain. I imagine one reason may be that deep inside each climber looms something so massive, so daunting, that they assign a physical challenge with it. And then, when they are able to face the physical challenge and journey to the top, they reason that they may be able to overcome the internal struggle as well.

Just as each mountain is different, so are there all types of internal struggles. They vary in form, be it addiction, self-esteem, abuse, pride, depression, sin, betrayal, [list your struggle here], but we all have them. It is part of human nature. And although I doubt you have the desire to take up mountaineering, I feel there is a great deal we can learn from those who accept a certain amount of risk in their lives in order to climb these spectacular summits.

When you find yourself in the shadow of one of these mammoths (voluntarily or not), one of the first things to do is figure out who you want on your expedition team. Who is going to climb this mountain with you? This is where you take stock of the tools and skills you have, as well as the ones you are missing. Then identify those around you who can fill any voids. On the mountain you will need a team leader, a lead climber, a cook, a medic, and navigator, communications, sherpas, transportation, etc. What are the tools and skills you need to make it through your internal struggle? Will you need a confidant, a therapist, childcare, a children’s therapist, a pastor, a cooked meal, a best friend, a support group, a mowed lawn, an exercise buddy, accountability?

Surrounding yourself with a small group of people who will be walking alongside of you, whom you trust, who will help you in your time of need, who will be there to pick you up when you fall, who will call you out when you are wrong, who will help you laugh when you need it most, who will tell you the truth in love, and who truly care for you is critical. They will never be able to climb the mountain for you, but they will be there with you every step of the way.

Spend some time thinking about what your needs are, then realize it is okay to ask for help. We aren't supposed to do this in isolation. We were created to be in community, so why is it we always feel like we have to go through these personal crises alone? If you don’t have your team assembled, then start making the calls. I know who my expedition team is…do you?

Photo: NOLS Outdoor Educator Course '99: Glacier Peak Wilderness, WA. That's me in the lead of the rope team.

Team Shake n Bake!

Exercise is a great distraction...especially when you are able to add mud as a major component. Tomorrow I am participating in the Dirty Duo Adventure Race, which is advertised as, "a little biking, a little running, and a TON of mud!"


Its a 6 mile course alternating running & mountain biking, followed by a 40 ft pit of mud you have to crawl through on your belly. Should be interesting. Fortunately, I will have the support of my trusted friend, Jason Gant, which together makes us team Shake n Bake!

So if you have nothing better to do tomorrow morning, here's directions to the KC Speedway to cheer us on! Race starts at 9am sharp. And there are supposed to be some great post-race festivities with music, food, and plenty of cold refreshments. Fun times!

Gettin' busy...

There is a movie that I love, maybe you have seen it - The Shawshank Redemption. It is the story of Andy, a man who is falsely convicted of murder and sent to prison where he is punished due to no fault of his own. There he becomes friends with a man named Red, who has been in prison for many years and is seasoned in the ways of incarceration and knows how to work the system.

The interesting thing is at first, Red takes on the role of mentor to Andy, teaching him the ways of the prison, how to survive, who to avoid, how to surrender to the inevitable that this is now the only existence that Andy will ever know. Red not only teaches, but encourages Andy to become institutionalized, to let go of any illusions of hope and to accept the reality that they have no control over their lives anymore.

Yet as their friendship grows, it is Red who then becomes the student, as he begins to see in Andy a strength that will not be beaten down or forfeited, not to the warden, not to the other inmates, nor to the institution itself. But no matter how hard Andy tries to convince Red that hope does, in fact, remain - and that is the one thing the institution can never take away - Red does not seem to understand, which leads us to this scene:



(Spoiler Alert)
Red feared that Andy exercised the one and only thing he could control...and that was how to end his life. That was the only option Red could fathom. Red was not able to see beyond his delusions, beyond the false reality he had built in order to protect himself from being vulnerable in fear of being hurt yet again.

But as it turns out, Andy was able to escape from the prison, from all the things that held him captive, because he had a hope that could not be taken away. And by doing that, by Andy breaking through all of that bondage, he provided the catalyst for Red to experience an awakening. Maybe what Red thought what was true was, in fact, mere deception. Maybe there is something beyond these walls of imprisonment. Maybe, just maybe, there is a thing called hope. Red eventually gets released, and is faced with a choice...to get busy living, or get busy dying.



Now, I ask myself...which one of these men am I? Am I going to be like Red, allowing my circumstances to construct a wall around me so that any ounce of hope or feeling I may have is slowly extinguished with each piece of brick and each spade of mortar? Do I desire to merely survive? Or - am I going to be like Andy, who does not let his circumstances beat him, who continues to feel and live - even at the risk of being hurt again? Now Red does eventually choose to live, but how much did he sacrifice? Am I willing to sacrifice as much as he did, or am I willing to risk again? Am I going to get busy living, or get busy dying (in an emotional, spiritual way...not a physical, literal way)?

There are times that I probably would have chosen the latter, but today....right now....I am confident that there is hope, and that hope is indeed a very good thing. And I am confident that it will never die. I choose to live.

Willow Creek Leadership Summit

This year's Leadership Summit has definitely been great. Fantastic speakers. Well done Willow.
Here's some great notes if interested.

National Worship Leader's Conference

Our church is hosting the National Worship Leader's Conference in 2009 & 2010, so a group of us were able to come to this year's conference (which is in Austin, TX) to check out how they do things and get an idea of what they are expecting.

One of the great things about worship conferences is that when you get a room full of worship leaders & pastors together, the energy and passion is overwhelming. Check out this quick video of everyone singing:




It's humbling being around so many talented artists and musicians. Last night, Mike Collins & I sat in on the production meeting prior to the evening worship. We were surrounded by people like Paul Baloche, Lincoln Brewster, Kathryn Scott, Don Moen, Chris Tomlin as well as the musicians that play with these artists. And as we gathered in prayer, the primary purpose was for these artists & celebrities to come together as one to serve the 2,000+ worship leaders and pastors by leading them in a time of worship where they did not have to 'work' or be 'on', but be instead be freed to wholly and fully worship God. I wonder how often do we as leaders in the church take time to do this. Take time away from ministering to others and allow ourselves to be ministered to.

I sometimes think that I am an exception. I can do double duty - working while I worship. and although there may be some truth in that, I find myself constantly evaluating, constantly analyzing. Be it the worship gathering, a program, a process, or anything dealing with the church. When do I allow myself to stop critiquing and let myself just be.

"Be still and know I am God" wrote the psalmist. Why is that so difficult to do?

First Impressions

We've all heard that first impressions are important. Within the first 90 seconds of encountering someone (or something) new, we make tons of assumptions about that person/place/organization. Be it the way someone is dressed, the curb appeal of a house, the parking lot of a mall, we all make very specific conclusions about those things. We do judge books by their covers. It is human nature. Presentation is critical.

The question that I want to focus on is, 'What is the first point of contact for most churches?' Where do people get their first impression of a church...of your church?

Many would suggest as they walk in the door and are met by the greeters shaking their hand. Are they smiling? How many perople are here? Is the facility clean? Or how about as they pull into the parking lot? Is the property well maintained? Is it easy to find a parking space? Or what about the receptionists at the front desk? Are they friendly? Do they have a smile in their voice? Do they have the information you need?

I would agree that those are all very important aspects in the hospitality of your church, and although they may be the first encounter many people have with the church, I would argue this is not the primary place people develop their first impressions.

In today's world, the website is the first point of contact, and the place that people will decide whether or not to even visit our churches. People use the web to get first impressions and make critical decisions. Is the design aesthetically pleasing? Is it easy to navigate and is information easy to find? Can I see what a typical experience might be like? Is there even a website at all?

Fortunately, there is a design site that has waded through a ton of church websites and has compiled what they feel to be the 50 Best Church Websites. Take a look and see what they have in common. You may say to yourself that you can't afford to maintain a site like one of those. If that is the case, then do simple & inexpensive well....but don't fall prey to an amateur site reminiscent to a '90s html style. If your having trouble or don't know where to begin....contact one of the churches listed in the link and ask them for advice & help.

And remember, if this is the first impression for most people...how can we not afford for it to be a good one.

If only Moses had Twitter...

...all those plagues could have been avoided! I must admit that although somewhat annoying (is it really necessary for the "is twittering" that is posted on facebook status reports?), twitter can become useful if I find myself documenting Egyptian anti-government protests like this guy was.

Change, Innovate, or Die...

A common theme around our church is how all organizations must eventually change, innovate, or die. The United Methodist Church is currently gathering in their General Conference which convenes every 4 years and representatives from all over the world come.

This is where polity is discussed, legislation is voted upon, and the leaders of the UMC help shape the future of our denomination.

Interestingly, there are significant debates about exactly what aspects need to be changed, and how we go about bringing innovation into our churches.

One such topic is about the current hymnal. Adam has a great post about the discussions, the vote, and what a possible future hymnal might look like. Be sure to check it out and make your voice heard.