The Deeply Formed Leader
Reacting to the moment or formed for the moment...
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the difference between being a leader who reacts to the moment and one who is formed for it. The reactive leader is always scanning the headlines, reading the latest trends, and adjusting course in the name of "relevance." The formed leader, on the other hand, has been shaped slowly over time through rhythms and practices of transformation. They have learned to "sit" or "abide" long enough with Jesus that they aren't swayed by the latest or newest trends.
One of my doctoral professors, Dr. AJ Swoboda, recently gave a lecture on “Slow Theology” and its relevance to the world we live in today. In the early church, it could take anywhere from six months to several years for a congregation to receive a reply from the Apostle Paul concerning their questions. In that long stretch of waiting, they had no choice but to sit with the questions, wrestle through differing perspectives, and discern a way forward with only limited information. By contrast, we now receive information instantly and often feel the pressure to respond just as quickly.
Am I reactive leader or a contemplative leader? In my desire to be "relevant" do I have a tendency to jump to conclusions?
“Speed gets attention, but it does not build depth. God walks slowly because He is love. If He is not love He would have gone much faster.” - from Three Mile an Hour God by Kosuke Koyama
I was recently approached about being an advocate for The Dignity Act, which was recently composed by lawmakers in Florida and Texas. Although the Dignity Act is not without flaws, it does seek to provide a temporary (and humanitarian) solution to our asylum issue, while also providing dignity to undocumented migrants living in the U.S. There is a group of individuals in Oklahoma who are currently presenting this to Representative Kevin Hern. Check out more about The Dignity Act.
Fujimura invites every person - each artist - to understand the role of beauty and to be a part of a culture that recognizes and commits themselves to the creation of beauty.
Destruction and dissolution are far easier than creation and connection. We need vision, courage, and perseverance. This is why the care and cultivation of culture begins with the care and cultivation of the soul. (43)
Appreciation of the depths of beauty is a condition of our physical, mental, and spiritual health - and of our physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual maturity. (47)
