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South Africa Journal 9: How God Used Africa to Stretch My Heart

September 7, 2010 in Canadian, Community, Leadership, joy by Scott Cochrane | No comments

I’ve just experienced a truly incredible morning.

Here at the Bakubung Bush Lodge in South Africa we woke early to catch the sunrise. Under a brilliant orange sky we saw and heard South Africa Day 9the wilds of Africa come to life, with exotic birds bursting into song and a herd of wildebeests wandering by.

In this remarkable setting I took the time to reflect on this two-week South African odyssey I’ve been privileged to experience. With our World Vision hosts and a group of Canadian pastors, I spent time in some of this country’s most beautiful and affluent areas, as well as her most desperately needy regions.

I thought back to the days leading up to this journey, and specifically to the ways in which I believe God was preparing my heart. I had sensed a very real challenge from God’s Spirit to not simply come and look at what’s happening around me, but to really see things in and through God’s perspective.

So, what did I see?

  • I saw people who’s annual earnings most of us will spend on a month of Starbucks coffee, but who are rich in their love for God. To have had the privilege to worship with these people was to experience a freedom in worship I’ve rarely seen before.
  • I saw people whose generosity was not contingent upon their level of income. Among communities of people with very little of what the world would call “wealth” there was a consistent spirit of looking out for those with even less.
  • I saw in the hearts of the Canadian pastors on the trip a spirit of compassion and mercy that should inspire all Canadian Christ-followers. Their genuine love for the people we met should come as no surprise, but it was nonetheless affirming to see such care demonstrated.
  • I saw God do a work in my own heart. I was challenged to examine my own life and my own priorities. I found God changing my definitions of words like “necessities”, “security”, “possessions” and “needs”.

My final reflection would be that, as a result of this life-changing trip, I find that my resolve to see the Church in Canada become stronger, healthier and more vibrant to be more intensified than ever.

Because I believe to the core of my being that God has a truly global role for the Canadian Church to play. And the more we can see our churches prevail, the more we will see God work through us to truly make a global difference.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds. For all of us.

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South Africa Journal 8: Remembering to Close the Loop

September 3, 2010 in Canadian, Community, Disciplinie, Leadership, action, joy by Scott Cochrane | 1 comment

Think about the last time you led a ministry initiative in which you had to call in favours.

Perhaps you’re a youth leader who needed to round up extra drivers for that youth ministry outing, and you phoned all those parents to bring their mini-vans to run these kids across town.

Maybe you’re a senior pastor who needed to clear the church calendar for an important church-wide event, and you met with several key staff to get them to move or cancel their previously scheduled functions.

My question for you, and the one I’ve been challenged with today, is “How consistently do you remember to close the loop?”

South Africa Township

My journey through South Africa continued today with a stop at World Vision’s Umvoti Area Development Project office. Here our group of Canadian pastors met with the Umvoti World Vision staff, along with a group of local pastors.

As part of the meeting’s agenda we showed a video which we had shot in this region in April of 2009, and which we had shown at Canada’s Leadership Summit sites later that year. In filming the piece we had visited many area homes and interviewed many families and community leaders. In showing the video to some 7000 leaders at the Canadian Summit it had raised a great awareness of the needs in this region, along with an opportunity to respond through World Vision.

After showing this seven minute clip to these Umvoti leaders, one of the pastors rose from his chair and spoke words which I immediately processed as an important leadership principle.

“Thank you for showing us this video,” he said in his native Zulu through an interpreter. “Many times people visit us, and many times they take videos of us. Then they show their videos in other countries, but we don’t know what they have said about us. We don’t know what people are being made to think about us through their videos. But you have come back to us. You have shown us the video. This honours us. And we thank you.”

The eruption of applause confirmed that he was speaking on behalf of their entire community.

His comments reminded me that these people were not merely subjects in our video. They had given of themselves to make our project a success, and to show them the finished product was just the right thing to do.

Because when you call in favours, it’s incumbent upon the leader to close the loop. It’s just a part of leadership to go back to those you asked for help, and let them know how things turned out.

Tell the parents who drove the kids what happened as a result of getting all those kids to the event.

Tell the staff how in moving their ministry function to a different night your church-wide event had impacted the entire church.

I had to come half-way around the world to be reminded of this leadership principle. But it’s one I’ll be emphasizing with greater vigour upon my return to Canada.

How consistently do you remember to “close the loop”

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South Africa Journal 7: Leaders Must be “Thankers”

September 2, 2010 in Community, joy, missional by Scott Cochrane | No comments

I’ve heard Bill Hybels talk about times when the team at Willow Creek had performed exceptionally well, and how afterwards he would become a one-man “thanking machine”.

I’ve filed that lesson away, remembering it in the form of an axiom, “Leaders must be Thankers”.

Today, God used an eight year old girl from the KwaMaphumulo area of South Africa to remind me of the power of this axiom.

World Vision sponsor child homeAs we continued our journey through South Africa along with a group of Canadian pastors, we were given the tremendous privilege of visiting our eight year old World Vision sponsor child at her home. I had visited her last year, but now with my wife Nora along, and with a year’s more relationship established through our correspondence, anticipation was running high on both sides.

Our reunion, and Nora’s first meeting with her, was everything I could have hoped for, and then some. Through hugs and tears of joy, Nora opened a bag containing simple gifts we had brought along for her, and her two sisters; pencil crayons, stickers, photos, and writing pads, which our girl accepted with Christmas morning-like joy.

But then, far too soon, we realized that we had to leave. But as we turned to go something extraordinary happened.

Our girl suddenly dashed away from us and disappeared inside her house. We simply assumed that she was either overcome with sadness at our parting, or perhaps wanted to start drawing with her new pencil crayons. Either way, we simply turned and began to walk back up the path.

But moments later we heard a small voice behind us yelling something in her native Zulu language. We turned to see our girl running to catch up to us, her face beaming, clutching items she had gathered from her home.

In her arms she was cradling a large bottle of Coca-Cola, an item so large she had to carry it like a baby. Dangling from her hands were packages of cookies.

We met her along the path, not exactly sure what she was doing. She held the pop bottle and the cookies out towards us and spoke hurriedly in Zulu. We were able to make eye contact with our interpreter, who immediately listened, understood, and explained.

“Your sponsored child wishes to say thank you for all you have done,” she said. “And she wishes to show her appreciation with this gift.”

More embraces were exchanged, as we choked back tears in accepting these gifts of thanks; a bottle of Coke. Two packages of cookies.

Obviously, my greatest take-away from this was simply humble gratitude that, as a World Vision child sponsor, I was able to be a part of an encounter as meaningful as this.

But as a leader, my bell was also rung yet again in this simple, yet important reminder of the power of a “thank you”.

Leaders must be “thankers”. And I trust that through this experience this axiom will grow and shape my own leadership.

How do you respond to the idea that a leader must be a thanker?

How do you put this into action in your leadership?

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South Africa Journal 2: Never Mind My Luggage; Has Anyone Seen My Character?

August 26, 2010 in Disciplinie, Leadership, Tension, action, joy, missional by Scott Cochrane | 2 comments

There’s an expression that says, “Character is what you reveal when you think nobody is watching.”

Scott’s corollary to this is that “Character is particularly revealed when you are traveling.”

I have seen airport security lines, Customs and Immigration queues, and waits at baggage carousels reveal some of the most self-centred, boorish and obnoxious behavior known to human-kind.

And I’m not above finding the worst aspects of my own character bubble to the surface when I travel.

Today I’m en route from my home in Kelowna, BC, via London, England, to Johannesburg, South Africa. There I’ll be joined by four Canadian pastors and our hosts from World Vision. My friends at World Vision will be guiding us through the work they are doing in some of the most desperately needy regions of this beautiful country.

Total travel time will be over 30 hours, 21 hours in the air. That’s plenty of time for the basest parts of my character to emerge. I know myself well enough to envision my own impatience spilling out in the form of sarcasm, glaring looks, even an audible “This is ridiculous!” as an interminably slow line crawl along. I can even imagine myself muttering, “Don’t these people understand that I’m trying to get to a part of the world where I can be the hands and feet of Jesus?! Let’s MOVE IT people!”

May God grant me the grace to realize that perhaps those for whom He wants me to be his hands and feet are right here in this slow moving airport line. Perhaps the blessing I am to be is to the scowling agent at the counter; the one who has received nothing but abuse from unruly passengers all day.

Less than a century ago this journey would have taken 6 months to a year to complete. Now, I’ll be at my destination in mere hours. May I be less concerned that my luggage has survived intact, and more focused on seeing my character survive the journey.

In what circumstances do you find your character is put to the test?

How do you ensure your character passes these tests?

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South Africa Journal 1: The Difference Between Looking and Seeing

August 25, 2010 in Leadership, action, joy, missional by Scott Cochrane | No comments

There’s a big difference between what you look at, and what you actually see. And as I prepare to leave for a two week journey through South Africa, I’m determined to embrace this important difference.

Never was this principle more beautifully captured than in this classic exchange between Charlie Brown, Lucy and Linus:

Lucy: If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud’s formations. What do you think you see, Linus?
Linus: Well, those clouds up there look to me look like the map of the British Honduras in the Caribbean. That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor. And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the Stoning of Stephen. I can see the Apostle Paul standing there to one side.
Lucy: Uh huh. That’s very good. What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?
Charlie Brown: Well… I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie, but I changed my mind.

Yes, Charlie Brown, there’s a big difference between what you look at, and what you actually see.

When my friends at World Vision Canada graciously invited me back to South Africa again this year, I believe God began to impress this principle on my heart. And my prayer has therefore been to not only look at what is happening in that beautiful country, but to really see what God is up to.

We’ll be traveling with four pastors from churches in BC, Alberta and Ontario, and together we’ll be given a first-hand look at the needs in some of South Africa’s most impoverished regions, and also at what God has been doing in and through World Vision to meet these needs. Based on my travels there with World Vision last year, I know we will also see powerful examples of the gospel changing lives beyond the physical needs of these people too.

But as I prepare to leave I’m very specifically asking God to grant me the grace to experience all of this with His eyes; to see beyond the surface and to perceive what God would have me to understand.

In other words, when I get home and you ask me what I saw in South Africa, I trust I can say more than, “I saw a duckie and a horsie.”

I hope I’ll be able to say, “I saw the hand of our gracious Heavenly Father moving in and through a people He dearly loves.”

May that be true of how each of us perceive our world, wherever we are.

How have you been able to move beyond “looking” and to actually “seeing”?

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Preparing Your Team for The Leadership Summit: Watch the Jack Welch Clip

July 13, 2010 in Canadian, Leadership, Leadership Summit, joy by Scott Cochrane | No comments

As leaders continue to get their teams ready for this year’s Global Leadership Summit we’re looking at things you can be doing now to maximize the Summit experience.

One idea is to take advantage of Summit materials being released online. For example, on this  Summit web page you’ll find an excerpt from Bill Hybels interview with Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric.

This clip, part of the session to be shown at the Summit in August, Bill and Jack discuss the pace of leadership. Watch this clip with your team and discuss:

  • Where have we moved too slowly in our leadership?
  • Have we every moved too quickly? What have been the consequences?
  • What issues are presently before us that require quick action?

Remember; if you want to maximize the Summit for your team it’s important to take advantage of the time leading up to the event. Plan out ways you can prepare your team for an optimal experience.
And be sure to share your ideas with me so I can post them to others.

How are you preparing your team for this year’s Summit?

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Re-setting the Expectation Bar for the Canadian Church

July 2, 2010 in Canadian, Community, Leadership, action, joy by Scott Cochrane | 1 comment

This week I found myself getting caught up in the celebrations of Canada Day, and in particular, engaging in the annual discussion on the topic of “What does it mean to be Canadian?”

I listened to an open line radio talk show on the subject, and one caller was calling all Canadians to a higher sense of self-worth because after all, (and I’m not making this up), a Canadian invented the paint roller.

And I was reminded again that in many areas of life, expectations in Canada are set pretty low sometimes.

The question I want you to consider today is “Have these low expectations in any way affected the way we do church ministry?”

Somewhere along the line did we resign ourselves to the fact that God would do ground-breaking work through the local church only in the United States (Willow Creek, Saddleback, NorthPoint, take your pick), or maybe Hillsong in Australia or Holy Trinity Brompton in England?

Well, if that idea causes the leadership muscles in you to tense up a bit, there’s a talk you need to hear.

At our recent Bill Hybels coaching day in Toronto, Jeff Lockyer of SouthRidge Church in St.Catharines, Ontario (that’s in Canada) challenged and encouraged Canadian leaders that the time has come for us to break free of this kind of thinking.

Click the link below to listen to Jeff’s talk, and let me know what you think.

I believe a new day is dawning for the church in Canada. And Jeff’s challenging talk may be a catalyst for something profound God wants to do in the Great White North.

http://www.growingleadership.com/hybels/jeff/jeff_mp3.asp

How do you respond to Jeff’s challenge?

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The Soul-Filling Impact of Good Friday

April 1, 2010 in Canadian, Community, joy, missional by Scott Cochrane | No comments

For many Christ followers, Good Friday is merely the warm-up act to the main event; Easter Sunday. But I believe there is tremendous “soul-filling” value in focusing on a key moment in the Good Friday narrative.

It starts by looking at two critical “walks” that God took with his people.

The first walk took place in the Garden of Eden, where Genesis records how God would walk in the garden with Adam “in the cool of the day.” Imagine how much God must have enjoyed those times, simply strolling with His people, just doing life together.

But the next “walk” we read about takes place in a very different reality. God was about to lead Moses and the Israelites on a 40-year walk through the wilderness. But the presence of sin meant that God would not be able to enjoy the kind of communion he enjoyed in Eden.

Instead, God instructed Moses to:

Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman…The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. (Exodus 26: 31–33)

That curtain came to symbolize the separation between God and his people.

But on Good Friday, everything changed. At the moment where our Savior cried out, “It is finished!” we read that:

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Matthew 26:51)

It was as if God reached down out of heaven, took hold of that symbol of separation and ripped it apart with his bare hands! In that moment God was declaring, “No more separation! With the sacrifice of My beloved Son, communion is restored. We will once again walk together, just as we did back in Eden.”

As followers of Christ we live in the power of the resurrection, making Easter Sunday a day completely worthy of celebration.

But on Good Friday, let me urge you to take time to remember the ripping apart of the veil. For it was in that moment that God declared for all time that you and I would walk together with Him, “in the cool of the day.”

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The Power of Trusting Your Pilot

March 26, 2010 in Canadian, Disciplinie, Leadership, Tension, Uncategorized, action, joy by Scott Cochrane | No comments

airplaneMy role with The Leadership Centre Willow Creek Canada requires a fair amount of travel, and it was on one such trip several years ago that God drove home an important leadership lesson that has never left me.

I needed to fly from Kelowna to Regina, and I found out a couple of weeks in advance that instead of Air Canada or Westjet I’d be flown there in a small, private propeller airplane.

I was not happy about this trip. In fact, I was scared silly. This was a small plane; it was like a Volkswagen Beetle with wings. And just the thought of flying in this tiny plane over the Rocky Mountains filled me with dread.

I talked to one fellow who had flown on this plane before. He told me that one of the biggest differences I’d find flying in this plane versus a commercial aircraft is that, when you fly on Air Canada or Westjet over the Rockies, you’ll look down and say, “Oh look…there’s a river…there’s a lake…” But when you fly in this little plane you’ll look down and say, “Oh look, there’s a squirrel”…

But then an interesting thing happened. About a week before I was to leave, I met the plane’s owner who was also the pilot. His name was John, and I discovered that the more I talked with John, and the more I found out about his experience as a pilot, I found that my anxiety about the trip was slipping away.

You see, not only did I now know the pilot, but more importantly I had confidence in the one who was literally in control of my life. And I discovered what a profound difference it makes when the pilot is not some anonymous person who happens to wear a white shirt with wings on the collar, but instead is someone you know, someone you have personally found to be trustworthy.

That experience has helped me enormously when I’m facing a daunting leadership decision or challenge. Because it reminds me that in Christ we have the most trustworthy of “pilots” who is right there with us.

Leaders face decisions and challenges that can easily cause us to feel overwhelmed. But remembering to have confidence that Christ is in control, it changes everything.

How does the reality of Jesus’ trustworthiness impact your leadership?

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Learning to Weather the Storms of Ministry Criticism

March 23, 2010 in Community, Disciplinie, Leadership, Leadership Summit, action, joy by Scott Cochrane | No comments

This week we posted the 2010 Global Leadership Summit faculty lineup via a Webcast. This, to me, is one of the strongest lineups ever assembled for the Summit.

Every year we receive feedback from many church leaders who love the lineup, and we receive some feedback critical of some speaker selections.

The question our staff was asking me this week was “how will we respond to criticism and complaint?”

“It all depends on the tone,” I replied. From the tone of the criticism you can usually tell if the person genuinely seeks to contribute toward a Kingdom “win” or if they’re simply advancing a personal agenda (or indeed a vendetta!).

The biblical example I use as my filter is found in Acts 18, where Priscilla and Aquila listened to Apollos’ slightly off-base teaching. Verse 26 says that, “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.”

Here are the ingredients of Kingdom-minded criticism:

  • Really LISTENING. Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos. There’s no evidence that that they did anything beyond sitting quietly and respectfully paid attention to what Apollos was saying.
  • Genuine CARE. They invited him to their home. There was no public embarrassment. The setting was private. It was respectful.
  • Thoughtful COACHING. They explained to him. They didn’t blog “10 Things We Hate about Apollos” or “3 Signs of Heresy in Apollos’ Teachings.”

To those who simply post shrill blogs, which serve only to tear down rather than build up, I pay no attention whatsoever.

But when the criticisms come, and they will, I will spend time in dialogue with anyone who approaches us in the spirit of Priscilla and Aquila. Even if we remain in disagreement, a Kingdom-minded discussion is always welcomed and worthwhile.

How do you handle criticism in ministry?
How do you promote constructive criticism in ministry?

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