Nostradamus and his kin

Posted on February 24, 2009 by Israel Galindo

It seems that times of anxiety and change bring out a fair share of clairvoyance in some folks. These like to declare with some confidence the future state of affairs, stating what will work and what will not. I confess I’ve not developed enough discernment to know how to sort through those predictions. I suppose one way to think about it is that any prediction about the future has about a 50% chance of being right (or, wrong, depending on how you want to look at it). Continue reading →

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Caught by surprise

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Israel Galindo

Every once in a while I hear something in church that catches me by surprise. It’s usually not a good surprise, admittedly. More often than not the surprising comment reveals a disconnect between my perception or assumption of church and faith and people’s experience or interpretation of those. But they are helpful reminders that there often is a great divide between what clergy assume about church compared with where their members are in matters of faith, membership, beliefs, doctrine, or practice. As I say, “Things look different from the other side of the pew.” Continue reading →

Posted in congregational life, humor | 2 Comments

Traits of the well-defined leader

Posted on February 17, 2009 by Israel Galindo

I came across some notes from a presentation by my friend Ken Hurto (who recently pleasantly surprised me by finding me on Facebook). Ken’s presentation on leadership was titled “Being a Lighthouse and Not a Bulldozer.” In it he used the bulldozer and the lighthouse as metaphors for different styles of leadership. Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, leadership | 2 Comments

Easier said than done

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Israel Galindo

The concept of the self-differentiated leader is attractive. And those who work toward being a self-differentiated leader strive toward a high goal. But while the concept is relatively easy to define, it’s easier said than done when it comes to living it out as a reality. Continue reading →

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Orthodoxy and orthopraxy

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Israel Galindo

A perennial struggle for religious educators and pastors is finding ways to connect orthodoxy to orthopraxy. Achieving “right belief” (head knowledge) seems so very easy compared to achieving “right behavior.” Too often there is a disconnect between what congregational members say they believe about the Christian life and how they actually live their lives. It has become a high compliment to say of someone that they “walk the talk.” Continue reading →

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It’s a gender thing (maybe)

Posted on February 10, 2009 by Israel Galindo

During a recent conversation I was asking for help in clarifying a misunderstanding from a colleague. She began our conversation by saying, “It’s probably a gender thing.” I’ve never found that a helpful way to start a conversation. My thought was that in my experience, “It’s only a gender thing if you make it a gender thing.” Continue reading →

Posted in bowen family systems theory, development theory, personal growth, world view | 1 Comment

Going with what you know

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Israel Galindo

I sometimes share with my students the phenomenon of what I’ve come to call “The Jay Leno Jaywalking Effect.” If you’ve ever watched Jay Leno’s man-on-the-street interview segment called “Jaywalking” you’ve seen the phenomenon. Leno will ask a passerby a question. If the person interviewed does not know the answer, the person just makes one up. But the more interesting thing that happens is when Leno follows up and it becomes apparent that the person immediately comes to believe that the answer he or she just made up is true! Continue reading →

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BFST Wisdom of the Ages IV conference

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Israel Galindo

A friend recently asked if anyone was working on Bowen’s ninth concept, supernatural phenomenon, or, what many are referring to (regrettably) as “spirituality.” I mentioned a few resources and persons, and, I mentioned Joe Carolin’s Wisdom of the Ages conferences I’d attended in the past. Much to my delight, I received in the mail a few days later a brochure for the Wisdom of the Ages IV conference. Continue reading →

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Ash Wednesday planning ideas

Posted on February 4, 2009 by Israel Galindo

GRACE member Terry sent an e-mail to the rest of the gang soliciting Ash Wednesday service ideas. Several in the group shared ways their churches have observed Ash Wednesday services in the past. But I enjoyed the response from GRACE member Pat who not only offered some pretty nifty ideas, but a funny story to boot. Here is Pat’s response with ideas for Ash Wednesday services: Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Education, congregational life, liturgical seasons | 2 Comments

Talking to children about the economy

Posted on January 26, 2009 by Israel Galindo

During a conversation among parents about their children—now adolescents and young adults the issue of children and money came up. There were the usual rants about children not appreciating the value of money, anxieties about paying for college expenses, the astronomical increase in auto insurance when adding a teenager to the policy, etc. Most parents shared frustrations, and worry, about their teenage and young adult children not being able to handle their finances.

I asked the group of parents if they talked about money, finances, and stewardship with their children when they were young. All said that no, they hadn’t. That being the case, I wondered at their surprise that their grown children were unprepared to handle money as adults. Continue reading →

Posted in books, children, world view | 1 Comment