Retreat Reflections

I really appreciated the opportunity to get away for some much-needed personal time out during a relaxing few days away in Torquay last week.

I walked, explored, took photos, prayed and read a few books. Each one contained some timely gems of wisdom and relatively fresh revelation used by God to speak directly into my own faith and ministry journey.

I enjoyed journalling, drinking coffee and reflecting upon these wise words...

I thought I'd highlight just a few key sentences from each book here in this post - I might expand on some ideas and personal applications later.

YOUR MINISTRY'S NEXT CHAPTER - Gary Fenton

"The stages of life require me to change my approach to ministry but not why I do ministry."

"In our youth we see what we are doing for God; but as we grow older we see what God is doing through us."

"Somewhere along the line...we have to own responsibility for the state of our soul - or we run the risk of one day looking into it and finding it empty."

 

LEADING CHARACTER - Dan Allender

"We are to be a character who offers our unique story as a lens for others to better see the life of Jesus."

"Most people will not follow a leader whose life is disconnected from their own story."

"Be prepared to tell the truth about yourself - appropriately, winsomely, age-appropriately, within a context...be prepared to share failures."

MAKING VISION STICK - Andy Stanley

"Stating the vision...people don't remember or embrace paragraphs. They remember and embrace sentences."

"You need to find ways to build vision casting into the rhythm of your organisation."

"Vision drift is slow...leaders must keep their antennae up for new things that have the potential to distract from the main thing."

OVERCOMING YOUR SHADOW MISSION - John Ortberg

"You and I were created to have a mission in life. We were made to make a difference. But if we do not pursue the mission for which God designed and gifted us, we will find a substitute."

"We cannot live in the absence of purpose. Without an authentic mission, we will be tempted to drift on autopilot, to let our lives centre around something that is unworthy, something selfish, something dark - a shadow mission."

GOD'S BOOK - ECCLESIASTES 3:15

"Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past into account."

 

Plenty of food for thought...