LEADERSHIP LETTER ARCHIVES

A MONTHLY READING FOR ALL ARC LEADERS
January 2005

VISION FOR THE NEW YEAR

Every January I take three or four days to get away for a personal retreat, to stop and re-gather myself with the help of the Holy Spirit around God's ownership of my life and His unfolding mission through this life. I am writing this piece during the last few hours of this year's retreat in rural northwest Wisconsin. I always feel a bit more reflective and philosophical at the end of these times, so please bear with my "lofty" ruminations.

During the season of Advent 2004, our teaching focus landed on the nature of Sabbath and sabbatical practices. This retreat, of course, is one of those practices. But the heart of this truth is rooted in the very nature of God who taught us even in Creation to stop—not merely to cease activity but to enjoy His remarkable blessings and to freshly re-center ourselves in glorious creature-dependency on His love and faithful provision. We don't live well unless this is our regular pattern. And we live in a culture that is frenetic in its pace and demands. I think we adapt to our human culture much like the proverbial frog boiling in that proverbial pan of water. But it all takes its toll upon us physically, emotionally and spiritually. We grind down to less productivity even while more is demanded of us. We suffer for our ignorance and disobedience.

I've been on a bit of a campaign to get leaders to physically exercise in regular patterns. I consider this a sabbatical practice. I suppose one could argue that with a broad enough definition, you could define almost anything as a sabbatical practice. But let me argue for this one. Our bodies were designed to work physically and thereby release some of the natural tensions that build up in our muscles and affect our very emotional structure. This certainly isn't the central issue of work but unless this release takes place, unless there is a kind of exhausting of energy, we don't do well. That tension doesn't simply evaporate. It works into us, we adapt to it and that pattern "boils" us. People have often guessed that when I run I am constructing pastoral strategies, imagining sermon illustrations or enjoying sweet communion with God. Not so. Not even close. Let me expose my "running thoughts" to you. It would go something like this, "(Puff, puff) I think I put too many layers on today (huff, huff). But that'll be okay. Here comes the half mile tree. (puff, puff). [to my dog] 'Isaac, don’t even think about that squirrel.' Slippery spot ahead. Go slower (huff, spit, huff). Should I stop at 2 miles today or go 3? Better go 3. Tomorrow will be lousy weather (spit, puff, spit, huff). 'Knock it off, Isaac.'" You get the picture.

But you may be thinking, why would anyone subject himself to that kind of pattern? Frankly, I look forward to that run every day, not because of the huffing and spitting and dog issues but because of how I feel afterwards. As someone said, the best part of running is stopping! But that sweet moment of stopping is also a point of replenishment. Tension has been largely dismissed. I feel better. Things that were complicated before seem less complicated. Often I say a quiet "thanks" to God as I regularly remember the numbness and paralysis of my neurological disease that was so challenging four years ago. Now I run and am able to live a full life on every level. And running (or whatever form of exercise you prefer) is simply paying respect to a created design, i.e. that this body was designed to physically work and to regularly rest.

I have noticed over the years that Christian leaders typically take quite a different path. After some months of emotional and spiritual depletion coupled with regular sleep deprivation, they limp off to a few days away to exist in a kind of surreality that barely refreshes and then they return to the same debilitating patterns. I don't want to portray myself as the grand Sabbath guru of the ARC. I have my own struggles. But I do have hope and vision that what God has imparted to us will be graciously passed on to the next generation of leaders. Most of our primary leaders are approaching 50 or beyond. That's not the end, but surely we can begin to see it from there.

I met Ray Nethery 20 years ago when he was the age that I am now (56). That inspires me because Ray has been fruitfully active these past 20 years. That's my great desire for the next 20 years—to fulfill the psalmist's cry, "O God, from my youth you have taught me and I still proclaim you wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to those to come" (Psalm 71:17-18). I think Billy Graham has done well here but, frankly, Ray's example is more personally compelling simply because I have been the recipient of the grace of God through Ray. But here's what I have seen and known—Ray has played tennis, racquet ball and squash over the years and now, at the age of 75, is at the gym working out 3 days a week. I also know that he maintains a healthy sense of proportion in his time and home commitments. He respects his created design and in so doing, honors his Creator. And we receive the continued blessing from his obedience.

So please, ladies and gentlemen, hear my appeal. There is a lot of work to do. The fields are whitened for the harvest. Laborers are still too few. But Jesus still calls me to pray and obey and serve with my best efforts. And all of that will have to be mediated through our physical bodies. Take care of it, properly, as unto the Lord, not merely to a man.

God's grace to you,

Ned