The really great ...

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great" -- Mark Twain
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All of us need people in our lives like that. People who believe that we can be better, fly higher, accomplish more, than even we might dare to believe. Their willingness to express confidence in us, to "lend us" their faith, to encourage and even to challenge us, is invaluable.

I'm grateful for those people in my life, people like Mark Wilson (pastor of Hayward Wesleyan Church). Mark and I first connected at a church leadership conference in California, over a dozen years ago. We stay in touch via e-mail, intermittent phone calls and occasional denominational gatherings. Every time I walk away from a conversation with Mark, I realize how blessed I am to have a friend, that I believe in, who also believes in me.

I hope God has placed some of those people in your life. If you can't find those who will encourage you, at least minimize the amount of time you have to spend with those who discourage you!

Mark regularly posts to his blog and I'm confident that you'll find his insights to be a source of encouragement!

Congratulations!

ORLANDO, Florida -- Dr. Jo Anne Lyon wrote a new chapter in the history of The Wesleyan Church on Monday, June 9, 2008, when she was elected by the denomination as its first-ever woman General Superintendent.

Dr. Lyon, the Founder and CEO of World Hope International (WHI), was elected on the second ballot at the 11^th General Conference of the denomination. World Hope is the compassionate ministries partner of The Wesleyan Church and has been affiliated with the Church since WHI’s founding 12 years ago.

“What a wonderful statement you have made as The Wesleyan Church,” said outgoing General Superintendent Dr. Earle L. Wilson. “We have been trying to say to the Christian world that we believe in women in the ministry.”

Dr. Lyon said her father, who now is in heaven, trained her to serve the Church. “My father used to tell people, ‘I trained that girl to be a good churchman.’ He didn’t know about gender-specific language.”

In accepting her new assignment, Dr. Lyon challenged the church to go places it never has gone before. “I believe the Lord is positioning The Wesleyan Church to have a voice in the 21^st century like never before,” she said.

Grace for those on the edge!

“We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe ... and we are more accepted and loved than we ever dared hope.” - Dr. Tim Keller, church planter, Redeemer Church, New York City

Difficult Decisions

“The worst problem of the 21^st century is that many people want positions of leadership, but they don't want to make difficult decisions.”

—Carlos Ghosn, President & CEO of Renault/Nissan, in an interview to Veja on the difficult decisions he had to make in order to save Nissan from bankruptcy

Keith Drury's take on Dr. Jo Anne Lyon for GS

"Why NOT elect JoAnne Lyon GS?

I’ve heard some of the reasons NOT to elect JoAnne Lyon to the highest elected office in The Wesleyan Church at our General Conference this June. Here are the three biggest ones and how I see the rationale. ;-)

1. She thinks globally. JoAnne Lyon is always thinking about the whole world. If she takes the highest job in our church, she might make us all think more about the entire world.

2. She’s a woman. If our daughters and granddaughters see an ordained woman in the highest office in the denomination, they might entertain the thought that they too might be called into ministry.

3. World Hope might collapse. Maybe the succession plan World Hope has agreed on for this summer won’t work, because over the last 12 years she founded such a weak organization that it will collapse whenever she retires, leaves to become GS, or dies.

4. She’s successful where she is. We shouldn’t elect people to be GS who are doing a great job where they are now. Instead, we should look for someone easily replaceable in their present job.

On second thought, Why not elect JoAnne Lyon a GS?

That’s what I think….

So, what do you think?"

Keith Drury, 4/26.08