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Ever heard of a blogathon? Darren Rowse is blogging every 15 minutes for 24 hours in one row to raise money for South-East Asia. Yes, that's 100 postings, so let's hope he won't develop rsi.
Wolf Fernandez is blogging from Indonesia, where he met up with Hengky, a young church planter I met in DAWN several years ago. After he survived the tsunami in Aceh he is redefining his life.
Had a cup of coffee with Martijn Moens to talk about some ideas related to a network of emerging Christian media professionals (writers, web designers, multi-media creatives, pr officers, etc.). In the afternoon another session with the board of Soul Survivor, where we made good progress in streamlining the organisation.
Met up with Ton Kasteleijn for a walk in Rhijnauwen en to celebrate his graduation as a human resource specialist. He's quite good in challenging people in their personal development, so if you want to hire him for your company, drop him an e-mail.
It's a bright sunny day. We took the kids for a walk on the frosty sand dunes of Soestduinen.
We had our second vision day for pastors and ministry leaders in Utrecht, and focused on the question: what does it mean to have one Church in the city? Overall good contributions, an open atmosphere and progress in the transition towards a new paradigm.
I also have a confession to make: I used PowerPoint to do a presentation on the city reaching process in Bergen, Norway. Yes, I remember I said last month that I had no intention to ever use this Microsoft program, but I decided to give it a go and use it in such a way that it really illustrated and supported my presentation. Looks like I'm slowly getting converted.
Met up with Geoff Armitage and Brett Davis from Brisbane. They are also involved in Youth Arise and would like to have a team from Connect Europe join their assembly in 2006. Geoff also told an interesting story about Pedro Fernández de Quirós, the Portuguese navigator of the Pacific who first called the area the "Great Southland of the Holy Spirit". Today the islands of the South Pacific (like Fiji and Vanuatu) have a strong Christian population and caught the vision to bring the gospel back from (literally) the ends of the earth to Europe and Jerusalem.
This morning I had an evaluation of the training I did in communication and personal effectiveness (earlier episodes: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8). I'm glad we're finished now, because I already passed my point of interest somewhere halfway the course.
What was good for me: getting more insight in the dynamics (including the psychology) of social interaction and getting tools for more effective communication, listening skills, etc. The way the trainer helped us process this, was overall beneficial.
What was not helpful for me: the format of eight full days in just two months time. A format of four days with 2-3 weeks in between would have been more efficient, while also allowing for more reflection and application. Although I didn't mind the confrontational approach and group dynamics (that was helpful), I felt some irritation about the typical 'therapeutic setting' in which one has to 'act socially', and be politically correct for the sake of the group process. Also I felt the trainer was a bit prejudiced in how he approached me, which I didn't find motivating.
Evangelical management guru John Maxwell will come to the Netherlands to train 5,000 leaders (check out his EQUIP program), and for some reason I've been asked to join the Dutch steering committee for this mega leadership development program.
I politely declined the invitation. Not because of the screaming marketing brochure they sent me, or that I dislike John Maxwell. We all know there's a big leadership gap in the church, and at least he's boldly addressing it. It's more fundamental: I believe God called me to multiply myself in others, not to multiply John Maxwell in others. Why would an apple tree join a pear tree development program?
Met up with several pastors in Utrecht to pray and prepare our upcoming Leaders' Day on unity. Also restyled and updated the website of the Dutch prayer movement. This week many Christians and Churches join the International Week of Prayer of the Evangelical Alliance.
