Definition of Leadership

I haven't written specifically about the topic of leadership in a while, but these ideas have been stewing in my brain. In this post I want to take a stab at writing a definition of leadership that draws from the attributes of God that I've been reflecting on and that I think shape a biblical worldview of leadership. The attributes have included: the sovereignty of God, the omnipotence of God, and the will of God. One qualification I need to make beforehand is to say that this definition of leadership reflects biblical leadership (unfortunately in a fallen world you need to put biblical in front of everything, which isn't bad but is redundant). Here it is:

Leadership is determining and creating change (i.e. results and goals) that reflects the character of God and serves others.

I'm sure this needs improvement, but I have found that I need definitions of terms to help steer my thinking.

Boss of Creation

After talking with Jessica about the idea that we are leaders because we are image bearers of God, I pronounced that our daughter was the boss of creation (Genesis 1:28). Well, she encouraged me to post a picture of our cute daughter rather than bore folks to death with my long posts.

10 Ways Teachers Can Care for Their Souls

As the first day of school is coming in less than a month, my happy teachers are enjoying the last days of summer. As most folks who have taught anything understand, teaching is a very rewarding but exhausting vocation. Teachers feel constant pressure. They continually care for others. In doing so, they can easily neglect their own souls. Well, how can we make sure we are caring for our souls to ensure we give the Lord and our students the best we got? Here's a recommended list I've compiled over the years.

1. Abide in Christ. Whether it's meditating on Scripture in the mornings or casting your cares on the Lord throughout the day, we need God. Here are some questions to consider: Is teaching a joy or a burden? Is your soul glad our weighed down?
2. Rest. Exodus 20:8 tells us to remember the Sabbath day. Jeff Purswell says, "This is a commandment to cease productivity and work." Jesus often broke away with his disciples to a lonely place to rest. I think rest includes setting good sleep patterns.
3. Play. God gave this world to us as a gift to enjoy. In the psalms we see that God wants us to be happy people. Enjoying leisure activities is good. Again Jeff Purswell: "When you receive them from him every activity is sanctified and ennobled and our lives are enriched." I think lots of exercise activities can be found here.
4. Enjoy fellowship. Like the Trinity, we exist in community. We need others and their care, so let's disclose ourselves to others. Have someone ask you whether you are working too much. In other words, share the load.
5. Drink lots of coffee. I believe strongly in the psychosomatic effect coffee has on the soul.
6. Get comfortable with unfinished work on your desk. I've heard C.J. say many times, "Only the Lord completes his to-do list each day." Stopping work requires faith that God is still working.
7. Enjoy relationships with students. God delights in our students because they reflect him, so we can also find great delight in them. After all, they are why we're here. Enjoying our students not only refreshes our souls, but gives us inroads to their hearts because establishing relationship is the first step God takes in redeeming us.
8. Figure out how to unclog a copier jam. You won't know how this cares for your soul until the copier has a paper jam 30 seconds before your class starts.
9. Retreat. I don't mean run away from the students. Take long chunks of time to break away from the normal rhythm of life to remember the "Big Picture" and count your blessings.
10. Beware of the tyranny of the urgent. Instead spend time to contemplate and determine what is most important for you to do each week.

One more for good measure that I couldn't find a place for in my list: laugh at yourself. When I don't take myself so seriously, I display a humility that says, "It's not all up to me."

Reforming Society

In what institutions (e.g. family, church, state, media, education, business, etc.) should Christians seek to establish a biblical worldview to advance the kingdom of God? Well, the obvious answer is EVERY institution because Christ is sovereign over every institution and claims all of if for himself. But I wonder what Jesus would say to me if I asked him the question: are there certain institutions that would bring more "bang for our buck" in advancing your reign? He would probably smile at me compassionately and patiently and tell me that I'm asking the wrong question. He might also say yes, but that he delights in all institutions because he created them. I guess another way of getting to this issue on my heart is asking the question: what kinds of people have been most influential in shaping the course of history?

I started thinking about these questions after reading an article about the mission of two philosophers at Biola University's Talbot School of Theology, who set a goal to send 100 graduates with a Masters of Arts in philosophy to doctoral programs around the country. Why set this goal? They wanted these graduates to someday teach philosophy to undergraduates at secular schools and make a difference. I think they will make a difference (I pray they will make a BIG difference), but might they make a bigger difference than 100 Christian politicians or 100 Christian artists?

How can we make a difference in advancing the reign of our king? What an exciting question to consider! Christ has invaded into this fallen world and is reclaiming lives for himself. It seems to me that shaping society begins at the individual. Jeff Purswell provides a list of where we can partner with God in renewing creation (this list might help me answer my first question abovie):

• Our personal relationship with God
• Our participation in the community of God's people: the church
• Our faithful sharing of the gospel with unbelievers
• Our vocational labors that cultivate and develop God's creation
• Our cultural pursuits that portray God's beauty

Let me go back to that question I asked Jesus. What would he say if I asked him, "Are there certain institutions that would bring more "bang for our buck" in advancing your reign?" I now think he would especially emphasize the family and the church. Those aspects of life display his reign maximally. After those, and now I'm really only guessing, I think he might talk about the state and about education, given the amount of influence the people inside those institutions have had over the course of human history (something I can't detail right now).

Living between the ages of the kingdom of God and the present evil age should, as Jeff Purswell says, " produce in us the twin attitudes of humility and hope." We should work to advance the reign of Christ eagerly and with expectation of his kingdom coming on this earth, but also with humility and dependence upon the Holy Spirit to accomplish this work. May we be faithful to the call he has given to each of us.

What's the "Hedgehog" for Christian Education (part 5)

So, I've tried to answer the three questions Collins recommends in Good to Great in order to determine the "Hedgehog Concept" for Christian education. Now, where do these answers intersect? In other words, what's our understanding about our vocation as Christian educators? In this last post of this series, I want to attempt to describe the single organizing idea that unifies and guides everything in Christian educational institutions. So...

What's the hedgehog?

In a phrase I think it's Reformational Leaders. Sounds nice, but what does it mean?

Leaders takes us back to the presuppositional idea of man made in the image of God. As image bearers of the sovereign Creator, God has given us authority to rule over his creation in his stead (Genesis 1:28). We are leaders by creation, and we want our students to fulfill this responsibility.

Reformational has two senses. First, reformational means our students experiencing the reformational power of the gospel of Jesus Christ so that they live the way God made them to live, namely for his glory. Herman Bavinck has stated: "The gospel...always works reformationally. It creates the greatest reformation by setting people from from guilt, renewing the heart, and thus in principle restoring the right relationship with God" (Essays on Religion, Science, and Society, 132). These words speak of regeneration and santification. Here's what another theological giant, John Murray, says about this idea: "Christian order is order brought into existence by the deliverance from sin and evil wrought by redemption and regeneration. The principles and forces that must be at the basis and cetre of Christian order in any of its forms must be the principles and forces of God's regenarative and sanctifying grace."

Second, reformational mean establishing the divine sovereignty of Christ in the whole range of life. That speaks of leadership and influence, and I think harkens back to the Divine Order and the Creation Mandate given in the Garden to man to rule the earth. Here's another quote by Bavinck about this idea: "The intent of grace, which entered immediately after the fall, always and everywhere has been to maintain and restore these original relationships" (141). And again Murray: "The rule and standard for us are the irreducible claims and demands of the divine sovereignty, and these irreducible claims are that the sovereignty of God and of his Christ be recognized and applied in the whole range of life, of interest, of vocation, and of activity."

So, in summary what is a Reformational Leader? They are people who have experienced the reforming power of the gospel in their own lives and have joined Christ in influencing and reforming all other earthly relationships to restore them back to what they ought to be like. These relationships range from man and God to man and the various walks of life like society, science, and sports. I say in my definition of education that education prepares students for the call of God on their lives. I think "reformational leader" is an aspect of that call on their lives, and the aspect which we Christian educators might be the best at in the world (I need to qualify this statement more, because I don't want to be misunderstood...I'm not taking anything away from parents or pastors.) This understanding about our vocation should unify and guide everything we do.

Another way we may think of the hedgehog is in terms of Transformational People. God brings us into his kingdom which is revolutionary. Jeff Purswell has said, "God has brought us into his kingdom, and now calls us to live all of life to testify to the reality of God's kingdom in our words and actions, and to work for the advance of His kingdom in every corner of creation." So we pray with our Savior, "Father...let your kingdom come."

So, if we have settled on developing "reformational leaders" what steps should we now take? In other words, what does this mean for Christian education now? I think what this means is that we should develop strategies from this "hedgehog concept" that would move us forward from a good organization to a great one - one that is set apart by the grace of God for the glory of God. But what's next? What strategies should we pursue?

What's the "Hedgehog" for Christian Education (part 4)

Jim Collins says that an organization needs to answer three important questions to find out their "Hedgehog Concept." Here's what we came up with for the third question:

What drives the economic engine of the company?

We found this question pretty difficult to answer because Christian education is a not-for-profit venture. In my experience I've found that education is not a money making business. I think you might even make the argument that it's a money losing busness. We found help, though, from a formula Collins recommends in his book: "If you could pick one and only one ratio--cash flow per x--to systematically increase over time, what x would have the greatest and most sustainable impact on your economic engine?" He pushes organization to find that one denominator that gives insight into the economic engjine of the organization.

Well, when we originally considered this question, the obvious thought to both of us was cash-flow per student (i.e. student tuition). However, when discussing this further with another teacher, I realized that tuition typically does not nearly cover 100% of a school budget. Philanthropy is necessary to sustain most schools otherwise tuition would be too high (again, education is not a money-making business). So, now I'm unsure if we can really have one denominator of if we can still find one denominator.

For now, I haven't come up with any conclusions.

"So what?" to the Image of God in Physical Health

The way we live reveals our beliefs and values in our hearts. I want my thoughts about the different areas of life to reflect what God thinks about those areas, including our physical bodies and health. In my last post I shared one big idea that shapes the way we can think about and treat our physical health: the image of God in man. In this post I want to share one implication for this idea. In other words, what difference does this make for our lives? Here it is:

Implication: I think we should care for our bodies (pretty profound, huh?). I think caring for our bodies can help us fulfill the call of God on our lives. What does it say if a father cannot continue playing with his children after 30 seconds because he's winded? I think developing our physical gifts can allow us to live the way God intends. It also enriches who we are. Physical exercise can really help us fulfill the mission God has given us.

We must avoid the mistake that our bodies are not important to God or that our bodies are evil or bad. Though our bodies have been affected by sin, they have been created by God and should be valued and cared for.

Now, I'm no physical trainer but I'd like to throw out some ways in which I might live differently in light of this truth. This is one area where application for me has been weak!

Great Ideas that Shape Physical Health

How should we think about physical health? Lots of ideas can shape our worldview of physical health (or of anything for that matter), but I've learned that each one points us back toward presuppositions we each have about God, about ourselves (man), and about the world. In this series of posts I want to think God’s thoughts after him about physical fitness. I can’t presume to say that this is exactly what God thinks about this topic, but I do hope these thoughts reflect biblical wisdom derived from biblical presuppositions: the image of God in man and that goodness of the created order.

Man in created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26). God created mankind with bodies and physical abilities so that we might fulfill his call on our lives: living in harmony with his will in relation to God, others, and nature. God enables me to fulfill his call with a body and physical abilities. In other words, my body is one of the means God has given to me for fulfilling the task. In the process of redemption God is renewing the physical capacities and abilities in me to enable me to use these God-reflecting gifts in such a way as to image him properly. One question I want to consider more is in what ways do our physical capacities reflect God?

But, so what? What difference does this idea make for the way we think and approach our physical health?

What's the "Hedgehog" for Christian Education (part 3)

OK, I'm now on the third part of this five part series of posts to seek after the single organizing idea for Christian educators in any setting. Justin and I found this next question the most difficult one to answer. After lots of discussion and reflection here's what we came up with:

What can we be the best in the world at?

I think we can be the best at raising up the most influential people in the next generation. Wow, that sounds humble, doesn't it?! Let me explain because I think this is the only conclusion we can make. It starts with the sovereignty of God and understanding his sovereign call on all of mankind as creatures made in his image. He has made us to reflect him and represent him. His call on our lives is to do that accurately. Anthony Hoekema puts it this way: "The call of God is living in harmony with the will of God in relation to God, others, and to the world."

Now, we cannot accurately reflect and represent him until God redeems us by the gospel of Jesus Christ. When God redeems someone, that person now can live the way God always wanted that person to live. In other words that person can use all of the God-reflecting gifts and capacities supremely for the glory of God! That's an exciting venture! Yes, there is much common grace in the world of education, but an educational system under a non-Christian worldview cannot do this work and therefore falls short, even fails.

So what I mean by all of this is that I think Christian education can prepare students for the call of God on their lives better than any other education system not because of ourselves but because of the gospel. I think we can better help students fulfill the responsibility God has given all of us to rule over this world for him (Now, I must qualify these statements by saying that I believe Christian educators partner with both parents and with the church in preparing students for the call of God. What we do supplements primarily the work of parents in families.) Therefore as John Murrays has said, "let us in his strength go forth and claim every realm for him who must reign until all his enemies shall have been made his footstool."

What's the "Hedgehog" for Christian Education (part 2)

In my last post I began a series considering a concept from the book Good to Great. My friend Justin and I sat down to consider what is the simple organizing idea for Christian education. In order to do that Collins recommends answering three subsequent questions and look for where the answers intersect. In this post I want to share what we came up with for the first question:

What are we most passionate about?

Simply put we are passionate about our students and helping them live up to their potential. What is this potential? As I see it, this potential is the image of God in them. What does that mean? That means that our students display what God is like and stand in his place on earth. We are passionate about helping them reveal God accurately. In a way, we are drawing out who God is and what God is like in them. This is a BIG responsibility and honor.

In this vein I want to share a quote that emphasizes the importance of the individual in any institution. I see this as relevant because in our answer we feel deeply passionate about the individual student and unlocking their singular potential. Here's the quote:

"The kingdom of God begins its reconstruction with the indivdual. It never submerges the individual in the social mass. It never suppresses or blurs the needs, the interests, the obligations and the destinies of the individual in his relations to God or to men. Christian world order in its zeal to renovate and reconstruct the orders of society must ensure that the needs of the individual are fully met and his interests fully guarded and promoted" (John Murray, The Christian World Order).

Amen! In other words, we must regard each student with the dignity and honor they deserve as image bearers of God.

What's the "Hedgehog" for Christian Education (part 1)

Recently my friend Justin gave me his notes on the classic Good to Great by Jim Collins. I was grateful because I've read only small parts of the book in the past and this was like the Cliff's Notes version. In his book Collins shares what exactly set aparts good companies and organizations from the great ones. One principle he talks about is understanding The Hedgehog Concept. "Hedgehogs...simplify a complex world into a single organizing idea, a basic principle, or a concept that unifies and guides everything." To understand the hedgehog concept, a company must ask itself three questions:

1. What are we deeply passionate about?
2. What can we be the best in the world at?
3. What drives the economic engine of the company?

Wherever the answers to these questions intersect, this is the unifying "hedgehog concept" the company should focus on, if it is to attain greatness. So, Justin and I sat down for a while to try and answer these questions about my school and more broadly about Christian education in any setting.

In the next several posts I want to share what Justin and I came up with.

How Can Coaches Stay on top of Stuff?

Coaches have been some of my biggest heroes growing up. After 25 years, I can still remember the feeling I had when Coach Nuama took a special interest in me and gave me extra opportunities to grow. I recently spent some time with Coach Nuama, and he still lights up when he thinks about his players. After all these years we still are his players and he loves us.

Well, passion for our players is very important, but we minimize our impact if we are not organized as coaches (Coach Nuama was very good at this...he worked for IBM). I've made many mistakes in this area and I have lots of room for improvement; but as I've observed coaches gifted in this way, I've learned to value administration as a way to serve my team and keep us moving toward our goals. Here are three ideas to help us stay on top of it all:

1) Set aside some time on a weekly basis to think through the upcoming week (maybe Saturday or Sunday evening). It doesn't have to be long...between 15-30 minutes should work. But this time can make a big difference when we are in the thick of urgent requests. This might be the single most significant practice to keep us sane!

2) Review a checklist of "Coach Responsibilities" to empty your head and capture any undone stuff. Use a checklist to trigger any necessary and new actions. Here's a possible list:

• Team Goals
• Schedule (i.e. upcoming events
• Transportation
• Player Injuries
• Equipment
• Game Results
• Struggling Playrs or Parents
• Encouragement
• Team Meetings
• Roles of Players (i.e. goals for players)
• Respond to emails or phone calls
• Follow up with Players
• Game Plans
• Practice Plans

3) Write a quick email after games (if that's too much, try a weekly email). 10-15 minutes is all it should take. Here are some suggested components for this kind of email:

• Game summary in two or three sentences
• Honor one player with an evidence of grace
• Upcoming events (time, location, where we'll meet, where we'll return, transportation arrangements/needs, any special meal after a game or special teambuilding event, reminder of responsibilities (clean up after games, snacks, etc.)

Fans of David Allen will recognize all these ideas...there's no originality coming from this AD.

The Wonder Years

My years in middle school were mixed with wonder, terror, and uncertainty. If you would've asked me when I graduated eighth grade in 1989 about working alongside of students in this season of life, I would've quickly and definitively said "NO!" It's not because I didn't like the growing independence that came with this season, but because of the instability and confusion that came with the indepdence. But this fall I am starting my tenth year of working with middle school students. They are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. In this series of posts, I want to explore some questions to help me effectively serve my students, as well as their parents and their teachers. Here are the questions I want to answer:

Who are they?

In other words, what are middle school students like? How do middle school students reflect God? In what ways are they unique and distinct? These questions I think probe the nature of a typical student between the ages of 11-14. By answering these questions, I think I'll better understand the "what?" question about middle school students. To answer these questions I want to discuss how middle school students reflect different aspects of the image of God in man, including moral aspects, mental aspects, spiritual aspects, relational aspects, and physical aspects.

What are the implications for education?

What might school look like for middle school students? These questions probe the implications of middle school students. These questions help me understand the "So what?" question about my students.

The History of Education

What are the historical roots of education from a distinctively biblical perspective? When did men and women begin thinking about education with a biblical worldview? What did they think? How can we benefit today from their work?

About history the great Cicero said, "To be ignorant of what occured before you were born is to always remain a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history." G.K. Chesterton put it this way: "The disadvantage of men not knowing the past is that they do not know the present. History is a hill or high point of vantage, from which alone men see the town in which they live or the age in which they are living." I do not want to remain a remain an ignorant child nor always remain in my town to never ascend the hill to gain perspective and enrich my life in the life of those before me. Certainly God is sovereign over history. His fingerprints are on every age. He has not passively waited for this age to speak about such important matters of life like education.

So who has thought about education? Did any Christians think about education from a biblical foundation? What great ideas shaped the way they thought about education? What difference did those ideas make for them? How did they live differently in light of those ideas? I want to see if I can go back and discover answers to these questions. I want to meet and listen to what these brothers in humanity have to say. This sounds pretty dramatic, but I want to continue the Great Conversation of the ages.

Great Ideas that Shape Education (Part 4)

All of us have underlying ideas that shape the way we think about all of life, and these presuppositional thoughts point us back to what we believe about God, man, and creation. Well, for a long time I've been wanting to think through how one such idea--the doctrine of sin--informs a biblical worldview of education, because I know how powerful a right understanding of sin is for living as a Christian. Kenneth Maresco told me once that getting the doctrine of sin right is like getting the bottom button on your shirt in the right hole. If you get that one right, you get all the others right. So, here it is:

All humans are sinners (Romans 3:9-20, Isaiah 53:6). What is sin? Wayne Grudem defines it this way: "Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature" (Systematic Theology, 490). What does this mean? It means that every part of who we are is tainted by sin, that we are unable to do anything to merit the favor of God or change the sinful direction of our lives. Scripture clearly affirms these statements: Isaiah 64:4, John 6:44, Genesis 6:5). We all do bad things, so it's not difficult to say that we sin in action. We probably even can acknowledge that we fail in our attitudes and thoughts. But when we consider ourselves sinners in nature, what do we feel? I don't feel like a sinner when I'm sleeping or when I'm helping someone. But that is what Scripture teaches about us: "we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind" (Ephesians 2:3). As Grudem says, "Our very nature, the internal character that is the essence of who we are as persons, can also be sinful" (ST, 490). Why are we sinners? I've heard Jeff Purswell say it this way: "We are sinners by choice because we are sinners by nature."

Good news, huh? Well, I believe strongly that understanding this bad news is what makes the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so Good! I also believe that this doctrine can and should make a difference in education at a very practical level. I want to share one implication in my next post.

A Strategy for Coaching

Fall sports start in two weeks and I meet with my coaches very soon, so I'm thinking a lot about helping my coaches succeed in the call God has placed on them as mentors and coaches. How can I help them help their players grow and develop? Another way of thinking about this question is by considering what I would do to develop my players and my team if I were coaching. Here's a basic outline that I hope to flesh out:

Developing Players:

1. View each individual as the image of God and the pinnacle of all creation.
2. Assess strengths and weaknesses in the following categories: spiritual, moral, relational, physical, and mental. Beware of pride especially at this step!
3. Determine outcomes or goals for each player in those categories and how to get there.
4. Arrange a brief meeting to communicate those outcomes and show them how to get there, specifically next actions.
5. Develop a structure for following up and encourage as much as possible.

Developing Community:

1. Identify the players in whom God wants me to invest (i.e. select my team).
2. Ask if the player is faithful, available, takes initiative, teachable, and hungry.
3. Spend time with the team outside of the gym enjoying what God enjoys (i.e. leisure)
4. Determine spiritual, moral, physical, and relational outcomes for the team and how to get there, specifically next actions.
5. Communicate those outcomes and how to get there.
6. Develop a structure for following up and encourage as much as possible.

A Strategy for Professional Development

How do I change? How do I grow in the different roles that God has assignmed me? And once I've identified the ways in which I want to change, HOW do I get from here to there?

My summer months are a time to reflect on where I've been in order to determine where I need to go. But so often I'm overwhelmed with all the different ways I need to change. What can I do to ensure that I don't punch the wind or run on a treadmill--expending lots of energy but moving nowhere? In this post I want to write down my thoughts for a strategy to get from here to there, a way in which I can grow by the grace of God. I'm pulling from different notes I've taken over the years from different leaders like C.J. Mahaney, Jeff Myers, and David Allen. Here's what I got:

1) Hope in Jesus for change. I must bracket everything I suggest for change inside the power of the gospel. Because Jesus has come in power and with redemption, we can change. Peter taught the church about change with these words: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature" (1 Peter 1:3-4).

2) Determine the roles and responsibilities that God has assigned you. I got this quote from C.J.: “Therefore, each individual has his own kind of living assigned to him by the Lord as a sort of sentry post, so that he might not heedlessly wander about throughout life” (Calvin). As C.J. says, "We want to identify the sentry post assigned by God so that we do not wander throughout life." Now for each role there are several responsibilities that represent faithfulness to that role. In other words, when you are evaluated on your performance in a particular role, what is it exactly that you will have been expected to do well? Each role has about 4-7 major output areas.

3) Determine goals for your roles and responsibilities. In the next 1-1.5 years what do you want to see changed or different? Where do you want to be with all of this stuff. We need the wisdom of God for this step because I cannot rely on my wisdom to determine the right course. God determines the best goals, and I want to think his thoughts after him. Prayer and reflection are essential, as is a thorough knowledge of God's Word in order to understand the plans of our Sovereign God.

4) Determine specific projects that will get you to your goals. In other words, goals translate to projects. This step is heavily influenced by David Allen, who defines a "project" as anything you want done that requires more than one action or step. The trick here is to determine those projects that will help you accomplish your goal. You might have only one project or you might have many. But you must make your goals more real with projects.

5) Determine the next physical actions that will accomplish your projects. Again, this is from David Allen. You can't do projects...you can only do actions. This is one of the most obvious and helpful tips in workflow management I've ever heard (of course from David Allen). This step takes the project down to the runway level, to real life, to the most practical level possible. You might have several actions to complete the project or you might have only two; but you can't do the project, only the next physical action. Here's a promise of God about this step: "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow wear of doing good for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:8-9).

So, I think that's it. As David Allen explains, "If you know the phone call you make is the next action you need to take for the project, which is fulfilling your job roles and responsibilities, which is fulfilling your short term objectives, which is fulfilling your life vision, which is fulfilling your purpose on earth – you are one lined up sucker!"

I also think it's interesting how each verb is "determine", which reflects God in his attributes of purpose and will. One further question about this strategy is "Would God approve of it?" Does this method reflect God's intentions for change? I know it works, but does it please God?

Provocative Parents (and teachers & coaches)

A couple of years ago I read a few chapters in The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo. I picked it up because God had been revealing anger in my own heart and because I was working with some students who were struggling with anger. Excellent book! I was especially impacted by his chapter about "provocative parents." He takes the title from divinely inspired words to parents: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discpline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Priolo says, "To the degree that you are provoking him to anger, you must stop. To whatever degree you stop provoking him, you can make it easier for [your child] to correct his anger probem." The list below of common ways parents, coaches, and teachers provoke children, athletes, and students has helped me see ways I need to change:

• Modeling Sinful Anger
• Habitually Disciplining While Angry
• Scolding
• Being Inconsistent with Discipline
• Having Double Standards
• Being Legalistic
• Not Admitting You’re Wrong and Not Asking For Forgiveness
• Constantly Finding Fault
• Not Listening to Your Student’s opinion or Taking His or Her “Side of the Story” Seriously
• Comparing Them to Others
• Not Making Time “Just to Talk”
• Not Praising or Encouraging Your Students
• Failing to Keep Your Promises
• Chastening in Front of Others
• Not Allowing Enough Freedom
• Allowing Too Much Freedom
• Mocking Your Child
• Ridiculing or Name Calling
• Unrealistic Expectations
• Practicing Favoritism

"Now what?" to the Will of God in Leadership

I've been reflecting about how the attribute of God's Will helps shape a biblical worldview of leadership. Before I share some practical suggestions below, we must remember a few things: 1) Man is created in God's image and therefore reflects and represents God. As D.A. Carson has said, "Man is to live as God's created analogy." 2) "God's Will is that attribute whereby he approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himeself and all creation" (Grudem). In other words, God makes decisions. 3) One implication of God's Will for leadership is that leadership requires approving and determining results (i.e. purposes, visions, goals, etc.). But how should we lead differently? Here are a few suggestions:

1) Determine the necessary changes in your current situation. What's needs change? What must that change look like? You cannot lead (i.e. bring about change the reflects God's character and serves others) unless you determine what you're trying to accomplish. OK, what does this look like? Well, ask: “What change do I/we need or want in this situation?” when facing a leadership challenge.. Time with God in prayer and in his Word helps us determine what changes we need to make. I think asking this question is at the heart of leadership.

2) Ask "why?" Why are we doing this? What's the purpose? What are we hoping to accomplish? I've learned from David Allen in Getting Things Done that asking why defines success, creates decision-making criteria, aligns resources, motivates, clarifies focus, and expands options. I find myself asking this question all the time in meetings, especially when we are bumping up against a wall.

3) Set goals and vision. This relates to the first suggestion, but takes it one step further to articulating the desired outcome. David Allen says that asking why furnishes the impetus, but the vision provides the blueprint of the final result. For me this often requires time outside of the immediate pressures of the day. I'll take my laptop and find a quiet spot for an hour and reflect on questions like: "What will this situation really look like when it successfully appears in the world?" Write down your thoughts. Start small. Take risks. Make them personal. In other words make your goals mean something to you. What will it cost you if they aren't met? If the cost doesn't hurt, aim higher. Be passionate about your goals. Do you think God had personal feelings about his plan? Let's imitate God by feeling passionately about our plans. I think David Allen is correct when he says, "you won't see how to do it until you see yourself doing it."

3) Determine a strategy for achieving your vision. I think this action is more closely linked to the wisdom of God, so I hope to talk more about this later. Planning and strategies require a biblical perspective.

4) Submit your goals to the will of God. Before, during, and after determing goals, I need to pray to God. For me this simply can look like praying from the Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). This is critical. We must avoid selfish ambition by submitting our ambition to the will of God. We want our goals to align with the goals of his kingdom. This is one way we can think God's thoughts after him.

5) Commit. Don't avoid the necessary work. Get to work. I use David Allen's system of managing work, so for me this means setting up projects and listing out the next actions to get things done. I try to get my work down to simple actions, so I don't feel overwhelmed by the projects in front of my face.

"So what?" to the Will of God in Leadership

In my last post I shared that the communicable attribute of the will of God shapes our view and practice of leadership. In this post I would like to share how this attribute reflected in the image of God in man specifically does make a difference in our functioning of leadership. God approves and determines what he will do, but so what? Here's one implication for leadership:

Implication: I think leadership requires approving and determining results (i.e. goals).

I read this quote in one of those inspirational posters that describes this point: "The ability to succeed requires the realization of what one wants and the passionate desire to attain it." We should determine what we will do and what we will not do. We should plan. We should determine results. We should impose our wills. This involves planning. This involves determining what results we want. This involves resolving to bring about those results. This involves approving those results. This involves determining what is necessary for these results. Here's what Grudem says about this: "We exercise choice and make real decisions regarding the events of our lives. Although our will is not absolutely free in the way God’s is, God has nonetheless given us relative freedom within our spheres of activity in the universe he has created." We make decisions about the events of our lives and then we have power to bring about those decisions.

It's important when we talk about the will of God reflected in mankind that we remember the difference between God's will and our will. I forget where I read this, but this quote balances the the will of God and the will of man: "The main difference between God and man is that God is free from all authority while we are under the authority of God. No plan of ours will go forward apart from God approving that plan. But also nothing will get done unless we lift a finger to do it, sparing a miracle."

But now what? In what ways can we lead differently in light of this idea?

Great Ideas that Shape Leadership (part 3)

Lots of ideas shape the way we think about leadership, but each one stems from presuppositions about God, man, and creation. In this post I want to share one more great idea that I think shapes a biblical worldview of leadership. Here's the idea:

The Will of God. Grudem says that "God's will is that attribute of God whereby he approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himself and all creation” (Bible Doctrine, 95). In other words God chooses what he will do and what he will not do. He makes choices. He decides. He resolves.

So what, though? What difference does this make for leadership? I'll try to explain how this is relevant for leadership in my next post.

"Now what?" to the Omnipotence of God in Leadership

I've been reflecting on what the attribute of God's omnipotence means for leadership. Because we reflect the power of God, we can bring about change that makes the lives of others better. In this post I want to share a couple of ways we can live and lead in light of this idea.

1. "Don't passively accept what is in your power to change." I heard a speaker say that once and it has stuck with me for years. I can so often sit by passively while I notice something that needs change. Ask yourself, "Where do you see a need for change, whether big or small?" Can you do anything about it? If so, act like God and make something happen.

2. Fight. The Bible calls this perseverence. I think leaders do not let go easily of what they have approved, determined, and decreed. Like a snapping turtle crunching down on a stick of wood, leaders do not let go until they get results. Leaders are tenacious. Focus on the vision. Put on your blinders. Don't take your hands off the wheel. Keep punching forward. Things just don't happen unless people are committed. I have often been inspired by this quote from Successful Coaching: “Humanity’s greatest accomplishments come about when people make an intense commitment to something, when only their total concentrated effort may result in success – but even then success is not guaranteed.” We must have staying power to finish what we start.

"So what?" to the Omnipotence of God in Leadership

OK. In my last post I shared that the omnipotence of God is one idea that can shape the way we view leadership. Remember that the omnipotence of God is his power to do all his will. In this post I want to share one implication for leadership.

Implication #1: I think leadership involves creating change. I think leaders exercise power in ways that bring about results; and these results should reflect God's character and serve others. As one of my students said, "Leaders get results." Why can we create change? Well, God has given us "power" as a capacity like a muscle that can cause something to happen. So, we influence, we create change, we make a difference. God exercises his power to bring about whatever results he dctermines, and these results always reflect his character (his goodness, love, mercy, etc.) and always serve his people. God creates that kind of change. Check out this quote in Systematic Theology about the power God has given us:

"God has given us power to bring about results, both physical power and other kinds of power: mental power, spiritual power, persuasive power, and power in various kinds of authority structures (family, church, civil government, and so forth). In all these areas, the use of power in ways pleasing to God and consistent with his will is again something that brings him glory as it reflects his own character."

Like God we exercise God-given power to make a difference, to create change - the kind of change that reflects God and makes the lives of others better. You can imagine how this implication is relevant for education and coaching, business and government, virtually every sphere of life.

So what do you think are some ways we might lead differently in light of this implication?

Great Ideas that Shape Leadership (part 2)

Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Life sure is full, and I love it that way. My family has been enjoying vacation with Jessica's family in Charllottesville. Picking up from where I left off, here's another idea that shapes our view and practice of leadership:

God is omnipotent (Daniel 4:34-35). Like a benevolent dictator exercising power over his realm, the omnipotence of God is his use of power over his creation. Grudem says that this attribute "has reference to his own power to do what he decides to do" (Grudem, 216). In other words, nothing can frustrate his will. He is able to accomplish all his will. God exercises power to get done his plans, to bring about results that reflect his character and are good for his people. Wish you could do that?

Now what does this have to do with leadership? In the next post I'll share one implication of this attribute for leadership.

"Now what?" to the Sovereignty of God in Leadership

When we learn more about God, we learn more about ourselves. This certainly is true for the area of leadership. I've been reflecting on the biblical presupposition that God is sovereign over creation and a couple of implications for leadership. God is sovereign and he has stamped upon us this attribute. Because God is sovereign and we reflect his sovereignty, we should not only lead, but lead like him. In this post I want to brainstorm how we can live differently in light of this great idea.

Before looking at some ways we might live differently, remember that we cannot lead like God apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the turning point for all leaders. How so? Like other attributes of God we reflect, we use these gifts for sinful ends. We need only to read the newspaper to see how so many people use this God-given capacity for themselves. But when God redeemed me by the blood of Jesus, I could then use the gift of leadership the way God intends - for his glory and for the good of others. May I not be guilty of thinking about and practicing leadership apart from the gospel.

1. View yourself as a leader. We must see ourselves the way God sees us. Too often I can feel like a failure and completely reject how God views me. Or I can undervalue the potential in me and others to lead. Yet you and I can make a difference not because we are great in ourselves, but because we are the image of God. Far from building up unbiblical self-esteem, we can possess a biblical self-image when we realize that God has given us power to make a difference. I tell my students in my leadership class that leadership always comes with authority but authority does not always come with leadership. In other words, you don't have to be in charge to lead and make a difference. So consider and then write down where in your life you have influence. Think of yourself as a leader.

2. Delegate. I can easily see people more like a problem than a problem-solver. This goes especially for my students. Yet they are just as much like God as I am. Certainly they have the potential to make a difference. Let's give others the chance to act like God by creating change that reflects his character and makes the lives of others better.

"So what?" to the Sovereignty of God in Leadership (part 1)

I haven't posted anything recently because life has been quite FULL, but I've been thinking a lot about some ideas that I hope I can write about soon. One great idea has been the sovereignty of God and how that idea shapes my thinking about leadership and my leadership decisions. Remember that the sovereignty of God is the exercise of his rule and dominion over creation. How does this great idea make a difference for leadership? Here's one pretty obvious and basic implication:

Implication #1: I think we can and should lead. God has made us vice-regents over creation. We represent God in ruling over the earth. God has stamped upon us his own image, including his sovereignty. That means that we will lead; it's in our DNA. Jeff Purswell recently told me that leadership is a functional aspect of God's rulership (like a king ruling over his realm).

Let me try to illustrate. When anybody leads, they show a faint reflection of God's sovereignty. How? Well, I think they reflect the sovereignty of God by imposing their wills to create change (more on this idea later). Take my wife as an example. She reflects the sovereignty of God when she decorates our living room or when she gets Jack in the tub for his bath or when she makes dinner. In all these examples she decrees to bring about results that serve other people. That's great leadership! Take an evil leader as another example. We feel sad and angry when we see evil leaders ruling and creating change that only serves their own ambition. In a very perverted way, they also are leading and reflecting what God is like. So not only should we lead, but we should lead like God. How does God lead? Well, his leadership is benevolent and righteous, wise and good. One of my students in my leadership class rightly said that God is our role-model in leading. This is so true.

But now what? What are some ways we can lead differently?

New Name

Recently (i.e. this morning) I decided to give the blog a new name. The purpose of the blog has not changed. I still am seeking to think God's thoughts after him in order to restore the image of God in me. But with the help of a friend and collegue, I realized that the latin phrase "restituo imago dei" actually translates "I restore the image of God." That doesn't sound presumptuous, does it? I also get weird faces from friends when I tell them about my blog. So, for the sake of theological precision and of keeping my friends, here's the new name of the blog - Repair the Ruins (http://www.repairtheruins.blogspot.com/)

The name comes from something I read by J.C. Ryle about the image of God.

"We can acknowledge that man has all the marks of a majestic temple about him - a temple in which God once dwelt, but a temple which is now in utter ruins - a temple in which a shattered window here, and a doorway there, and a column there, still give some faint idea of the magnificence of the original design, but a temple which from end to end has lost its glory and fallen from its high estate" (Holiness, 4).

Since our first parents rebelled against God, the image of God in man has been in ruins, has lost its glory, and must be repaired. While in all of us there are faint reflections of our potential, the image of God has been distorted and corrupted by sin. We have lost the ability to use our potential his way. That's where the gospel comes, for no other way can bring us back to God's original intention for us. May God continue to give me grace to restore the image of God in me and those whom I love so much!

Great Ideas that Shape Leadership

I was not a leader growing up. As a teenager, I was the image of the sluggard in the book of Proverbs - never starting tasks, never finishing them, and always making excuses. I lived according to my own rules to satisfy my own desires. As my parents watched me waste my life away during those years of rebellion against God, they were heartbroken, frustrated, and exasperated. What can change such a life other than the power of the Gospel (Romans 1:16)!? Looking back on what I was like in that season, I guess I can learn a little bit about what God is decidedly NOT, and also what leadership is decidedly NOT.

I want to begin another series of posts about another topic which needs a biblical worldview: leadership. I tell you a bit about my past, because I am not the same person now. I love leadership, and I want to understand more how I should think about this topic. Why? Well, God is restoring the image of God in me, and I think leadership is one way I can reflect what God is like. Here is one great idea to consider when shaping a biblical worldview of leadership:

God is sovereign (Psalm 24:8; Jeremiah 32:17). Like I've done with understanding other great ideas, I want to turn to Wayne Grudem and get his help in understanding what Scripture says about this topic. Here's an excellent quote from Grudem's Systematic Theology (BTW this book really has been one of the most influential books in my life): "God's sovereignty is his exercise of rule (as "sovereign" or "king") over his creation" (217). Like a benevolent dictator ruling over his realm, the sovereingty of God is his exercise of authority over creation.

So what, though? What difference does this idea make in leadership? In my next post I want to reflect one just one implication for leadership. Before moving on, though, I should share something else I learned from Dr. Grudem. I think I would be mistaken if I said that only the sovereignty of God shapes our view of leadership, because God is unified in himself. In other words he cannot be divided into parts (Grudem, 177). When God acts in any way, all his attributes are reflected. Some are more emphasized than others, though. When we lead, then, I think we emphasize the sovereignty of God more than other attributes (like wisdom, goodness, etc.), but that fact does not nullify other attributes we reflect when we lead.

"Now what?" to the Trinity

We show what we truly know about something when that something shapes the way we live. Recently, I've been considering one great idea that can shape our approach to sports and coaching: The Trinity (by the way, I think this presuppositional idea shapes the way we lead as well). In this post, I review one implication of the Trinity for sports and then I want to suggest one way we might coach and lead differently in light of this truth.

Implication #1: Because God is one and exists as three persons, the individual players on our teams are different from one another and should be assigned differing roles. In this way as God's image bearers, we reflect the Triune God. But now what? How will we coach differently?

Communicate roles and make those roles meaningful. Like each person of the Trinity, the players on our team will have different roles. Determine those roles after evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and communciate those roles to the players. As much as you can, set your players up for success, but also put challenges before them. Adjust those roles when circumstances change or when a player shows you something. If you can, talk to your players with one or both of the parents present. As often as you can, tell your players what you think about the job they're doing in their roles. Encourage and be honest. After a game follow up with players who didn't play or who made lots of mistakes.

Also like the Trinity, the roles of each player should be meaningful. All team members contribute. If they don't or can't, then we do not serve them by inviting them onto a team. In other words, don’t keep a player who will not contribute significantly on the present team and in the present season. Oh, when I say "contribute", I mean giving something that helps the team achieve its goals, including winning. Since winning in sports is one goal (not the chief goal), I do think players should have something to give in games that helps the team win, maybe not in every game, but in a lot of games.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

My mom is Mary Ann Marcantonio. She is 60 years young today! What a life she has lived for her Savior. I'm so proud to call her "MOM!"

Happy birthday, Mom. Thank you for loving God with all of your heart and loving me and my family so well. You are Jack's favorite Nonna, and he loves playing with you (but not as much fun as you have playing with him, I think)! You are an example of devotion, service, and humor to me. I love YOU!

The Call to Subdue the Earth

I've been thinking a lot about the question: "What is the call of God on our lives?" Answering this question for me is important because in another post I've defined education as the kind of instruction that develops the image of God in students to prepare them for the call of God on their lives. In my last post I shared what I've been learning about in Anthony Hoekema’s book – Created in God’s Image – about this question. So far, here's what I've got: the call of God on man is living in harmony with the will of God in relation to God, to our fellow man, and to nature. In other words, God's call on our lives is to live his way with God, our neighbor, and creation. In this post, I want to share more about our relationship to nature. I’m taking a class at Hood College this semester about technology in education, so this relationship is particularly pertinent. Taken from an excellent paragraph in his book, here is what Dr. Hoekema says about our relationship to nature:

“Two words are used in Genesis 1:28 to describe this relationship of man to nature: subdue and have dominion. The verb rendered subdue is a form of the Hebrew verb kabash, which means “to subdue” or “bring into bondage.” This verb tells us that man is to explore the resources of the earth, to cultivate its land, to mine its buried treasures. Yet we must not think simply about land, plants, and animals; we must also think about human existence itself insofar as it is an aspect of God’s good creation. Man is called by God to develop all the potentialities found in nature and in humankind as a whole. He must seek to develop not only agriculture, horticulture, and animal husbandry, but also science, technology, and art. In other words, we have here what is often called the cultural mandate: the command to develop a God-glorifying culture” (Hoekema, 79).

So, the first aspect of our relationship to nature is to subdue it and bring it into submission to develop a culture that glorifies God. Take for example plastics. Some really smart people used what they learned in chemistry class, combined different molecules from plants, and invented plastic. How many products are made today with plastics? How much money has been saved because of plastics? These scientists made nature do their bidding and made our world better. The call to subdue the earth includes exploring what God has embedded in creation and even the potential in ourselves that reflects our Creator and then using that potential for the glory of God and the good of others. What I find very interesting here is what Hoekema includes in what he calls “nature.” Not only is nature land, plants, and animals but everything else that can come from nature, what he calls the potentialities found in nature. Pretty cool! As he says, this potential includes technology.

OK, but how should we subdue the earth? In my next post, I want to talk more about this question and touch on what Christians should make of technology.

What is the Call of God on Man?

In one of my first posts, I defined education as the kind of instruction and training that develops the image of God in man to prepare them for the call of God (pretty clear, huh?) In this definition, I gave education the distinct purpose of preparing students for the call of God. But I haven't explained what I mean yet by the call of God. In this post, I want to explain a little bit more about what the call of God on man means. Even though I'm writing in the context of education, I think what I share applies to all of life. So here we go:

I think the Call of God on Man is living in harmony with the will of God in relationship to God, to man, and to nature. In other words, I think the call of God is living out the special assignment God has given each of us (Ephesians 2:10). Take a rock band for example (I'm listening to my Coldplay station on Pandora). Each member of the band has a special assignment. When the rhythm guitar plays what he should, he lives in harmony in relationship with the other members of the band. He fulfills the call of the band. Make sense? Like my thoughts on the image of God in man, I'm learning so much about this topic from Anthony Hoekema's most excellent book, Created in God's Image. I love this quote: "God has created us in his image so that we may carry out a task, fulfill a mission, pursue a calling. To enable us to perform that task, God has endowed us with many gifts - gifts that reflect something of his greatness and glory" (73).

Coming up will be further thoughts about the nature and proper functioning of these three relationships: man to God, man to man, and man to nature.

Great Ideas that Shape Government

Barack Obama will take the oath of the office of President of the United States on Tuesday. In the context of this presidential inauguration, questions about our worldview of government and politics find a fresh significance. So, I want to ask the question, "How should we think about politics and government? What ideas should shape the way we approach politics?" Lots of ideas will be shared in the next week that might shape our worldview, but I think each idea points us back toward presuppositional ideas we have about God, about man, and about this world. Here's one to consider:

God is Sovereign (Daniel 4:34-35; Romans 13). God has absolute rule and control over all creation. As the prophet Daniel said, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” All kingdoms - earthly and spiritual - will submit to Jesus Christ.

What does this have to do with the presidential inauguration? Well, this great idea has so many implications for politics and government. Let me share one in my next post.

"So what?" to the Trinity

What difference does this idea that God is one and exists as three persons make for sports? In this post, I want to share just one implication for coaches, players, and fans.

Implication #1: Because the three persons of the Trinity are distinct from one another, I think the individual players on a team are different from one another and should be assigned differing roles. This may be obvious, but each player is distinct from the others in skill, experience, physical attributes, personalities, backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Maybe not so obvious, each plays a different role in accomplishing the unified goal of the team. Players might even relate differently toward one another, dependent upon their role. A captain of a team relates differently to his fellow teammates than a teammate relates to a captain. In other words, because members of a team are distinct from one another like the persons of the Trinity are distinct from one another, each member should have a distinct place and role on the team.

OK. That does make sense to me. But, now what? How might we practically coach differently?

"So what?" to Authority of Parents over Children

What ideas should shape our thinking about education and what difference do those ideas make in our lives? Recently, I introduced what I think is another great idea that can shape the way we approach education: God delegates authority over children to parents. In other words, parents are responsible for their children. So what, though? What difference does this idea make for education? Well, at the risk of stating the obvious, here's one implication:

Implication #1: Parents should raise and educate their children. In other words, parents should take the lead in educating their kids. I think educating children is an expression of what God teaches parents in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. At all times and places, parents should teach, train, and educate their children. Now, this might sound like an endorsement for exclusive homeschooling. While I think homeschooling can be an excellent expression of this God-given responsibility to parents, I don't think homeschooling is the only expression. Sometimes I think homeschooling can be a bad option.

I think parents can get help from professional educators in educating and training their children. Training and developing the image of God in man requires expertise and skill. Parents can, in a sense, delegate their parental authority to another individual or group to get the required help in fulfilling this task. Getting help from professional educators is like hiring a money manager to help keep and steward your personal finances. So, schools provide a service first to parents in stewarding their children and then to students in learning what they need for life. In no way do I think this means that parents are "hands off" in education. Parents should still get their hands dirty in educating their kids. After all, parents will answer to God for the way they raise their kids.

OK. But, now what? In light of this idea, how will we educate differently?

What is the Role of a Teacher?

In one of my earlier posts, I shared a definition for education. After considering some Latin roots and what the idea of "potential" in my students really means, I shared that education is instruction and training that develops or brings out the image of God in a student in preparation for the call of God on their life. Education has a specific kind of instruction and training - the kind that develops the image of God in man. Education also has a specific purpose: to prepare for the call of God (I still must explain further what I mean by the "call of God").

Now, I want to consider how this definition helps us understand the role of a teacher (Since I'm an athletic director, I want to also consider here the role of a coach. I believe that a coach is a specific kind of teacher - or that teacher is the genus of coach - so I think all of what I share below applies to coaches at any competitive level). In other words, let's go one step further and make use of this definition to show what is it that teachers will be expected to have done well, what they are held accountable to manage. I need to at least mention here the personal example of the teacher as the foundation of what they do. You cannot take people beyond the point you have gone personally. If teachers do not have a godly and compelling example, their credibility is undermined and effectiveness is nullified.

Implication: I think teaching is the craft of instructing and training the image of God in students (i.e. ways they reflect God) to prepare them for the call of God. This definition has three parts: the action, the object, and the purpose. By the way, I think it's interesting that these verbs "instructing" and "training" resemble the commands given to parents in raising children (Ephesians 6:4). In fact, the Latin word educate is used for bring them up in the Latin Vulgate of this verse. Why is this relevant? Well, while educators are certainly not divinely called by God in bringing up children, I think the role of the teacher significantly supports and resembles the call of God for parents to raise their children.

#1 The Action: the action is the craft of instruction and training. First, the word instruction refers to passing on information and knowledge (i.e. truth). In his classic Paideia Proposal, Mortimer Adler says that the acquisition of organized knowledge is aided by didactic teaching, or Teaching by Telling. Second, the word training refers to developing the necessary skills and processes. Adler explains that these skills cannot be taught by didactic means like lecture, but require practice under the supervision of a coach, who corrects wrong moves and requires correct ones (Adler also argued for a third action for teachers - Maieutic or Socratic questioning. This form of teaching comes from a Greek word, maieutic, meaning midwife because it assists students in bringing ideas to birth. While the goal of instruction is the acquisition of knowledge and training is the development of skills, Socratic questioning is the enlargement of understanding, ideas, and values. I might consider adding this action to my definition of education). I also use the word craft because teaching is both a science and an art. As a science, teaching has a framework, rules, principles, and methods. As an art, teaching requires skill in practicing those rules with lots of effort and with lots of mistakes. Like craftsmen in a guild, teachers employ the conventions of the trade with various and hopefully increasing levels of skill. Educational experts call this craft pedagogy. What's at the heart of this craft? I think it's the teacher saying to the pupil: "Check this out! Look at this! Let me show you what I've learned. Let me show you how this has made a difference in my life." In addition to instructing, training, and imparting teachers also need to be good at understanding their students in order to avoid provoking and discouraging them, nourishing and treating their students with tenderness, playing with their students and enjoying what God enjoys with their students, planning, communicating, managing projects and resources, and building community that reflects the Trinity. That's not too much, is it?

#2 The Object: the object of instruction and training is individuals, specifically the image of God in our students. That I say the object of instruction is the image of God might come as a surprise for some. Many teachers, beginning with myself, can believe they teach the subject of science, or literature, or whatever. While teachers should know thoroughly their curriculum and subject, I think teachers should use these subjects as the means by which they draw out and develop the gifts God has endowed upon the student (i.e. potential). Teachers empower their students in these gifts God has given to each and every student. In other words, teachers should not be more passionate about their subjects than their students. Teaching is a very relational experience. This means that teachers should become experts on biblical anthropology. Click here, here, here, and here for more about this idea about the image of God in man.  Here's one more significant implication: If teaching is training the image of God in our students, student engagement is vital.  Teachers should never work harder than their students.  Think of a coach and players during a practice, or a trainer and client at the gym.  Who works harder?

#3 The Purpose: the purpose is preparing them for the call of God on their lives. More on this later.

So, in summary, the actions that describe a teacher best is instruct and train. The object of instruction is more the student than the subject. And the purpose for which the teacher strives is preparation for the call of God.