Dave Faulkner. Husband. Dad. Methodist minister. Pseudo-geek. Music lover.
January 4, 2010 9 Comments
Back from a Christmas and New Year blogging break with this:
What do you make of this post by Seth Godin from a Christian perspective? On the one hand, if the Martin Luthers of this world had not taken this attitude, history would be poorer. On the other, is it a licence for self-regarding mavericks? What are your thoughts?
HT: Mike Todd.
I'm a British Methodist minister, married with two children. I blog from a moderate evangelical-missional-charismatic perspective, with an interest in the 'missional' approach.
My interests include Web 2.0, digital photography, contemporary music and watching football (Tottenham Hotspur) and cricket.
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I do it all the time
I refer to it as being easier to get forgiveness than permission.
Having said that I do think they way it is done is critical ie your motivation, attitude and process. Especially the ways you include others and the ways you respond to those who don’t like what you do.
For me a critical role for a minister is being willing to take responsibility for empowering others and giving them permission to try something.
In Methodism it is ‘easier to get forgiveness than permission‘ – hmm, I think I recognise that!
Seriously, I think your point about motivation is both critical and yet at the same time the most difficult to judge. Perhaps you give a clue by offering evidence of what good motivation looks like.
Thanks, Dave.
Looks like that will be worth a blog post. I’ll see what I can do.
Happy new year Dave. I subscribe to the notion that we need to step out in faith in ourselves sometimes regardless of consequences to others. Our significant others and family need to trust just as we trust them – we all get hurt (rarely though I think). A wise friend told me once that we can only be who we are – it’s too difficult any other way! For Christians there is the extra dimension of respecting (& obeying) the one who trusted us.
Happy New Year to you, too, Pam. Yes, we do need to step out regardless of consequences, that’s what faith is all about, isn’t it? Problems come for some of us when we are faced with those in authority over us who may not approve! It may then be an issue of faith versus fear, of course, and you have to be sure your stepping out is right in God’s sight.
Pam
“A wise friend told me once that we can only be who we are – it’s too difficult any other way”
The tricky part is doing enough reflection to actually understand what it is to “be who we are” and then to seek the grace needed to accept (indeed celebrate) that in ourselves and in others.
And ‘being who we are’ comes with its own particular set of strengths and weaknesses, as I’m aware from my studies in ministry and personality type!
Thanks Dave & Dave W
I’ve made some colossal mistakes in my time and this pain has led me to reflect on “who I am”. Whoever thought up “poor in spirit” wasn’t far from the mark!
How wise that you’ve reflected on who you are, Pam. Some of the biggest abuses come from those who haven’t done that.