David Ralph

A Living Eulogy

I have just finished watching the videocast of yesterday’s message at Lakeside and I am still trying to process what the speaker had to say about me as he opened the service.  They were words of affirmation and personal praise and they were so encouraging.   I am not sure that anyone of my peers in ministry has ever said anything nicer.  These words  brought tears to my eyes.  It was like listening to my eulogy from a peer in ministry but I was still alive to hear it.  I found it troubling at first.  It often seems difficult to hear people praise us or to speak well of us.  I am not sure why that is but it seems to be the case for most of us.  I found listening to these words very humbling.  I wondered if he was really speaking about me.  Yet, these were words spoken by someone who I have shared ministry doubts and fears and challenges and joys and successes.  They were shared with someone who I have experienced genuine community with and would consider a brother in Christ.  All the criticisms (and there have been many – it goes with being in ministry unfortunately) that I have heard over the last few years seem to be balanced with the few phrases that he spoke.  In fact, I was actually feeling a little down before I listened to that videocast.  Over the last few weeks I have listened to some of the best leaders I know in the church world.  Yesterday I heard one of the best communicators I know when it comes to Sunday morning messages.  My insecurities kicked in and I wondered to myself if I really did cut it when it comes to leading and teaching in a way that  is required in a growing, prevailing church like Lakeside.

But then I heard these words and in someway those feelings lifted and I felt a renewed and revived spirit.  I thought about the words in Ephesians 4:29 where Paul wrote, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen.”  How true those words are.  When we build up others according to their needs it really is beneficial.  Then I wondered how often I have missed an opportunity to build up someone else up by not saying the words that needed to be said.  I want to make that one of the changes in the way I lead and teach and serve the community at Lakeside.  I want to praise people more with genuine heartfelt praise, through cards and emails and public affirmation.  I know I can do so much better than I have done in the past in this area.

As I listened to those words spoken of me, I wondered if they are really true.  I believe they are.  I do love God with all my heart and want to grow deeper and deeper in a relationship with Him.  I do work hard at being a better leader and teacher and servant of Jesus – not for my sake or reputation but more for those I lead – those who listen – those I serve.  I do love the people of Lakeside.  Because I am not an outwardly emotional person I don’t always show it or say it enough.  But, I do love the Lakeside community and the people that make it up. 

It was nice to hear “my eulogy” today while I was still alive.  I think we need to share these kind of thoughts with others more often.  It makes a difference.  I builds you up.  It puts a spring in your step.  At least it did that for me.

A Technological Sabbatical

I have been very faithful writing my blog this summer as I have been on sabbatical.  But this is the first post in over a week.  I am sure that some of you have been wondering what has happened.  Have I been too busy golfing?  I have played a fair bit over the past few weeks although my game hasn’t improved – if I ever had game at all.  Have I been away on vacation?  While I did enjoy a good day on a great boat owned by a friend of mine and didn’t even get sea sick, that is not the reason.  Have I run out of things to say and to right?  You know me better than that. 

The reason for no blog entries for the last week is that my laptop decided to take a sabbatical.   Although it has been working poorly for a few weeks, last weekend it decided enough was enough and it simply shut down.  I couldn’t recieve and respond to emails sent unless I used my Blackberry.  Sue reminds me I am not supposed to be checking emails but I am in re-entry mode and I have convinced myself it is okay.  I thought about trying to do my blog on my Blackberry but I have fat thumbs and it would have had more spelling mistakes that usual and it would have made less sense than it normally does. 

It has been an interesting summer when it comes to technology.  I lost my Blackberry in the train station in Paris and was without it for more than a week.  Now my laptop took a week long sabbatical as well.  My iPod isn’t working right – the battery won’t seem to hold a charge.  I listen to many podcasts in any given week which I haven’t been able to do for weeks.  These are podcasts that feed my soul and fuel me for ministry so I have really missed it.  Even the calculater that I use in my home office has stopped working.  I paid about five bucks for it ten years ago so I feel I’ve got my money out of it.  As I pondered these technology sabbaticals that my Blackberry and laptop and iPod have been on I realized how dependent we have become on technology and how much we miss it when it is gone.  Do you ever wonder how we did life without all this technology?  Do you ever wonder how we handled life when we couldn’t send and recieve emails or text messages?  Do you ever wonder how we stayed in touch before Facebook and Twitter? 

Then I got thinking (which is a dangerous thing), what if we decided each week to take a sabbath.  A sabbath being a single day every seven, where we rest, reflect, refocus and refuel.   But not simply a sabbath from work or a sabbath from the crazy pace of life that some of us experience but also a sabbath from technology.  A sabbath where we shut down and shut off.    A sabbath where we turn off and tune out.   Technology once promised to make our lives simpler which is a promise that never was kept.  Maybe the simplicity comes not from technology but from taking a sabbath from it.  I’m not sure that anything would be tougher to do than this.  But maybe it is worth a try.

The Importance of Introspection

With just over two weeks left of my sabbatical (has it ever gone by quickly) I am sitting in Williams today and I am reflecting on many of the things that God has nudged me about over the last two plus months.  I have been reading through the four journals that I have written in this summer and I am amazed how God has spoken to me about the ministry at Lakeside but more importantly about what He has communicated to me personally about the stuff inside of me.   Because I have had lots of time for introspection this summer (spending many days in solitude) I have been able to dig deeper into my heart and soul than I have probably done in the last 11 years.   It has been an incredible journey.  Sometimes it has been a bit painful.  I have experienced the double edged sword of God’s active and alive word and it has cut deep at times.  Some real surgery has been done.  It has revealed to me some of the things that I need to change about me.  Things that I need to do differently.

But it hasn’t all been negative.  It has revealed to me that I am to continue to lead the ministry of Lakeside and to lead with a greater zeal and passion and energy and focus.    God re-affirmed my call to ministry and to the ministry of Lakeside.  Not only have I reflected on what needs to change but I have had the chance to revisit and review all that God has done at Lakeside over the last 11 years.  It has made me realize what an awesome church community Lakeside is and how privileged I am to be part of it.  I have been reminded that God has given us an awesome mission of helping people experience authentic life in Jesus.  We have not been called to help people find religion but we have been called to help them find LIFE.  We have been called to help those who are broken to find healing.  We have been called to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, provide shelter to the homeless, minister to the widows and orphans (single moms and their kids), deal with injustice issue,  not only in our local community but around the world.  We have been called to be a biblically functioning community as described in Acts 2:42-47.

Through this time of rest and reflection and solitude, where I have been able to sense the promptings and nudging of the Holy Spirit, where I have been able to look at the ministry of Lakeside with fresh eyes, where I have been able to let God dig deep into my soul and reveal the changes that need to be made, where I have been able to read more than a dozens books, God has refreshed me and energized me.  He has given me a renewed zeal and passion and excitement for the ministry at Lakeside.  A zeal and passion that I felt when I first came to Lakeside more than 11 years ago.  I am so excited to return in September.  I can hardly wait. In many ways I wish it was tomorrow but I know there are a few lessons more to learn in the following weeks.

I am beginning to start my re-entry process as I start to think about the messages I will teach this fall.  I am studying through scripture and reading a few more books that will help shape the messages I will teach.   I am starting to make lists about the things that we need to “tweak” at Lakeside as we continue to work towards our mission.  I have made a list of the changes that I want to make in me and I have put it in the back of my current journal so I will look at it everyday to continually remind me and to keep me focused on them.  I still  have a few rounds of golf to get in before I get back and I will have a short get away next week.  I want to still visit three churches and I have a couple more books I would love to get through.  I have a sense that this will be like adding gasoline to the fire that is already burning inside of me.

My hope is that a large part of the Lakeside community will share the same passion and energy and zeal that I have for the next leg of the journey at Lakeside.  Although I have had the chance to reflect and review the past, I think our greatest days as a church community are ahead of us.  I can hardly wait.

A Movement of God

Over the summer, from all of my travels, from the conferences I have attended, from the courses I have taken, from a wide variety of reading I have done and from many conversations that I have had,  I have been compiling a list of what is common among the many “movements of God”, whether it is a current movement of God in a local church or community or from the great “revivals” of the past.  I thought I would share what is on my list so far.

The first thing that seems common among all movements of God, where a community or country is radically impacted by the life changing message of Jesus is that it cannot be created or manufactured.  God is the initiator of such movements.  There is no ten step strategy that can be followed or any list of things to do to make a movement happen.  God makes it happen.  But there are common characteristics as I have studied both movements in history and current movements in this century.   Let me list the common characteristics that I have discovered.  This is my list.  I am sure others have theirs and some will disagree with mine.  But this is what I am discovering is part of a movement of God.   These are not in any order of importance although  some might like to put them in an order.

• There is an attractive, clearly and continually communicated vision for the future.
• There is a sacrificial spirit or commitment by the people of God – they are willing to set their own personal preferences aside – they are willing to sacrifice time and money for the greater vision.
• There is a servant spirit among the community of faith.
• Meeting social justice needs was just as important as dealing with the spiritual needs.  The message of Jesus love was practiced as well as preached.
• Innovative ideas come from many people at all levels of the community of faith – not just those in “leadership” positions.
• The community of faith is not governed by rules and regulations and policies but more by flexible guidelines that provide structure but also freedom from within that structure.
• There is an attractiveness to the vision and leaders and servant WANT to be part of this movement.
• The people in the communities of faith are filled with passion and energy and determination and diligence.
• There is life transformation in the lives of many people.
• The is powerful, life transforming and relevant teaching that is rooted and grounded on the Bible and includes a powerful proclamation of the gospel.
• There is a crystal clear understanding of the culture that they are trying to reach.
• Prayer always proceeds a movement of God and it also sustains it.
• The people of communities of faith seek to grow deeper in their relationship with God, causing them to live authentic Christian lives.
• Leaders are both humble but determined.  They put the movement of God ahead of any personal desires or wants and they let nothing stand in the way of vision being accomplished.
• There is evidence of the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
• There is a greater focus on reaching the “outsider”.  There was a “missional” mentality and leaders and people sensed the call of God to their local and global communities.
• There is a genuine sense of relational connectedness among the people in the community of faith.  We might say that there was relational intentionality.
• There was vibrant leadership that functioned in team environments and continually raised up young leaders from the next generation.
• People in the faith community actively engaged in vibrant weekly worship that had a balance between relevance and reverence.

That is my list so far.  I am still compiling it.  As I read over this list again and again, I believe that this is the kind of church or faith community that I want to be part of and lead.  I believe that is the kind of faith community that God wants all churches to be.  This is the kind of faith community that Lakeside should strive to be.  As I said, following a list won’t create a movement of God.  He initiates that.  But maybe he initiates it when a community of faith is willing to be this kind of community.  Maybe there is a correlation between what God initiates and what a faith community desires to be.

Confession and Healing

As I stood in line, waiting my turn, all I could hear was the continual pounding of nails throughout the large auditorium.  Over 3500, all or most who had written things that they were fearing in the future, issues and choices they wanted  forgiveness for and any other struggle or challenge they were wrestling with.  All written on little cream coloured cards.  All being nailed to the cross.  As I drove my nail into the cross, there was a sense of freedom and a sense of forgiveness.  As I walked back to my seat, looking at many tear stained faces, I thought of a verse from the great hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul”.  Listen to the lyrics, “My sin oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin not in PART but the WHOLE, was nailed to the cross and I BEAR it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, ho my soul.”  Are those not awesome words.  My sin not in part but the whole.    When Jesus died on that cross, it was not for some of our sin but for all of it and when we pause and confess as an act of faith we are granted and recieve immediate forgiveness.

Last evening we listened as Brian Bulger shared his testimony with humour and honesty and candor.  Brian is a trophy of the grace and healing of God.  I was so proud of Brian and was so glad that  serve on the same team at Lakeside with him.

Maybe today you are wrestling with a fear or doubt, a sin or a struggle, with something from your past that has created all sorts of unhealthy guilt or shame or regret.  Simply come to the cross once again.  Receive the forgivenss that come and the freedom and the healing.  As Brian said last night – forgiveness comes through confessing to God and healing comes when we confess to others.  Great truth.  Give it a try.