October 14, 2008
Burnt Pine Cones
The retreat weekend was wonderful. The facility was magnificent, nestled in the tall pines along a lake in the mountains. During the three day event many people experienced tremendous breakthroughs, spiritual encounters and wrestled with significant issues. The retreat led up to a peak moment around a large bonfire. With participants joining in a time of worship, confession, repentance and responding to God’s call. The issue was then symbolically given over to God’s care by tossing a pine cone into the crackling fire.
But, as is too often, while I drove to the airport I was thinking, what lasting difference was made in the lives of these leaders? Beyond a burnt pine cone what evidence was there of the inspiration experienced this weekend? I reflect on these questions simply because of the many, many weekends like this one that have, unfortunately, resulted in very little lasting change. Added up over a lifetime these high points that end up producing no change can leave a leader jaded, hardened or disillusioned.
What would it take to prevent this from happening in the future?
What if, in the future, every time we introduced another mountain top experience, or for that matter a new topic, we were to identify those few who truly desire life change, respond to God’s prompting or to apply the topic at hand, we immediately launched into a simple intentional relationship built around a short list of focused questions posed to help move participants from inspiration to application and eventually to transformation. After all isn’t transformation what ministry is all about?
What are you doing to facilitate transformation? Or are you happy with just burnt pine cones?