From Urbana '12

The Urbana '12 Missions Convention is my 12th Urbana.

The event is held every three years by InterVarsity (and has been relocated to St. Louis as of 2006).

Three observations:

1. This generation of students is deep into community, teamwork, cooperation.

2. They show little interest in the turf wars of their elders regarding denominations and secondary doctrines.

3. They're not color-blind. Rather, they affirm ethnicity. There's a big difference.

One more observation:

One of their prominent concerns is the strident atheism that has crashed the stage of college campuses the past ten years.

Thus: Naively, we were expecting 50 students to attend my seminar on the "new atheism" Saturday afternoon at Urbana.

600 showed up.

I almost forgot my lines.

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Lastly, I'll mention that worship is a central part of the convention. A 30-second sample is here:

Urbana Worship

Essentials part 13: Getting Quality Feedback

This is the last installment in my series on Essentials for ministry growth.

I appreciate the many comments I've received from my readership of 300-400 (mostly on email).

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This week: Growing ministries use regular Feedback mechanisms. They find out what their people are thinking, what they want and don't want.

Then (and this is huge), they have the wisdom not to do what everyone wants.

I'd like to suggest some some simple ways to get feedback (and use it wisely):

1. Use surveys. Survey Monkey is a good one, here:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/
2. Look for overall patterns in the feedback that's given. Don't let a few pointed comments overwhelm the process. 
3. In meetings: Don't assume the loudest voices are always the wisest -- or that they even represent the overall opinion of the group.
4. Intentionally draw quiet voices into the conversation. This is a skill I find missing in many leaders.
   
   Leaders need to say, "OK, we've heard from J and A. Now M, what do you think?" Then, back to J: "What do you think of what M just said?"
   
5. Seek out wise team members individually. Sometimes you'll hear more helpful comments in the freedom of a private chat than in an intimidating group meeting.

Feedback + Plans + Goals leads to Wisdom (I'm also assuming prayer and outside counsel as well. But focusing on feedback today).

I give my pastor, Jason Stonehouse, a lot of credit. He actively seeks opinions and feedback from his leaders. 

As an example, he's invited me to do worship service assessments (including the sermon) any time I wish, which I often do. Now that's gutsy.

Essentials Part 12: Crispy Meetings

Earlier today at Macalester College (where I work) I attended a crispy meeting. It was a student leadership team, run by a student.

We began with a short Bible study and prayer time.

We buzzed through about six agenda items that were laid out neatly on a single sheet of paper.

Discussion was healthy, decisions were recorded, responsibility for follow through designated.

The meeting started at 4, was over at 5. The time went fast.

Afterward I felt energized to follow through on the piece assigned to me. This group gets things done.

If I were 20 I'd join this team (if they'd take me).

On the other hand, crispy meetings of this nature are not valued universally.

In a completely different setting, I remember sitting in a gathering one morning between some of my white friends and a group from a minority culture.

We started right on time, zipped through the agenda and got out early. Most of the white folk bolted for the door. I happened to stick around for some chit-chat.

Now alone in the room (with me), the minority folks seemed a bit shell-shocked. They wondered aloud about building trust and a sense of community with the white folks, but having no chance to do so.

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It seems to me the white church sometimes operates in no-man's land:

• In cultural settings where efficiency is valued, we can be sloppy and long-winded. 
• In cultural settings where relationships and trust are valued, we have trouble ridding ourselves of the clock in order to settle in for some heart-and-soul time.

See you Next Week!