It doesn’t feel like Sunday, yet it is. We had worship this morning which was very good, and normally that would help anchor my sense of time and date. But we’ve been so many places in the last nearly three months that even this is not enough to fully secure my sense of time.
Breakfast is provided here at the Old Latin School, which is a blessing in that it’s one less thing to have to figure out. After worship our meetings started in earnest. Of course, there’s the ubiquitous icebreaker/team-building activity. This one involved Legos and required teamwork and communication. It wasn’t easy, but that was the point. Working together is not easy. Communication is not easy. Everyone feels they see clearly what needs to be done, but ensuring everyone else can somewhat access that vision is a whole different matter.
I’ve developed a reputation as the anti-institutional guy. I’d argue it’s not a fair assessment of my particular perspectives. I’ve worked for a fair number of companies in the secular workforce and a couple of congregations in the LCMS. All of that has taught me both the value and necessity of institutions, but also some of their blind spots. You can’t read Scripture as well without recognizing that even the Church is not immune to blind spots and correction. And while we as Lutherans would generally sound a hearty AMEN to such a statement, it’s not nearly as possible to remind or suggest to folks that the blind spots aren’t simply historical but are likely contemporary, current, and affecting each one of us.
And while I’d argue I’m not anti-institutional, I can’t really argue with the fact that I don’t like meetings. Once again, I’ve had a fair amount of experience with meetings. Most of them purported to be highly important and necessary. Yet I can’t recall more than a literal handful of any of the topics at any of those accumulated meetings over the last 30 years or so. That’s not to say they weren’t indeed important and necessary, but it does put them in a timeline context that reminds me that what’s important and necessary at the moment may not be so down the road. Or it may simply get buried in the midst of the next important and necessary things – which are only possible, I presume, because I participated in the most recent meetings.
C’est la vie.
Most all of what was discussed today was important and necessary. God-willing our efforts will prove fruitful in providing more clarity to the work in Asia, and ensuring each missionary understands their roles better. If that can be accomplished or built on, I’m willing to sit in on a few meetings.
All of it revolves around the current touchstones or keystones or pillars (there have been a few different names used interchangeably) for the LCMS and OIM – sharing the Gospel, planting Lutheran churches, and showing mercy. That’s what the LCMS wants to be doing, whether in the US or around the world. And our strategic plan needs to align the work we’re doing or hope to do along these admittedly broad guidelines. Which isn’t as hard as it might sound, but it does take time to think through it clearly and articulate how what we’re doing or hope to do will help accomplish these goals.
Still, at the end of the day I was tired. Glad for a night of rest (hopefully!). And even a little glad for another day of meetings tomorrow.
The Nelson Family Indonesia 