Emotionally Healthy Leadership

 Yesterday and today I attended the Emotionally Healthy Leadership Conference at New Life Church in Queens NY. Pastor Pete and Geri Scazzero have been developing and applying this in a a very multi-racial context in Queens NY (Their zip code has 120 nations represented). In short they have recognized that much discipleship - growing in prayer and in the Word - does not help people grow in their own emotional health. This is the reason 50 year old Christians can often act like 15 year old teenagers and why we often do not see the true "transformation" we pray for. It really has to do with our inner life, character and identity in Christ.  In short the characteristics of a church transformed in this way will demonstrate 1. Contemplative Spirituality 2. Congruent Leadership 3. "Beneath the Surface" Discipleship 4. Skillful Community 5. Sacred Marriages and Singleness 6. Transformed Workers.  Theres lots that goes into defining each one of these and I'll be happy to share it when back.  We taught the Emotionally Healthy Spiritually as part of a small group last year along with a retreat. I hope we can do it again sometime.

New Life Church, Queens NY

The church has a place where you can "go to the desert" like the desert Fathers to be alone with God. It also has an amazing "Contemplative Prayer Center" with stations set up to focus on  "Abba's Child" ; the Cross - which is a huge cross on the floor in the middle of the room; Christ the Light of the World; the prodigal's dressing room, the stones cry out,  an apt word and "come and have breakfast".  Each station has brief reflective instructions, scriptures, things to touch (stones, candles, cross, apple, mirror, etc.)   It was a blessing to spend some time there

"Come and have breakfast: John 21: 1-14" contemplation station

I was impressed how real and raw everyone was at New Life. They are leading out of their own brokenness. We did a gene-o-gram of our own family life looking at generational patterns. One quote I liked was "Jesus might live in your heart but grandpa lives in your bones." We often don't realize how much our family background effects who we are and how we act. Another quote I liked is "If you want to go forward you need to go back". Pastor Pete & Pastor Linda led a workshop on Multi-racial congregations that I attended. We had good reflection and discussion. I invite you to check out their website for more details. There is great stuff on it. The link is HERE.

Pastor Pete & Pastor Linda Johnson

Debra and I are off early tomorrow morning flying into Albuquerque NM for 4 days at Christ in the Desert Monastery, then to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and then to the Grand Canyon.