ECCU Blog

My son is learning to read. It is amazing—not just because I think he’s brilliant, but because he is standing on the brink of a whole new world. I can hardly wait for him to experience the wonder, the escape, the opportunity to learn, that books offer.

I’ve spent a lifetime reading anything I can get my hands on, and this year was no different. There is so much good stuff to read out there, and plenty that’s not, so I always love a good recommendation from a trusted source.

I compiled a list of my read-happy coworkers’ favorite books of the year and will gladly share a few recommendations if you’ll share yours. For your reading pleasure (okay, some of this stuff is pretty challenging as well), we recommend:  

Radical by David Platt

Want to be challenged to think beyond our consumer-driven society and pursuing the “American dream”? Get a hold of this book and buckle up for a thought-provoking and convicting look at what Jesus means when he calls us to follow Him and make disciples of all the nations. What does it really mean to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow him? Warning: If you’d rather stay comfortable, don’t read this one.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan

An inspiring, challenging, and paradigm-shifting book. Focuses on our relationship with the Holy Spirit and how we should look to live Spirit-filled lives in a deep and personal relationship with the triune God head. 

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry

By now, you’re probably familiar with the concept of emotional intelligence (and its importance in just about every aspect of life). This book is the how-to for practicing and increasing your emotional intelligence.

Poke the Box by Seth Godin

Godin speaks of one of the scarcest resources in most organizations—the spark of initiative. This book just may be the kick in the pants you need to get off the starting line.  

Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation by Sally Hogshead 

A fascinating book on the study of, well, fascination. Hogshead argues that fascination influences our behaviors and decision-making more than marketing, advertising, or any other form of communication. Anyone who sells anything, or influences others (so basically everyone), should read this.                                                                                                                             

There you have it, a few of our favorites. Now, what are your best book recommendations from 2011? Can’t wait to get my hands on the next good read.

This Thanksgiving, 21 out of my 27 family members who came together to “celebrate” ended up with the stomach flu. My house turned into an infirmary and Thanksgiving weekend looked slightly different than we all anticipated. As I did my best to help out with the grandkids (while trying to avoid catching this nasty bug), I reflected on a few reasons for thankfulness we don’t often think about—perhaps the ultimate reason for thankfulness.

It comes down to this: We are included in God’s unshakable kingdom. If we can act on this truth, we can find thanksgiving in any circumstance. And Jesus gives us some specific commands to help us set our minds on the kingdom.

1. Ask for the kingdom. When Jesus gave his disciples the model for prayer, the first thing he instructed them to ask for was God’s will to be done, God’s kingdom to come, on earth as it is in heaven. That’s an amazing request. Before any other request—before food, forgiveness, or protection from evil and temptation—we are to ask for God’s kingdom to be firmly established on earth, exactly like it is in heaven now.

There is a present sense to that prayer—that God would work through his church to proclaim the gospel and serve others in the name of Christ. There is also a future sense of God’s kingdom. Someday Jesus will return to restore and recreate the earth and make it perfect. He will completely reverse the effects of sin. Believers are to long for the kingdom now…to make it so important in our lives that it’s the first thing we ask for. Because we know, according to Romans 8, that the sufferings of this present time are not even comparable to the glory that is to be revealed to us.

2.  Be thankful for God’s kingdom. There are infinitely good reasons to long for God’s kingdom, but perhaps the greatest is that it can’t be shaken. These are difficult times. Many are out of work; many are concerned about their jobs. God knows we have needs on this earth and can’t wait for heaven. That’s why Jesus’ model prayer starts with a call for God’s kingdom but moves immediately to our immediate need, daily bread.  That’s also why Jesus was so careful to emphasize that God knows our every need. He knows the needs of the sparrows and counts the very hairs of our heads. But our cry for daily care must be grounded in our hope and anticipation of the kingdom to come. And in our commitment to live out God’s kingdom now on this earth, as the church, lives in the likeness of Christ in all that we do as we await his coming. So choose to live there—now. Hebrews 12 tells us that someday God will remove the “things that have been made.” Everything material will be removed, the earth will burn, but God’s kingdom is eternal and perfect and indestructible. Nothing can even shake it: “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28).

3.  Worship God for including us in his kingdom.  God bought us and brought us into his kingdom through the sacrifice of his Son. Thankfully, living in God’s kingdom results in deep, often spontaneous, worship. “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12: 28 -29)  

Acceptable worship is thankful worship. 

Jesus reminds us that while the world around us may be shaken, he has brought us into his unshakable kingdom. Because of this profound truth, we have every reason to rejoice and be glad even in the midst of our deepest valleys—and Thanksgiving-day flu bugs.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

Some of my best work experiences have revolved around collaboration and partnership, when I have been able not only to bring my own talents but also benefit from others bringing theirs. Through partnership, I have experienced greater productivity and more creativity, which in turn has led to greater engagement and satisfaction with my work.

For example, a key leader I work with enjoys detailed problem solving. I, by contrast, am always anxious for action and enjoy learning by doing. In the world of banking operations, we are always crafting solutions and growing with the opportunities technology affords. In this endeavor, our partnership has led to some creative problem solving. She helps me seek root causes while I encourage her to try a course of action. It is iron sharpening iron. We challenge, we test, we expand, and we deliver. Knowing we both want the best for ECCU’s members is important. Equally important is that we respect and trust one another in the process.

Research shows that our experience isn’t isolated. According to the Gallup organization, “In the workplace, employees with just one collaborative relationship are 29% more likely to say they will stay with their company for the next year and 42% more likely to intend to remain with their current employer for their entire career, compared to those with no partnerships.” Here, from a recent book titled Power of 2: How to Make the Most of Your Partnerships at Work and in Life by Rodd Wagner and Gale Muller, are the eight crucial elements of a successful partnership that Gallup has uncovered from their research (and others’) on collaboration. As you read them, consider this question: How have partnerships—and these elements of them—strengthened your ministry and made your work more satisfying?

 The Eight Elements of a Powerful Partnership

“Great partnerships don’t just happen,” the authors say. “Whether your joint mission is to build a successful company, coach a team, improve the government, do something spectacular for a charity, or any other worthy goal, all successful partnerships share the same crucial ingredients.” When all these elements combine, partnerships become not just effective in accomplishing the mission, but also personally rewarding, sometimes intensely so.

• Complementary Strengths: Everyone has weaknesses and blind spots that create obstacles to reaching a goal. One of the most powerful reasons for teaming up is working with someone who is strong where you are weak, and vice versa. Individuals are not well-rounded, but pairs can be.
• A Common Mission: When a partnership fails, the root cause is often that the two people were pursuing separate agendas. When partners want the same thing badly enough, they will make the personal sacrifices necessary to see it through.
• Fairness: Humans have an instinctive need for fairness. Because the need for fairness runs deep, it is an essential quality of a strong partnership.
• Trust: Working with someone means taking risks. You are not likely to contribute your best work unless you trust that your partner will do his or her best. Without trust, it’s easier to work alone.
• Acceptance: We see the world through our own set of lenses. Whenever two disparate personalities come together, there is bound to be a certain friction from their differences. This can be a recipe for conflict unless both learn to accept the idiosyncrasies of the other.
• Forgiveness: People are imperfect. They make mistakes. They sometimes do the wrong thing. Without forgiveness, the natural revenge motives that stem from friend-or-foe instincts will overpower all the reasons to continue a partnership, and it will dissolve.
• Communicating: In the early stages of a partnership, communicating helps to prevent misunderstandings; later in the relationship, a continuous flow of information makes the work more efficient by keeping the two people synchronized.
• Unselfishness: In the best working relationships, the natural concern for your own welfare transforms into gratification in seeing your comrade succeed. Those who have reached this level say such collaborations become among the most fulfilling aspects of their lives.

What’s your experience. How have partnerships made you and your ministry more effective?