a personal tune-up or major overhaul...

I'm writing this from South Haven, MI (about a 2.5 hr drive from CLC) where I'm doing something I've never done in my entire 53 (soon to be 54) years: I'm taking 24 hours to work on me!

I had the privilege of joining about 25 other senior pastors tonight and all day tomorrow for a meeting sponsored by the Willow Creek Association. We're interacting with three of the foremost leaders in the world in their particular areas of expertise: Pastor Bill Hybels about leadership strategies; Dr. Henry Cloud about inner-world issues; and Dr. Jack Groppel regarding energy management.

I can't think of 3 more important topics than those, and the latter 2 are probably the least-discussed of any subject that pastor's conferences and meetings ever address, so this is not fluff - this is down-and-dirty, life-transforming stuff that's way overdue, at least in my life. I'm guessing they'll be taking me apart and putting me back together (better than before!) by the time the day wraps up tomorrow, and I'm really excited to be here. God has chosen to do His work through men, and I full-well know how broken and flawed I am, so I hope to get help for my issues and return to CLC better able to lead than ever before.

I guess you'll be the judge of that in the days ahead!