What struck me as odd was that he chose to call up the Episcopal priest near campus, at the church he used to attend, to set up an appointment to talk about his inward grappling.

I don't know what other spiritual avenues this young man may be exploring but I confess I was a bit surprised that he turned to the church. I tend to find it ironic that while we weekly offer people a spiritual place to worship and connect with God, most Christians are not comfortable talking about spiritual issues and the spirituality of their own lives. That's what we do on Sunday.

What kind of spiritual leader is needed now? How do we help people relate God with everyday life? Here are two thoughts:

Make the God connection. Help people see that God is all around them and God is at work in their midst. I was on a trail in Glacier National Park. In front of me was a small steam set against the backdrop of snowcapped granite peaks. A couple that stopped to look at the scene turned to me and said how beautiful it all was. "God does great work," was my awed reply.

Ask the right questions. When someone is dealing with a difficult decision, our typical response is to ask if they've prayed about it. Of course, that usually gets a guilty look and a response of "no" or "not enough, I guess."

Instead, ask open-ended questions that allow them to explore the answers themselves. "How have you seen God at work in this situation?" "How has God been leading you lately?" "What's God saying to you in the midst of your struggle?"

A t-shirt I like says, "Don't go to church. BE the church." Spiritual leadership is about equipping people to be the church outside its walls.

This is the question Eddie Hammett poses to himself as he works out his own faith and ministry. As a coach and consultant, Eddie has seen too many churches that refuse to cross the cultural barriers of reaching those outside the church walls, and find that they wallow in decline and hopelessness as a result.

In this superbly engineered book, Eddie Hammett shows the church the art and science of "building bridges instead of barriers." He begins by connecting the church "for us" to the church "for them." Learning to be a disciple of Jesus in the sanctuary of a church ("for us" Christianity) is like learning to swim in a lap pool. You don't really know how to swim until you swim in the oceans of life ("for them" Christianity). - from the Foreword by Leonard Sweet

What I find particularly helpful about this resource is that Eddie not only lays out the groundwork for greater effectiveness for church leadership, he also includes helpful assessment tools and powerful questions to help you adapt and contextualize the information.

This would be a useful tool with church staff and/or leadership teams to be able to look at where they are now, evaluate where they want to go, and layout the map to get there. I've read a lot of books on postmodernism and cultural shifts and this one summarizes and explains the shifts in a manner laypersons can more easily understand.

My initial interest in the conference stemmed from my desire to meet and personally learn from Jim Herrington (pictured above), the author of Leading Congregational Change and The Leaders Journey. I discovered the time spent with Jim Herrington to be very insightful and inspiring for me in my ministry. His presentations were excellent and he encouraged us to partner up and begin applying the principles he was presenting. Jim's understanding of leading "systems" and change was very helpful and rewarding to me and my ministry.

I also discovered the environment and conference schedule to be very relaxing. It was exactly what I needed. The conference schedule provided ample time to enjoy some things that I often do not seem to find the time to enjoy. I was able to take some nice walks in the woods and just be alone with God. I picked up a book that I had wanted to read for a long time and was able to read it. I spent some valuable time getting to know a new friend. It was a very positive and purposeful experience for me. Something I now know God had planned for me - that I might be refreshed and renewed.

Thank you Lord! And Thanks to the Staff at Redwood Glen for working with God to renew and refresh Pastors as they seek to serve God in a busy world!

If you are looking for a get-away this summer, Redwood Glen is offering two special Pastor Sabbath weeks for pastors and their families. Enjoy a week-long stay at our Siden Conference Center for only $25! Meals are offered for a love gift donation. A limited number of rooms are still available: June 17-22 and July 8-14. Click on the link below to reserve your room via email. More information is available on the Meta website.

Redwood Glen is located in the Santa Cruz mountains just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. We are an hour drive from the San Francisco and San Jose airports. For more information on our 2007 summer programs and facilities, check out our website at www.redwoodglen.com.

If you are interested in having someone from Redwood Glen or Metamorphosis staff provide pulpit supply, please email us at meta@redwoodglen.com.

Previous editions of our Metamorphosis e-newsletters may be found on the Redwood Glen and Metamorphosis websites.