Set in 1969, based on Pat Conroy's "The Water Is Wide," the movie details the experiences of a young teacher (Jon Voight), who takes on the fifth through eighth grades in a black school on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The picture revives the hopes and frustrations of the nineteen-sixties, including the idea that deprived people may be nourished by education...
Mr. Voight plays a teacher who is battling through the web of suspicion that confronts a white outsider. At first, he's equally shocked by his students' ignorance—the four oldest in the class think that the Civil War was fought by the Germans and the Japanese—and by the grim black woman principal, who tells him, "Treat your babies stern, treat 'em tough. . . . Put your foot on 'em and keep it there" (Madge Sinclair, in an excellent performance.)
Soon he wins over the wary children and proceeds to teach them about the pyramids and Babe Ruth, the lotus position, their own genitals, the law of gravity, swimming, Brahms and Beethoven, while building their egos and their expectations of themselves...
...There is, in the story of any good man’s passing, the laundry list of achievements that should be mentioned, the fact that Harwell likely was the first baseball announcer to be traded for a player (in 1948), that he called games for the Dodgers, Giants, Orioles and Tigers, or that he missed just two broadcasts in 55 years behind the mike — one because he was being inducted into a hall of fame. The fact that he was there for Jackie Robinson’s career as well as Cecil Fielder’s, that he did 42 years in Detroit, that the press box in Comerica Park is now named in his honor, that he wrote hundreds of songs and penned a famous baseball poem, or that he felt unsatisfied by his path in the 1960s, attended a Billy Graham speech in Florida one night and gave his life, as he told me, “to the Lord,” remaining a devout Christian and living quietly by those precepts for the rest of his days...Read more: Mitch Albom: Ernie Harwell: Gone now, but never forgotten | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20100505/COL01/5050493/0/SPORTS02/Ernie-Harwells-gone-never-forgotten#ixzz0vzqVbPmN
Christian leaders tend to do the following things well
1. Move from HERE to THERE
Leaders help churches move and grow and change. When we begin we tend to want to describe in glowing terms what it will be like when we get THERE.
When we talk excitedly about THERE some of our key early adopters will respond warmly to this vision-casting.
However sooner than we anticipate – others will respond telling us that they don’t really what to go THERE – because they really like it HERE.
HERE is not bad at all – it is comfortable – has been effective and is not very demanding. Why not just let us stay HERE.
Leadership Lesson #1 – ALWAYS help everyone see the downside of HERE – FIRST
Don’t worry about THERE until you have clearly demonstrated what is wrong with HERE
We are not here to Preside over a great HERE
We are not here to Protect things as they are HERE
We are called to MOVE from Here to There
2. Engage FANTASTIC PEOPLE on Healthy TEAMS
Spend energy finding recruiting and training Fantastic leaders throughout your church/organization.
Fantastic People have the FOUR Cs
1 Character – are they solid deep strong growing Christ-followers
2 Competence – are they gifted and focused in ministry
3 Chemistry – do they have energy and connectivity with the rest of the team
4 Culture – will they feel at home with our leadership style and organizational values
Now think about each key leader – staff – board – volunteers:
Ask yourself -- if they suddenly resigned – how would you feel?
1. Relieved
2. Concerned
3. Destroyed
Call in every person who fits category #3 – those you would be devastated to lose and tell them so. Communicate your feelings – I value you and I treasure your input.
Tell us if anything is demotivating you so we can change it/fix it.
We NEVER want to lose you.
3 Observe MILE MARKERS and Mid-point CELEBRATIONS
Along the way from HERE to THERE we tend to get stuck halfway
The middle third of the Marathon is the hardest – fun is over – end is not in sight
In the middle – your momentum can get broken
People lose their bearings and run out of steam.
SO -- Learn to celebrate along the way that way you refill the Vision Bucket
Make a commitment to celebrate every mile along the way to success
Data shows there is a 40% increase in the productivity of people who are INSPIRED
Bill's last point grows out of his new book on listening to quiet leadings from God along the way -- Whispers.
I found this session particularly helpful!
GHT
Peter Drucker wrote 1/3 of his many books before age 65 -- 2/3 after age 65!
“The path out of darkness begins with those individuals (leaders) who are constitutionally incapable of capitulation.”
Again thanks to Eric Spangler's Blog for the basics which I was able to massage with some of my own comments etc. I have been having issues with editing the format -- sorry about that.
The content is still good stuff.
GHT
Dr. Peter Xiao is a prominent Chinese economist who was commissioned by his government to study the success of the American economy. He concluded that a moral foundation based in Christianity allowed the American economy to flourish and he argued that
As a friend of China myself and student of Chinese culture I greatly admired Dr. Xiao's teaching and was very aware that his remarks were no doubt being scrutinized by his own government who granted him permission for his lecture in a large church in America. Some of his remarks regarding past Chinese leaders and current government policy were clearly shaped by the political reality he faces.
(Dr. Xiao spoke through a translator who was introduced as a fellow Christian with little formal training as a translator. The translator chosen did not speak great English. Although the translator seemed very sincere and inspired by the moment I felt like he hurt the overall impact of this presentation.)
“I am here today to share the findings of my research which led me to the conclusion that the success of American society has resulted from its Christian foundation. When I began to study American society I read the Bible, saw the power and potential of the Christian faith and personally converted to Christianity. I have since gone back to
There are four great platforms of the interaction with the larger world: Economics / Politics / Sports / Faith.
This notion that
China
In Asia there are no countries who want to follow
China
When all the Christian missionaries were asked to leave
The biggest challenge facing
I have also reminded our people that the concept of becoming more open to Christianity is consistent with the Chinese way of thinking. Chinese culture is not stubborn and static – it is willing to adapt and learn and change. In the past some dynasties turned to Taoism and Confucianism for a spiritual foundation. Later still other dynasties added elements of Buddhism to stabilize the nation. Now as
One reason it would be a good idea to embrace Christianity is that our government has a stated goal of building a more harmonious society. Surely Jesus and his teachings of unconditional love can make this harmonious society possible. Christianity is know to help people become more loving. Another reason to embrace Christianity is that our government has asked everyone to conduct business honestly -- using only one set of books instead of two. Christianity values honesty. We already see the it is the Christian business people in
So I strongly encourage that in the coming decade
In closing O have a word for you Christians in the West. Please pray for us and continue to show us how you can be economically great and still be honest and moral and kind and loving. Set a good example for us as a nation and as individual Christians so that we can learn more about how to follow Jesus every day in every aspect of life. Thank you.”
Amazing insight into the Chinese mind from a Christian perspective...
GHT
