In a couple of days, part of our team, and wives, will be heading to the lodge in Estes Park, where we will hold the Rhythm event. We are going to plan and pray with anticipation for what God has in store for 20 leaders and their families come October. 

Why families? Because this is not just about the 20 leaders a year we will be working with., This is about all the people we as leaders come in contact with, impact and influence. And the most important, most strategic of all those relationships is your own families that you either currently have, or will have in the years to come. In fact , getting leaders passionately connected to their families is a  core and compelling reason why I am on this journey. And God  reminded me of that last week.

I have been on a frantic pace the last few months. And last week a friend called with the news he had a couple of tickets the the Lakers/Nuggets playoff game in Denver. Now I am no martyr, I love basketball, I like watching it and playing it, but my 13 year old loves it even more. And the Lakers are his team. The problem for me was the only way I could pull this off was driving the 14 hours up and back the same day, and I had more than one person call me crazy for even thinking about it. But I decided to go for it, and it was a great day with Dylan. Watching him light up when the Lakers took the floor made it worth it. It was about much more than a basketball game , we had some great talks, we had alot of fun, and we made a fantastic memory, that will last a long time! 

On the long drive back, God reminded me of one of the key reasons .that we started Rhythm in Twenty . That in the business of life, and in the frantic pace of earning a living, chasing relationships,  pursuing ministry, and doing life, that we don’t miss the hearts of those closest to us. To the best of my ability I want to do that well, and encourage others to do the same.

talk to you soon,

tb 

I continue to wrestle with this comfort zone thing. In my life over the last couple years , God has frequently had me in an uncomfortable place. Everything from significant changes in the season of our family life, including one of our kids who wants to move to Chicago for college(which is not all sad, because I have a great excuse to see the cubs), to moving into a new job after many years of leading another organization, to helping me realize that weariness, boredom and routine in my life was putting me at risk, to helping me see that my marriage was not where it could or should be, to giving the extra time, and taking the steps of faith that needed to happen to see rhythmintwenty come to life.

Time and time again, Gods voice, his calling, has taken me to to the edge of some exciting,  overwhelming , often hard, but an always important place. I suspect many of you are at a crossroads of some sort as well. As you read this , and process the questions you may have about what this rhythm thing is all about, I would like to raise the stakes a bit. In some way, could God be calling you to this?For the last year, this team has been dreaming about what it would be like to have 20 leaders come to gather and encounter God, to seek him about what it means to live a life of rhythm , to find real community and to finish well. I believe God is calling many of you out, to join us on this quest and see where it leads.

Our hope is not in the process, the event, or in the applications, our hope is that God will show up and  move our hearts toward the 20 that he wants in this first year. It is an exciting time, an overwhelming time, an uncomfortable time, and I believe we are right where God wants us to be. Talk to you soon.   

tb  

I’ve been convicted by the blog entry of March 28^th “We are horrible bloggers”.  That sounds so hideous that I’ve determined to reform.   I’m Scott and I am part of the team who is praying out and puzzling out what God might have planned for this RHYTHMinTWENTY journey.   

I got involved partly out of selfish reasons.  For so much of my adult life I have not majored in healthy rhythm.  I’ve majored in achievement and gaining accolades.  I’ve majored in whatever “success” means.  I’ve majored in fun and a good cigar now and then.  But only in the past 5 years or so have I realized that my life is suppose to have a God breathed balance so that the journey that I take is the journey laid out for me by my Creator.   

So —— I’m trying to find that heart beat, that steady bass, that pulse that flows from the Spirit into my soul and then keep on the beat.  That’s what intrigued me about this dream of 20 guys gathering to talk about life and to make honestly a priority and to search for that beat.  I wish I had looked for a rhythm in life when I was a twenty-something instead of racing peddle to the metal into my forties.   

“And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.” Genesis 2 

If even God sought out a rhythm for life perhaps I might need to also.  Ya think?  

May God’s Spirit pace your life today,

Scott

tomorrow we all journey together from far away lands to spend a few days in the pursuit of what God might have for this crazy journey. as we plan and prepare, know that the many faces and names of those of you who have already applied will be before us in everything we do. we will be praying deeply for you and your journey-we can’t thank you enough for risking in this endevour with us.

your prayers for our time together and our own relationships with one another are always greatly appreciated.

blessings,
the RHYTHMinTWENTY crew.

I guess I am one of those old guys, that is slow to blog. I actually love to write, I do a bunch of journaling, but the blogging thing ,  takes me a little out of my comfort zone. I am thinking that as you read the rhythm site and think about what it would mean to apply and enter into a three year journey with us, that it might take you out of your comfort zone as well. This thing is odviously new, and it may seem risky to you. I have read over this site countless times, Ive been dreaming about what this kind of experience could mean for the lives of 20 leaders for a long time. I have prayed and thought about this night and day for the last year. I have wondered if we can deliver the kinds of things we talk about in rhythmintwenty. This is way out of my comfort zone!

But that is what makes it really exciting. I am tired of being comfortable, and  don’t want to just play it safe. Truth is we can’t deliver, but  I know God can. And there is no doubt in my mind that he has something in store for us in the rockies this fall. And I also know that in  my own life, a relentless pursuit of him, and a deep connection with others who share some similar passions and dreams gives me a great chance at the life impacting encounter with God that I really want . We are going to do our best to create the space, and the pace, to do just that. Here’s to busting up our comfort zones.    tb 

thanks to the great response that we have had from many of you across the country. your words have been encouraging and inspiring and we are already blessed by the many who have already applied. your hearts and lives are courageous and equally inspire our own pursuit of God.

here is a quote that i ran across today…

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders…Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” ~Antoine de Saint Exupery

 May your journey ahead not be the pain of monotonous and heartless work, but be filled with the adventure of yearning for your dreams that lie deep within.

blessings to you on a ridiculously rainy seattle day.

ben 

this is a snippet of a letter I recently wrote that has gone out to our supporters. hopefully it gives you an idea about the vision behind the event and a window into my heart and passion for what this could be…. enjoy.

“Several years ago, God gave me a dream, a literal dream, about a harbor, a place where leaders and their families could get resourced and restored. Since that time a clear mission to develop a ministry that would have deep, transformational impact on young emerging ministry leaders, as well as those that are struggling under the weight of years of service has emerged. It is a vision born out of my own experiences, screwups, and times when I occasionally got it right. It comes from the reality in my life that leadership was at times a very lonely and isolated walk. A walk that despite the many successes and victories we might experience, carries with it some serious hazards and obstacles that are there to take us out!

    In my mind, there is no doubt that a crisis in leadership exists today. There is a desperate need to not only come alongside those that are in transition and crisis, but also to invest deeply in young leaders, helping them to live a life of rhythm, to leave a legacy of influence and deep impact on many, and to stay true to who God has made them to be.

   So the dream of The Harbor, and Rhythmintwenty was born! As leaders, we want to come into the “harbor”, because we are in need of rest, balance, and restoration ourselves. We want to remember the times we were passionately pursuing God, as well as the times his voice was clear. And many of us are longing to get in touch with our calling, reunite with our passion, and more fully engage the road ahead of us. We also want to invest deeply in our families and leave with a greater sense of what it will take to finish well!

  We know we flat out can’t do this alone. So the vision of Rhythmintwenty was born. Twenty key leaders a year, coming together, listening, dreaming and connecting with each other and with some who are a step or two down the road

    Its new, it has no track record, no seven steps or easy formulas, its raw, real and its risky. And that’s what makes this thing so exciting. At the same time there is no doubt God is on the move with it. So join us, and lets see where this thing goes.

Isaiah 43:19 says “behold I will do something new, now it will spring forth, will you not be aware of it, it will make a roadway in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”

There are many young, and more seasoned leaders today, that desperately need a Harbor, a place to be resourced, restored, inspired, and empowered to do what it takes to pursue God, to run this race, and finish it well!

So the time has come, and we are inviting you to enter The Harbor, join us on this journey, dream with us, I believe we will be amazed at what God will do!”

thanks for stopping by our new blog. this will be the place for you to find updates on what is happening at RHYTHMinTWENTY, more information on what this event actually is, and who the guys behind this whole thing are.

keep checking back for updates, we’re planning on posting something or other at least twice a week.

hopefully this gives you a good window into who we are. you might even find some of our own wonderings about leadership and life…

thanks for stopping by. feel free to say hello or fire any questions our way.

cheers.

the RHYTHMinTWENTY team.  

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG