As we prepare for our first ElderLink of 2022, we wanted to whet your appetite for our time together at the West Houston Church of Christ. We recently sat down for virtual conversations with our keynote speaker (Josh Ross), our breakout session leaders (Jeff Childers, Alejandro Ezquerra, and Lori Anne Shaw), and our church host (Ben Pickett, executive minister at West Houston). At ElderLink Houston later this month, we’ll be focusing on the ways we can walk in the way of the cross as leaders in today’s churches.

For Josh Ross: Your keynotes will focus on two storm stories in the Gospels. You’ve been quite open about some of the storms that you and your family have experienced during your adult life. What is one thing that you would say to a Christ-follower who is going through a storm right now?

Storms don’t ask for permission before they make their entrance. At times, we know they are coming, but we can’t stop them. They intrude upon land and invade space. So it is with the storms of life; we are often inducted into clubs we never wanted to join. Although you cannot escape the storms of life, you can live in such a way that you refuse to let them define you. Jesus models what a peaceful, victorious presence is like while the storms rage – so keep your eyes on him.

For Jeff Childers: Your breakout session will focus on practices of patience. Why did you choose this particular spiritual principle as your theme? Were there any present-day or historical realities that inspired this topic?

I learned something during the 2021 Christmas season: we don’t like to wait – not for traffic, not at Starbucks, not at the COVID testing center. Waiting is hard. And when troubles and anxieties abound, we long for things to change. But impatience makes us do funny things, even harmful things, like trashing “the other guy” on social media or searching for quick-fix programs at church. The early Christians practiced a strange sort of patience, which wasn’t so much about waiting as it was about hope; further, it wasn’t just an attitude but was a way of imitating Jesus. It helped them cope with a world out of their control, but it was also one of the secrets to the church’s vitality and growth. We can learn some things from them about how to practice our hope by imitating Christ.

For Alejandro Ezquerra: When we think of cruciformity, ideas of self-sacrifice naturally come to mind. Yet your session is about the idea of greatness. Without giving away too much of your session, what would you say is the link between cruciformity and greatness?

We live in an anxious world in search of transcendence. Our desire for greatness permeates every aspect of our daily life. But it’s always good to ask about our definition of greatness, about what features make a person, a church, or a community great. I think it’s possible that we have assigned inaccurate values to the concept of greatness. In my session, I will explore how following Christ’s example and elements of his ministry reveals a different kind of greatness. Since greatness is often either labeled as arrogance or confused with success, cruciformity can take us back to its intended definition. Cruciformity means letting the cross of Christ shape individuals and communities to bring Christ-like greatness to the world.

For Lori Anne Shaw: In your session, you’re going to introduce us to some research that will help us think about our emotions, so that we can reflect on them as they help us lead through times of conflict. And yet, for many leaders, the idea of even having emotions can seem like a bad thing, even though it’s obvious that we all do! Why do you think we shy away from engaging our emotions in times of decision-making?

While it is obvious everyone has emotions, a stubborn myth persists that sound decision-making is borne of stoic resistance to them. The reality is, the more important the choice before us, the more our emotions will impact the decision we make, the process we use to make it, and how we feel about the outcome. This is especially true when we are confronted with a decision we feel has no perfect solution. Compounding this problem in organizations is the misperception that emotions are gendered and hierarchical. Love, fear, empathy, shame, hope, regret, guilt, and gratitude are running rampant within and around us through every step of the decision-making process. For instance, see this research, which outlines major conclusions from the past 35 years on emotion and decision-making. The research shows that emotion permeates choice processes. Therefore, the first task for many of us is learning to perceive emotion as companion rather than threat. We can never know whether to amplify or subdue those emotions until we acknowledge their constant presence.

For Ben Pickett: The idea of cruciformity as the theme for ElderLink Houston grew out of conversations we had with you. What is it about cruciformity that makes it such an important topic for us to consider?

I think one of the reasons this topic is so important is because it shapes the way we understand and exhibit Christian leadership. Leadership in the life of the church is distinctive from what we experience outside the church. Yet it is common for churches and church leaders to attempt to employ secular leadership principles in a congregational setting, resulting in challenges and frustrations. Cruciformity – meaning conformity to the crucified Christ – presents a powerful motif for Christian discipleship. When applied to leadership, the cruciform principles that inform Christian faith, love, and power, challenge us to reorient our leadership commitments in light of the crucified Christ. I am so excited about the possibilities for meaningful conversations around this topic, and I look forward to hearing from this outstanding group of presenters!

We hope you’ll be able to join us later this month!

ElderLink is open to adults engaged in congregational ministry – including elders, ministers, spouses, and ministry leaders of all types. We would love to connect with you at ElderLink Houston on February 19, 2022. Contact Renee Paul at elderlink@acu.edu with any questions or needs. Be sure to register by February 10 to secure early pricing, and bring a group of five or more to secure a lower cost per person.