“Are you going to retire?”

We’re such a literate society that there are people who are working to master the art of reading between the lines. Some of them are recipients of my Point of View; they replied to last week’s edition with that question: was I announcing my retirement?

No! My retirement will be announced in the newspaper, on a page called “Obituaries.” This is the calling that will take me to my transition, from the onramp into Eternity. I have no plans to retire…

I am, however, working hard for my next promotion. For the last 20+ years, I’ve been in front of the room, leading the quarterly mentoring sessions for The Master’s Program, across America. Today, more than two dozen men and women who are doing that – across the country, and around the world – as they lead the mission in cities outside Southern California. Into the future, I’ll be in front of the room – still – in SoCal, and in front of the movement everywhere else. Stay tuned…

Dozens of people replied to last week’s PoV, answering the question that I posed: if TMP did not exist today, would you (re)create us? And, if “yes,” why? (click here to read some of their “why” answers).

The polls have closed. The votes have been counted. Here’s the conclusion, based on the tribe.

Tribe? That’s what entrepreneur/author/business guru Seth Godin calls the formations of the future: “A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. For millions of years, human beings have been part of one tribe or another. A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.” (Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us). We’re part of a tribe; I’m just one of it’s leaders…

The group of people who connect through The Master’s Program have embraced a tight collection of concepts that, put into practice, are changing the way they operate – and, lead – in the Kingdom. What are some of those concepts?

1. Every tribe has followers and leaders; the Kingdom has followers (disciples) and leaders.
2. Churches exist – biblically and practically – to mature converts into disciples (tough duty).
3. Every disciple has a personal calling: to follow their leader (Hebrews 13:17). Every leader has a calling: it is their lifetime mission that glorifies God (John 17:4; Acts 13:2).
4. All church leaders are Kingdom leaders… but not all Kingdom leaders are church leaders.
5. Seminaries exist to prepare church leaders to lead churches.
6. The Master’s Program exists to help Kingdom leaders explore, expose and – ultimately – exploit their personal, unique Kingdom Calling, in and – often – beyond the walls of church.

Seminaries prepare men and women to lead Kingdom efforts that already exist (local churches); The Master’s Program prepares entrepreneurs – men and women – to launch and lead efforts that expand the footprint of the Kingdom.

Retire? From that mission? Leave the tribe that is pushing the fulfillment of the Great Commission – “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14) – which could be realized in our generation? They’ll have to carry me out in a body bag…

Scroll to the bottom of this e-blog; you’ll see lots of onramp opportunities to expand our TMP tribe – among your friends who have been discipled by church, but are leaders by God’s design, and are ready to find their place in God’s Kingdom mosaic…