My personal take on Lumps dynamics now

* The group’s in transition. Some old-timers are leaving. Some people not moving on to something new are getting a little nervous about change. Some are feeling the natural transition of roles and personal growth.

* There’s still a huge interest in fellowship and community for 20-somethings. Lu-La-Palooza added a big of energy to the group. I think you’ll probably see some momentum in interest in a few weeks to come. I think it boosted a lot of ownership. Did you realize that we had 80 people last night? It’s probably the biggest night we’ve had all year. There are some people who are making a renewed effort for fellowship in their lives.

* There isn’t much forecasting for the future in terms of growth. A little tough as I know you guys are seeking out transition in your roles/lives, feel a responsibility to the group, and might not be certain how to hand things over to the new generation. It can sometimes be a real struggle to lead with big questions ahead. And things are always changing...so you guys have to figure out still how to adapt, and can’t just duplicate the model done before.

Future Leadership

* The future is uncertain. Who’s going to lead? Who’s qualified? Who’s vested? Who’s going to stick around?

* Old core faced these same questions before. A lot of major questions, perhaps different in nature. It took a while of exploration, prayer, sharing, seeking out God’s guidance and discernment for the future of Lumps.

Establishing Leadership in 2000

* For the first time we really tried to move Lumps from month to month planning to a structure that was stronger, more cohesive, and more vision focused. It used to be whoever was available to plan and do stuff...did it. (Lumps offered a lot of openness in planning.) The group was a lot smaller.

* We were sort of changing the culture in Lumps...to something one might wrongly perceive as a hierarchy of leadership or elitism. But we wanted to avoid that by keeping Lumps really consciously accessible to anyone.

* We set up meetings to dialogue about vision in Lumps with whoever was interested. We noted areas of calling. JQ and I, both having some strength in administration. We each met up separtely with different groups of 6 or so people...to get a sense of people’s hearts and burdens for the group. This was right around when JQ was going to leave. After that JQ and I synched back up with each other, talked about it. It seemed pretty clear. Who was willing to put time into what...who was gifted at what. Then followed up with people individually. Not everyone we hoped to step up was available or felt that calling. But we soon discerened a balance of core leadership. After we got the structure in place, we clearly communicated it to all the rest of lumps a few times. (on e-mail...in large group, planning meetings.)

Transitioning Leadership in 2001

* Our first ever leadership transition. Something that helped a lot was trying to continually keep our Lumps planning and leading open to hearing people’s input and continually presenting on a monthly basis ways for people to get involved.

* Remember the series of “state of Lumps” meetings and vision meetings last year with old core? I don’t know if we directly expressed it...but probably the primary agenda item was to use it to seek out potential leaders. From them we saw glimpses into your hearts, wisdom, and maturity of you guys. I remember seeing in you solid outward communication and expression of a mature faith. It’s been exciting for me to see you guys continue to grow from that point over the past year.

* We talked about potentials in the core meetings. Gave you guys opportunities to stretch yourselves and exercise your hearts for the fellowship. (starting in the summer started to share responsibilities with different people.) It seemed that god was confirming what we were praying about. We talked to you guys individually.

* We corporately announced the new leadership at retreat. Then we followed up with that on e-mail.

* We met up with you guys a couple of times early on to brief you and to share with you.

* I had an unofficial role to help with the transition. (Everyone else was gone and I had the time and heart for it.) This is what some of you might be possibly doing in various capacities. Helping out newer leadership and still serving the fellowship.

I wanted to give you guys some context and help in terms of how you guys are figuring out how to hand things over to new people. It’s up to you what your timeline is...but it’s a really good idea to coincide the timing with the introduction of a new study curriculum, new page in lumps content.

It’d be good if you found the people...to make the announcement at retreat. If you’re not ready yet...give some public insight and acknowledgement to core/leadership transitioning and that it’s to come. As much as possible...it’s good to not let a mysterious Wizard of Oz curtain separate you and the people. Keep things open and accessible. Continually make it easy for people who are shy to learn about lumps involvement and how they can make a difference.


But anyways...I wanted to give you guys some context and help in terms of how you guys are figuring out how to hand things over to new people. It’s up to you what your timeline is...but it’s a really good idea to coincide the timing with the introduction of a new study curriculum, new page in lumps content.

It’d be good if you found the people...to make the announcement at retreat. If you’re not ready yet...give some public insight and acknowledgement to core/leadership transitioning and that it’s to come. As much as possible...it’s good to not let a mysterious Wizard of Oz curtain separate you and the people. Keep things open and accessible. Continually make it easy for people who are shy to learn about lumps involvement and how they can make a difference.


Other random thoughts, some from talking to you guys...

* Another idea...Continually solicit input from all the servants in the fellowship. Don’t forget worship, hospitality, etc. If the group’s too big to get together...then break it up into different meetings for you guys to separately handle

* Maybe one of the nights at the end of the month could be like a Lumps retreat preview nite. Something to build upon the body life and hope for the retreat. That’s what was done last year with Mary and the newspaper skit nite. Get people into the mindset and understand the intentions/theme for the retreat. Retreat’s like 5 weeks away right? Seems like momentum is really slow with it. It would also be a way for you to check in with the retreat leaders

* Work with people to run the missions recap nite. Let them emcee it. Do the coordination with the summer missionaries. Let them hype it asap. Let other people talk and represent Lumps. Give them feedback and guidance. Put people in a position to be stretched by God.

* Get another café nite/outreach event going. Maybe end of September? Or October? (Even if you won’t be serving on Core then...doesn’t mean that you should not forecast and plan somewhat for the months to come. It would help out new core a lot and give them guidance into what they can do. You probably need a month to plan. Maybe 4-8 weeks to reserve a spot. I think that it would be best if you don’t have your next one at church...but rent out an offsite venue.
Do it on a Thursday...if you hope to get people to find Lumps as a follow-up venue to learn about God and faith. Café nites were all about “creative expressions of life and faith.”

- I think good venues would be the Canvas café (they do rent out the place...we were looking at it for our banquet a year ago...we do have money to put towards it too). Another good place would be 1640 post, where Locus is held. It’s the perfect place to have a café nite (stage, sounds system, tables, chairs, serving area, casual atmosphere, etc.) eli and I talked to the girl who could potentially provide the rental hook-up thru their organization. I think it’s under $200...a steal. Eli only met her once tho, and that was a year ago...but I bet he could make something work...he’s have to go to another Locus event again tho.

- To do effective event outreach, you have to put it out there early. You can get listed in AsianWeek...but to do that I think you need to get your info/theme/date specifics figured out like 3-4 weeks ahead of time to submit.
it’s another really great event that unites the fellowship. Don’t be afraid to get big events going. Just don’t do the nitty gritty. There are others like Enoch out there who are willing and capable of the coordination. (maybe they might be better at activities than for vision stuff). Maybe Core (current or future) can lend some vision and focus and let them handle the specifics. There are so many experienced people who’ve served in their college fellowships, you know.
Remember the little ways of building up community. Don’t drop the birthdays. The purpose was to acknowledge the personal. I think faith and fellowship goes hand in hand into all the aspects of the personal life.

* Acknowledge and send-off the regulars leaving. That’s a big part about community. It’s easy to forget those little things as Lumps gets huge. Acknowledge their presence, contribution, servanthood. (I’m not really talking about me...but about the others who might slip thru...like Amy, Owen, JasonChang who will be moving on.) Maybe others...Jacob, Dylan, Felicia, Jessica, ChrisChan. Maybe whoever moved on this year since retreat or is about to move on. In ministry and with a lot of things in life, it’s so easy to start thing well but not end things well. Closure, resolution, and change is important. Lumps is all about change...and it’s also good to acknowledge it properly. I think that it’s healthy to embrace, welcome, and ride out change...and not just ride things out from how things used to be. A good time to acknowledge the leaders would be at retreat. It would be best coming from you guys...instead of Enoch/Kim.

Just show people where to step up...and they will. I know Lumps will continue on and grow. Pray for their hearts, for God’s spirit of discernment. Don’t be afraid to dream and pray big for Lumps. I think Vision is about reaching for what’s directly within reach under your own power...and looking to God’s hand to achieve those things. Talk to them about their concerns or personal fears. Encourage them and build them up. Lend a bigger perspective. Affirm what you see that is good on a personal level.

I’ll put this stuff also on the core blog for knowledge management for the future leadership.

Okiedoke. I hope some of this is helpful to you guys.