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Change Your Mind Article Archives

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Change Your Mind is a collection of monthly articles written by Jim Van Yperen specifically for Christian leaders on the character and capacity of leading beyond objective or subjective reasoning to spiritual discernment and interpretation.  We call this model "Interpretive Leadership."

Archives are archived by year and topic. For each article the issue number and date is provided followed by the title and one line description or excerpt from the article. Simply click on the topic you wish to read to go to the article.

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Change Your Mind Article Archives

2013

May 2013 66

I am a Christian.  That is, I follow the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, whom Scripture names Lord. 

I do not say now, as I once did, that, “I have decided to follow Jesus.”  I have come to hear that statement through different ears, for the unintended but...

Jan 2013 63
Reordering your spiritual appetite

If your physical life depended upon your spiritual diet, would you thrive, or starve to death? That is, if your basic food were not bread and water, but word, worship and prayer, would you enjoy feast, or suffer famine?

Apr 2013 65
While limiting human power, politics and persuasion

There are two common and prevailing models for decision-making in the Western church, as follows:

1.  Objective /Autocratic:  Commonly referred to as “Elder-led,” this form of governance places final authority in a few elected or appointed members...

Jan 2013 62
What it means to follow, and to lead like Jesus

 Sometimes, to get conversation going at a party or seminar, I will ask a question.  “If you were to choose an animal that best represents who you are, what animal would you choose?”  The answers are often humorous and revealing.  What animal would you...

Mar 2013 64

My bird feeder was visited a week ago by a mob of angry crows, quarreling.  Big bully birds took turns swooping down from bare branches, scattering the Finches and sending the Chickadees, chick-a-dee-dee-deeing.  I watched from my office window.   One crow flew to my feeder...

2012

Dec 2012 60
Reflections on Advent

Luke paints the picture.  Night time, shepherds are in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks—flocks destined for the Passover sacrifice, sheep appointed to die.   Suddenly, a glorious light illumines the night sky.  At the center of the light, an angel....

Apr 2012 57
How hearing reveals your heart
Yogi Berra was right, “You can observe a lot by watching.” 
 
I am practicing being attentive—carefully noting what I am hearing, seeing and saying.  My focus is not what I am taking in, but what is coming out...
Dec 2012 61
The woman ahead of me at Starbucks was next to place her order. 
 
“What can I get for you?” the waiter, excuse me, Barista asked.
 
“A Grande, Three-Pump, Sugar-Free Gingerbread, Soy, Upside Down Skinny Latte,...
Apr 2012 56
A reflection for Holy Week

We prayed for Lauri first thing every morning, and throughout each day. Most nights ended the same. Our friend had stage four cancer. “God please heal her,” we prayed in faith. Some days brought hope—a good test result, chemotherapy may be working. We rejoiced and prayed...

Jun 2012 59
How words reveal your heart

Many years ago, we served a church that had significant problems with its facility. The church, like many others, had been founded in a home, grew and needed more space. But instead of moving or building a new facility the church decided to add on to the existing structure. They grew and added...

Mar 2012 55
How we become what we desire

I am learning to take seriously the health warnings I ignored for years—about cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart disease.  It happens to all of us, I suppose, when sickness, age or the second law of thermodynamics grabs one’...

May 2012 58
How what you see reveals your heart

I am practicing being attentive—carefully noting what I am hearing, seeing and saying as a window into my heart. Jesus tells us that our ears, eyes and mouth reveal what is in our heart. In the last issue of Change Your Mind, we considered “how we hear.” In this issue...