The Magic in Connections

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The Magic in Connections
Gordon MacDonald Chancellor, Denver
Seminary
This material is not to be reproduced without
written permission from the Dr. Gordon MacDonald
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Henri Nouwen
Leadership is often exercised by people who do
not know how to develop healthy, intimate
relationships and have opted for power and
control instead. Many empire-builders have been
people unable to give and receive love.
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Connections Important to me
Troubled family great mentors Bible is a
relational book 21st century all about
relationships A relationally broken world 50
years of relationship building.
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Avoiding Connections
Busyness Tendency to use people Prefer the role
of the fixer/counselor Fear of loss of
control Secretive fear of transparency Unresolved
woundedness Competitiveness
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John 13.34
I have given you a new way of living the way of
love. Love each other in the same way that I
have loved you. As you do this, everyone will
recognize you as my (people).
Gmac Paraphrase
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Relational Sets
Mentor/Mentee
friends
Friends
Marriage
Neighbor
Family
Stranger
Colleagues
Intensive

Casual
Enemy
"Weaker" Competitor
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Connections Ten Vital Signs
Vision or purpose why this connection? Baggage
what issues from the past influence the
present? Temperament how is each person
different? Communication clarity or confusion?
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Cooperation mutual contribution to the
maintenance of the connection? Growing is each
person growing in maturity and effectiveness? Appr
eciation are people appropriately affirmed and
respectfully corrected?
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Statement what does the quality of the
connection say to outsiders? Reset when there is
offense, how is the connection
repaired? Durability how long is the connection
designed to last? How is it sustained? Under
what conditions is it terminated?
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Desmond Tutu
We say in our African idiom, "A person is a
person through other persons." The solitary
human being is a contradiction in terms. I need
you in order to be me as you need me in order to
be you. We are caught up in a delicate network
of interconnectedness. I have gifts that you
don't and you have gifts that I don't...We are
made different so that we may know
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our need of one another. The completely
self-sufficient human being is subhuman. Thus
diversity, difference, is of the essence of who
we are.
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Who mentors you and offers a perspective of
wisdom? Who inspires you to be a more noble
person? Who challenges you to think?
Connectional Inventory
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Who supports your dreams? Who cares enough to
rebuke you? Who is merciful when you have
failed?
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Who shares the load without being asked? Who
brings fun laughter into your life? Who
offers encouragement when you become dispirited?
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Who elevates your spiritual life?
o
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The Magic in Connections