The power of listening

I recently read through Lynne M. Baab's great little book, 'The Power of Listening: Building Skills for Mission and Ministry.' I received the book as a participant in the 'Engaging Young Adults' endeavor sponsored by the Center for Congregations.

I found it an extremely easy and interesting read, but also quite challenging and insightful in light of not only ministry but the general climate of our culture today. With people so completely polarized this would be a great book for teachers, preachers, and leaders of all stripes to read and share from.

Cosmetically the book is 168 pages of medium-sized print. The chapters are mostly a nice 10-12 pages in length, and each ends with several "Questions For Reflection, Journaling, and Group Discussion." It's very nicely laid out.

In this post I will just share the chapter headings and some key terms. That should suffice as evidence whether this book is for you or not. Hopefully I will follow up with a post from the chapter on Listening Tools at some point. There was some especially helpful information there - though I honestly found the entire book packed full of good "stuff."
The table of contents are as follows:

1. A Call to Listen
2. Listening to the Unspoken
3. Listening within the Congregation
4. Listening for Mission
5. Listening in Consensus and Discernment
6. Listening to God Together through Scripture
7. Listening to God Together through Spiritual Practices
8. The Listening Toolbox
9. Anxiety and Listening
10. Humility and Listening
11. Listening, Receptivity, and Speaking Up

The author points out three phrases she says helped her "think creatively about listening" in her own life, as well as listening in a congregational context. They are "holy listening," "holy curiosity," and "receptivity."

Holy Listening describes the kind of listening we do when we seek to discern "the presence and activity of God in the joys, struggles, and hopes of the ordinary activities of congregational life, as well as the uncertainty and opportunity of change and transition" (Craig Satterlee). She says "this kind of listening is holy because when we engage in it, we are hoping and expecting to encounter God."

Holy Curiosity is a term coined by Albert Einstein in the 1940's to describe the freedom of inquiry he considered to be important in science education. Baab says, "People of faith have adopted this phrase because it evokes so much about effective Christian ministry. In order to meet needs, we must be curious about what they are. In order to give aid or help, we need to be curious about the ways to do it most effectively and in forms that empower the recipient. Our curiosity needs to have a holy quality about it, centered in God's gentle and insightful love."

Receptivity simply refers to an attitude, posture, or willingness to receive from God and others whatever it is they want to give or share with us. We cannot honestly listen without that openness.

These three phrases are defined at the beginning of the book, and then reviewed again at the end, as a way to encourage us to keep in mind the need for an attitude of respect, interest, and a willingness to interact with the concerns of others.

I would have loved to blog through this book on a daily basis like I used to - there is so much here - so, again, hopefully I can at least share the toolbox, and maybe from the chapters on listening together through scripture and spiritual practices.