Daily Bible Reading
To prevent the frustration of falling behind, which most of us tend to do when following a Bible reading plan, each month of this plan gives you only twenty-five readings. Today we start a few “free days” . We encourage you to catch up on any readings you may have missed this month.
If you have finished the month’s readings, you can use these final days of the month to study the passages that challenged or intrigued you.
Daily Devotion
Double-loop Learning
The Purpose Institute Fall course book – ‘Realign – God-called Leaders connecting with their purpose’ by Dr. Eugene Wilson is written especially to church leaders – those who have been called by God as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers – those who have been given the task of equipping others for the work of ministry. The fundamental idea is from Ephesians 4:12 that conveys the idea that the church leadership is to help each saint become what he or she is intended to be. The purpose of five-fold ministry is to help develop all members of the body so they may be able to perform their God-ordained purpose. The book focuses on understanding our purpose and aligning with it, traits of an ‘equipping leader’, processes to understand how people change and how to involve others while creating and maintaining a safe place.
In Chapter 5, I learned about an interesting concept – ‘double-loop learning’. Dr. Eugene Wilson explains how equipping leaders imparts double-loop learning to produce lasting changes on individuals. Definition of double-loop learning from the book.
“We can teach a person to modify his or her anger outburst – this involves identifying and correcting errors in the external environment. But double-loop learning forces a person to deal with the anger that generates the outburst. Double-loop learning digs deeper, moving beyond the external and addressing the underlying values by which a person functions. Double-loop learning is essential if a person is going to make change stick. People must be able to discover the “discrepancies between what they say and what they do” if they are going to experience change that lasts. Double-loop learning is important because without it individuals are not able to reexamine their values and assumptions. Learning occurs when you detect and correct error in such a way that the correction perseveres.”
The author goes on to a practical example of how Jesus imparted double-loop learning to his disciples. In John Chapter 18 we see Peter’s denial of Jesus, three times. John Chapter 21 is the account of Jesus’ appearance to his disciples after his resurrection. It offers scriptural illustration of a double-loop learning. Content from the book below.
“In this concluding chapter of his book, John ties up the loose ends of the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus Christ.
Peter had failed Jesus miserably. Overwhelmed by intense pressure, he had abandoned his mentor and friend in the moment Jesus most needed his friendship and support. How humiliated and degraded Peter must have felt. But John was careful to record the amazing story of how Jesus reconstructed and restored Peter.
John records the encounter in verses 15-18 of Chapter 21.
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to Him to him the third time, “Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him “Lord; You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”
Notice how Jesus dealt with Peter’s failure. He could have lectured him on commitment. He could have talked about dedication. But he did not address Peter’s behavior at all. Instead, Jesus penetrated to the heart of the problem and the man who had the problem.”
Instead of preaching a sermon or giving a lecture, Jesus asks a question. Jesus does not ask if Peter is sorry for what he has done. He does not ask him if he will promise never to do it again. Peter’s behavior is not the most important issue at hand – dealing with behavior only is single-loop learning. Double-loop learning goes on beyond single-loop and deals with the underlying cause for Peter’s behavior. Peter denied his Lord three times; and “three times Jesus forced Peter to examine the root cause of his problem.” Peter’s behavior problem was important, but Jesus knew change would not stick if the root of the behavior were not addressed.
The root of a person’s behavior is more important than the behavior itself. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Proverbs 4:23 states, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Equipping leaders are concerned with helping people grow and develop. Therefore, an equipping leader seeks to help people experience double-loop learning. An equipping leader is concerned with the heart of the matter – the values and attitudes that drive behavior. Equipping church leaders do not stop with one loop. Instead, they push on for double-loop learning, knowing that in double-loop learning change sticks.”
I am thankful that we have a Great Equipping Leader who has modelled and demonstrated practical experiences and examples in just three and a half years of His ministry. In doing so, He has created lasting impact on individuals that in turn changed the world!
~Yoga Raj