SKU: 86902264196

Gold Quartz Pendant "Orocal" PN642D4QX Genuine Hand Crafted Jewelry - 14K Gold Yellow Gold Casting

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Description

Gold Quartz Pendant "Orocal" PN642D4QX Genuine Hand Crafted Jewelry - 14K Gold Yellow Gold CastingGold Quartz Diamonds Pendant "Orocal" PN642D4QX Genuine Hand Crafted Jewelry One of a Kind 14k Casting Approx. weight = 2. 0G " If this is not in Stock our Jeweler will make it in 4 6 weeks" Specs and Dimensions: Length Width Quartz Stone Size 11x6 mm Bail Size 5x2 mm Diamonds . 04 ct Total R stands for Ring, L for Ladies, M Stands for Men, Q stands for the Quartz E Stands for Earrings and P Stands for Pendant With This Stunning Gold Quartz Pendant

Gold Quartz/Diamonds Pendant "Orocal" PN642D4QX Genuine Hand Crafted Jewelry - One of a Kind - 14k Casting-Approx. weight = 2.0G

" If this is not in Stock our Jeweler will make it in 4-6 weeks"

Specs and Dimensions: Length/Width

Quartz Stone Size 11x6 mm

Bail Size 5x2 mm

Diamonds - .04 ct Total

- R stands for Ring, L for Ladies, M Stands for Men, Q stands for the Quartz / E Stands for Earrings and P Stands for Pendant

With This Stunning Gold Quartz Pendant you will receive a certificate of authenticity each of these Nuggets or Quartz. Are Gold Quartz is hand cut to fit the design, then we use 6 different wheels to produce the shine. Each nugget is Inlaid in like a puzzle Solder in by the Jeweler. The Casting is 14K Yellow Gold.

ATTENTION:

Attention: " You Will Receive A Similar Piece " All My Specials I picture 1 time and They are Pre Made and Built by the Master Jewelers at Orocal Manufacture the #1 Natural Gold Company In the World. The Reason why I do this is to keep the Cost Low By Only Picturing this Item 1 Time I can keep restocking. If you have any questions or concerns about this process feel free to contact me. Check out the Gold Quartz Guide Below to learn more about this rare beautiful stone. Message us if you request a specific size before shipping, Or add it in the notes at check out. Gold Quartz is a durable stone in fact it is a 7 out of 10 on the Hardness scale. All jewelry is backed by the Manufacturer. All chains that come with piece are free with purchase and gold plated for display only , we do not provide 14k chains.

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Gold Quartz Guide:

What is it? Millions of years ago, gold was formed in quartsz deposits by hydro-thermal pressure, deep within the earth. Gold remaining in these deposits is called Gold Bearing Quartz or Gold Quartz for short. It is extremely rare, accounting for less than 1/20th of 1% of all gold found annually.

Where is it Found? Gold Quartz is found in underground hard rock mines in the same areas where gold nuggets are found. In Alaska, it was first discovered in 1880 in the town Juneau. Regions of Canada, California, and Australia are also well known for Gold Quartz.

Grading: Like other precious gemstones, Gold Quartz comes in different grades. Orocal is well know for having the highest quality authentic Gold Quartz with spectacular patterns of Gold. We grade the quartz on a few different factors being how white the stone is. The brightness of the white increases the value along with the vein of gold. The actual pattern and placement of the exquisite gold vein. In fact that vein is very pure around 23% purity.

Authenticity: Some Stores sell man-made imitation gold quartz which is fragile and frail. This leads consumers to believe its natural when it clearly is not. When buying from me you know its authentic coming directly from Orocal the source. We offer a 110% money back Guarantee card which is called are certificate of Authenticity.

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GOLD NUGGET GUIDE :

What is a Natural Gold Nugget? It is a piece of gold that broke out of quartz deposits within the earth when erosion took place. It also goes by the name Placer Gold and each piece is a one of a kind with no two being exactly alike.

· Where can they be found? Wherever the effects of erosion took place. That would include rivers, streams, ancient dried up river channels and underground riverbeds.

· How pure are they? Gold nuggets range from 65 to 95 fine 16-23KT gold and can have other mineral content such as silver and copper mixed in with it.

· What sizes do they come in? Gold Nuggets come in all sizes, the smaller one range in sizes from 1 millimeter up to 6 and is often referred to as flakes. Bigger flakes are called nuggets and have been found as large as 2500 ounces although almost all nuggets bigger than 300 ounces were melted.

· How Are Natural Gold Nuggets found? They can be found in rivers and streams using a gold pan or suction dredges that act like an underground vacuum cleaner. Larger operations use large machinery that dig up huge sections of dirt weighing several tons and run it through machines that separate the gold from the dirt. Nuggets are also found using a metal detector.

· How are they weighed? They are weighed by the troy ounces. 12 ounces = one pound which differs from weight which is 16 ounces to the pound. The troy ounces are broke up into 20-penny weight to the ounces and use the symbol DWT or by the grams which has 31.1 to the ounces. The larger the nugget the more rare and valuable they are. A one-ounce nugget is now considered as rare as a five-carat diamond. (How many of those do you own?)

· Why are some real bright and others dull? Because it was formed underground in quartz deposit you often find quartz mixed in with it. When they broke off into the rivers and streams they tumbled against the sand and gravel, which gave the nuggets, it?s texture but dulled it. They can be cleaned in different solutions, and then tumbled in different media to give it the shine.

· What do we mean by My Authentic Natural Gold Nuggets under 4 grams come from two main sources. One is located near Dawson in the Yukon Territory. The second is Atlin, BC Canada about 50 miles as the crow flies from Skagway, Alaska. Skagway was where the miners of the 1898 Klondike gold rush traveled through to reach the gold fields. This is the reason I describe them as Alaskan Yukon BC Nuggets., Genuine, Natural Gold Nuggets

Not all Gold nuggets are natural, some people man-make them by taking smaller gold flakes melting them and casting them into the shape of a nugget. Make sure to ask if they are genuine natural gold nuggets as found by the miners and come with a certificate of authenticity.

* All Nuggets are Pictured or Partially Pictured with a U.S. Quarter to give you an idea of Size Proportion.

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Karat Definition and Guide:

The karat system is used to measure the amount of pure gold found in solid gold jewelry. In the US, numbers are associated with the percentage of pure gold in a piece.

Solid Gold vs. Pure Gold

The phrase "solid gold jewelry" is a misnomer because, most times, this jewelry is not made up of solid gold. This term references jewelry that has a gold alloy throughout the entire piece.

On the other hand, the phrase "pure gold jewelry" is used to describe jewelry that is made up entirely of gold with little to no alloys present.

How a Gold Alloy is Formed

A portion of the gold is mixed with different alloys or metals, which creates a specific formula. Each gold color, like white gold or rose gold, uses a different combination of alloys.

Karat Used in Costume Jewelry

The term karat is also used on gold filled and gold plated jewelry. Even though these pieces are not solid gold, the gold portion of the jewelry has a certain percentage of pure gold designated through karats.

Expert Tip: If your piece of jewelry is marked 14KGF or 10KGF, that is a common indication that the item is gold filled and is not solid gold. However, the marking 14KP or 14KP does not necessarily mean gold plated. It also can stand for 14K gold plumb, which is solid gold.

If your piece of jewelry has a P in the marking, be sure to have the gold tested.

Ranges of Karat Values

  • 24 karat (24K) gold is pure gold.
  • 18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts another metal or metals, making it 75% gold.
  • 14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals, making it 58.3% gold.
  • 10 karat (10K) gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal or metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10k gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold in the US.

These values are primarily used on gold from the Unites States. You will see a lot of 22k gold and 9k gold in other countries. Gold jewelry from other countries may have an entirely different set of gold markings they use.

Karat vs. Carat

The term carat, spelled with a "c," is often confused with the term karat. They are both pronounced the same, but carat refers to the weight of a gemstone. You could have a 1.5 carat diamond set in an 18 karat gold setting

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SKU: 86902264196

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4.3 ★★★★★
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Mark Erickson
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Best book on Christian Leadership
Format: Paperback
I love this book and have read it 7 or 8 times - and will likely continue reading it every couple years for the rest of my life. As a pastor who can struggle with insecurity and the temptation to be powerful, spectacular, and popular, I read this book regularly to be called back to Jesus and to choose the way of prayer, service, love, and humility. In an era of celebrity pastors, consumer Christianity, and scandal, this book is a breath of fresh air. If I had to make a list of my top five books of all time, there is no question this gem would be on that list. It's a short and easy read, but is so powerful.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2023
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K Edward
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Excellent glimpse into Christ's model for leadership
Format: Paperback
This book is on a required reading list for ministerial licensing in my state. I found it a refreshing look into real Christian leadership (seemingly free from methods and techniques encouraged by the world). I say 'refreshing' because so many leadership books send out a 'drill sergeant' message that 'You need to toughen up for leadership. It isn't a cake-walk... You do a lot alone, etc. etc.' That may be true, but it can almost be discouraging/ disheartening for those interested in learning about leadership. NOT SO with this book. The author is a humble man of God who only desires to walk closer with Him. He (author) approaches leadership from a Divine angle; that is, he doesn't see leadership as the exercise of power and authority for its own sake. He sees leadership as that quality one gets from simply walking with Christ in close fellowship, to the point of being what he calls 'a mystic'. He encourages us to take those quiet walks with God; get to know His heart, and only then... be qualified to lead others with a servant's heart. He encourages us to be transparent and not to seek to do this alone (contrary to the messages this world sends us). To do this he shares engaging stories from his own life - stories of tough lessons he had to learn about becoming a Christian leader. God taught him through these life experiences more accurately what it means to be a leader, and I found myself identifying with him. I found this book on leadership to be a great encouragement to just walk closely with God - and that's what it's all about!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2006
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Brad
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Follow Jesus, Not the World
Format: Paperback
Henri Nouwen calls on Christian leaders--including himself-- to resist, as Jesus resisted, the temptations to be relevant, spectacular, and powerful. Instead, "...the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God's love." Further: "We keep forgetting that we are being sent out two-by-two. We cannot bring good news on our own. We are called to proclaim the Gospel together, in community." And: "The temptation of power is greatest when intimacy is a threat. Much Christian leadership is exercised by people who do not know how to develop healthy, intimate relationships and have opted for power and control instead. Many Christian empire builders have been people unable to give and receive love." I hope these excerpts give you a flavor of what's inside this extraordinary book, which I thought was truly profound even in its simplicity. Nouwen speaks from the heart because he speaks from experience. He walked away from a high profile clerical career to follow Jesus in the most authentic way he could. His is a story worth hearing and imitating.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2006
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Lavid
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Un libro que debes leer!
Format: Paperback
El tema del liderazgo cristiano es vital dentro de la Iglesia. La lectura del libro In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership, hace un aporte significativo a mi entendimiento teológico acerca del liderazgo. Como líderes podemos edificar o destruir vidas; ayudar a otros a que avancen o frenarlos en su jornada de fe; servir de inspiración o dejar huellas de dolor en la vida de otras personas; mostrarles el camino a otros o perdernos en el camino. El autor hace una pregunta que creo que es muy oportuna y puntual en nuestra vida: ¿Qué decisiones has estado tomando últimamente y cómo son un reflejo de cómo percibes el futuro? Ciertamente no había reflexionado en ello. Cada día tomamos decisiones desde el momento en que abrimos los ojos, si ya me levanto, qué voy a desayunar, qué ropa me voy a poner, etc. Pero no había analizado si mis decisiones diarias me están acercando a lo que Dios tiene para mí o si me tienen estancada en mi pasado. Una de las cosas que ha llamado mi atención en la lectura de este libro es que el autor dice que llegó a un punto en su vida donde comenzó a sentir una terrible amenaza interna y se cuestionó si el hacerse ya mayor en edad lo había acercado más a Jesús. Quiero detenerme aquí, porque una líder que ha influenciado mi vida es mi madre. Ella ya tiene 83 años, y continuamente me repite: -Hija, tengo que estar muy cerca de Jesús, ya casi llega mi hora y quiero poder encontrarme con Él cara a cara. Puede uno entrar a su cuarto y la hallarás en su sillón con su Biblia abierta y orando o cantando alabanzas a Dios. Ella se preocupa por guardar su relación con Jesús. ¿Alguna vez, como líderes, estamos preocupados por si estamos muy cerca de Dios? ¿O es que quizás nuestro liderazgo nos hace presuponer que sí lo estamos? Estamos tan ocupados en la viña del Señor que se nos olvida ocuparnos del Señor de la viña. El autor reconoce que en esa etapa de su vida ya no oraba con pasión, sino que lo hacía bastante mal, se había aislado de las personas y se dio cuenta de que su alma estaba en peligro. Vino a mi mente Mateo 16:26 (NTV) “¿Y qué beneficio obtienes si ganas el mundo entero pero pierdes tu propia alma? ¿Hay algo que valga más que tu alma?” O como Pablo les dice a la Iglesia en Corinto: “no sea que habiendo predicado a otros, yo mismo sea descalificado.” 1 Corintios 9: 27 (b) Creo que si reflexiono teológicamente me debería preguntar: ¿Tengo la seguridad de lo que vale mi alma? ¿Podré yo quedar descalificada ante Dios en algún área de mi vida? ¿Está mi alma en peligro? Henri J.M Nouwen desmenuza la tentación de Jesús y nos muestra tres tentaciones que como líderes y ministros enfrentamos frecuentemente. La primera a la que se refiere es la Tentación de ser Relevante y su base es cuando el diablo le pide a Jesús que convierta las piedras en pan. Hoy hay muchos que quieren ser “relevantes a toda costa”, aunque eso signifique ir más allá de nuestros principios y cambiar por completo el Evangelio. Cada vez que escucho a un predicador diciendo que “pacte” con cierta cantidad de dinero para recibir un milagro, me indigno en gran manera porque algo que Jesús ofreció gratuitamente al pagar con Su sangre, ahora los “grandes predicadores de estos tiempos” lo han convertido en negocio. ¿Estaremos provocando que Jesús voltee nuestras vidas como hizo con las mesas de los cambistas del templo? Se nos olvida que Jesús es quien tiene que ser relevante para el mundo y que tenemos que reflejar la luz de Cristo. Hoy vivimos pendientes de cuántos seguidores tenemos en las redes sociales, cuántos likes tienen nuestras publicaciones. Por eso decía al principio, que podemos perdernos en el camino. Nouwen se inquietó de que su ineficaz oración y la tiranía de lo urgente lo estuviera empujando a reprimir al Espíritu Santo. David sabía lo que significaba andar sin el Espíritu Santo como compañero, por eso clamó en el Salmo 51: 11 “No me eches de delante de ti, Y no quites de mí tu santo Espíritu” Coincido con el autor cuando expresa que los líderes del futuro serán aquellos que se atrevan a reclamar su irrelevancia en el mundo contemporáneo como una vocación divina que les permita entrar en una profunda solidaridad con la angustia que subyace a todo el brillo del éxito y traer la luz de Jesús allí. El autor nos hace reflexionar en la pregunta que Jesús le hace a Pedro. ¿Me amas más que estos? No le preguntó acerca cuánta gente lo conocía, a cuántos había impactado. La pregunta era relacional: ¿me amas a mí? Por lo tanto la pregunta para nosotros sería, ¿estoy enamorada de Jesús? Nouwen declara que el líder del futuro es uno que conoce el corazón de Dios. Cuando no estamos ligados al corazón de Dios porque nos falta esa intimidad con Él, somos más propensos a que el anhelo por la fama, por ser exitosos, se apodere de nosotros y nos desenfoque de nuestro llamado. Conocer el corazón de Jesús y amarlo son lo mismo. Cuando vivimos en el mundo con ese conocimiento del corazón de Jesús, no podemos hacer más que traer sanidad, reconciliación, nueva vida y esperanza donde quiera que vayamos. Seguido a la pregunta tan desafiante, viene una tarea importantísima: apacienta mis ovejas. Mi corazón se estremeció, pues a pesar de conocer este relato y haberlo predicado varias veces, esta vez el enfoque del autor me hizo reflexionar en que muchas veces se nos olvida que hemos sido llamados a apacentar las ovejas, que tenemos una responsabilidad pero por tratar de ser relevantes no la estamos cumpliendo a cabalidad. El autor aborda ahora el tema de la oración contemplativa como una disciplina importante para el cristiano. La oración contemplativa profundiza en nosotros el conocimiento de que ya somos libres, que ya hemos encontrado un lugar para morar, que ya pertenecemos a Dios, a pesar de que todo y todos los que nos rodean siguen sugiriendo lo contrario. Nouwen lanza una pregunta que es confrontante: ¿Son los líderes cristianos del futuro verdaderamente hombres y mujeres de Dios, personas con un ardiente deseo de morar en la presencia de Dios, escuchar la voz de Dios, mirar la belleza de Dios, tocar la Palabra encarnada de Dios y saborear plenamente la bondad infinita de Dios? Aunque está mirando hacia los líderes del futuro, mi preocupación es también por nosotros, los líderes actuales. Si no vivimos una vida de oración no vamos a poder enseñarle a los líderes del futuro cómo avivar ese deseo ardiente de permanecer en la presencia de Dios. Anoche en el servicio de oración de la iglesia, yo les hablé acerca de cuando Dios decide poner fin a Sodoma. Dios se pregunta: ¿Encubriré yo a Abraham lo que voy a hacer, habiendo de ser Abraham una nación grande y fuerte, y habiendo de ser benditas en él todas las naciones de la tierra? Pienso entonces: ¿qué nivel de intimidad tenía Abraham con Dios que éste no quiere encubrirle sus planes? La respuesta la da el mismo Dios: “Porque yo sé que mandará a sus hijos y a su casa después de sí, que guarden el camino de Jehová, haciendo justicia y juicio, para que haga venir Jehová sobre Abraham lo que ha hablado acerca de él.” Dios sabía que Abraham iba a preparar a su descendencia como líderes del futuro. La oración es llamada “la cenicienta” de la iglesia. Para muchos no es relevante; sin embargo, es lo que alimenta nuestra alma y define quiénes somos en Dios. Para vivir de pie delante de los demás, debo vivir de rodillas delante de Dios. La segunda tentación es la de ser espectacular. Hoy la mayoría de los cristianos quieren ser parte de los ministerios de la iglesia que son más visibles: alabanza, predicar detrás de un púlpito, ministerio de danza. Pocos prefieren estar en el grupo de intercesión, o en los servidores, o ser de los que limpian el templo. El mismo Nouwen dice que actuamos como si la visibilidad y la notoriedad fueran los criterios principales del valor de lo que estamos haciendo. La popularidad ha reemplazado lamentablemente la verdadera esencia del ministerio. Somos especialistas en dar shows domingueros, no en adorar a Dios los domingos. Somos especialistas en luces que impresionan en los stages de las iglesias, pero no somos luz que alumbra en medio del pecado. Somos especialistas en buscar las mejores voces para que canten en nuestro servicio, pero no en que nuestra voz produzca cambios en otros. La propuesta de Nouwen para tratar esta tentación es la confesión y el perdón. Los líderes y ministros deben ser personas siempre dispuestas a confesar su propia fragilidad y pedir perdón a aquellos a quienes ministran. Debemos ser capaces de rendir cuentas. Creo que esto es algo en lo que Wesley enfatizó y que debemos retomar. Hace unos años, para la tesis de graduación, mi esposo Daniel propuso como tema para la misma la rendición de cuentas. Esto causó revuelo en la Facultad, debido a que ellos decían que ese era un tema pasado de moda, que porqué tenemos que decirles a otros nuestras debilidades y nuestras faltas. ¿Qué tanta basura hay en mi vida que tengo temor a que sea expuesta? ¿Será porque dejo de ser relevante y espectacular ante otros? La tentación de ser poderoso es la tercera tentación que menciona Nouwen, y él considera que esta es la tentación más seductora. Ciertamente he visto a gente cambiar drásticamente cuando se les ha sido dada autoridad. El autor considera que a pesar de nuestra experiencia que el poder no nos da la sensación de seguridad que deseo, sino que revela nuestras propias debilidades y limitaciones, seguimos haciéndonos creer que más poder eventualmente satisfará nuestras necesidades. El texto que usa el autor en esta parte es uno de mis textos preferidos en la Biblia, Filipenses 2: 5-8, y me encanta la versión The Message: “Piensen en ustedes como Cristo Jesús pensó de sí mismo. Tenía el mismo estatus que Dios, pero no pensaba tanto en sí mismo que tenía que aferrarse a las ventajas de ese estado sin importar qué. De ningún modo. Cuando llegó el momento, dejó a un lado los privilegios de la deidad y asumió el estatus de esclavo, ¡se convirtió en humano! Habiéndose hecho humano, se mantuvo humano. Fue un proceso increíblemente humillante. No reclamó privilegios especiales. En cambio, vivió una vida desinteresada y obediente y luego murió una muerte desinteresada y obediente, y el peor tipo de muerte, una crucifixión.” Cristo renunció a todo, pero nosotros lo queremos conservar todo. El autor resalta el hecho de que gran parte del liderazgo cristiano es ejercido por personas que no saben cómo desarrollarse sanamente, sin habilidades relacionales y que han optado por el poder y el control en su lugar. Muchos constructores de imperios cristianos han sido personas incapaces de dar y recibir amor. Por eso es tan importante la disciplina de reflexionar teológicamente. Porque creo que ninguno de nosotros está eximido de enfrentar y de caer en estas tentaciones, así que debemos estar constantemente reflexionando en nuestro liderazgo y en la influencia que estamos teniendo en las personas que nos rodean. El verdadero liderazgo espiritual, según Nouwen, es uno en el que “el poder se abandona constantemente en favor del amor”. ¿Qué tanto estoy dispuesto a ceder por amor a Dios y a mi prójimo? Mis preguntas al terminar este maravillo libro son: ¿Cómo Dios ve mi liderazgo? ¿Cómo veo mi liderazgo? ¿Cómo otros ven mi liderazgo? ¿He permitido que alguna de estas tentaciones venza y gobierne mi vida?
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Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2020
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Rick Watts
New York, US
★★★★★ 4
Great Book for Church Leaders
Format: Paperback
In this book, Nouwen describes what he believes the key characteristics of a Christian leader are. These characteristics are guided by two stories for the Gospels: the story of Jesus' temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11) and the story of Peter's call to be a shepherd (John 21:15-19). These characteristics are being prayerful rather than relevant, ministerial rather than popular, and being led rather than being a leader. Nouwen first explains that the temptation of today's ministers is to be relevant. Nouwen says that Jesus also had this same temptation. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert, the first temptation was to turn stones into bread. With so many people in the world dieing of starvation, we all wish at times that we had the power to turn stones into bread. However, when Jesus was asked to perform the relevant behavior of changing stones into bread, he stuck to his mission to proclaim the Word and said, "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Rather than trying to be relevant to the world, a Christian leader should use Jesus as the source of their words, advice and guidance. It is through the discipline of contemplative prayer that Christian leaders can do that. It is not enough for Christian leaders to be moral people, well trained, eager to help their fellow humans, and able to respond creatively to the burning issues of their time. Christian leaders must truly be men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God's presence, to listen to God's voice, to look at God's beauty, to touch God's incarnate Word, and to taste fully God's infinite goodness. The second temptation Nouwen says Christian leaders must avoid is the temptation to be spectacular. This was also Jesus' second temptation in the desert. "Throw yourself from the parapet of the temple and let the angels catch you and carry you in their arms" (Matthew 4:6). Jesus would not do it. He refused to be a stunt man to prove that he had something worthwhile to say. In stead Jesus said "Don't put the Lord your God to the test." Nouwen says that in today's church, individualism among ministers and priests is prevalent. Many do not have many skills to be proud of, but they still frequently feel that, if they have anything at all to show, it is something they must do solo. However, Nouwen says that ministry is not done solo, but in pairs. In Mark 6:7 Jesus sent the discipline out two by two to conquer evil. We cannot preach the Gospel on our own, we are called to share the Gospel together, in community. Nouwen goes on to say that ministry is also mutual. Jesus said, "I am the god shepherd. I know by own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep" (John 10:14-15). Ministers have gotten the idea that good leadership means keeping a safe distance form those we lead. However, when the members of a community cannot truly know and love their shepherd, shepherding just becomes a subtle way to exercise power over others. Nouwen says that the only way to for us to over come this temptation is confession and forgiveness. This does not mean that ministers should bring their own sins into the pulpit. It means that ministers are called to minister with their whole being, including their wounded selves. The third temptation today's Christian leaders must overcome is the temptation of power. When the devil said to Jesus "All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus replied "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Matthew 4:9-10). Others say that having power - provided it is used in the service of God and your fellow human beings - is a good thing. Nouwen says that it was this rationalization that caused crusades, inquisitions, and the enslavement of Indians. He says it seems easier to be God than to love God, and easier to control people than to love people. Nouwen says that a common misconception among Christian leaders is that the older and more mature you get then more capable you become as a leader. However, John 21:18 says, "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Nouwen says that the most important quality of Christian leadership is not a leadership of power and control, but a leadership of powerlessness and humility. Powerlessness and humility in the spiritual life refer to people who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow him wherever he guides them, always trusting that, with him, they will find life and fine it abundantly. Nouwen says that the way to discern where we are being led by Jesus is through theological reflection. Theological reflection is thinking with the mind of Christ. The Christian leaders of the future have to be theologians, persons who know the heart of God and are trained - through prayer, study, and careful analysis - to manifest the divine event of God's saving work in the midst of the many seemingly random events of their time.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2010

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