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    At the Crossroads: Leadership Lessons for the Second Half of Life
    At the Crossroads: Leadership Lessons for the Second Half of Life
    At the Crossroads: Leadership Lessons for the Second Half of Life
    Ebook97 pages45 minutes

    At the Crossroads: Leadership Lessons for the Second Half of Life

    By Clayton L. Smith and Mr. Dave Wilson

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    About this ebook

    Retirement can be the most purpose-filled, satisfying, fun phase of your life!

    Thousands of men and women are retiring each day, and many look forward to this phase of life with equal parts excitement and anxiety. Baby boomers have high expectations of retirement: they want to be redeployed to a life that is meaningful, significant, and full of joy. But this requires thoughtful planning, and many soon-to-be retirees wonder how they’ll get there, or if they’re even on the right path.

    At the Crossroads, by Clayton Smith and Dave Wilson, is a six-week Bible-based study offering comprehensive, practical help for Christians who are approaching, entering, or already in retirement. Readers can work through the book on their own or as part of a group.

    The book guides readers through a study and reflection process to discover their purpose, passion, and mission for retirement. It includes self-assessments and other planning tools to help readers develop a personal and spiritual mission statement. The book also facilitates discussions with family and friends about shared priorities, expectations, and end-of-life decisions, bringing a sense of peace for all involved. Finally, the book includes a chapter on financial planning, with a focus on the reader’s legacy, for an impact that will last through generations.

    “Most churches do too little to reach people who are nearing or entering retirement. Case in point: the baby boomer generation, which is slipping away from the church. At the Crossroads is a gift for people in this group—and for church leaders seeking to nurture them. It offers a way for retirees to reclaim God’s purpose for their lives and to serve as never before. This is powerful for the individual and for the church! Pastors should use this as the basis for preretirement classes. It is a comprehensive study in service, community, stewardship, life purpose, and spirituality.”
    —William B. Randolph, Director, Aging and Older Adult Ministries, Discipleship Ministries (UMC)

    "For Boomers who are ready to take a serious look at their future, At The Crossroads is an excellent place to start. Perfect for small groups and individuals who are ready to engage in six critical discussions, participants will be guided to discover their purpose as they move into the second half of life." - Rev. Dr. Craig Kennet Miller, author of Boomer Spirituality: Seven Values for the Second Half of Life and Director of Congregational Development at Discipleship Ministries with the United Methodist Church.

    "A useful tool for a community of Boomers looking to build and grow an enriching fellowship for the body, mind and spirit. We are excited to use this study ...!" -- Tiwana Whitten, First United Methodist Church, Topeka KS.

    "At the Crossroads is a creative six week bible-based study that will help those of us over 55 to prepare for, transition into or live out our retirement years in more exciting and productive ways. I thank Clayton Smith and Dave Wilson for sharing from their experiences as an executive pastor and lay leader at Church of the Resurrection in a resource that will help us move from senior adult programs that mainly focus on “entertainment and travel” to instead preparing and motivating seniors to use their many gifts and graces in their church and community. I especially appreciate the book being grounded in biblical practices while using business-like methods that will be familiar to recent retirees. The “tools” included and available “on-line” help develop an inventory that will be used as building blocks for establishing a personal Mission/Purpose Statement and Strategic Plan. The many “God Stories” in personal interviews and the Chapter that focuses on “Caring Conversations” with family and friends make this book special in accomplishing a bridge to the many current “Boomers” who think of retirement as a “career shift” not as a traditional approach to

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAbingdon Press
    Release dateAug 2, 2016
    ISBN9781501810510
    At the Crossroads: Leadership Lessons for the Second Half of Life
    Author

    Clayton L. Smith

    Clayton L. Smith, now retired, served as the Executive Pastor of Stewardship and Generosity at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. He served as a Senior Pastor in the United Methodist Church for more than 25 years and an Ordained Elder for more than 40 years. He and his wife, Lori, live in Stilwell, Kansas.

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      Book preview

      At the Crossroads - Clayton L. Smith

      9781501810510_Cover.jpg

      Half-Title

      At the

      Crossroads

      Other Abingdon Press Books from Clayton Smith

      Other Abingdon Press Books from Clayton Smith

      Propel: Good Stewardship, Greater Generosity

      Title Page

      30559.png

      Copyright

      at the crossroads:

      leadership lessons for the second half of life

      Copyright © 2016 by Abingdon Press

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to Permissions, Abingdon Press, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., PO Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988, or e-mailed to permissions@abingdonpress.com.

      ISBN: 978-1-5018-1051-0

      Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by the Common English Bible. All rights reserved. Used by permission. www.CommonEnglishBible .com.

      Scripture quotations marked MSG are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

      Contents

      Contents

      Introduction

      Chapter 1: Discovering Your Life Story

      Tool A : Examples of Opportunities to Be Involved

      Chapter 2: Transitions: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities

      Tool B: Spiritual Gifts Inventory

      Chapter 3: Seeking a Higher Purpose

      Tool C: Crossroads Inventory

      Chapter 4: Joy for the Journey

      Tool D: Mission/Purpose Statement

      Tool E Planning Checklist

      Tool F: Writing a Strategic Plan

      Chapter 5: Caring Conversations with Family and Friends

      Tool G: Caring Conversations

      Chapter 6: Legacy Planning Empowers Legacy Living

      Tool H: Legacy Planning

      Recommended Resources

      Visit Cokesbury.com to download a free leader’s guide PDF. Password: Cvqq8Nm

      Introduction

      Introduction

      In recent years, we have been hearing our church members ask, What do I need to do to be ready for retirement? I want the next part of my life to be the best. I want to make a significant difference!

      Since January 1, 2014, as many as 10,000 men and women turn sixty-five each day in the United States. By 2030, when the last of the baby boomer generation turns sixty-five (these are the people who turned fifty in 2014), 18 percent of the population will be sixty-five and older. But don’t talk to this generation about old age or retirement.¹.

      Most people who approach or turn sixty-five don’t think of themselves as old and many dislike or are anxious about the idea of retirement. They wonder what they will do and want a life in retirement that is meaningful and significant. Yet retirement without adequate thought can become frustrating, confusing, and stressful.

      In the last ten years in our local church, we have seen the age-fifty-and-over membership grow by more than 500 percent! Have you seen similar growth of baby boomers in your church and community? How is the church going to reach this fifties-and-over age group?

      For many, there may be a lack of purpose, significance, and identity. We have seen many people who are at the prime of their life miss out on opportunities that bring fulfillment and joy. We hear too many stories about friends and neighbors who fall into a retirement syndrome that may lead to distress, anxiety, depression, divorce, poor health, or even suicide. Many worry about the increased costs of health care and financial resources necessary to sustain a longer life. How can the church respond to this age group? This Bible-based, six-week small group study offers hope and help! This study is about living a healthy second half of life with purpose. Purpose has a powerful way of bringing health and happiness into our lives and the lives of people around us. God gives us purpose.

      By following biblical principles from the lives of Moses, Abraham, Elijah, Nehemiah, Jesus, and Paul, as well as other encouraging Bible passages, you can realize your purpose, passion, and mission for the second half of life.

      This study is not about planning a retirement that is fiscally secure and physically healthy. This study is about developing a spiritually significant approach to retirement that will add joy to your life, years to your life, and life to your years! We want to help you choose the road to significance through spiritual lessons to guide the second half of your life!

      Discovering your life story is one way of finding God’s plan for you. As you will seek answers about God’s calling on your life and see how you can contribute significantly to the lives of others, you will understand how your life lessons, skills, and experiences can be used to better serve others. You will find greater fulfillment in doing so.

      This workbook includes planning tools to develop unique personal and spiritual mission statements to enrich the lives of those who are anticipating retirement in the near future or years from now, as well as the lives of those who have already retired. The study also features interviews and stories from

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