Here’s an update on last week’s “BackPage” editorial. You’ll recall I was fairly direct about the fact that I felt Paul Eshleman had fumbled the ball a bit, at least in the opinion of the members at my own table group in Cape Town. Recall that they felt the list was poorly-cited, the unreached people groups ill-contrived, and the presentation itself a four-minute rush-job. Well did you ever write something, assuming few people would ever read it… only to find out that at least one person did. :-) Within 24 hours of releasing that edition of Brigada Today, Dr. Eshleman himself called me personally. See his biography at…

http://www.lausanne.org/issue-strategy/paul-eshleman.html

His message to me? “Come to a meeting to help us fix this. Help us get it right.” So, in a couple of weeks, about 30 of us will be gathering near Paul’s “Finishing the Task” offices. The goal? Figure out how to do a Finishing-the-task push all-the-more effectively.

My first conclusion: “Lord may we all be as humble.” This guy practically *invented* the Jesus Film, he has degrees and initials after his name, and lots of major donors ready to sponsor big-time initiatives. He doesn’t really have to listen to little guys — like me. Many of us would have become defensive, partisan, and even critical. But his posture is a real model: “How can we make this better?” By including me, sure he’ll get input from my Cape Town table group. But he’ll also get something else. He’ll get broader *ownership* of his initiative. If you stop and think about it — that’s genius, for more than one reason.

My second question is this: What message would you have me take to that meeting in California? What would *you* say to the Finishing the Task initiative? See their website at:

http://www.finishingthetask.com/

Click “Comment” below and give me a mandate… Please. After all, if I’m going to *go*, I’d like something to say! :-)

Thanks in advance for your input.