Reach - Then Teach

Dear Hannah,There's this school of thought that measures our leaders' effectiveness by factors like their number of followers, or our unflinching alignment with their opinions.Both are misleading.I measure a leader's effectiveness by that leader's service.Not "what they do" for us or "the least of these", per se.In these times, that service includes thought leadership more than ever.Not telling us what to think, but establishing a standard of thoughtfulness that produces coherent, comprehensive positions AND guidance ... positions and guidance crafted with wisdom, discernment, love, and empathy - not opinions, emotions, myopia and agendas - then challenging us to meet that standard, too ... and possibly reach different conclusions!So it's not about this mindless, sheep-to-shepherd "I will follow thee" mess.It's more like "I hear where you are coming from ... I follow you and will rightly divide which way I go".Follow a leader's train of thought ...Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,My education began when I finished school.After school, I enrolled in a lifelong curriculum that includes the following classes ...ministry (serving people)entrepreneurship (developing solutions that serve people)stewardship (taking care of relationships, possessions, talents, body, mind, and time)literacy (reading & writing skills) numeracy (math skills)language (communication skills)self-expression (sharing "who you are")self-identity (knowing "who you are")analysis & synthesis (solving problems & sharing solutions) KnowledgeBase is a ministry that has evolved from wisdom earned through lessons learned.Every year, I take stock of "where we are" with our ministry. Take the time to take stock of "where you are".   Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah, As the name suggests, The People In My Neighborhood (TPIMN) is a project that helps me learn more about where I live. It began as an effort to organize the neighbors in our subdivision, then grew into an effort to learn about our adjacent communities - then their adjacent communities, etc. About one year ago, I was able to formalize the project into a google map with several layers. These layers include community building blocks like voting wards, subdivisions, apartments, schools, churches, businesses, and crime. Based on recent direct feedback, nobody cares to be shown how the map was built. Those are too many details. Many folks, though, care about what the map reveals. So, let's use the map to help tell a compelling story - by the numbers. Let's tackle the numbers first. I live in a voting ward with 3000 registered voters. 2000 are White - and live North of what I call our "Mason - Dixon Line". 1500 of those White voters live in 5 key "North Side" communities. The other 1000 vote

Dear Hannah, Nine Men's Morris is an ancient board game combining the speed of checkers, the strategy of chess and the simplicity of tic-tac-toe. It is easy to play, but difficult to master. Opponents each start the game with 9 playing pieces. The object ... is to either trap your opponent so he or she can no longer move or to capture all their playing pieces except for two. The rules ... first person to play puts a piece over any of the white circles on your game board. Then the second person does the same. Your objective is to get three of your pieces in a row (which is called a "mill"). All the pieces in a "mill" must be on circles connected by lines. In other words, diagonal mills don't count. When you get a mill, you may remove and keep one of your opponent's pieces from the board. The only time a piece can be removed from an opponent's mill is when there are no other pieces available except those in a mill. Once both players have put down all their pieces (this is called the "placement

Dear Hannah, The NOW YOU KNOW History Quiz Bowl is a gameshow tells the story of 25 ordinary people who did extraordinary things. These people have special connections to each other - and to us. Our connections to their lives, stories and accomplishments help us to relate to them. This allows them to disciple us - even though we may never meet them face-to-face. The game is played in the tradition of "Jeopardy" - with a few stylistic departures. First, I serve as host. My role is to be the griot. Each gameboard selection affords me the chance to introduce a person and tell their story - in 15-20 seconds. Each story ends with a common knowledge "answer" that contestants then "question" for points. Our second key departure - if contestants do not phrase their question properly, we chew the meat, spit out the bones, and keep LEarning. Questions, answers, and phrasing are all of secondary importance. The story and LEarning are our priorities. Roll the demo ... Love, Daddy

Dear Hannah, "LEarning (Writing Your First Business Plan (WYFBP))" By Derrick Brown 8-10-2017 Many years ago, I developed a six-week class called "Writing Your First Business Plan". The purpose of the class was to help entrepreneurs with GOoD ideas (good ideas from God) "wrap their minds" around their vision, mission, and steps - in a way that established and built positive momentum. Vision describes what your efforts will produce / create - it describes your "end". Mission describes the concrete path to your vision - it descibes your "means". Steps describe specific projects and tasks required to navigate that path - your "who", "what", "when", "where", "why", and "how". I developed the class after reviewing the path I had navigated thus far while implementing my own vision. My path began with a one-page business plan - written in the Summer of 1993 - that outlined my approach to being a computer consultant. I was 23 when I wrote it, but even by then I understood that using a computer was my stronge

Dear Hannah, I host a six-week class called "Reach - Then Teach". The class goal is to help parents, mentors and teachers build stronger relationships with students. Part of my role is to introduce 6 key projects (one per class) that I use to both facilitate and actively participate in relationships. The larger part of my mission, though, is to create and nurture a small-group, "discipling" fellowship. A "discipling" fellowship is one where participants equip each other to equip others. This is a closer walk between me and thee. This might be a tad bit cozier than a normal classroom setting. See - once I lead you through these projects, I will also have been transparent about "me" - my life and times. You will have been introduced to my life's passion, purpose, and mission. If all goes well, the *end* of our class will mark the *beginning* of our fellowship. Love, Daddy

Dear Hannah, So how do you deal with the frustration that accompanies feeling like you are not being heard? I have no answers. I do have an approach that I am still LEarning. First step ... remember what frustration is, Derrick. Frustration is an emotional response to a lack of control ... of people, circumstances, outcomes, etc. I am not in control of anything but me. That establishes a clear boundary for giving and taking advice. I am never in a position to tell someone else what to do. Nor do I want to be - because I will not become responsible for someone else's choices. However, I am well-positioned to offer the truth about my perspective. Hear me twice. I do not have THE truth. I do have MY truth. I am remiss to not share my truth - but I need to declare it as such. I have crossed the line, though, when I think my truth is THE truth, and should therefore be your truth. Second step ... I remember the times folks shared their truth with me ... and I still chose to learn the hard way. I ha

Dear Hannah, The movie "Groundhog Day" starred Bill Murray as a weatherman caught in a time loop, repeating the same day again and again. His experiences led him to re-examine his life and priorities. When it was released in 1993, "Groundhog Day" was a modest success. Since then, it has become more popular, and is now considered one of the best comedy films ever. It is now ingrained in the public consciousness - the term "Groundhog Day" can represent a situation that seems to occur repeatedly. I know a little something about "Groundhog Day". My purpose is to create beauty (art) that helps us LEarn, inspire, and empower. There are many times, though, when my art inspires people to assign me the task of supporting their purpose. That is not quite the goal of my work. My goal is to help us all LEarn how to collaborate and execute in ways that support our respective purposes. I am your co-laborer ... not your laborer. Once upon a time, recognition of "Groundhog Day" conditions was an automatic trig

Dear Hannah, LEarn to do math, then learn what math does. I developed the game Talk To Me to support this LEarning journey. Love, Daddy "LEarning (Talk To Me (A Game That Teaches The Language of ANY Subject))" By Derrick Brown 6-25-2017 Language and discourse are more important than vocabulary. Vocabulary is knowledge of words. If you say "Chuck D's stentorian cadence commands his audience's attention" - you probably have a large vocabulary. Language is the means by which we use words, numbers and sounds to communicate. If you instead say "Chuck D's loud, booming delivery commands his audience's attention" - you have impressive language skills. Discourse is extended verbal expression in speech and writing. If you instead say "Denzel's smooth delivery captivates his audience" - you, my friend, are skilled in discourse. But I digress ...

Dear Hannah, Your friends will be the people who accept and affirm you, hold you accountable, and present you with authority that you respect. You and your friends will exert powerful influence over each other. Your charisma will give you powerful influence in the world, too. Everybody you influence will not become your friend - and that is OK. The most powerful influence, though, is exerted via self-control. Love, Daddy I read books and articles to weigh and consider - even to "wrestle" with - the ideas conveyed by authors. Sometimes I understand, like, and embrace those ideas - and sometimes I do not. Sometimes I discern that the author's experiences are different than mine - therefore, their assertions, opinions, and conclusions are different. Sometimes that is OK, and simply is what it is. Sometimes I have to "unlearn" the author's assertion, then "relearn" and apply it in the context of my own life. I often read and wrestle with Dale Carnegie's classic book "How To Win Friends And Influenc

Dear Hannah, You have been given relationships, possessions, talents, a mind, a body, and time. Take care of what you have been given. Love, Daddy ---------- For years, I have repaired, recycled, and redistributed broken / obsolete laptop & desktop computers. It began as a hobby. When I was young, my Dad fixed large and small electronics to make our living. I soon noticed that we never bought stereos, radios, TVs, refrigerators, washers & dryers - never. I liked that. I did not quite understand why we never bought them - but I liked that we never bought them. So, I decided that after buying my first computer in 1992 for $1500 - that I would never buy another one. I got a "broken" surplus computer from school, found out it was not broken at all - and I was captivated ...

Dear Hannah, Take stock of your life on every birthday. Assess your progress towards love, maturity, courage, freedom, and your life's mission and vision. Embrace the people who love and appreciate you, and take the time to tell you that you are important to them. Then reciprocate and exceed that love and reflection with intention and sincerity. Love, Daddy I celebrated my birthday a couple of weeks ago. Birthdays are important milestones. They allow us to reflect on and appreciate life, health, happiness, and stewardship. And my wife's homemade pizza ...

Dear Hannah, Truth without grace is mean. Grace without truth is meaningless. Love, Daddy

Equality requires both opportunity *and* circumstance. (to learn more, visit http://bit.ly/rtt_thoughtsonissues)

(Buy poster at http://bit.ly/rtt_ucantcme2) My life is but an instrument Singing songs in many keys Wisdom earned through lessons learned From mistakes of several degrees Do not mistake activity for achievement Arriving on time means you're late To be on time arrive early Fall seven times - get up eight One time is an accident Two times is a trend Three times might be a problem But forgiveness is your friend ...

(Buy poster at http://bit.ly/tbp_johnny2) Why oh why can't Johnny READ? Probably because the brother's name is Khalid Yet the majority of so-called experts agreed On the cultural ideas they would force-feed ... Why oh why can't Johnny WRITE? 'Cause instead of him creating he just has to recite We offer him a perspective that he finds quite trite Then have the gall to try to label him as "not too bright" ...

"Real" power is work done efficiently ... that is, with wise and skillful use of resources, interests, communication, and expertise ...

We are proud to present a 180-Word commencement speech (buy poster at http://bit.ly/rtt_commencement) ... 1. Equality requires both opportunity and circumstance. 2. Education begins when you finish school. 3. Education requires learning, unlearning, and relearning ...

Dear Hannah, education begins when you *finish* school. 'cause life gives you the test first ... - then you get the lesson ...