OTR – Stephen Mansfield
I recently read the book The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield and was absolutely enthralled by it. Stephen is a New York Times bestselling author with a long list of books including: The Faith of George W Bush, Ten Tortured Words, The Faith of the American Soldier, Never Give In: the Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill, and The Faith of Barack Obama to name a few. As a former pastor, Mansfield now spends his time analyzing trends with spirituality and the world around us.
Jeremy: Tell us something odd/unique about you.
Stephen: I grew up largely in Berlin, Germany, during the Cold War. My father was the senior U.S. Army intelligence officer in the mid-1970s and so I had an unusual upbringing behind the Iron Curtain.
Jeremy: In a sentence or two, what is the most profound aspect of the connection between God and Guinness as you’ve unpacked it?
Stephen: The connection that means the most to me is that John Wesley should preach to Arthur Guinness’s church in Dublin, Arthur would be inspired to build a company along the lines of Wesley’s social teaching, and the world would be changed as a result. The other interesting connection for me is that the company sold beer. You could hardly find an item so “secular” and “unspiritual.” And yet, by being faithful before God, Arthur was allowed to use beer to change the world. It should inspire us to believe that we all can change lives no matter the profession we are in, no matter how “secular.”
Jeremy: Do you think people are born leaders or develop into leaders?
Stephen: Leaders are made. Human beings might naturally want to follow the good looking and the tall and the commanding of manner, but true leaders are fashioned by suffering, devotion and experience.
Jeremy: How can people put themselves into a position to influence culture?
Stephen: Be willing to take responsibility. Be willing to “own” problems. Be willing to take the slings and arrows that come from being out front and making your vision known. Changing culture is easy. It is the beating you take while you do it that keeps so many hunkered down in irrelevance.
Jeremy: Why are you a follower of Jesus Christ?
Stephen: Because He chose me.
Jeremy: What do you do personally to fuel your spiritual life?
Stephen: Digest the Bible, inspiring music, great literature and stirring movies. Also, I choose my friends wisely. I want to be with those who fuel my inner fire rather than dowse my flame of hope.
Jeremy: What is your hope for the future of the Church in America?
Stephen: That we regain confidence in the power of the Gospel, articulate that Gospel in culturally relevant terms, and live what we believe.
Jeremy: Should we abandon the use of the word “Christian” for a better term?
Stephen: No, but we should make it an honored term again.
Jeremy: What blogs/websites do you regularly check?
Stephen: Drudgereport, Wallbuilders, Realclearpolitics, Delta, Seatguru
Jeremy: Which books have shaped your thinking?
Stephen: The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall/David Manuel, The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer, Lincoln’s Melancholy by Joshua Wolf Shenk, The Celtic Way of Evangelism by George Hunter and Wild at Heart by John Eldredge.
Jeremy: What music moves you?
Stephen: Rowdy Celtic music. Old Rock and Roll. Anything my wife is singing around the house.
Jeremy: Any other thoughts or advice?
Stephen: Live everyday as though it were your last, for one day you are sure to be right.
Click here to read more Off the Record interviews.
Tags: Off the Record
February 1st, 2010 at 10:27 AM
I really appreciated what he said about leadership: ” true leaders are fashioned by suffering, devotion and experience.” Thanks bro.
February 1st, 2010 at 10:58 AM
I have told you before how much I appreciate your offerings on OTR. This, however, truly, was my favorite. Stephen has a great outlook on life and is a good example of how I might approach real life. I dont agree that a former pastor can be a former pastor. He just has a different flock to minister to. Thanks again Jeremy for introducing me to the people you interview.
greg m´s last blog… I WONDER WHAT THE VOTE WAS
February 1st, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Wow…what great answers. I would read his answers to one question and think that I would want to comment on that and then read the next and think the same thing. However, my comments would then be longer than his answers. The first thing I loved is that we all can change lives regardless of our profession or how “secular’, as he put it, it is. I love this because it puts the responsibility on all of us instead of just those who work at a church to serve God and reach others for Jesus. The next thing I LOVED is that “Changing culture is easy. It is the beating you take while you do it that keeps so many hunkered down in irrelevance.”How profound!!! It goes with his thought that leaders are “fashioned by suffering”. He definitely describes leaders the right way and not in some glorious light. The last thing I will say for now is his response about choosing his friends wisely. Over the years, my close friend circle has gotten smaller and smaller and I truly believe what he says about friends who spark your spirituality or those who wipe it out. I have experienced both and have been down some tough roads about learning to be wiser with who I let that close to me. He said a lot of great things that I will “chew on” for awhile.
February 11th, 2010 at 2:11 PM
Great interview and I appreciated Stephen Mansfield’s concise, yet power-packed answers!! In particular his response to how we can influence culture really resonated with me. He’s dead on that changing culture is easy (consider Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference”), but it’s the taking responsibility for what you’re attempting to do and staying committed & true to your vision while taking the hits in the trenches. In my mind, that type of staying power in any leader is what makes change lasting.
And cheers on his like of rowdy Celtic music!! ; ) No doubt Stephen Mansfield would be a fun guy to hang out with at Temple Bar! : )
Romi´s last blog… Power of Encouragement