Worship is a gift of God – a venue or opportunity for us to experience wonder and majesty. Most of us live “contained” lives; squeezed by limitations, rejections, disappointments. Worship is where the Lord opens the skies and reveals, reminds and re-energizes us. In worship, we enter the stories of God’s moving. In worship, we join in community to defy… Read more »
Powerful theology forms powerful SPIRITUAL leaders. When the word forms our worldview we see differently. We see those we lead differently. We see obstacles and opposition differently. Ultimately the skills of a leader do matter. But the key factor is the leader’s soul. When leaders experience theology (meaning the power of the word in their world) they become powerful spiritual… Read more »
Over the past few decades the call has been to shape the Sunday worship around the unchurched. Continually leaders speak of how they are implementing this tactic. This model is certainly one option and does indeed have impact. However, the implications flowing from that one decision to implement that model can also be treacherous. For instance, if the Sunday experience… Read more »
The need to succeed. Do you have that? I do. Embedded in me by my parents I became driven to succeed. One person even commented to me, “you seem to have such a need to succeed.” When the need to succeed becomes the driving force in the life of a leader, compromise is waiting at the door. Relax the standards… Read more »
The statement is often made, “I want to do this for the Kingdom.” Maybe so, but then again, maybe not so much. I find myself often hearing the Spirit processing my motive, “Why do you want that? Why would you like to be that speaker, that leader who does that?” And my heart is split open. Though I want a… Read more »
I was stuck in O’Hare airport. My flight had just been canceled and I was given an overnight stay plus a food voucher. But… I had already rushed dinner before my original wheels up time. So, what to do with the $25 food voucher? Cheesecake? Of course. There before my eyes was a cheesecake stand, “Eli’s”. But $25 worth of cheesecake? How in the… Read more »
Jesus will always call out our inner world. He did it for the disciples (Mark 9:14-33). Before we can be used mightily, we must be cleansed deeply. He does this inner work by asking the questions that deeply reveal our hearts. “What were you arguing about along the way?” He asked, knowing that the subject of the argument was revealing their inner world. What… Read more »
You can’t lead them if you need them! You can’t lead people when you need their approval. You can’t lead people when you need their finances. You can’t lead people unless you are free, whole and healthy. The inner work of a leader must go to this depth, to do the work of being “free” to lead, free to encourage and to call up… Read more »
The work continues! Along the way to significant leadership and our destiny, we have a few tests to pass. One is our willingness to hear the Word of the Lord and to obey, even when it is painful, even when it is humbling, even when it is embarrassing, even when it is a sacrifice and costly. Without passing this test, no leader is ready… Read more »
The inner work is often elusive. Our tendency is to live “externally,” thinking that our challenges and obstacles are “out there” among others, hence our lack of resources, our setting, etc. Human nature is to look outside of our hearts, as opposed to in our hearts and souls for the key breakthroughs. The inner work, for some leaders, remains elusive their whole life! The only… Read more »