Responsibility, deadlines, appointments can all come crashing down to squeeze the leader’s schedule. With no clear decision, and mostly without awareness, the leader begins the “leadership run”. Each day they hit the floor running, excited, hectic. One day is skipped in worship and then another. And then the weekend assignment pulls their focus to their “speaking” and anxiously await the… Read more »
I’ve heard leaders, in conversation with other leaders, say “I really don’t need worship but maybe once a month.” What does that mean? Do they feel it is a need or feeling that can be satiated one time a month? Have you looked carefully at the pattern of Jesus? To begin with, he was an Israelite. The people of Israel… 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 »
Scott’s world had just ended. For a number of years he was a youth pastor in a vibrant church. A pastor! But then he was terminated. Ultimately he ends up selling doors and windows, anything to make a living. For all intents and purposes, it appeared his destiny was destroyed, lost. Eventually he is offered a pastor position in another… Read more »
Our calling is often revealed in a core story or stories. If the Lord has wired us for a specific calling, and if He has been overseeing that calling from the time we were in the womb (as in Jeremiah), then life events somehow can connect to and even identify that calling. At times the core stories are redemption stories,… 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 »
“I was hired to do this ministry and that is what I am doing.” This is a quote from a leader of a sub ministry in a church. Yes, you were hired for that focus. But likely you were hired for the greater good of the body. Likely you were hired so that the body of Christ could have greater impact. No you were… Read more »
I have the privilege of leading. Leadership is always a privilege and a trust. In our staff we continuously review our values to discover where we are leading with our values, or not, and what might need an adjustment. We then determine anew what that looks like. Here’s our first value, “Relationships led by our belief in people.” That means we cannot dismiss any leader… Read more »
I’ve been around churches and church leaders for years. One statement often coming from those involved in the worship ministry of the church is this, “We need to teach our people to worship.” In my case, I have often encountered that as a disappointed response to how that particular church is expressing their worship. Things like hands raised, shouts, etc. are expressions of worship. That… Read more »
I was a bit surprised at the words I was hearing. Someone was choosing to take offense. Yes, choosing. No offense was given, nor intended. But offense was still taken. It is amazing how we live in the story in our heads. This story was that in a crisis someone didn’t think they were supported. So now the question is would they in turn… Read more »