No, not the gifts of a leader. Leaders by God’s design are gifted differently to specifically fit their destiny assignments. The gifts of a leader can be, and I suppose often are, criticized. You’re not a good enough preacher, not strategic, not detailed, not… But the gift to a community, a church body, an organization, is the leader themselves. When… Read more »
Every week church communities gather to worship. Worship includes singing; the vocalizing of praise and gratefulness, the words spoken to tune that can be declaration of rich theology and truth. People have varied emotions about singing but for the people of God singing has always been significant, powerful and formational. Songs can put words into our mouths that remind our hearts… Read more »
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 »
Colossians 1:18 “And He is head of the body, the church.” Wondering if that is a missing factor in our hectic, success driven world? Sure, we who are trained in scripture would affirm that truth, but how do we live it? What are the key factors, patterns, etc., that assure Christ is the head of the body you lead? For… Read more »
The scripture says the Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Did you know He doesn’t eat beef? And He does’t need money! The only reason He has those cattle (yes it is an analogy but follow along) is for us! And as the perfect Father, He knows when to give to us and how to give to us…. Read more »
Holy leaders are a gift to the people. They are evidence of God’s love for us! Isn’t that striking? When we ponder how much the Lord loves us, one expression is the leaders He places over us! The sacrifice of a leader is an expression of our value! The willingness of a leader to lay down their life (which could… 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 »
Every day we can enter the amazing reality of God’s goodness and greatness. It is accessible through prayer and through the Word. The Word is an entry point to how the Lord blesses, moves, turns challenges into places of praise, restores our inner thoughts and shuts down the voice of the enemy. Yesterday I experienced some challenging news. I chose to pray. The… Read more »
Powerful leaders have in their history painful times. The difference is that spiritually powerful leaders have learned that the Lord shows up in those seasons and uses them to catalyze a future that they do not want to miss! Don’t waste your pain! Bring it to the Lord as a sacrifice and allow Him to sanctify it.
The disciples were arguing, not differing, but arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. Everyone wants to be seen, to be significant, to be important. In the next story section of Mark 9, Jesus says some rocking words, “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” Salt, in the context would be Kingdom values, Kingdom lifestyles,… Read more »