If a leader does not set priorities, the pressures of today and the problems that fill an inbox will dominate every day’s agenda.

Rather than only having tightly-defined training programs for a few, it is important to nurture a broad culture of leader development across the life of our churches and ministries. In this kind of organizational culture, our need for leaders will not go unmet. In fact, we will have no lack of leaders; they will rise up naturally and organically in every corner of the ministry! Moreover, our leader development programs will not suffer either. Those programs will be greatly enhanced by the constant and pervasive “life-building” all around them; every emerging leader will be both giving and receiving life nurture within the community.

No matter how big our church or ministry is, no matter how much we are respected, we are never “above” God’s words that remind us that “the first shall be last” and that “those who exalt themselves will be humbled.” If anybody was deserving, it was Jesus, but He chose humility, sacrifice and death for those He loved. May our ambition not be to serve ourselves but to give our lives in service to others. May our legacy be measured not as much in what we have accomplished as in how much we have loved. That’s my prayer.

Every good leader knows he or she doesn’t know everything. But that’s not what leadership is about. Leadership is intentionally moving yourself and others toward a goal.

Have you ever wondered why some leaders see incredible growth and others seem to struggle? I think back to leaders that I have worked with who have all had great potential. Some have gone from strength to strength and others just didn’t make it. Having pondered this question for some time, the Lord gave me an insight. Put the right gifts together and the ministry will work. Leave out certain gifts and the work will falter.

Every once in a while I see leaders hesitating to act for no apparent reason. Probing, I've found a number of leaders seem to be waiting for permission. What keeps them paralyzed is that those expected to grant permission don’t even know their permission is hoped for.

I’ve done a lot of recruitment in my time. Competence was usually the most important thing we looked for (if not the only thing). After all we don’t want to hire incompetent staff. But I now wonder if we placed too much emphasis on competence alone. Perhaps we should also recruit based on calling.

What is it that is keeping you from rest? If you don’t rest you will die and you will kill the people you are...

Not for earthly comfort or gain, not for recognition or fame, but because in due season, I will reap. And that, my friends, is truly good.

How do you see the people God puts in your path?

You have the choice to cater to church attenders or call them out as disciple makers.

Most people blame external sources when they are criticized, yet doing that is a huge character flaw. Here are three questions you can ask to align yourself when faced with negative feedback.

What specific steps are you taking to improve as a leader? Please leave your comments in the comment section below.

What can we learn about leadership from the United Airlines fiasco in 2017?

Worship is not a concert. It’s not karaoke. Worship is not about us. It’s about God. How do we decide which style is right or best? Is it popular opinion? Does the pastor get to decide? How do we resolve this worship war?

There will be times when I share a verse with someone, but most of the time I’m supposed to wait for God to do the changing.

Many of us find ourselves in leadership positions, but we wonder sometimes if we’re really leading. And, frankly, sometimes there are folks around us who also wonder if we’re leading. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to see if you’re really leading as a Christian leader.