German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus devised several experiments to measure how fast we forget. He concluded that the majority of information we hear is forgotten within one hour, and 75% disappears in a week. Are you wasting your time attending leadership conferences?

Gideon’s colossal might in slaying thousands of men in war is not at odds in any way with his heart and posture of peace. Gideon was fully a man of peace and yet he was also a man of violence, aggressive strategy, confrontation and victory. Gideon would never have achieved this, never would have functioned as one of Yahweh’s Judges of Israel, had his own personal peace with God not been built first. It was this peace that made him foundationally capable of destroying the locust scum that came every year to destroy the hope of the people of God.

“Will you equip yourself for yourself or for others?” This question challenged Rita so much that she took two years off work, went abroad, studied hard and returned to her hometown to equip others. That was 27 years ago.

To be effective a leader must delegate many responsibilities, as well as – whenever possible – the necessary decision-making authority. However, there are two critical areas that uniquely require the leader’s personal attention: vision and leader development.

What do we do when our gratitude decreases, when our honest grading of our gratitude is pretty low? The solution is not to give ourselves a pep talk to be less of a worrier or grumbler. The solution is to look to Jesus.

How do we stay the course, when we encounter that first stretch of choppy waters, that initial rough weather; those challenges that accompany setting sail towards achieving our personal or organizational purpose?

The issue of a leader’s personal character is crucial, especially considering followers of Jesus Christ should be outstanding examples of trustworthiness. Yet there seems to be a lethargy and complacency concerning integrity among some Christians, which is out of sync with so many of the teachings in Scripture.

So how do we learn patience? Patience is about love and value. The more we love others, the easier it is to be patient with them. The more we value and respect someone, the longer it takes them to get on our nerves.

Frustration and fear feature strongly in change processes. Churches and Christian NGOs are no exception in my experience. Not surprising I suppose, given they are staffed by humans, not angels. But left undealt with, frustration and fear give rise to mistrust and effectively block efforts at change.

Many churchgoers have stopped taking responsibility for corporate worship. Instead of making a fervent cry of thanksgiving and adoration to the Lord, many Christians stand passively in the audience, observing the worship leaders performing on stage.

Frustration and fear feature strongly in change processes. Churches and Christian NGOs are no exception in my experience. Not surprising I suppose, given they are staffed by humans, not angels. But left undealt with, frustration and fear give rise to mistrust and effectively block efforts at change.

Public apology can enable greater openness and honesty in both individuals and organizations. It can release forgiveness and reconcile relationships in the organizations we are trying to help.

My wife and I wanted to share some more thoughts about what we’ve learned in our past 10 years of marriage (and leadership) about keeping our relationship strong.

Swedish Mission Council (SMC) knows the benefits of Organizational Development (OD) first-hand. Just over 10 years ago, SMC was in crisis. We share our story, not to say we got everything right, but as a testimony that with God’s help and leadership commitment, remarkable organizational change is possible …

On our 10-year anniversary, my wife and I discuss our biggest lessons about longevity in relationships and leadership.

It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in the workplace than honesty. It shouldn't be that way. Jesus wants His people to be known as a people of truth. It is important that those around us can trust what we say without wondering whether we really mean it or not.

In today’s western church, if you want to grow in Christ, you are typically directed to study more. The only difference between the church and other educational institutions is that nobody graduates from the church. The church needs leaders who don't write and speak and teach for a living to step up and put some action to their faith.

Sorry. Just a small word. But what a big difference it can make.

I want to challenge Christ followers to make unequivocal commitments to stop doing three things that rob us of the full life God created us to live.

Three years ago, the TEF (Tangababwe Evangelical Fellowship) was closed due to resource constraints, weak leadership and lack of clear direction. During one of the workshops, the chair publicly acknowledged his failings and accepted responsibility for many of the errors that had left TEF in such a state. This set the tone for the short biblical devotion that followed. Each participant fell on their knees. Many major church leaders were openly weeping and confessing how they, as TEF, had failed to be an authentic evangelical voice. One participant remarked that, “When the Bishops repented, God showed up.”