During a recent interview, Keith Yoder of Teaching the Word Ministries shared a bit of his background, what has changed in leader development, what he has learned, and challenges he has faced during his long career as a leader. His answers express a clear and continuing need for attention to clear identity and clear direction as cornerstones of healthy leadership.

As we work with children—whether in a Christian setting or a secular setting—our job is to bring them to Him so that He can touch their lives. We must lean on Him to know how to do just that. As we engage with each child, we need to be open to God’s nudging as the opportunities pop up.

A rope bridge is probably one of the most precarious tools to use while crossing a gorge or river because you trust your life to the rope’s strength. Solomon compared humans to a single-strand rope. Weakness is a human characteristic, and the Bible tells us that alone, one is weak, and two walking together are not easily overcome, but a three-stranded cord is hard to break (Ecc. 4:12). Dionna points out there are some weaknesses that God allows in order to help us become stronger in Him.

Churches need to take many factors into consideration when hiring more staff. The decision is not based simply on congregation size. Leaders must consider the context of the need for new staff, paying attention to this list of reasons not to hire more people.

I am a third generation painter. My father is a painter, as was his mother before him. Painting has always played an important role in my life. My training in art came along side life training. I remember learning about points of perspective, and proportions of the human body, just as I remember learning to ride my bike and dancing ballet.

Would I go back to my first day as a pastor? I was pondering this the other day. After much thought, I concluded, Absolutely not. I wouldn’t go back if I could. I have learned a lot. The scars have taught me to walk closer with Jesus. I’ve seen enough of my weaknesses to not be surprised by them anymore.

One of the most popular holistic models of leader development in Christian circles is the “Be, Know, Do” model. But I don’t use it, and neither should you! Here’s why.

The question persists strongly for those of us raised in evangelical America, where we are taught to seek God’s will for our lives in every area, especially the big decisions. So when I was head over heels in love with Anne (being a good Evangelical) I wrestled with whether or not she was “the One” God had chosen for me.

I had seven years to confirm that she was valuable as she mostly ignored me. Well ignored may be too strong: the thesaurus says disregarded, overlooked, or bypassed would be equally descriptive. Just pick one. The point is I finally caught her, and the compliment of my life was that she traded all her other options (and they were numerous) for me.

I had an eight-year head start since I was counting the quality of our marriage from the first day we met, which she didn’t even remember. Apparently, buried somewhere in my psyche, was the expectation that she hadn’t caught up yet. No wonder the poor woman couldn’t get a break.

Which kind of leader are you – a banana tree or a mango tree? There are those leaders who are like banana trees: everywhere they go, they replicate. They mentor others so that others can exercise their leadership abilities and their gifts, they open up conversations for others to join and give their opinion, and they are in the business of growing leaders. And there are leaders like the mango tree – they serve a great purpose, they are strong and persuasive, but emerging leaders don’t seem to grow as leaders under them.

In Revelation 3:8 God told the church at Philadelphia that He had set an open door before them even though they had “little power.” Many times God opens a door for leaders who doubt their leadership abilities. How could I be considered a leader or have anything to offer leaders? Julie had to do some rethinking about leadership and asks several important questions.

I met an older couple at the hospital when I was doing the hospital ministry. I wish I had their picture, but bringing a camera in to take pictures of patients is frowned upon! The husband happily told me that he and his bride had been married for 69 years. He teared up as he told me about his special lady. He still sounded so in love with her. I asked him what the secret was to such a long marriage. He immediately answered, “Love purely.”

Hmm … what began as a demo had developed into a significant marriage moment with a little bit of embarrassment. The “expert” coach-trainer was being asked in front of the class to improve his listening. The observers were quiet. They realized that this was sacred territory.

A large number of high-profile Christian leaders stumble on moral issues not by ignorance but by the hidden traps of authority and freedom they enjoy. A healthy blend of character, competency, and openness to God boils down to integrity of heart in a healthy leader who makes a lasting difference.

Sometimes, God will tell you to do things that make no sense in the short distance between your nose and the rocks of obstacles and defeats. Once in a while we can get a glimpse of the big picture and see how it makes perfect sense.

A lighthouse stands firm when storm waves crash over treacherous rocks along the shoreline. It shines a light of encouragement over the dark waves toward wary seafarers. Christian leaders can feel tossed about in the storms of trials and troubles, and the truths Brittney shares can be the same beacon of encouraging light as a lighthouse on a dark night.

Wouldn’t it be great if life had a delete button? We could easily erase all of our mistakes. Then again, would it be so great? How would we experience the Father’s great love and mercy?

God gave us bodies that heal amazingly, given time and proper treatment. However, hearts and souls may not heal so well apart from tender mercies, kindness, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another. Gina discusses the necessity of the servant-leader’s attribute of healing.