Tag: Leaders

I don’t feel qualified to speak to the general group psychology of the entire generation of Millennials, but I have spent most of my time for the past decade or so around Millennial Christians, and I think the nasty caricatures of them are just not true.

A pastor recently contacted me to ask if there was any hope for his church to survive. The few people in his church were aged, and the church was slowly but surely declining in numbers. My answer shocked him. I said there was great hope for him and his church ‒ because the Father was already at work in his town.

There are times in our lives when we are hesitant to say something out of fear. Not fear of being "shot," but fear of being "shot down," fear of being ridiculed, fear of being embarrassed. As a result, given the opportunity to take a stand for Christ, we choose silence instead. It seems "safe" considering the circumstances. May God help us to replace our fear of men with the fear of God.

We know healthy leadership requires good character, but how do we deal with those headstrong, sinful habits?

China is experiencing the most massive urban migration in the history of the world. The relocation of nearly 300 million people from the countryside to the cities has helped raise millions out of poverty, contributed to the rise of a new middle class, and, along with the one-child policy, brought about irreversible change in the Chinese family structure. It is this transformation of the church into a dynamic urban movement that constitutes the real story in China today. How the church weathers this urban transition will have far-reaching effects not only on the church in China but upon the global church as well.n Leadership, Brent Fulton

As leaders we cast vision. The problem is that we can easily cast visions from our own minds, not the mouth of the Lord (Jer. 23:16).

Herminia Ibarra is one of the finest thought-leaders on leadership. Ibarra argues that you have to act your way into a new type of leadership thinking instead of thinking your way into it.

Are you lost in God? God is asking us, “Do you really, intentionally love Me?” If you are not doing this, you cannot teach your people to love God. It’s learned by examples, whether it's a leader in the Old Testament or us. Our kids and disciples know how to love God because they’ve seen it modeled before them.

For over a decade I was a pastor of spiritual development. As I analyzed the process that I had seen bring radical breakthrough to so many, I discovered over and again the rhythms of grace consistently playing a significant role at key points of change.

What should you communicate to your leader, to your boss? What needs to be shared with your leader to help him/her understand the area you are leading and stewarding? Here are three things you should communicate to your leader.

Unfortunately, leaders can talk too much, not necessarily by monopolizing conversations, but by giving too many answers. So, how do you know if you are a leader who talks too much and what can we do to stop?

At one point, I was a comer. One day in the future, I will be a leaver. But for the past twelve years, I have been a stayer. And I’ve passed through all the feelings: joy at new friends, sorrow at goodbyes, anger at goodbyes, self-righteous judgment of newbies, carelessness about my current circumstances, delight in my situation. It isn’t easy to stay well and to stay healthy emotionally, while staying. How can stayers, stay well?

The Bible tells us God sent Jesus to take all of humanity’s brokenness upon Himself; to bring healing to the broken-hearted; and to restore us into a right relationship with God. What a resource for a broken world. As children of God we are not broke, but broken people being healed by Jesus, and sent into the world following the example of Christ.

As you are seeking your calling, it is in the day-to-day work that you will begin to realize your purpose, not in your purpose that you will start defining your day-to-day work.

The book of Acts describes the amazing story of Jesus’ work through the Holy Spirit in the early church. With an explosive start, problems were certain to surface. And they did. In the first example of internal dissension the Apostles displayed great leadership. The church had grown so rapidly that some of the widows were being overlooked in the regular distribution of food (Acts 6.1-7). And murmuring began that potentially could fracture the church. However, they led the church well and model for us nine things great leaders do.

When people began to list their reasons for their context being the hardest it used to annoy me. Now I believe them ‒ all of them. What’s the hardest context to be a missionary in? The one you are in. Here are three reasons why.

When those we are leading argue and complain, we try to please them, argue back or explain ourselves. But is that what Jesus did?

Hebrews 11 lists several faith heroes from the past and includes details about their lives that evidence great faith. We often refer to this chapter as the “faith” chapter. It offers leaders profound insight about faith that we must believe and embody to effectively lead. I suggest these six faith qualities every leader should embody.

Everybody talks about leaders needing more boldness and confidence ‒ that we need to make a deeper difference in the world. But rarely addressed is the actual personal path leading us to this level of inner strength and impact. One of the most important elements of powerful leadership (the real game changer) is simply learning ... to DISAPPEAR.

The muffled rant out in the hall prompted the fading in of a closed-eyes smile across my travel-worn face. It wasn't the words of the outburst – garbled French curses for the sake of quiet – but the images from earlier that night that animated a mind's view of what I could not see presently. I will share with you what I saw that you may smile with me but first, I hope you allow me to do my best in bringing your imagination to the Palm Beach. Should I succeed, perhaps you will have a greater appreciation from which to share my smile.