Tag: Relational Dynamics

Many churches have lost one important thing in the pursuit of becoming missional – a true dependency on the all-sufficiency of the Bible. Following attractional, missional, or invitational models, churches become derailed from the central purpose that Scripture gives believers – knowing God by His Spirit in a Christ-centered community.

Trust is having strong conviction in the evidence of something, or agreeing the evidence is true. That is why no one trusts a bridge they can plainly see is broken. Building trust depends upon actions that are the evidence that a person is trustworthy. Here are ways leaders can ensure the trust bridges are strong and true within a team.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It is not a question of which way the wind blows. Theological education must be reconceived again and again in order for it to remain relevant and on the cutting edge. There are no magical solutions or formulas that give us the answers, but some pointers to spur the discussion are suggested here. Paul Cornelius argues for a reinvention that demands changes in how curriculum is viewed and developed.

Caleb Bislow wrote a book about his calling. He is a farm boy from Nebraska, and went from a restless life as a Christian youth pastor in the Midwest, to quitting his job, emptying his bank account, and traveling deep into Africa.

Not only is there healing and recovery for those who have experienced church hurt but you can learn powerful and positive life-changing lessons on the journey. What happens when Christians aren't behaving like Christians?

“I was helping to train an overseas group of emerging leaders and seeking to impart skills to them for understanding the New Testament. Together we were noticing how Jesus, at first, hid Himself from a couple of disciples (Luke 24:13-16). Then as they walked, while His identity was hidden, He showed them how all the Scriptures spoke of Him (v. 25-27).”

Bernard Baily said, “When science discovers the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to find they are not it.” Leaders can lose sight of how much others contribute to the whole scheme of things tending to allow pride to lead. Dionna highlights the necessity of keeping self in perspective through humbleness. She reminds us that everyone needs a dose of meekness to keep the balance in our lives.

Researchers have caught elephants in the act of empathetic actions. They console each other when grieving, they help each other when in trouble, and the leader always knows when leaving a severely wounded elephant behind is best for the tribe to survive. But she still grieves over the one left behind. Practicing empathy is essential to the growth and well-being of those who report to the servant-leader as well as for the entire organization.

Learn how to turn a difficult situation into an empowering one through collaborative leading. Who says you should feel drained and defeated by the people you work with?

Last week I had two meetings in as many days regarding two proposed leadership training efforts aimed at Christians in China. Both were well thought through and grew out of decades of China experience. As we looked at the various offerings already available to church leaders in China, the question that emerged in both cases was, “Is this really needed?”