In my 30+ years of ministry leadership experience, I have discovered there is one skill that seems to make or break great leaders. The good news is, it is a skill we all can learn and improve. No one is born with expert ability in this skill. Unfortunately, we have all experienced the consequences of […]
I was not a reader as a kid. I was a TV kid. You might not guess that looking at my overstuffed bookshelves today. Even today, I read to learn, not usually to be entertained. For leisure, I want to watch and listen. All that to say, my bookshelves are filled with non-fiction, especially books […]
I want as many of you as possible to be able to take advantage of the Early Bird price for my Confident Leadership Class, which begins next Monday, Sep 17! I’ll walk you through ways to develop the essential skills for ministry success. We’ll meet 2 hours each week for 6 weeks and you will […]
Ever wonder where Jesus got his training to be a leader? Yes, he was God in the flesh, but he chose to limit his powers while on earth and became a servant who demonstrated what it looks like to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as […]
How do wisdom AND compassion show up in your role as a teacher/mentor/leader? Sometimes it’s easier to be wise than compassionate. As a leader, you are probably capable of surveying a situation and logically planning a solution or plan of action that will get the job done, make a decision, or take the next step. […]
How broad is your perspective? As I child, I would lie in the cool, green grass on a summer afternoon looking up into the sky through the feathery leaves of the mimosa tree in our front yard. Noticing how the leaves would fold up each evening was a fun fact for a five- year old. […]
Great leaders understand the need for self-awareness and practice it with the goal of self-improvement. Effective Christian leaders seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance in aligning their gifts, talents, and inner selves with God’s work in the world. To start, you need to make use of the tools available for knowing who you are and what […]
Who are your spiritual leaders–past and present? Most of us would probably have Jesus at the top of our list, yet there are others who have also brought wisdom, peace, and compassion to our world. I think of the Apostle Paul, Corrie ten Boom, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks. Have you ever […]
Can you imagine someone joining your church staff tomorrow who was just released from prison today? I can’t, but I should be able to! Why? Because when Jesus healed Mary Magdalene from being imprisoned by seven demons–which could imply she suffered from the worst possible corruption–she became one of a group of wealthy women who […]
About two years after I graduated from seminary, God made it clear to me that everyone I knew was already salty and shiny and I was not being the salt and light I needed to be. So, God called me into secular work and out of my ministry job in a large denominational agency. That’s […]
Whether you are just starting out in a leadership role and want to build your confidence or you are a seasoned ministry leader and want to help your team be more productive, you need effective planning skills. Planning ahead is absolutely necessary to increase the chance of success for your event, project, or activity. Knowing that, do […]
