Category Archives: Discipleship/Formation

Leadership that Remembers “The Loaves”

The only miracle, except for the resurrection, that is recorded in the 4 gospels is Jesus’ multiplying of the loaves and fishes. Why? The truths contained there are so vast and far-reaching. In Jesus’ mentoring of the Twelve, he returns to it multiple times to teach them about mature leadership. “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?”(Mark 8:17 MATURE LEADERSHIP… IMMATURE LEADERSHIP…. 1. Redefines abundance as the presence of Jesus Himself 1. Defines abundance by considering only visible resources. 2. Sees beneath other’s anxiety and fear to the deeper work God is doing in and around them. 2. Gets entangled in other’s anxiety, fear or negativity. 3. Responds to the situation according to his values and beliefs (integrity). 3. Responds to the pressure of others and accommodates them. 4. Courageously does what is best for everyone despite other’s lack of support and validation.. Read more.

2015 EH Leadership Conference Video Downloads

The 2015 Emotionally Healthy Leadership Conference was attended by over 350 church leaders from around the world and thousands others joined online to experience this dynamic 2-day leadership event. For the next 48 hours, The 2015 EH Leadership Conference is available on digital download for $25. That’s 75% off the regular $100 price. We invite you and your team to experience the leadership conference again or for the first time! The 2015 EHL Conference download pack includes 7 video sessions covering core leadership themes based on the soon to be released The Emotionally Healthy Leader including: Planning and Decision making Culture and Team Building Power and Wise Boundaries Endings and New Beginnings You will hear how our leadership is directly informed and connected to our inner life with Christ. Also included are the complete 26-page conference participants notes to help guide you through each session. What you do matters. Who you are matters more.

Waiting on God for God

One of the turning points in my leadership happened 12 years ago while spending a week praying the Offices at a Trappist monastery. My prayer life had been marked by waiting on God FOR “THINGS” –e.g. leaders for specific ministries, creative strategies, breakthroughs, key donors to support the work, healings, growth in our church, family blessings, etc. At that point I moved to waiting on God FOR GOD. It turned out to be life-changing – both for my relationship with Jesus and my leadership. While praying for those “things” is good and biblical, I realized that my will was inseparably mixed with God’s will. The lines between the two were blurry. I always seemed to need something else from him. During that week with the Trappists, I sensed from God an invitation to seek his face (Ps. 27:4) and wait for Him alone. Out of that, I trusted, He would reveal himself and his. Read more.

The Price of Low Differentiation

Differentiation is hard. Not differentiating is even harder. Differentiation involves remaining connected to people and yet not having your reaction or behavior determined by them. Our primary task, like Jesus, is to calmly differentiate our “true self” from the demands and voices around us, discerning the vision, pace, and mission the Father has uniquely given us. Jesus, of course, models for us a 100% differentiated person. Engaging this challenging, interior work with God is great. The price for not doing so is even greater. The following are my top ten costs: Our church, ministry, or organization slowly declines. Our resistance to make unpopular decisions with ineffective people and programs limits our ability to do the mission God has called us to. We damage the community. A lack of clarity around expectations and roles permeates the community. Disappointments and frustrations are not talked about honestly and respectfully. The wrong people exercise power and leadership. In. Read more.

The Slow, Hard Ways of God

God’s kingdom always appears small, always appears insignificant, and always appears powerless. God’s ways are always slow. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus’ life and ministry modeled the slow, hard ways of God. How can we expect it to be any different for us? I was asked, after returning a few days ago, from a one-week trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil: “What was the biggest thing you learned on your trip?” “God’s ways are slow… and hard,” I responded. I surprised even myself with my answer. Our trip was rich, fruitful, and powerful. We partner with Willow Creek Brazil and their gifted staff in bringing EHS. Read more.

Measuring “Success”

Measuring ministry impact with numbers is biblical. The book of Acts uses numbers to describe the impact of the gospel — about 3,000 baptized (Acts 2:41), about 5,000 believers (Acts 4:4), crowds coming to faith (Acts 5:14). We have a whole book in the Bible called Numbers. So, in the context of the church, it is good to measure things like attendance, baptisms, membership, number of small groups, and financial giving. The problem comes when that is all we measure. Measuring deep, beneath the surface transformation in people’s lives is also critically important – if not more important. (Consider Paul, Gal. 4:19, Jesus mentoring the 12). The specifics of these internal markers will differ from ministry to ministry and from context to context. The following are several examples we set to measure at New Life Fellowship Church: Each leader at New Life will develop his or her relationship with God by spending ten to. Read more.

FREE Christmas Sermon Prep Webinar

Join Pete Scazzero on December 5th at 2 pm ET

Christmas Sermon Prep Webinar

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