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Category Archives: Prayer

A Couple's Prayer for 2014

Geri and I have been praying this prayer each day for our marriage as it articulates our vision as we enter into 2014. If you are married, pray it for your marriage several times a day. And if you are single, pray it for the marriages in your church. It is a prayer filled with a rich theology that the sexual love between a man and woman is the closest thing we have to the intimacy of the Trinity and the passionate life-giving desire God has for each of us. (This is adapted from a pamphlet distributed by the Pastoral and Matrimonial Renewal Center.) Lord, grant us the strength to answer your call to become a living sign of your love. Make our love for each other like your love for us: passionate, permanent, intimate, unconditional, and life giving. May we be as present to each other as you are to us, so that all the. Read more.

Christian and Secular Leadership -The Difference: Part 2

While 50-75% of what we read in excellent secular leadership books may be applicable to a Christian leader, the following qualities make a Christian leader distinct: Our identity is grounded in God who forever says to us, “You are my beloved.”Jesus says to us that we are loved as He is loved.  For this reason we can handle enormous success or enormous failure without losing our identity. A high-quality relationship with God permeates all our relationships and decisions. Our marriage and singleness are a call to become a living sign and wonder of His love to the world. We lead out of our marriages in that our love for our spouses is to be like His love for us – passionate, permanent, intimate, unconditional, and life giving. Our leadership energy is first given to be as present to our spouse as Christ is to us, so that others can see His presence manifested in our tender love. Read more.

Christian and Secular Leadership -The Difference: Part 2

While 50-75% of what we read in excellent secular leadership books may be applicable to a Christian leader, the following qualities make a Christian leader distinct: Our identity is grounded in God who forever says to us, “You are my beloved.” Jesus says to us that we are loved as He is loved.  For this reason we can handle enormous success or enormous failure without losing our identity. A high-quality relationship with God permeates all our relationships and decisions. Our marriage and singleness are a call to become a living sign and wonder of His love to the world. We lead out of our marriages in that our love for our spouses is to be like His love for us – passionate, permanent, intimate, unconditional, and life giving. Our leadership energy is first given to be as present to our spouse as Christ is to us, so that others can see His presence manifested. Read more.

Christian and Secular Leadership – What is the Difference: Part 1

Much of church leadership today is more secular than Christian. We learn from the best practices and strategies from the most successful global leaders and then do our best to implement them. We “manage” to lead without God. We “do so much so well by ourselves that there is no need for God,” even if we do engage prayer and worship. We believe that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with our efforts. As one Japanese CEO remarked, “Whenever I meet a Buddhist leader, I meet a holy man in touch with another world.  Whenever I meet a Christian leader, I meet a manager at home only in this world like I am.“ (Os Guiness, The Call). All truth is ultimately God’s truth so there is a great deal we can learn from best secular leadership practices. It is very helpful to learn from excellent models, insight, and research in books such as The 12 Bad Habits that. Read more.

Christian and Secular Leadership -The Difference: Part 1

Much of church leadership today is more secular than Christian. We learn from the best practices and strategies from the most successful global leaders and then do our best to implement them. We “manage” to lead without God. We “do so much so well by ourselves that there is no need for God,” even if we do engage prayer and worship. We believe that ultimate responsibility for everything rests with our efforts. As one Japanese CEO remarked, “Whenever I meet a Buddhist leader, I meet a holy man in touch with another world.  Whenever I meet a Christian leader, I meet a manager at home only in this world like I am.“ (Os Guiness, The Call). All truth is ultimately God’s truth so there is a great deal we can learn from best secular leadership practices. It is very helpful to learn from excellent models, insight, and research in books such as The 12 Bad Habits. Read more.

Midday Office: Letting Go

Silence, Stillness, and Centering before God (2 minutes) Scripture Reading – Luke 1:28-38 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary… You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’ ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God….For no word from God will ever fail.’ ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May. Read more.