Tag Archives: ministry

Jesus and the Political Divide

Our role as leaders of Jesus’ sheep involves giving people direction, even in the arena of politics. The question, in these tumultuous times, is how? The issues are vast and complex (e.g. gay marriage, refugees and immigration, abortion, national security, economic policy, gender, capital punishment, welfare reform). The divide between people both inside and outside the church is wide and deep. Let me recommend the application of two biblical truths to help ground the shepherding of your people. These texts have also served me when I have been tempted to speak and act in inappropriate ways. Love and pray for your enemies. But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:44). Jesus commands us to love our doctrinal, political, national, religious, and personal enemies. Our God is the greatest enemy-lover of all time (Romans 5:10). And the. Read more.

The Founder: A Disturbing Case Study in Leadership

The McDonald’s leadership model was talked about so much in the evangelical leadership culture in which I was nurtured that I was stunned watching the movie The Founder. The movie tells the story of Ray Kroc and the history of McDonald’s – a company now worth over $100 billion with 36,899 stores in 120 countries. McDonald’s, I was told repeatedly, offered a model to grow our churches – simple, scalable, clearly branded, and entrepreneurial. Sadly, we never talked about the shadow side of McDonald’s history. The Founder does. As I watched the movie, I was reminded of the ancient proverb quoted by Os Guiness many years ago: if you are going to dine with the devil, you better have a long spoon. The Founder stars Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc who meets Mac and Dick McDonald as they are running a successful burger operation in 1950s Southern California. He sees the franchise potential. Read more.

Becoming a Great Leader: The Long View – EHS Leadership Podcast

One of the most challenging tasks of leadership, and life, is perspective. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: The years teach much which the days never know. I spend much of my time with pastors and leaders from around the world. The surface questions vary, but the underlying ones are similar: “Where is God in all these difficulties? Why is leading so painful and slow? How do I make it long-term?” In this podcast I attempt to give a long view of leadership around God’s process of making us “great” leaders. (“Greatness” refers to remaining faithful to become the person God has called you to become, and do what He has called you to do.) Highlights include: Illusions we must unlearn; The most significant book that helped me stay the course in my most difficult years; Great counsel given to me that has stood the test of time; Practical tips for young leaders in. Read more.

“Gone to the Fields to be Lovely” Summers as Sabbaticals

This blog is an update from last year called Summer Spirituality. I re-wrote it because I believe this theme needs to be revisited each year by each of us, starting with me. The Bible teaches there is a time and a season for “everything under heaven” (Eccl. 3:1). God has built this into the very fabric of nature’s seasons as we observe the cycle of death and newness every winter and summer. Our churches experience seasons. And so do we. These seasons are limits given to us by God. They are gifts from His hand meant to keep us grounded and humble. I have violated God’s seasons in my leadership more times than I want to remember. But treating our vacations, and summers, as mini-Sabbaticals can be powerful if we build this into our lives. The way we do this can be summarized in three words. Receive. Summers are a time to do less. Read more.

Five Reasons to Download The 2017 EH Leadership Conference

If you are a pastor or leader committed to building a disciple-making culture to change the world, then downloading The 2017 EH Leadership Conference may be one of the most important decisions you can make this year. With the upcoming release of The Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Courses in August (containing both The Emotionally Healthy Relationships Course and The Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course), we have a unique opportunity to impact the way the church globally does discipleship. Thus, we are eager to get this excellent content into the hands of as many pastors and leaders as possible. Actually, there are five reasons for you to invest $49.99 to purchase this download package. You will receive: 1. 8 Church Leadership Video Sessions to view on demand: John the Baptist: The Unlikely Emotionally Healthy Leader Genogram Your Family: Going Back to Go Forward Leadership That Equips People to Live in the New Family of Jesus Climbing the. Read more.

How Might Jesus Have Us Engage Social Media?

Would the apostle Paul have engaged social media for the sake of the expanding the message of Jesus? Based on the way he creatively utilized the pax Romana (Roman peace), along with Greek culture and language, the answer is, I believe, a resounding yes. Can you imagine Jesus giving us a few tips on our use of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube? Based on his Sermon on the Mount, the following are a few parameters He might recommend to us: Be careful not to show off or pretend. The definition of hypocrisy is to pretend to be something we are not or to present an idealized version of ourselves that is not true. Jesus calls us to avoid being “showy” or doing anything “spectacular” to call attention to ourselves. Seek the notice of our Father in heaven. Our goal is to impress Him, to hear Him say, “well-done” at the end of each tweet,. Read more.

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