Well, if you are like me you schedule a lot of your life according to the academic calendar. Every church or ministry I have worked with has done so, and it just seems to be the way to do it. School starts, people get serious after summer holidays, harvest is happening or almost complete, time … Continue reading Preparing for the year ahead!
Do you make room for an enemy?
How many enemies do you have? I know, I know, we are not supposed to call anyone an enemy. And I realize for many of you it is difficult to admit out loud that some people may even get the title. But we all know who they are in our circles. It does not mean … Continue reading Do you make room for an enemy?
Being and Doing
I had the opportunity to preach about Mary and Martha recently. A very familiar story about how 2 sisters respond to Jesus coming to their house for a visit. A friend asked how I would be presenting the story, and I simply texted: Martha bad, Mary good I was kidding of course. But I reflected … Continue reading Being and Doing
Understand the Culture
Cultural context. Cultural adaptation. Cultural appropriation. Culture change. Culture is king. I have lost some of you already... If you are like me you get to hear some form of ideology on culture on a regular basis. If you are further like me, you also enjoy asking questions about culture; what it is, how it … Continue reading Understand the Culture
How do you handle power?
We all have some power. What we do with it says a lot about who we are, in leadership, and in life. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly … Continue reading How do you handle power?
The next stop on the journey!
It's not about the destination, it is all about the journey...Tweet How often have you encountered that sentiment? I know I have on more than one occasion, and I have most definitely repeated those words on more than a few occasions. It is timeless in that it reminds us to focus on how the road … Continue reading The next stop on the journey!
The Jesus I wanted to know
"I believed in Jesus, I just couldn't stand the church." I am sure you have heard a statement like that in the past. Maybe you have even said something like that. I know I have, and I have worked in church ministry since the 90s! We are seeing all kinds of changes happening in the … Continue reading The Jesus I wanted to know
Not just a pivot. It is a re-vision.
Pivot. New normal. Languishing. WFH. #workfromhome. You need to unmute. Zoom. Virtual meeting. Circuit breaker. Doomscrolling. Social distancing. Opportunity. In this together… What words are you learning to hate during the pandemic? Some are hard to resist. They start off well-meaning, but then become over-used, and finally, they are just plain annoying to hear. ‘Pivot’ … Continue reading Not just a pivot. It is a re-vision.
On Purpose: So, what is your purpose?
Do you have a purpose statement? Have you ever written one? Or do you have one memorized? Maybe you have put together a personal statement before or have been part of a process with your team or workgroup. Do you remember it? It does cause some awkwardness in meetings when you bring up the subject … Continue reading On Purpose: So, what is your purpose?
On Purpose: What’s Your Vision?
What do you imagine for yourself? The proverb says it well, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." When everything else was clouded, I lacked vision. We all do. A difficult aspect of losing sight of purpose is seeing actions through a dirty lens. Actions become less strategic and joyful, and the focus rests … Continue reading On Purpose: What’s Your Vision?
Upside down pyramid leaders
Every once in awhile I like to give a shout out to a good podcast episode. Pyramid icons created by smalllikeart - Flaticon On a semi-regular basis I listen to the leadership podcast by Andy Stanley. His focus is fairly clear on purpose and servant leadership and is applauded regularly for his ability to put … Continue reading Upside down pyramid leaders
On Purpose: What is your mission?
"We're on a mission from God!"The Blues Brothers Mission and purpose seem almost interchangeable. If you do a little research on your own you will find that many businesses and organisations use either term in some way to describe the essence of what they do. Cutting my teeth in leadership development back in the '90's, … Continue reading On Purpose: What is your mission?