Category: Leadership
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Life change, anyone?
Unclutterer.com posted an interview with Peter Walsh, host of TLC’s Clean Sweep that talks about his new book and his mission to help people keep “stuff” from controlling their lives. This doesn’t just apply to clutter… Unclutterer: What steps do you take to insure that your clients won’t revert to their old clutter-hoarding ways after […]
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Monday Morning Links: Christianity on CNN and Leadership
Just a few things that caught my eye this morning… > Ed Stetzer was interviewed on CNN recently about some of the research he’s done on unchurched folks’ opinions about Christians. Here’s a clip. > John Moore of Brand Autopsy posts a great quote from Tom Peters on how leaders are rarely the best performers. […]
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Linkage: What worked and what didn’t
I love learning from what others are doing. Here’s a list from Chris Elrod about what worked and didn’t at Compass Point in 2007… I’m beginning to realize just how different Compass Point is from other churches around Lakeland and the United States. What works everywhere else usually bombs here. 2007 was Compass Point’s third […]
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Finding leaders who are “one of us”
Most groups think in some way about building up leaders, but another important area to consider is leadership transitions. A lot of times, when a leader decides to move on, someone else is pulled from the outside to take up the mantle of leadership and move forward. If it’s done well, this can be a […]
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Overcommunicate vision
We’re launching a new small group study at Glenkirk, and one thing I know but I’m actually learning through practice is that you have to communicate vision every chance you get. It’s something I want to get better at. It’s an area I’m growing in. Without fail, every time I feel like I’m repeating myself […]
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Multiplication is messy. That’s ok. (part 3)
We’ve talked about the challenge of multiplication and how sending seems more natural. What if, in addition to groups sending others to start new groups, those connected groups formed a network, or a hub, that got together periodically? It could be for a time of worship, for a party, or for service. Our group meets […]
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Multiplication is messy. That’s ok. (part 2)
So it’s time for our group to multiply. But multiplication is messy and hasn’t really worked in our context. What do we do? Well, last week I introduced the idea to the group. We talked about how we value being open and open – to new people and with each other. I explained how multiplication […]
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Multiplication is messy. That’s ok.
There is no perfect small group system. I wish there was, but there’s no one formula that will work for every church, meet everyone’s needs, and grow an active, healthy, outward-focused ministry. That little confession leads us to today’s discussion. I’ve read lots of books on small groups, but I haven’t found “the” way to […]
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Leaders make decisions
It’s time for a little leadership “blast from the past.” Here’s a great post from Scott Hodge’s old blog: “Peter Drucker has some great things to say about a leader’s decision making and getting things done. He points out that it’s not as much about charisma as we tend to think it is. (Good to […]
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Caring always makes a difference
Seth Godin points to a story about a woman, her mom, and some shoes from Zappos. It’s impressive – especially from a business. Here’s the question I’m left with. Do the people I’m working with (church, business, etc.) have the authority and to ability to help people out when it matters?
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Leadership hinges on discipleship
We all have different giftings and passions. Even in the same field, one person may have a different emphasis than another. When I was in journalism, I worked with writers who focused on sports, features, and “hard news.” It’s time to see pastors in the same light. There’s not one proper style for church leadership. […]
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Study finds that most young non-Christians don’t like Christianity
LA Times: Christianity’s image taking a turn for the worse Christianity’s image in the United States is declining, especially among young people, according to a new study. A decade ago, an overwhelming majority of non-Christians, including people between the ages 16 and 29, were “favorably” disposed toward Christianity’s role in society. But today, just 16% […]
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Begin with the end in mind – just don’t start there.
Most leaders who are passionate about what they do spend most of their time thinking about the future. Where are we headed? Where is God leading us? What are our challenges? What needs to change? But while most people involved in those projects may care about them – even deeply – they just aren’t thinking […]
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Another lesson from that coffee shop
I normally don’t write the “how church can get better by adopting business practices” posts. A lot of people are already doing that. Plus, I don’t believe it’s always a one-to-one comparison. There are different forces at work in church life (more community focused, outward oriented, God-driven) that don’t always neatly mesh with the consumerist-based […]
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One key to successful worship leadership
Don’t talk too much.* *This also applies nicely to successful sermons, conversations, etc.
Jon Sampson 