3 Reasons We Should Help Teenagers Serve in Their Church
I spoke last night to our high school students at our high school outside gathering before the students break into life groups (I lead a group of tenth grade guys). I always enjoy speaking to teenagers, especially the ones I am honored to pastor. I spoke about the joy of serving others and challenged our […]
Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman: Will You Serve Both?
Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman: Will you serve both? If you had to choose, which one do you find easier or more enjoyable to love and serve? We tend to be more passionate about serving some people over others. Even for those of us on staff at a church, those of us with the title […]
Take Responsibility for Your Own Feedback
Feedback fuels your leadership development. It helps you adjust what needs to be adjusted, builds confidence, and confirms areas of strength. Without feedback, your growth as a leader is stunted. But what if your boss or leader does not offer feedback? Or not enough of it? This was a recent conversation with a group of […]
Five Ways Leaders Lose Credibility
In The Leadership Challenge, researchers and authors, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner claim that the most important leadership characteristic is credibility. Based on extensive research over two decades, they write that “more than anything, we want leaders who are credible. People must be able to believe in their leaders.” Without credibility a “leader” won’t be […]
Four Ways to Express Love to the People You Lead
Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages has been a helpful resource to many couples. He challenges spouses to learn each other’s love language—how one most feels loved, pursued, and valued—whether through time, words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, or touch. When Kaye, my wife, jokingly insists that she has all five languages, I […]
Skills Can Kill: 4 Dangers of (Only) Skills-Based Leadership Development
Both character and competence are essential for leaders. Of David, the king of Israel, the Scripture states, “He shepherded them with a pure heart and guided them with his skillful hands” (Psalm 78:72). In other words, David possessed both character and competence. When people think of developing leaders, they often think in terms of necessary […]
Was His Service Poor?
Most of us claim to be pretty good tippers. Certainly there are bad tippers, but it seems very few actually admit to being one. After all, most tend to realize that stinginess reflects poorly on one’s character. So what do you tip when the service is really bad? I mean really bad such as when […]
Stay in Your Lane or Own the Whole?
Perhaps you have had a leader challenge you to “stay in your lane.” Whether your mind conjured up a football analogy or lanes on an interstate, you got the message. Quit trying to lead everyone else’s area, and focus on yours. And perhaps you heard a different message in a different meeting when the leader […]
Foundation for Service
The essence of Christian faith is not that we serve Christ but that He served us. In Matthew 20, the mother of James and John came to Jesus, requesting that her sons be allowed to sit at His side in the kingdom—one on His right, the other on His left. So Jesus turned and asked […]
Gospel and Serving
Jesus motivated His disciples to serve people by connecting His challenge for them to serve with the reality that He served them first. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and said to them: So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one […]