You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2007.
I’ll update next week. I’m taking my family to Gatlinburg!
“We’ll be back with the recrap after this message.”
- Ralph Kiner, Mets sportscaster
1. Spiritual Reality.
A truly successful leader is spiritually vibrant and alive. Sometimes we tend to think that leadership is all about sermons, programs, budgets, staff meetings, & a multitude of other things that take our time. But true leadership means we have the indwelling Spirit living in our lives. Before we take others to the cross, we must make sure we have been there ourselves.
2. Spiritual Authenticity.
A truly successful leader doesn’t play name games, but they are who they say they are. They are real. They may have flaws, and even make some stupid mistakes, but they are genuine. When they have a spiritual need, they confess it. We they show the wrong attitude in a staff or board meeting, they acknowledge it.
Being authentic doesn’t mean being skilled strong or always capable. Being real means we confess that we don’t always know what to do. This isn’t easy for us because the people we lead sometimes think that we have all the answers and some of us are stupid enough to believe that we do too.
3. Spiritual Fullness.
J. Oswald Sanders once remarked that, “Spiritual leadership can be exercised only by Spirit-filled people. To be Spirit-filled is indispensable…however brilliant a man may be intellectually, however capable an administrator, without that essential equipment he is incapable of truly giving spiritual leadership.”
Only when we are totally dependent on God and empowered by His Spirit are we truly successful.
Two men were fishing in a stream when they noticed that a nearby bridge was falling apart. Every time a vehicle would drive across it, another piece would fall and the entire bridge would shake dangerously. Finally, after a large truck passed over, the bridge completely fell apart in the middle. The two fishermen knew that if a car came around the bend, the driver would never know that the middle of the bridge was gone; the whole thing could come crashing down, damaging the vehicle and injuring the driver.
One of the men looked at his friend and said, “We’ve got to do something. What would be the ‘Christian’ thing to do?” His friend thought for a moment and replied, “Build a hospital?”
Many, even in the church, would rather build a hospital than put up a warning sign. We tend to deal with things after the fact instead of taking action to prevent things from happening. We frequently allow a person to come to a very bad condition before we get involved. Nowhere is this more plainly seen than in the absence of accountability among leaders.
Leaders should use the same principles for themselves that they apply to others. We should hold ourselves accountable just like everyone else on the team. Maintaining such accountability involves honesty and a plan. A failure to provide a structure for such accountability will lead to a crisis of character and leadership. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
So, do you believe in accountability? Leave me some feedback and let me know what preventive measures you take to protect yourself and then I’ll post a follow-up on this topic.
“Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life.”
- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for a federal anti-smoking campaign.
“The word ‘genius’ isn’t applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.”
- Joe Theisman, quarterback and sports analyst
“Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It’s rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres!”
- Jerry Coleman, Padres radio announcer
“There’s a soft liner, which is caught by the second baseman. And the ball game is over! For this inning.
- Jerry Coleman, Baseball announcer
“Hey cabbie, could you turn that thing down a hundred disciples?”
- Paul Owen, Baseball player complaining about the radio being too loud
What a week! I was privileged to be able to go to the Bus & Outreach Convention. This year, it was held in Camby, IN just outside Indianapolis. This was my 9th convention & it was a good one. Daniel Stetler did an awesome job of preaching & the sessions I attended were rich & very informative. They even got desperate & asked me to do a session entitled “Bore no More—Preaching to Teens.” Whether or not anybody else liked it, I had fun giving it! Working with teens is the greatest joyride in the world! Several of my teens were there. I’m very proud of them!
I love my church, I love my pastor, I love my staff, I love my teens, I love my family, I really love my wife & kids, & after 18 years of serving the Lord I’m still head over heels in love with Jesus! What a life!! If this is a dream, don’t pinch me. I don’t ever want to wake up from my awesome life!
“I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada.”- Britney Spears
