Don't let a rut become your GRAVE!
Getting out of RUT:
The churches of Sardis and Laodicea were deffinately in a rut. Sardis thought they were alive, but were dead, and Laodicea was neither hot nor cold! Check it out in Revelation 3.
1. Wake UP! Admit you’re in a rut!
2. Ask for God to help you get out!
3. Begin to dream again! Reignite your passions!
4. Begin to move forward! Don't dwell on the past
5. Be prepared to sacrifice…bad habits, priorities, time
6. Surround yourself with Godly friends, influencers, motivators…
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Lincoln on Leadership
I just finished reading a great book called Lincoln on Leadership, by Donald T. Phillips. This book is the first to examine our sixteenth president's diverse leadership abilities and how they can relate our leading in a complex world. Using lively anecdotes, dramatic descriptions, and Lincoln's own words, corporate manager and historian Donald T. Phillips reveals - from the pragmatic to the unconventional - the techniques and strategies that rallied a nation and transformed Lincoln's image from country bumpkin to the most revered and honored President this country has ever known.Here are a few of my favorite Lincoln Principles:
- Seek casual contact with your subordinates. It is as meaningful as a formal gathering, if not more so.
- Wage only one war at a time.
- A good leader avoids issuing orders, preferring to request, imply, or make suggestions.
- You must set, and respond to, fundamental goals and values that move your followers.
- Have malice toward none and charity for all.
- Seize the initiative and never relinquish it.
- Unite your followers with a "corporate mission."
- The best leaders never stop learning.
- Loyalty is more often won through private conversation than in any other way.
- Provide a clear, concise statement of the direction of your organization, and justify the actions you take.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
It's Not About Me
(This is a portion of a letter written to my leadership team Oct. 07)
Jesus was never afraid to ask his followers for a deep level of commitment. Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39). Again in chapter 16:24-26 Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Does Jesus require any less of his disciples today? How much more is even required from us as leaders? Those are tough questions to flesh out in our “always on the run” culture today. Let’s be honest, in today’s success driven society, we never quit have enough time to do everything. We have commitments to school, our jobs, extracurricular activities, family, hobbies, friends, and church. Often a barrier to leadership is not a lack of commitment, but over-commitment to the wrong things (Luke 8:14).
Obviously as Christians, our first priority of commitment is to Christ – knowing Christ and making Him known. The question then for us is, where does our level of commitment to our church and personal ministry fall in comparison to our other “priorities”? Are we making an honest and ongoing effort to attend planning sessions and trainings for leadership and your area of ministry? Are we supporting our church and ministry through our tithes and offerings? Are we supporting our church and it’s leadership through word and deed? Are we denying ourselves in order to fulfill our responsibilities in leadership for this area of ministry?
The bottom line is – it’s not about me. It’s not about a youth pastor looking cool or somebody’s proverbial pat on back for a job well done. It’s not about a paycheck, recognition, or the accolades of men. It’s not about numbers, an awesome facility, or having the most spiritual teens in the county. It’s about denying yourself, taking up your cross and following our leader, Jesus Christ. It’s not about you or me.
So let me ask you. Are you ready to lose you life?
Continuing the revolution,
Pastor Roger Nelmes
Jesus was never afraid to ask his followers for a deep level of commitment. Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39). Again in chapter 16:24-26 Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Does Jesus require any less of his disciples today? How much more is even required from us as leaders? Those are tough questions to flesh out in our “always on the run” culture today. Let’s be honest, in today’s success driven society, we never quit have enough time to do everything. We have commitments to school, our jobs, extracurricular activities, family, hobbies, friends, and church. Often a barrier to leadership is not a lack of commitment, but over-commitment to the wrong things (Luke 8:14).
Obviously as Christians, our first priority of commitment is to Christ – knowing Christ and making Him known. The question then for us is, where does our level of commitment to our church and personal ministry fall in comparison to our other “priorities”? Are we making an honest and ongoing effort to attend planning sessions and trainings for leadership and your area of ministry? Are we supporting our church and ministry through our tithes and offerings? Are we supporting our church and it’s leadership through word and deed? Are we denying ourselves in order to fulfill our responsibilities in leadership for this area of ministry?
The bottom line is – it’s not about me. It’s not about a youth pastor looking cool or somebody’s proverbial pat on back for a job well done. It’s not about a paycheck, recognition, or the accolades of men. It’s not about numbers, an awesome facility, or having the most spiritual teens in the county. It’s about denying yourself, taking up your cross and following our leader, Jesus Christ. It’s not about you or me.
So let me ask you. Are you ready to lose you life?
Continuing the revolution,
Pastor Roger Nelmes
Monday, February 11, 2008
MAXIMS for Spiritual Leadership
(adapted & revised from information given by Dr. Jim Bradford)
1 Timothy 4:11-16
Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
My Life
1. Know God: If my place in ministry was taken from me would I still have a personal, growing relationship with Jesus?
2. Pursue Integrity: Are there areas of ongoing secrecy in my life that I am trying to intentionally hide from those closest to me?
3. Be Yourself: How often do I hear people say, “Thank you for your authenticity.”
4. Own Responsibility: Do I acknowledge my mistakes or do I project blame and use my ministry platform to vent unresolved anger?
5. Embrace Change: Is my attitude faith-filled and future-focused or am I overly nostalgic of the past and fearful of taking risk in the present?
6. Love Learning: Am I coasting intellectually or am I applying myself to the disciplines of personal study and reflection? (“I want to live until I die.”)
7. Live Joyfully: Am I living under self-imposed pressure of always having to prove something to somebody?
My Task
1. Model Servant hood: The primary role of a leader is to serve.
2. Set Attitude: Attitude is everything. You may not have control over your circumstances, but you always have the choice in how you will react and live it out.
3. Cast Vision: Relaying our vision to others builds momentum and enthusiasm. People want to be a part of something that is in motion.
4. Develop Authority: As I delegate responsibility and authority, it is up to you to wisely administrate it. Authority doesn’t guarantee respect. Respect is only earned when you exercise responsibility, follow-through and mutual respect.
5. Require Excellence: God gave His absolute best to us by offering Jesus to die in our place. Then He added the cherry on top by giving us His Holy Spirit and the gifts that accompany Him. Why should we offer any less than our best to Him in ministry?
6. Show Appreciation: Displaying thanks and appreciation to your volunteers and supporters will greatly increases your chances of a repeat performance.
1 Timothy 4:11-16
Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
My Life
1. Know God: If my place in ministry was taken from me would I still have a personal, growing relationship with Jesus?
2. Pursue Integrity: Are there areas of ongoing secrecy in my life that I am trying to intentionally hide from those closest to me?
3. Be Yourself: How often do I hear people say, “Thank you for your authenticity.”
4. Own Responsibility: Do I acknowledge my mistakes or do I project blame and use my ministry platform to vent unresolved anger?
5. Embrace Change: Is my attitude faith-filled and future-focused or am I overly nostalgic of the past and fearful of taking risk in the present?
6. Love Learning: Am I coasting intellectually or am I applying myself to the disciplines of personal study and reflection? (“I want to live until I die.”)
7. Live Joyfully: Am I living under self-imposed pressure of always having to prove something to somebody?
My Task
1. Model Servant hood: The primary role of a leader is to serve.
2. Set Attitude: Attitude is everything. You may not have control over your circumstances, but you always have the choice in how you will react and live it out.
3. Cast Vision: Relaying our vision to others builds momentum and enthusiasm. People want to be a part of something that is in motion.
4. Develop Authority: As I delegate responsibility and authority, it is up to you to wisely administrate it. Authority doesn’t guarantee respect. Respect is only earned when you exercise responsibility, follow-through and mutual respect.
5. Require Excellence: God gave His absolute best to us by offering Jesus to die in our place. Then He added the cherry on top by giving us His Holy Spirit and the gifts that accompany Him. Why should we offer any less than our best to Him in ministry?
6. Show Appreciation: Displaying thanks and appreciation to your volunteers and supporters will greatly increases your chances of a repeat performance.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Why Walk When You Can Run
Cody McCasland was born without knees and his lower legs were so badly deformed they
had to be amputated. Some said he was going to die, others said he would never walk again. But Cody, now six, has proven them all wrong. Cody not only walks - he runs in races! His walking legs are decorated with pictures of his hero, Spiderman. His running legs with highly specialized feet used by paralympians in competition are adorned with endorsments! Cody plays in a city soccer league, takes karate and ran his first set of races this year winning gold in the 60 m, 200 m, and 400 m races. Next year he wants to add competitive swimming to his list!
had to be amputated. Some said he was going to die, others said he would never walk again. But Cody, now six, has proven them all wrong. Cody not only walks - he runs in races! His walking legs are decorated with pictures of his hero, Spiderman. His running legs with highly specialized feet used by paralympians in competition are adorned with endorsments! Cody plays in a city soccer league, takes karate and ran his first set of races this year winning gold in the 60 m, 200 m, and 400 m races. Next year he wants to add competitive swimming to his list!How often have we complained about our circumstances and situation to the point where we allow them to slow us down or even stop us in our tracks? Shame on us! I was having a pretty good pitty party earlier today...now I am humbled. We can learn a lot from Cody. Why walk when you can run?
Thursday, January 31, 2008
COMMUNICATION – A LEADER’S KEY TO SUCCESS
by Dr. John C. Maxwell
For my whole life, I have opened my car door by inserting a metal key into a physical lock. Now, I can unlock the doors and start the car at the push of a button. It seems like magic to me, but it’s actually a simple application of science.
Keyless entry and keyless ignition are made possible when a transmitter within your key fob communicates with a radio receiver inside the car. Two conditions are necessary for this communication to take place: 1) the transmitter must be set to the same frequency as the receiver, and 2) the transmitter must send a uniquely coded message which the receiver has been programmed in advance to recognize.
Communication acts as a leader’s “keyless entry” into relationships. It can open the mind of an employer, the wallet of investors, and the hearts of loved ones. Talented communicators seem magical when they weave their words together. However, much like the concept of keyless entry, great communication depends on two simple skills—context and delivery. Context attunes a leader to the same frequency as his or her audience. Delivery allows a leader to phrase messages in a language the audience can understand.
As we explore context and delivery, we’ll draw upon Steven K. Scott’s book, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. In the book, Scott offers commentary on the words of King Solomon, the wealthiest man in history. Renowned for his wisdom, Solomon writings are filled with advice about effective communication.
Read the whole article @ Leadership Wired.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Get In The Wheelbarrow
Most of us have probably heard the story of Charles Blondin, the French aerialist who became legedary after crossing Niagara Falls on a three inch hemp cord on June 30, 1859. He returned to Niagara Falls several more times to defy gravity with a twist. Blondin crossed the falls on a bicycle, on stilts, blindfolded and even while carrying his manager piggyback.
On one such occassion, the Prince of Wales was in the audience and marveled at his courage and fortitude. Although amazed, the Prince asked Blondin not to do it again. With alterior motives Blondin then asked the Prince if he believed he could push the Prince himself across the falls in a wheelbarrow.
"Sure, " the Prince replied. And before he could get in another word, Blondin commanded, "Then get in!" Blondin was not surprized to see the Prince scamper away.
What about those of us in leadership and ministry? Sometimes our journey in following the call of God leads us to intimidating heights over troubled waters. If you're anything like me, even though people will warn you not to look down, you inevitably look down. You hang on for dear life unable to cross over on your own. At that moment we have a choice to make. We either run away like the Prince, or we get into the wheelbarrow and let God be God.
The testing of our faith isn't simply the belief that God can do what He says He can do. Faith is getting into the wheelbarrow and allowing Him to take us to the other side. We either trust God or we don't. Do you?
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