Here is a 2-minute coaching video from the interactive leadership experience: Breaking Through Imaginative Gridlock. The experience features interactive links, coaching video clips like this one, and nearly 10,000 words of text–all in an effort to enhance your capacity for vision. At present, Breaking Through Imaginative Gridlock is available on iOS devices. Simply download the free Leadia app, and then you can purchase the experience for five dollars. It’s a terrific value for the price. In the mean time, enjoy the free video clip below.
Archives For leadership network
Here are some things on my mind this Friday morning:
There isn’t much on TV I actually watch. I watch sports, news, and comedy. No TV show has really captured my interest. Then again, I haven’t really tried any. Ideas?
I can’t wait until the election is over so I can respect some of my friends again 
Obviously, I respect them always, but wow, I’ve been surprised at their behavior.
In one of those random tweets, I asked if you were cold and hungry, would you rather have the world’s greatest burger, or the world’s best pizza? Pizza won nearly unanimously.
The good news for the church about the election is we can still be faithful and God can still move regardless of who is in the White House. God has a long history of working powerfully in spite of some real prizes occupying earthly thrones.
Continue Reading...
I’m pleased to announce the release of a new leadership experience I’ve authored, Breaking Through Imaginative Gridlock: Asking Better/Different Questions to Get Breakthrough Ideas, in partnership with Leadership Network through the app Leadia.
Leadia is a mobile app from Leadership Network that combines concise innovative ideas, dynamic embedded media, and integrated social networking. It includes nearly 10,000 words of text, several short teaching videos, and the ability to interact with other readers via social media. Learn more about Leadia by clicking here.
I created this Leadia experience to help those suffering the ministry equivalent of “writer’s block.” I believe some ideas with the greatest potential to help the Kingdom advance can come from those who don’t consider themselves very imaginative, but even the most “creative” among us will need to break through imaginative gridlock at some point. My hope is this leadership experience can be a step forward in that process.
Here are some excerpts:
Continue Reading...
Here are some things on my mind this Friday morning:
- I didn’t get much of a chance to watch the Republican National Convention, though I did get to see some of Chris Christie’s speech. His appeal is that he is raw and open with people. He gives people the sense he’s going to tell them the truth. He’s not a spinner and people respect that. Let us speakers take note.
- If I were going to pick a final game of the World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup or Super Bowl to watch, I’d pick the Stanley Cup or World Series. The NBA should win, but the officials take half of the fun out of the game. The Super Bowl (save Giants/Patriots 1) usually doesn’t provide much drama. How about you?
- The young woman who cuts my hair (not a Christian) asked me what pastors actually do. I said, “We try to help people grow.” It’s the best I could do spur of the moment. I wish I could have had five minutes to formulate a more full response. But, substantively, it wouldn’t be a lot different. I surely would have added, “In Christ.” But, to grow is to grow in Christ.
- After only one week, I’m LOVING preaching through James. I’d rather preach through a book of the Bible than anything else. That’s pretty much all I do anyway, but it’s good to enjoy exposition and application.
- If Christians believe God does not sin, why do we spend so much time asking questions about his “fairness” or “justice” in comparison to question our own fairness or justice? God can handle our questions, but we would do well to remember if there is a disconnect between our ethical sense and God’s–it probably isn’t His that’s off. We might need to recalibrate our ethics to His, not adjust God’s to our own supposedly high sense of ethics.
- There is nothing like a good hike. No music, no phone, nothing but the sounds, smells and sights of the hills.
- I’m finishing up a small writing project for Leadership Network’s Leadia app. It will out sometime in October. If you are an iPhone or iPad user, Leadia is a great ministry learning tool–complete with writing and video. Click here for more information.
- At dinner last night, Emily was talking about how beautiful it was to watch our girls swim in the ocean with the freedom to yell, get pummeled by waves, and just be kids. She said, “It’s like God wrestling with them on the living room floor.” I loved that.
- Video of the week: “Famous Last Words,” By Rhett and Link. Never say these 29 things. In honor of Labor Day–stay safe
Have a great weekend! Do something fun and rest from your labors.
I just have to tell somebody about this week! I was blessed to spend Monday-Wednesday at Leadership Network in Dallas as part of their Next Generation Pastors Network. The two-year experience is designed to address issues facing young pastors leading large churches. The idea is, get together twelve people that can add value to the experience, bring in three amazing mentor pastors (for this session—Gene Getz, Larry Osborne and Toby Slough), and work together to bless the Church for the next generation. Those of who read this blog very frequently know I am a ministry nerd. I hold out hope that heaven may be discussion about the church’s potential and how to get there.
When I wasn’t at Leadership Network, I was getting together with old friends in the DFW area and seeking to raise some money for New Vintage Church. One of those conversations was likely the last one I will have this side of heaven with my dear friend, Ray Hardin—who is within a few months of finishing His race. He is the Ray whose prayers I post on the blog—often on Saturday nights. That conversation will be it’s own post next week. It was simply remarkable.
I learned a great deal from everyone present (I’ll share some of those learnings as well), but getting to know Gene Getz was amazing. A former professor at Dallas Seminary, founder of the Fellowship Bible Churches and the author of 60 books (The Measure of a Man is probably the best known), Gene spent his 79th birthday mentoring young pastors on becoming better church leaders. He has just finished a 7-year study bible project that will be released in September. He is in good health and has no intention of slowing down. That’s how I want to go out—beating on Satan until the end.
Much of Gene’s mentoring had to do with the inner life of the leader. There were gillions of jewels over the course of the three days…but for brevity I'll share this: He said a mentor professor of his used to take Gene along to speaking engagements with him. Gene said the professor to him he prayed two things regularly regarding his ministry. The first was that he would never become just a “professional” pastor. He meant that he wouldn’t forget about the guts of ministry—what makes it what it is. Ministry is about God, His people, and His mission. Second, he said his mentor used to pray he would remain thankful that anyone would bother to show up to listen to him.
He expounded on both of those ideas, but Gene Getz planted a good prayer in me. It’s not supposed to be the only prayer. It’s just good pastoral wisdom. Pray that you won’t be just a professional. Pray that God will grant the humility and gratitude that anyone would consider your ministry a blessing and God worth the time.
These are two blind spots for pastors. It’s easy to become just a professional. This isn’t to say our ministry should have no professionalism, but rather we shouldn’t be merely professionals. It’s easy to get prideful enough to believe you are good enough someone (or even everyone) should show up to hear you. Nonsense. These are both, in their own way, prayers for humility.
Thank you, Gene Getz, for a life well lived, and for mentoring us with your own mentors words. To all pastors: may we:
- Never become just a professional.
- Always remain thankful anyone would bother listening to you.
