Lead Well

When working with other leaders, the question I hear often is, “How do I lead up?” They may not use that phrase exactly. It usually comes out like, “Why won’t my leader do this?” or “How can I get them to see it my way?” This is a common theme among any leader who must submit to the authority of someone else.       Every leader who must submit is faced with two options: They can sit on the back row and criticize every move their leader makes, or they can move to the front row and bring about the change they know needs to happen.    The thing is, it’s always easier to sit in the back. You don’t have to do anything but criticize and talk about how much better it would be if they would just do it “your way.”  Back-row leaders get a certain joy out of seeing their leaders fail and convince themselves that they know the right way. Back-row leaders are ultimately poisonous to the organization because of their negativity....

This year I set out to read only 10 books.  I guess I went a little overboard and read 18 instead.  I became a parent in early 2015 and started leading a parent lifegroup in 2016, so I spent a lot more time reading parenting books than I ever have before. I've also gone all in on the Rethink Group's ministry philosophy of Orange, so I read a lot of those books as well.  Here's the list with links. Talk Now and Later by Brian Dollar  The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson It's Just a Phase by Reggie Joiner and Kristin Ivy The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey Creating A Lead Small Culture by Reggie Joiner, Kristin Ivy, and Elle Campbell Children's Ministry Leadership by Jim Wideman  Good or God by John Bevere Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath One and Two by Reggie Joiner and Kristin Ivy Connect with Kids by Jim Wideman  Don't Miss It by Reggie Joiner and Kristin Ivy Parent Chat by Matt McKee The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Fami...

When Junior Bible Quiz (JBQ) season ended earlier this year at my church, I wasn't sure if it would be able to continue. With only one confirmed member returning, starting the new season in August seemed near impossible. But with God all things are possible. The ministry coordinators and I started to pray for God to send 3 new families into the ministry so we could continue this important ministry where kids learn God's Word like nowhere else. When August rolled around, God came through. Fast forward to this weekend and we have a bigger team than we've had in years, and to top it all off we went undefeated in our division.  Something we also haven't done in years. Thank you to the families and volunteers who dedicate their time to teaching these kids about God and the Bible. It's all working toward training our kids in the way they should go so that when they grow old they will not turn from it. This is just one example of God coming through and answ...

Recently, I was given the opportunity to preach to the adult congregation.  I spoke on the five ways God helps your faith grow and how my church makes them happen. They are: Practical teaching - Hearing the Word and doing the Word are two very different things.  It is essential to our spiritual growth to learn how to apply what we learn about God and His ways to our lives. Private disciplines  - Prayer, studying the Bible, serving, sharing the Gospel.  These are all disciplines that every christian should have in their lives and the more they practice them, they stronger their faith grows. Personal ministry  - Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:2 that we are the Body of Christ.  Everyone has a place to serve in the gifts and abilities that God has given us.  Therefore a follower should be actively serving or looking for a place to serve. Providential relationships  - In each followers faith journey they can point to one person who set them on ...

I love the beginning of the year.  It's a great time to look back at the previous year and look forward to the next.  Every year, I make a list of books I want to read and work off of that list.  Sometimes I add books and take others off, but I always try to meet my goal. I read 13 books in 2015, which is significantly less than last year. However I'm learning that it's not the quantity of books read throughout the year, but the quality.  It doesn't do me any good to finish reading a book and not be able to apply what I've read. I plan to read even fewer in 2016, but I think I will get more out of them than I did in the past two years. Here's what I read in 2015: Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell Lead Small Culture by Reggie Joiner, Sue Miller and Kristin Ivy Good Leaders ask Great Questions by John Maxwell Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni Not Normal by Sue Miller and Ad...

I get a lot of questions this time of year about what kind of Bible to buy for kids.  While there may be no perfect Bible out there for your kids, some are certainly better than others. It can be confusing with so many different translations and Bible types.  I want to help you make the best decision possible. First, let's talk about translations.  Before 1973 there weren't a lot of options out there.  You read King James Version (KJV) or nothing.  Thankfully, Zondervan put out the New International Version (NIV) and turned the Bible world up on its head. Now, there are hundreds of versions ranging from old school KJV to paraphrases like The Message by Eugene Peterson. Which one is right for your kids? It really depends on their reading ability and comprehension; however, there are a few versions that have stood out to me in the past few years.  They are: New International Version (NIV) New International readers Version (NIrV) New Living Transl...

Recently we held an all church volunteer training meeting at my home church.  It was a great morning full of fun, learning, and food.  The following is a my main talk about Owners Vs. Renters and the coinciding notes. Session Notes Student Notes Teacher Notes What trainings have you done with those you lead?