Have you ever purchased a lawnmower and then decided you’d rather use it as a shower curtain? Probably not. Form follows function – in more ways than one. You’ve heard us advocate for hiring better rather than hiring often. What does that mean when you hire an individual for an office position and they’re now […]
Ordinary for the Extraordinary
Missionary and evangelist Jim Elliot once wrote, “Forgive me for being so ordinary while claiming to know so extraordinary a God.” Elliot had a heart for unreached people and a passion for sharing the Gospel. For more than three years, Elliot worked with four other missionaries to orchestrate Operation Auca. The Huaorani people were an […]
Bored with your Board?
I often hear complaints from development and advancement directors and teams working with faith-based nonprofit organizations, schools, and missions. “Our board doesn’t get involved.” “Our board doesn’t contribute.” You’re bored… with your board. At times, this can be completely confounding. The Christian mindset is to build one another up, to defend the widows and the […]
To Delegate is to Disciple | Leading Well Through Mentorships
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.” As leaders, we carry the amazing responsibility of raising others up to stand on level ground, and even to push them above and beyond. In so many areas of our faith, we are encouraged to think […]
Growing Pains
May I be blunt? I don’t really have any interest in you learning for the sake of learning, though I’m the first to admit I have a teacher’s heart. I’m more interested in what you and your team are going to do with the skills, tactics, and tools we discuss. Keeping this in mind, let’s […]
Discipline Can Be Deceiving
From the outside, as I hiked with several leaders after a long and productive day, it likely looked like I was a diligent, structured, disciplined person. I say this because several people commented on just that. However, that was merely a reaction to evidence available at the moment. I love discipline. I admire it. I […]
Redefining Success | Navigating COVID-19
Many of you have reached out with the same basic, but ever so complicated, question: What do we do now? Although many things remain to be sorted out, we have three important steps for you and your organizations to take today for a stronger tomorrow. Update Timelines At this point we have no way of […]
3 Steps Emergent Leaders Need to Take
With the end of the year approaching, you are in a unique position for your ministry. I’d even go so far as to say the strongest position you could possibly be in come December. If anyone has giving decisions remaining to make before now and the end of the year, they are likely to find […]
Strength Training | 3 Steps to Stronger Ideas
Strength stands on the shoulders of those who came before us. Years ago, I learned a formula that has changed my life. As a driven individual I can be guilty at times of being so focused I settle for nothing short of perfection. There was a time when I would rather have taken no action […]
Be Enough in 6 Steps
Satan is limited. He cannot disrupt the plans of our God, but he can and he WILL try to distract us long enough to minimize our potential to postpone our power. When – and notice I say when, not if – this happens, it is crucial to remind ourselves we are enough. We must […]
The Giving Board
Create. Motivate. Activate. The relationship between a leader and those who serve alongside the leader can be quite impactful, but sometimes difficult to navigate, especially when it comes to money. Let’s face it – confronting those who choose to serve, who give of their time …to also give of their finances… is not always easy. […]
Development is Threefold…Not Billfold
What We Can Learn From Jesus + Einstein “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” This quote from Albert Einstein resonated with me earlier this week, and has encouraged the advice I share with you today. Whether through parables or five alphanumeric symbols, e = mc2, great men know it […]
Leading Through Storytelling
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about Him, so that He got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And He told them many things in parables… Matthew 13:1-3 In countless ways, Jesus was and continues […]
A Vision for Saving Lives or Changing Lives
The more you can accompany your vision with a profile that paints a picture of the life, the stronger you’re going to be in communicating your vision.
Aligning Hearts with your Vision
Here’s the bad news: having vision is the easy part.
The Importance of Clarifying Your Message
It is crucial to communicate your message clearly in order to share what in the world you are doing and why.
Casting Vision for Lives Changed
You can really only raise money for two things: saving lives or changing lives.
Gracefully Involving Friends in your Vision
A true friend is someone who is interested in what you are working on.
How to Maximize Your Return on Your Time Invested
Maximizing the value of what we already have in our circle of influence is one of the key opportunities we each have in our organizations. Read on for ways you can apply this approach.