Keep Alight

I have been in India recently and it has been more amazing than I could have hoped for. In fact I was quite pessimistic about it. But it has turned out to be a very anointed and a time to learn the Word, for new revelation and demonstrating what I was learning.
Its Monsoon season here and it rains like crazy sometimes. So all these bugs decide they have to reside in our house. As soon as the sun sets

What makes a great leader by Charles Lee

Leadership is often defined as influence.

In my opinion, everyone possesses the ability to “influence” or lead others in the general sense of the word, but not everyone is a leader (i.e., someone who functions in a publicly recognized role of guiding or influencing others). I have worked with several people who influence the lives of many people but didn’t function well once given a key role of leadership in an organization and/or company.
The reality is that leadership in a formal sense requires a certain set of perspectives, values, and praxis that very few are able to carry out well. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some phenomenal leaders that are literally changing the landscape of our world. Here are a few insights I’ve picked up about what it takes to become a great leader:

• Pain Frames Purpose – Great leaders do not run away from pain, but rather, recognize that pain is what truly forms and informs their life purposes. It is not to say that they are sadistically seeking pain. Passion for one’s purpose is often fueled in part by one’s pain and suffering. Passion by definition is not only a reference to fervor but also the willingness to work with pain.
• Collaboration is Necessary for Creative Innovation – Leaders recognize that they cannot and will not do it alone. Every great endeavor needs a team or community to help it flourish. Great leaders move from simply wanting collaboration to needing it. In addition, they welcome voices from unrelated fields to spark creativity and refinement of purpose.
• Courage Guides Decisions – Great leaders are marked by their courage in decision making. They rarely lean towards the popular vote. Courage implies that there is often a deep presence of fear and obstacles. Courage is the ability to move forward in the presence of fear.
• Compassionate Justice Provides Perspective – No matter how tough a great leader may appear, deep inside they all care about the people they lead. Compassionate justice is a reference to a work that seeks to make things right with a posture of real care. Great leaders are leading because they feel they can change the environment or direction of something that could be better. People ultimately “follow” a leader because they sense that they have their best interest in mind, even if it means that they go against the grain.
• Focus of Implementation – Great leaders don’t just talk; they do. They realize the hard work is in the implementation of their vision and courage. They don’t make excuses nor choose to sit on their ideas. They simply move forward and figure things out along the way. Great leaders are focused on implementing better. They're not satisfied with a 30,000 feet view. They also want to see what’s right in front of them. The focus is not just greater vision but greater action.

Living life as a leader is a noble pursuit. It takes a special person to move beyond the romanticized benefits of its role.
Are you a leader? If so, our world needs you at your best!

ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO CHURCH LEADERS AND CHARLES LEE.

Keep It Real By Tim Hughes

How Do We Maintain Our Heart Values As A Worship Lead?

As a worship leader, the most important thing is your heart, your attitude and your values. There is the danger that if you’re doing a lot of upfront “stuff,” the upfront stuff becomes the focus, and the hidden life can be neglected. That’s a very dangerous thing.                                                                        

I think for leaders generally, it is so important to have those people in your life to whom you’re accountable, who can speak into the things that you do, and who can ask those tough questions. Personally, I’m so grateful for those friends who will sometimes ask me the hard questions, like “Tim, what’s your motivation?” They may say, “Tim, what you’re doing now – I’m not so sure that’s a such good thing.” It’s tough to take but it’s wonderful because it keeps you real and reminds you what it’s all about. Accountability helps you to focus on the important things – focus on God, and on maintaining your relationship with God. I’m a child of God first, and that’s the most important relationship to me. That’s the difference.  

How Can We Better Facilitate “Spirit-led” Worship                            

In our churches, we have too many song leaders and not enough worship leaders. I think the difference between the two is that a worship leader is trying to see what God’s doing, and follow that. A song leader just plows through the songs without thinking of much else. We’ve had times in our church recently where God’s intervened in a time of worship just poured out His Spirit and the whole meetings been “hijacked” by God! It’s absolutely amazing. We wish He’d do that more and more.  In those moments, God suddenly makes it clear what He wants to do among His people in that time of meeting together. That’s an exciting thing, but there is also a responsibility for the worship leader and the worship band. It is the responsibility to prepare themselves, to get their hearts ready, to get the songs that they’ve practiced and rehearsed ready. Then they’re ready to go for it in those powerful times, and to be open to what God wants to do. 

ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO WORSHIP TRAINING AND TIM HUGHES                                                           

Charlie Sheen, Tiger Woods, and What It Means to Fall from Grace By Steven Furtick

I always used to associate the expression, “fall from grace,” with major acts of sin. Enormous failures. Significant falls.
People who fell from grace were people like Ted Haggard, who lost his church and nearly lost his family after admitting to a homosexual affair after years of speaking out against homosexuality.
Or Tiger Woods, who had an affair that cost him his family and tens of millions of dollars.
Or Charlie Sheen who…well, pulled a Charlie Sheen.
So falling from grace was where you had an affair. Cheated people. Engaged in an addictive behavior. Melted down in public. In general, had some kind of an enormous moral failure and lost everything. Your reputation. Your family. Your livelihood. In the case of Charlie Sheen, your sanity.
That’s what I used to think. And if you were honest, it’s probably what you associate falling from grace with as well.
But we’re both wrong. That’s not what it means. The true definition is astonishing. And infinitely more threatening, convicting, and relevant to most Christians than the stories of the men above.
If you go back to where the phrase comes from in the Bible, here’s what you read:
You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace (Galatians 5:4).
Crap. Ted, Tiger, and Charlie can no longer be our punching bags for falling from grace.
I understand why they are. They’re easy targets. They warn us of the danger of falling into sin and ruining our lives. And if we’re honest, they make us feel better about ourselves. But here’s the truth: Most Christians aren’t in danger of pulling a Charlie Sheen or a Tiger Woods or a Ted Haggard. We’re in danger of something far more deceptive and equally offensive to God.
And that’s living as if we have no need of His grace. It’s believing that all of our good deeds actually put us in a better position before God. That because we’re not Charlie, Tiger, or Ted; we’re closer to God, even if only by an inch.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Even if you read your Bible everyday and now have it memorized in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and the 1611 KJV.
Even if you never have an affair.
Even if you live a life that makes the Pharisees look like cat-strangling, coke-snorting, Wiccan worshippers.
Even if you have it all together.
When Jesus comes back and every knee bows and every tongue confesses that He is Lord, your head won’t be one centimeter higher than Charlie’s. Or Tiger’s. Or Ted’s. Or anyone else’s.
The quickest way to fall from grace is to think that there is an ounce of your life that isn’t dependent on it. Every step that you take to be acceptable to God in your own effort apart from Jesus and the cross is actually a step away from God.
Don’t fall away from grace. Ted needs it. Tiger needs it. Charlie needs it.
But so do you. And so do I.

ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO CHURCHLEADERS.COM AND STEVEN FURTICK

Steven Furtick is the Lead Pastor of Elevation Church, an incredible move of God in Charlotte, NC with more than 6,000 in attendance each week among three locations. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Sun Stand Still. He lives in Charlotte with his wife Holly and their two sons, Elijah and Graham.

10 Church Leadership "Everydays" and "Foundationals"

Have the church leadership thrown away their manners, their beliefs and their standard?
If you feel me speaking to you, I may very well be!
1. You don't order people to do work or serve somewhere. You don't own your congregation and do not have the right to make them do something. So telling them things like, "you better do this" or "you have to do this" or "you will be doing this"is not an option for you. The power of suggestion and asking is in play. If they have made a commitment you roster them and get confirmation.
So don't forget the P's and Q's that your parents taught you!
2. You don't tell the team that these are the rules now and not remember to apply them when someone else comes into the picture or someone fights or forgets it. Stand by the decision you make and the vision you have and get the church to understand why it is important to do certain things, and how to do them.
3. You can't "expect" your team to be inspired by themselves. You need to inspire them. Encourage them. Bless them. Thank them. Tell all of them how their contribution and effort play an integral part of church growth.
4. Don't make decisions for them. Your church is filled with people not robots, people with feelings, time schedules, likes and dislikes. I highly doubt anyone wants you to tell them how and when to live their lives. Again, suggestion is key.
5. Don't take advantage of those that are more shy or on the quiet side when it comes to speaking their mind. Be a leader who gives them an opportunity to speak up, make their own mind about something and gives them the time to make that decision.  Don't be a PUSHOVER. A leader who will encourage the person to be honest with their feelings, belief systems and brings up leaders even if they seem to be the quiet type.
Your passion for God must not make people want to run away from you but rather see it as a desirable quality. 
6. Stop being a gossiper. I find it insulting that I have to say and see this but it stands true to some that come to you and tell you something wrong or bad about another person. Then go to the other person and say something about you to them. Stop being a back stabber. Let your words be few when it comes to this. Be wise and please do not think that people have not noticed when you are doing it.
As a leader you must know that you are being watched and people will take you for your word(s).
7. Stop being jealous and stop enabling the competition spirit . Stop wanting to be someone else. Just because I can sing doesn't mean I can be or make me want to be Darlene Zschech. I rather be me and allow God to work through me. So stop being jealous and stop trying to "out do" someone who is at your same level of serving at church. Whether it is between worship leaders, preachers or pastors. Be yourself and make yourself available to God so He can do amazing things through you.
8. As leaders we all have a platform whether it is huge or small. When you are serving make sure you are not doing it with a mirror in front of you. This life of servanthood isn't for yourself. It isn't for you to feel good, to check whether you sound and look perfect and better than another. It is so that the church can get closer to God, find themselves in Him and allow Him to work on their hearts so they can grow and become who God has called them to be. So when you are up there it is SO NOT ABOUT YOU.
Work for God, not for yourself. I have seen my share of people fall off their high horses when they don't get this very foundational rule.
9. Evaluating a leader's performance and telling him/her how they are doing is not criticizing them or telling them that they are not valuable but that they have potential and you want to see that growth in them.
When the pastor I was interning with, gave me a very genuine, honest evaluation and said I had to do better, if I grumbled and mumbled under my breath, I would not have been able to learn from him and grow as a leader myself. It is a day I will always remember as someone took the time to care enough to tell me. So be an adult when dealing with each other. Stop hiding from your responsibility to improve and grow your leaders and stop being a baby when you have to hear it and deal with it.
Be an adult, submit, learn and see God manifest in more amazing ways than you can imagine.
10. Preparation, learning and rehearsing are keys to anything we want or need to do. Whether it is an event, church service, prayer meeting, worship, leadership, preaching, don't think it as not important cause it will affect not only you but your team and your church eventually.
Don't be selfish and not care. Make sacrifices so that what you put out on your platform is only your best. After all, everything you do, you do for God, right? Be ready to put in the effort and stop making excuses of being busy. If at work you have to prepare, if at home you have to prepare, if at every relationship you have to work, then it is very obvious that when you are doing things for church you have to prepare.
So even if God changes you agenda by surprise you are prepared for Him to do that as well.

Side Note:****
This post was formerly known as "Things Church Leaders Need to Get Straight", but some guys felt it was too harsh and some felt that it should not have been said this way, but here's the thing I had to hear it, see it, experience it and live under it. And I know that a lot of people feel this way, it is our responsibility to bring change where it is needed so our church can be healthy and strong and the people that come there will feel at home, safe as they should always feel than feeling attacked. So I hope that all that read this will see my heart behind wanting the best for everyone and bringing to light the things that matter. Much love to all! 

5 Thoughts on Leadership from the Life of David

I read an interesting story from the life of the Biblical character of David again recently. The story says a great deal about leadership and what is required to lead successfully.

Here’s what I read:
When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” he inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The LORD answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines, and save Keilah. But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah, we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces?” 1 Samuel 23:1-3
Notice David had a vision…a word from God. This was a bigger request than David, and his men probably felt incapable of doing it. They were still a young army. This was prior to David reigning as king. He had been anointed king by God but did not yet have the position. He was hiding from Saul. He didn’t have a king’s palace. He spent much of his time in a cave. This new assignment was scary, his army was questioning him, and the future was unknown.
Have you experienced a situation like this as a leader?
Thankfully, David’s story had a happy ending: (Imagine that…since God put him up to it.)
Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines, and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 1 Samuel 23:4-5
This story prompts some thoughts on leadership:
1. We seldom get to rest for long - I told our staff recently, as we’ve rounded our fifth year as an explosive growing church plant, that there is no promise that there is coming a season of rest. The next five years are likely to be as wild as the last five years. In my experience, growing organizations are always changing, new challenges come often, and people frequently feel stretched. I might write more about this thought later, but that means we have to get better as individuals to face the difficult days to come.
2. Next steps are scary - If they weren’t, again, people wouldn’t need a leader. Next steps involve risk, require faith, and the future is an unknown.
3. Leaders lead - That’s what leaders do…they take people where they need to go, maybe even where they want to go, and sometimes, where they are hesitant, afraid, or may not yet be prepared to go. People don’t need a leader to stay where they are currently.
4. Big visions require faith – God doesn’t call us to that which is easy. He would receive no glory in us doing things we can naturally do…and seriously…What kind of a dream is it if it’s easily completed?
5. Victory won’t come unless we move forward – You can’t realize the rewards of a God-given vision until you take the required actions. Standing still is safer, but it doesn’t bring the satisfaction of a well-executed, bold move of faith.
What are you being called to these days that is bigger than you? Does any of this ring true for your organization or time in leadership?

All Copyright belongs to Church leaders and Ron Edmondson.

Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been in full-time ministry for over 8 years.
More from Ron Edmondson or visit Ron at http://www.ronedmondson.com/

The Urgency to be fed and to feed

http://dawkinsdaily.tumblr.com/

I often ask God why the pastors that I really wanted to invest into my life never really did. Well, he answered it all right! For one, I never took the time to connect with all of them, so they didn't know me that well or at all! Reason number two, I received from an amazing message by Erwin McManus. He said it very simply, Paul says to Timothy in 2 Tim 2:2, "You have often heard me teach. Now take this teaching and give it to followers who will be faithful to tell others" (paraphrased). I wanted pastors and people that I looked up to in ministry to invest into my life, but how much did I sow into others? How faithful was I to share with others? Did I look like I was "investment worthy" with the way I invested? Probably not... However, it made me shut up, stop complaining and grumbling and aim towards becoming someone who gave and sowed into the lives of those that are in need and those who would like me to invest into their lives. God is faithful to his word and I find people, through not-so traditional methods of investing, investing into my life in some very fascinating and enriching ways!
My urgency to be fed, led me to feed faithfully first! My first words for this season are Faithful and Dependable (i.e., God finds me faithful and dependable with His mission, work and agenda). After all, we are all about our Father's business aren't we?