"It is odd of God to pick Jeremiah. Jeremiah knows as much. He lodges a basic objection: 'I can't talk good.' In saying that he is not good at public speaking, Jeremiah is not acting humbly. He really isn't any good at any of the skills listed on a job description for a prophet. "To Jeremiah's objections,…

Somewhat to their surprise, Thom Rainer and his research team found effective church leaders not only recognize and admit their mistakes, but they were happy to share those weaknesses. The top five weaknesses revealed are: Pastoral Ministry - 3 out of 4 admit their number one leadership weakness is providing…

It is said to have been the distinguishing mark of Caesar as a soldier that he never said to his followers “Go!” but he always said “Come!” Of Alexander, also, it was noted that in weary marches he was sure to be on foot with his warriors, and in fierce attacks he always was in the vanguard. The most…

John Maxwell asked God to send leaders to build the church at every one of his pastorates. Maxwell says for fourteen years, at least once a month he would meet someone who was visiting the church for the first time. As they introduced themselves, Maxwell says the Lord would speak to him, saying, “John,…

The Mindset of a Winner Okay, here goes. I am going to make a couple of uneducated guesses on who will emerge as the NBA Champion, and what NHL team will lift high the Lord Stanley Cup. But, first, I want to talk about excellence. When you think of the Lakers, you immediately think of Kobe Bryant. When…

While it is true that people will obey their bosses, if for no other reason to keep their jobs, real influence isn’t wielded by brute force, but from personal relationships and character. In his book, Leadership as a Lifestyle: The Path to Personal Integrity and Positive Influence, John Hawkins writes,…

THE QUALITIES OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER Charisma is defined as, "The ability to inspire enthusiasm, interest, or affection in others by means of personal charm or influence." Leaders who have this special ability share four things in common: 1) They Love Life Leaders who attract a following are passionate…

SERVICE In his book, 360 Degree Leader, John Maxwell writes, “The true measure of leaders is not the number of people who serve them but the number of people they serve.” --360 Degree Leader, 289. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson Philippians 2:3 (NKJV) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,…

The Breakthrough Company: How Everyday Companies Become Extraordinary Performers by Keith R. McFarland (Crown Business, 2008) As a newcomer to Hollywood, Brad Pitt spent his days in a giant chicken costume, not as an actor, but as an employee of El Pollo Loco. Jerry Seinfeld worked as a light-bulb salesman…

SERVANT LEADERSHIP In his book, "The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make", Hans Finzel writes, "...everyone in our organization rests on my shoulders and I am at the bottom of an inverted pyramid. I spend countless hours helping others be effective by providing them the facts, the energy, the resources, the…

In her book The Voice of Authority, Dianna Booher points out that just as credibility is important for an organization's message and mission, so is credibility important within the organization itself. In general, a leader's credibility hinges on five key areas: 1. The Look. Appearance and physical presence,…

INFLUENCE In their book, "Lead Like Jesus", Blanchard and Hodges write, "Leadership is a process of influence. Anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people toward accomplishing a goal in their personal or professional lives, you are taking on the role of a leader." —"Lead…

In Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, Eric Metaxas writes, “The authority of a servant leader, as opposed to the authoritarianism of the mis-leader, came from God and was a leadership of serving those below oneself.” —Jim L. Wilson Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, 269. Mark 10:42–45…

In his book Survival Skills: Leading Your Church in a Changing World, Stan Toler quoted a church leader who obviously was seminar-weary: "I have a mission; or is it a vision; or are they goals? Oh, who cares! God will sort it all out in His will." But leadership without a definite vision is like a luxury…

Man must have a master. He cannot serve two masters, but he must serve one. Of all sorts of men this has been true, and it has perhaps been most clearly seen in those who were evidently made to lead their fellow men. It is specially seen in such a man, for instance, as Alexander, a true king of men,…

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's acclaimed series "Band of Brothers" retells the heroics of Easy Company during World War II. After the success of the Normandy invasion, Easy Company is deep in enemy territory. They spend a cold night hunkered down in a low trough, recuperating from a skirmish with the…

You have sometimes seen a widely spreading oak tree cut down, and you have missed its grateful shadow. Yet afterwards you have discovered that many little trees, which would have been dwarfed beneath its shade, have grown more rapidly in its absence. In like manner, the removal of some eminent servant…

Communication, Recognition, and Influence Robert Dilenschneider, the CEO of Hill and Knowlton, a worldwide public relations agency, is one of the nation’s major influence brokers. He skillfully weaves his persuasive magic in the global arena where governments and megacorporations meet. Recently he wrote…

INFLUENCE Recently the website, Askmen.com asked readers to cast votes for the man they thought was the most influential of 2009, resulting in a list of 49 men. Each had several qualities that made them influential. In some cases, it was wealth, in others ability in sports, celebrity status or media…

In his book, Leading Major Change in your Ministry, Jeff Iorg writes, “Leadership is about change. It is about shifting paradigms, creating new approaches, and doing things that have never been done-at least not in the current setting.” —Jim L. Wilson Leading Major Change in your Ministry p. 13 For more…

VISION At a recent speaking engagement, Pastor Jerry Falwell noted that believers today find themselves in a very critical point. He said we are called to proclaim the gospel to a culture that rejects it and to a world that is in desperate need of it. According to Falwell, truly successful ministers…

Locusts teach us about timing. The wings of a locust are thin and small. They jump in an attempt to fly, leaping into the air, but until the wind comes they merely practise. When the wind comes, however, they can jump up to 100 times as far into the air and glide for hundreds of miles. So the key for…

Ten years ago, Kirsten and Lee Hildebrand thought they knew where their lives were headed. They had just settled into their first home in a suburban community, where Kirsten practiced labor and employment law and Lee was working on a doctorate in counseling psychology. But when the couple attended Eastbrook…

Bruce Larson. In his book Wind and Fire, Larson points out some interesting facts about Sandhill cranes: “These large birds, who fly great distances across continents, have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate leadership. No one bird stays out in front all the time. Second, they choose leaders…

Writing to business executives, Peter Drucker says, “. . . one cannot rent, hire, buy, or otherwise obtain more time. The supply of time is totally inelastic. No matter how high the demand, the supply will not go up. . . . Moreover, time is totally perishable and cannot be stored. Yesterday’s time is…