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As a child, I hated tests in school. The clammy feeling in your hands, the sound of the clock ticking, wondering if everyone else is ahead of you, and the sinking feeling that you studied the wrong things. I was not a good—or happy—test-taker. Following my surrender to Jesus in my twenties, one of the earliest learnings in my new-found faith, at least in the church that I fell into, was the idea that God tests us. This did not excite me: “testing” brought up all kinds of past

Many years ago I came across an old multi-volume set of John Wesley’s journals. I found his accounts fascinating. Meticulous, inspiring, yet with some being insightful in the mundane and technical aspects of doing ministry. For instance, on Sunday October 6, 1782, Wesley writes: I preached in Temple church, between our own morning and evening service; and I now found how to speak here, so as to be heard by every one: Direct your voice to the middle of the pillar fronting the

Being a creative leader means ensuring that everyone in the organization is playing to their creative strengths and feels that their contribution is valued as part of the overall performance of the organization. ~ Ken Robinson, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative In a trust-laden culture, new ideas and innovations can be shaped, pushed back on, clarified, questioned, and reworked to be made even better, but only if the originator of the idea fee

If a definition of leadership is basically moving others toward a goal—moving a group of people from one place to another—then the first part of our job as catalytic leaders is to define reality. It’s a vital part of what we do. It’s what Jesus did over and over for his disciples. Catalytic leaders have to turn the heat up and help people understand why maintaining the present status quo isn’t right or healthy and why inaction is not an option. For corporate passion to occu

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 CORINTHIANS 13:12) The apostle Paul wrote that we see God and His plans for our lives like looking through a dark glass. Think about that as a leader…and think about how profound—and unsettling—that is. I wonder if American Christians—because of our thousands of options and choices and incredibly wealthy lives compared to the vast majority of t