Articles
It's Not Rocket-Science: Leader Care in Christian Ministry
A call to a revolution of wellness. Welcome to the possibility of making healthy changes!
Choose Character Over Giftings!
We must return to the biblical pattern!
The Brotherhood of Fire
What causes an authentic outpouring of a man’s soul?
Is Christianizing the Culture the Biblical Mission of the Church?
We are not called by God merely to promote values, but we are called to promote a Person – the Lord Jesus!
Fallen Leaders and Our Current Church Culture
Dear Christian leaders, we must please stop following the superstar celebrities. They are not leading us in the path of godliness. We must stop copying them and wanting to be like them. We must stop perpetuating the glittery religious show.
Mesmerize Your Followers So You Can Do Whatever You Want
In Part Three of “Are You an Abusive Leader?” we take a hard look at the personal qualities of abusive leaders, as opposed to servant leaders.
8 Tips to Survive the Messy Middle
How quickly we forget that in most cases transformation in our lives is a process and the actual experiences leading up to a magnificent testimony were likely not pleasant, happy times for all involved.
Don't Just Be Accountable to Your Leader – Be Accountable to Each Other!
The effectiveness and health of a team is directly associated with developing a common working approach.
How Does Your Team Eat That Elephant? One Bite at a Time.
The effectiveness and health of a team is directly associated with sharing common goals.
7 Key Paradigm Shifts
Although there has been spectacular church growth in recent decades, there has not been corresponding attention given to leader development during this time. Consequently, today we have a deficit of Christian leaders in the existing churches. In addition to this crisis of quantity of new leaders, we also face a crisis of quality of existing leaders.
How Teamwork Led to one of the Greatest Achievements in Sports History
If you follow soccer at all you would have heard by now that Leicester City Football Club, a soccer club in England, has won the British Premier League, one of the most well-known soccer leagues in the world. If you don’t follow soccer, you might not understand the importance of this victory. Leicester City showed how teamwork can be more important to success than incredible individual talent on one of the greatest sporting stages in the world.
The Tale of Two Championships
So now the big time basketball championship is history for another year and the man who is argued to be one of the greatest players of history was on the losing side. How well this illustrates the need to avoid the Superstar Leadership Strategy!
Ah, Lord God! Moment
“I was helping to train an overseas group of emerging leaders and seeking to impart skills to them for understanding the New Testament. Together we were noticing how Jesus, at first, hid Himself from a couple of disciples (Luke 24:13-16). Then as they walked, while His identity was hidden, He showed them how all the Scriptures spoke of Him (v. 25-27).”
The Ultimate Act of Leadership
Building leaders is the central activity of the effective organization. It is hard-wired into everything everyone does. It is everyone’s responsibility to nurture and expect leadership everywhere. This creates leadership multiplication.
Building Leaders or Building Organizations?
Apart from leaders, organizations will only ever perpetuate themselves. However, either through or entirely apart from organizations, leaders can perpetuate divine vision.
Structuring an Organization for Continuous Leader Development
Ultimately, the Church will thrive because of people and not because of structures or ministry strategies!
The Christian and the Law
Why do Christians need an understanding of the law? Find out in this brief excerpt from The Christian and the Law, by Malcolm Webber.
A Pearl of Great Price
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters ‒ yes, even their own life ‒ such a person cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26)
The Three Horizons
The effective leader will focus on three time horizons simultaneously: 1. Cultivating current responsibilities, extending and defending the core existing ministries. 2. Tending and nurturing emerging ideas, strategies, and processes. 3. Planting seeds for tomorrow. This pattern encompasses the mature, emergent, and embryonic phases of an organization’s life cycle. The leader is responsible to see that they are all addressed effectively.
How to Write a Letter to an Emerging Leader
Paul’s letters are incredible examples of how to build leaders.
Glimpses of Church Life in Philemon
Can a short book like Philemon provide us with extensive insight into the nature of the Early Church? Find out in this brief excerpt from Glimpses of Church Life: An Exposition of Philemon by Malcolm Webber.
Transformational Leadership
Transformation is radical change. To transform means to change in the way that a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, or a tadpole into a frog, or a baby into a child and then into an adult. After the process is completed, it is as if the older form ceases to exist.
Unequal Debts
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven ‒ as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47)
Your Purpose Is Found in the Will of God (from Purpose)
How can you know the will of God for your life and ministry? Find out more in this brief excerpt from Purpose by Malcolm Webber.
27 Characteristics of a Good Idea
The vast majority of ideas are worse than worthless because they are simply bad ideas. Bad ideas will sometimes work because of luck or effort, but good ideas are much, much more likely to succeed. Life is too short to work on bad ideas. But how can we tell which ideas are “good” ones? Here is a list of characteristics of truly good ideas.
Depending on the Holy Spirit for Life in the Church
What is the place of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives in a Healthy Church?
Leadership and Power (from Abusive Leadership)
Abusive leaders and servant leaders relate to power differently. Find out more in this brief excerpt from Abusive Leadership by Malcolm Webber.
The Story of the Little Swallow
This is a precious story written by an Asian leader during a time of deep trial and brokenness in her life.
The Spiritual Nature of the Church
Just as the Christian life is union and fellowship, even so the church is union and fellowship. Its nature is union. Its nature is fellowship. Union and fellowship with Christ, and union and fellowship with each other – in Christ. That is all the church is: union and fellowship with each other, in Him. And every other aspect of church life will come out of that – inevitably and spontaneously. And it will be real. When it comes it will be genuine, and alive.
Jeremiah: Seeing and Saying the Hard Truths
Jeremiah himself was in a position to be brutally honest. Let’s take a look at some of the truths God gave him before we dive into exactly how he shared those truths.
Our Victory Is in Jesus
The pageantry and passion of a college football victory points to an even greater one: the victory of Jesus Christ.
The World Is Not Changed by People Who Think
Sailing seems to be only action: flying over the water, leaping over the white crests, slicing through the sea spray. But without thoughtful consideration the boat won’t take you where you want to go. The world is not changed by people who think. The world is changed by people who act. The world is changed well by people who think and act.
Leaders See the Vision (from Leading)
A leader helps someone move from where they are now to somewhere else. But what do leaders actually do to cause this to happen? Find out more in this brief excerpt from Leading by Malcolm Webber.
Seasons Change, But God Remains the Same
From before time as we know it through all of eternity, God’s attributes remain unchanged. He never gets “better” or “worse.” His plans and promises do not change, ever! His promises were true for Abraham, Moses, and David and they are true for you and me.
3 Crucial Questions for Evaluating the Health of a Church
Many churches have lost one important thing in the pursuit of becoming missional – a true dependency on the all-sufficiency of the Bible. Following attractional, missional, or invitational models, churches become derailed from the central purpose that Scripture gives believers – knowing God by His Spirit in a Christ-centered community.
On the Ministry of Teaching
If you’re to teach well, you must first find God for yourself in His Word and in your life. Then, out of that you can teach others. Only then will your teaching be life.
The Unfruitful Fig Tree
“Unless you repent, you too will all perish.” (Luke 13:3) Procrastination doesn’t always lead to dire circumstances, but in today’s parable it becomes a matter of life and death.
What Listening Is (from Listening)
Leaders must not treat listening as optional or unimportant; they must understand the power of listening and take the necessary steps to be good at it. Find out more in this brief excerpt from Listening by Malcolm Webber.
Leadership in a Pandemic
Reflections from our readers on how COVID-19 has impacted them.
New Realities of Church Leadership
The church is encountering significant paradigm shifts in our current age. We must understand these shifts, and be prepared to shift with them.
Leaders See the Vision (from Building Teams)
Find out more about building teams in this brief excerpt from Building Teams by Malcolm Webber.
New Cloth, New Wine
“On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Matthew 9:12)
The Need for a Broad Culture of Leader Development
Rather than only having tightly-defined training programs for a few, it is important to nurture a broad culture of leader development across the life of our churches and ministries. In this kind of organizational culture, our need for leaders will not go unmet. In fact, we will have no lack of leaders; they will rise up naturally and organically in every corner of the ministry! Moreover, our leader development programs will not suffer either. Those programs will be greatly enhanced by the constant and pervasive “life-building” all around them; every emerging leader will be both giving and receiving life nurture within the community.
Everything Does Not Depend on Leadership (from Healthy Followers)
Find out more about becoming a healthy follower in this excerpt from Healthy Followers by Malcolm Webber.
The Growing Seed
According to Jesus, the Kingdom of God is like a growing seed. What does that mean?
Forget About Your Calling
As you are seeking your calling, it is in the day-to-day work that you will begin to realize your purpose, not in your purpose that you will start defining your day-to-day work.
The Spirit of Self-Pity
The spirit of self-pity is powerful and it loves to draw us away, but it doesn’t bother to tell us that it is drawing us away unto destruction!
A Guide for Becoming Healthier, Happier and Longer-Lasting Christian Leaders: Part 1
We face a choice when it comes to our leader care: Are we going to the fitness center or to the hospital’s critical care center? In Part 1 of this guide, Brent Hoover outlines a path forward for holistic leader care.
A Guide for Becoming Healthier, Happier and Longer-Lasting Christian Leaders: Part 2
We face a choice when it comes to our leader care: Are we going to the fitness center or to the hospital’s critical care center? In Part 2 of this guide, Brent Hoover outlines a path forward for holistic leader care.
A Guide for Becoming Healthier, Happier and Longer-Lasting Christian Leaders: Part 3
We face a choice when it comes to our leader care: Are we going to the fitness center or to the hospital’s critical care center? In Part 3 of this guide, Brent Hoover outlines a path forward for holistic leader care.
Enduring Well: Four Ways to Build Resilience - Full Article
Suffering is not limited to leaders; we all are called by God to endure adversity.
Searching for Pastors: Two Non-Negotiables
If you had to boil it down to two qualities that you really need in a pastor, what would they be? We all have personal preferences but here are two indispensable qualities that form the essence of a leader.
The Importance of Working with Resistance (from Understanding Change)
Efforts to implement change are more likely to succeed if a leader understands and responds well to resistance. An excerpt from Understanding Change, by Malcolm Webber.
Three Biblical Images for the Building of the Church
Our purpose is to work with God in the building of His Church according to His Word. Find out more in this excerpt from Church Planting in the Book of Acts, by Malcolm Webber.
The 2 Things That Every Leader Must Do
To be effective a leader must delegate many responsibilities, as well as – whenever possible – the necessary decision-making authority. However, there are two critical areas that uniquely require the leader’s personal attention: vision and leader development.
The Nature of Divine Life (from In Him Was Life)
We need to enjoy a daily, vital contact with our Heavenly Father – in this fellowship is true life! Learn more with this excerpt from In Him Was Life, by Malcolm Webber
How to Challenge Your Emerging Leaders
A challenging assignment is like a rubber band: once stretched, it never returns to its original shape. If stretched too far, it will break. If released at the wrong time, it will hurt everyone involved.
Mustard Seeds and Yeast
“He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
Seeking Illumination in Interpretation
We must rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us His Word. Dig deeper with this excerpt from What Does the Bible Say? by Malcolm Webber.
Five Kinds of Power
Leadership “power” is a capacity to influence others. There are five primary methods of doing this – but only one motivates authentic trust.
Toward Planting Seeds
Sharing the Gospel person-to-person is so life-giving. So why do we hesitate to do it?
Act Like a King!
As believers, we are made kings and priests because of our relationship to God. Let’s look at some of the kingly qualities that characterize Christian leaders, as well as every believer.
Man! Where Are You?
An urgent challenge to build the men in your life!
Abusive Leaders and Servant Leaders
Leaders have a choice: they can hold onto their power and use it purely for selfish ends, or they can give their power away to others.
The Central and Essential Elements of Atonement
The Atonement is one of the most vital doctrines in the Bible. Find out more in this excerpt from The Doctrine of the Atonement by Malcolm Webber.
Why Leaders Don't Listen
Osmo Wiio’s first law of communication is that “Communication usually fails, except by chance.” The barriers to effective listening are numerous. In order to be effective leaders, we must identify and understand that which hinders us from effective listening.
Leaders Rarely Listen Well! Here's How to Fix That
A leader’s ultimate success depends directly upon his effectiveness as a listener.
Being Encouraged by our Fruit
Do you know that the Lord Himself finds joy and satisfaction in His people? God’s people give Him pleasure! He joys over us with singing and takes delight in us. The new creation that is the church is a foretaste of the New Heavens and New Earth. While awaiting that glorious future God Himself says that we ought to rejoice in the people He has created. Enjoy the fruit of the ministry. See what the Lord has done and be glad in it!
Investing in the Bank of Heaven
Can Christians gain high returns from our investments? Some Christians think, “Investment is something rich people care about and has nothing to do with me.” If you think this way, you may have made the concept of investment too narrow.
A Little Boy and the Septillion Stars
So, how big is the whole universe? Astronomers calculate that the edge of the observable universe is about 46.5 billion light years away. Does it make you feel small? Yes?! Though we are so small, still God can use any of us to lead others in accomplishing His great plan.
Experiencing the Provision of God
The Scriptures are “God-breathed,” providing complete directions for equipping the people of God. We are to lead fruitful lives of obedience to the Scriptures, as we follow the example of obedience seen in the lives of those who have nurtured us in the writing of Scriptures.
John G. Lakes Letter to Elder Brooks, and His Reply
“The real vision is to see ‘Jesus only’ and to see nothing else.”
Conditions and Events of the Last Days (from Things to Come)
What will the “Last Days” look like, according to the Bible? Find out in this excerpt from Things to Come by Malcolm Webber!
The Longer View
The long view, a generational view, is the kind of view that provokes patience and compels us to initiate collaboration with the generations before and after us in accomplishing Kingdom work. God has included in the assignment of each generation, the intentional sowing into those who are coming up after us.
Unify Your Team NOW!
The effectiveness and health of a team is directly associated with a unified vision.
An Introduction to Zephaniah (from The Day of the Lord)
Zephaniah and Obadiah are short but potent books that are worthy of extended study. Get a taste of Zephaniah in this excerpt from The Day of the Lord by Malcolm Webber.
8 Ways You Can Motivate Your Emerging Leaders to Grow
Growing as a leader requires a high level of commitment and initiative on the part of the participant. Here’s how you can help motivate your emerging leaders.
Attention Millennials: Forget Their Callings, Find Yours!
We millennials need to realize our own callings, based on God’s Word matched with the calling and capabilities He has given us (1 Peter 4:10-11), or we won’t end up doing anything significant in this short life we have. We cannot waste any more time comparing our own lives and callings to those we see around us.
We Need the Supernatural Gifts of the Holy Spirit! (from The Gifts of the Holy Spirit)
Explore the vital necessity of supernatural gifts in this excerpt from The Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Malcolm Webber.
The One Characteristic of a Healthy Church
What is the best and most biblical way to define a “healthy” church?
Paul's Answer to Heresy (from the Preeminence and All Sufficiency of Jesus Christ)
Explore the themes of the book of Colossians in this excerpt from The Preeminence and All Sufficiency of Jesus Christ by Malcolm Webber!
Good Leaders Are Not Afraid of Risks!
Since leaders are always pushing ahead into unchartered realms, they must be prepared to take intelligent, calculated risks.
You're Growing Oaks, Not Cabbages: Building Leaders Takes Time
Building leaders is not a quick process, by any means. We need to be prepared for the amount of time it takes transformation to occur.
Teaching from the Indwelling Life of Christ (from Transformational Teaching)
Teaching must be rooted in the life of Christ to be transformational. Dive deeper with this excerpt from Transformational Teaching, by Malcolm Webber.
Without a Strategy for Change, You’re Sunk
Change takes extensive prayer, planning, and care. John Kotter’s 8-stage model provides a framework for leading it.
Change in Real Time: What You Need to Know As a Leader
What exactly is change, and how do we go about implementing it?
Leader, Be Prepared! Your Followers May Resist Change.
People will resist change – it’s an unalterable fact. We must learn to use this resistance to serve and strengthen our followers and our plan for change.
Keys to Designing a Life-Giving Spiritual Life Retreat
Busy leaders need retreats from time to time in order to remain healthy. But how do we design such opportunities for refreshment for our leaders?
The Love and Hatred of God (from The Blood of God)
What do we do with the love and hatred of God? Dive deeper with this excerpt from The Blood of God, by Malcolm Webber.
The Prodigal Son and Prayer
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)
Jesus Is the Fountainhead of All True Christian Leadership
Christian leadership is only found in Jesus Christ. True leadership is not found in anything other than Him – in anything other than His Person – in anything other than a living, abiding union and fellowship with Him. Christian leadership starts with Him. Otherwise, it is all worthless.
The One Thing to Do to Avoid a Crash when Making Decisions
Leaders are forever facing complex decisions that sometimes carry heavy consequences. Brent Hoover unpacks a singular strategy for approaching these decisions.
Christian Dream Interpretation: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
In certain parts of the Church today, dreams are taken very seriously as a way for everyone to hear from God. Many believers work hard at remembering their dreams, writing them down, and trying to interpret them to understand God’s purposes for their lives and for others. But should they be doing this?
Enter Into This Union
Our confidence is rooted in Jesus and His relationship to His Father.
Self-Giving Leadership
A beautiful parable of suffering. Read this if you would serve in leadership.
Reflections on Leaders Being in Community
The power of the “one-another life” is undeniable. Yet as Christian leaders, although we recommend it to others, we are prone to wander from its reality and our unique need of it. But Jesus’ invitation into true community remains for every leader, no matter how busy or mature one may be.
Why I Don't Use the “Be, Know, Do” Model of Leader Development
One of the most popular holistic models of leader development in Christian circles is the “Be, Know, Do” model. But I don’t use it, and neither should you! Here’s why.
2 Fundamental Affirmations (from Women and Leadership)
Men and women are equal yet different. Our theology must be big enough to embrace both of these truths
A Team Design for Abiding in Christ
Dive deeply into abiding in Christ with your team with this half-day, outdoor design.
To Go or Not To Go?
Can we discern the guiding hand of God in the specific direction that He designs for our own life at particular times and in particular places?
What Does a Healthy Church Look Like? (from A Portrait of a Healthy Church)
We talk often of principles of how to build a healthy church. But what does that look like in real life? Let’s find out in this excerpt from A Portrait of a Healthy Church, by Malcolm Webber.
Introduction to 1 Peter (from Encouragement to Suffering Saints)
Dive into 1 Peter with us in this excerpt from Encouragement to Suffering Saints by Malcolm Webber.
On Brokenness
Perhaps the broken man is the very one who can teach you to be whole…?
The Sower and the Seed
The Parable of the Sower is one of the most well-known of Jesus’ parables, but it could be more aptly named “The Parable of the Soils” due to its focus on where the seed lands.
Leaders Need Friends
Any leader is only complete when they have healthy, nourishing friendships. Specifically, they must be nurtured through four different communities.
Know Your Enemy (from Deliverance)
Find out more about the principles and practice of deliverance ministry in this excerpt from Deliverance by Patty Katzer and Malcolm Webber.
A Letter from an Emerging Leader
Discipleship of the emerging leader is as crucial as a lion nurturing his offspring or a father his child, but it goes deeper than a father to child relationship. It is much broader than teaching skills or fine-tuning character. Malcolm has written a letter that goes straight to the heart of discipleship and what emerging leaders need from those more experienced leaders.
Two Orientations (from Leaders and Managers)
Are you a leader or a manager, or a bit of both? Find out more in this excerpt from Leaders and Managers by Malcolm Webber.
Leading Transformation
Transformational leaders strive for higher goals. They engage the full person of the follower. And they initiate the actions that change the course of organizations.
The One Thing The Church Cannot Do Without
Knowing the thoughts and trends of potential churchgoers is not bad in itself. Yet how much attention and how quickly churches are apt to change their approaches to living out the gospel in light of such knowledge is tragic.
Here Am I!
Who does the Lord send? Who will go? This article recounts an incredible moving of God’s Spirit in the hearts of young Asian leaders training to be missionaries. How can we lead our people to respond, “Here am I” when the Lord calls their name?
Designers of Leader Development and Users of Design
Instead of trying to create a single curriculum for everyone to use, we should nurture leaders’ capacity to design their own leader development. Some will emerge as specialist designers for complex design, while everyone will be able to do simple design.
11 Things Healthy Followers MUST Do Daily
The health and growth of an organization or church depends on every member taking responsibility for the whole – and healthy followers will do so in eleven primary ways.
Themes from Philippians (from True Giving)
Explore themes from Philippians in this excerpt from True Giving by Malcolm Webber
12 Ways You Can Make Beautiful Music with Your Team Today
It takes a significant amount of work to develop these unifying characteristics in a team, but an effective team is worth the work.
Why Are There Imperfections and Brokenness?
How often have we been challenged by the “problem of evil”? If there really is a “God,” then why is there so much suffering and evil in the world? In fact the existence of evil, and our distress over the unfairness of it – this angst over evil ‒ is a strong evidence that there is a powerful God who cares!
Leaders Act!
Sometimes weathering a storm is just the act of hanging on for dear life. Most times, however, leaders must do more than that. You cannot wait for the perfect world. It will never come. You’re in the middle of a very messy one – so deal with it. And the better you do at taking initiative, the more responsibilities you will be given and the messier it will become.
Are Leaders Born or Made? (from Leadership)
How do you determine who is a leader and who is not? Find out more in this excerpt from Leadership by Malcolm Webber.
You're Working on the Wrong Things and It's Wearing You Out!
We must learn to distinguish the difference between the levels of leadership responsibility. Many of us are doing the wrong things and it’s wearing us out!
Immediate Indigenous Leader Development
Missions work must center around bringing the Gospel to people who have never heard it, making disciples ‒ evangelism. A great harvest has resulted in the nations of the world, and now a crisis of insufficient leadership overwhelms the rapidly growing numbers of believers. Many become ensnared in cults and extreme teachings. The desperate need is for leaders. Jim Brenneman gleans from the example of Paul's ministry the remarkable pattern of immediate identification and building of indigenous leaders.
Why Commission Matters
Essentially, commission establishes boundaries. Authority does not come from gifting; it comes from commission.
Mountains, Men, and the Making of Leaders
True discipleship involves giving followers real life opportunities to rise or fall while drawing them ever closer to their teacher who loves them, guides them, exhorts, and passes on his wisdom to them.
Leaders Need Community
It is relatively easy to live victoriously when we are all by ourselves. The “spiritual lone ranger” is not tested as deeply as the man who lives in community. It is easy to be patient when no one is irritating us! In reality, we only really mature and grow as Christians in the context of community.
10 Ways to Destroy the Culture of Your Ministry
In a time of so much uncertainty it’s comforting to know there are some rock-solid, absolutely guaranteed, methods to destroy the culture of whatever it is you’re leading. Here they are. Try them out!
What Character Is Not
To help define what character is, we should also examine what it is not.
How To Achieve Your Goals At the Expense of Your Followers
Maybe you know where you're going and how to get there, but how do you know when you've arrived? Your answer depends on whether you're an abusive leader or not.
Check Yourself: Is Your Vision Abusive?
Where are you going? How will you get your followers to go with you? How you answer these questions will define whether you are an abusive leader or a servant leader.
Build or Enslave Others – It’s Your Choice
In Part Four of “Are You an Abusive Leader?” we explore the effects of abusive leadership on their followers and organizations.
Five Things We Need From Our Leaders
How can a leader truly shape the life of a follower of Jesus? Here are five things we all need that God will use to holistically transform us.
Groupthink Can Kill Your Team! Here’s How You Treat It
Groupthink lulls a team into deadly complacency. Here’s how to know if your team is already there.
Change Can Be Traumatic! Your Followers Need Your Care.
People often react to change in detrimental ways. Here’s how you can encourage your followers in the midst of change.
Don't Just Build Competencies, Build Healthy Leaders!
Too often, to our detriment, we only deal with competencies when building leaders.
Competencies Aren't Just Knowledge, They Are the Ability to Use It Well
It is absolutely necessary that a leader have strong competencies.
When It Comes to Building Leaders, One Size Does Not Fit All.
When we are building leaders, we must remember that every single one of them has an individual calling and individual needs.
The Word of God Must Be Central in Building Leaders!
The teaching of the Word of God was central in Jesus’ method of building leaders, and it must be in ours.
Build a Few Leaders Well, Not Many Leaders Poorly
Jesus’ focus in building leaders was not on quantity, but on quality. This was the model He gave us.
Across the Street; Across the Ocean
How do we reach across cultural divides? How can we really listen?
5 Ways to Build Leaders in the Classroom
Most leader development occurs outside the classroom. But there are some specific things that can be done effectively in the classroom.
People Learn by Doing, and Your Emerging Leaders Are No Exception
Your leaders will always learn best by doing. Building them requires both instruction and practical, “hands-on” ministry.
Don't Just Fill the Bucket – Engage Your Leaders!
Jesus challenged and engaged His learners. We must learn to do this too.
Log, Stork, or Servant Leader: Which Will You Be?
There are three kinds of leaders, but only one is truly effective.
The Transformational Power of Leading Like Jesus
Jesus could have used any kind of power in His leadership, but He chose to be a servant.
The Powerful, Biblical Nature of Teams
We can see it everywhere in the Bible, from the unfolding of God’s Triune nature to His establishment of His church. God’s design is for teams!
It's So Unfair!
Many times as leaders, it feels like we are giving everything to try to help others without getting much in return. It seems so unfair!
18 Ways to Identify Emerging Leaders
For most people, programs will not automatically transform them into superior leaders, as if they were butterflies emerging from cocoons. We should spend more time on accurately identifying which ones we should work with.
Building Leaders: The "With" Principle
Jesus built leaders who were “with Him.” He did not do it at a distance; He did it closely, He did it personally. He did it properly.
Leaders: Go for God’s Highest!
Leaders do not follow where the path may lead; they go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail.
7 Ways to Share Power
Exemplary leaders accomplish great things by enabling others to take ownership of and responsibility for the organization’s success.
Good Leaders Are Ceiling Busters!
Effective leaders look beyond the expected into the realm of possibility. They look beyond the normal into the supernatural realm of God.
Your Vision Must Capture the Hearts of Your People
A million candles can be lit from a single flame.
Great Vision Is Not Enough – You Must Share It with Clarity and Passion!
God’s plan is for a united people to fulfill His purpose, not just for individual, gifted leaders to do great things.
Are You Coveting Your Prayers?
As we go into this week as well as a new year, let’s check our prayers to make sure we don’t care more about our prayers being answered than we do about being in Jesus’ presence.
The Art of Getting Buy-In to the Vision
It is not enough for the leader to have a grand vision; his followers must “buy into” his dream – and good communication is vital for that to happen.
10 Ways Leaders Can Foster Collaboration
Effective leaders strengthen others and foster collaboration.
How to Be an Effective Agent of Change
Healthy leaders are agents of change, because they have God’s highest in view.
A Healthy Leader Is Continually Growing
No leader will ever be perfect, but every leader must be growing.
The Sovereignty of God and the Burden for Missions
God in His sovereignty will perfectly accomplish His eternal plan for all of creation. We can choose to enter into the grand fulfillment and culmination of that plan – the establishment of His eternal kingdom.
No Time Like the Present
Wise leaders learn from their previous experiences in cross-cultural situations. In this anecdote, Bill was well-prepared to face the physical challenges and slight inconveniences associated with his environment. One of his assumptions, however, resulted in a productive lesson learned in humility and vulnerability.
The Centrality of the Church in God's Purpose
Jesus’ purpose is to build His Church. That must be our purpose: to work in the building of His Church.
God's Vision for the Generations
From the beginning of creation, God had a clear vision for generational succession. Everything we do should carry this vision!
Under the Sun, and So I Prayed
Why are we where we are in our daily lives? People from different places all over the world were mysteriously brought together to observe the recent eclipse. So why are we here – wherever “here” is? It is no mystery that God Himself has placed us wherever we are to accomplish His eternal purpose.
Leaders Are Built Through Fire
This was the kind of leadership Jesus taught and modeled to His disciples: a leadership born of brokenness, produced in pain, forged in the fire of suffering.
Give a Cup of Water
Recently I have been talking with them about the challenges they face when sharing the love of Christ and the Gospel. How can we share the Good News if we have memories of failures? What if we are shy and hesitant to speak up, or to speak boldly?
Building a Connected Prayer Army
During this crisis that forces isolation, we must make sure to look beyond our quasi-connection with millions of people. Let’s make a real effort to foster a few strong individual connections. May God lead to safely help others without contributing to the transmission of the disease. Instead we want to let God lead us to contribute to the transmission of the Love of God!
The Essential Nature of Prayer
Jesus chose His new leaders in prayer. He was about to commit His entire future world-wide agenda to only a few men, so they had better be the right ones!
What an Illiterate Foster Kid Taught Me About Love
It is so easy to clean up the exterior and disciple people in a way that comes naturally to us, but the true Gospel, the one Christ hung on the cross for, is one that demands an inner wrenching of the soul and a deep commitment to His people. Sarah shares a moving experience when she learned much from a disciple she was seeking to transform.
In Brokenness We Find God
While the old self wants to live in pride and self-assurance, the only true way we can get to know God for who He truly is, is in a broken state; a state of reliance on Him, realizing that He is our creator and our sustainer.
6 Ways Followers Influence Leaders
Followers possess extraordinary power. Here’s how they can use it.
Do You Overestimate Your Ability as a Leader?
How accurately do you estimate your ability as a leader? Do you think too highly of yourself, not highly enough, or about right? The Scriptures teach that we are inherently prone to both self-deception and pride. It’s critical for leaders to guard their lives and not assume that failure only happens to “other, weaker” leaders.
We Need to Learn Empathy!
Studies have linked empathy to greater patient satisfaction, better outcomes, decreased physician burnout, and a lower risk of malpractice suits and errors. Doctors need to understand people, not just science, and healthy leaders need to cultivate empathy in order to affect the lives of those around them.
It's Ok to Ask for Help
Periodically every leader needs counselling - whether formal and professional, or simple informal friendships and accountability partners. In 2020, during this time of forced isolation I saw the need to seek professional counselling.
The Three Works of the Holy Spirit: Discipline
In this series, we explore the blessings and dangers associated with them, as well as the best intentional responses to them to facilitate them in our lives. Today we discuss daily discipline.
The Three Works of the Holy Spirit: Dealings
In this series, we explore the blessings and dangers associated with them, as well as the best intentional responses to them to facilitate them in our lives.
The Three Works of the Holy Spirit: Dependency
If we walk on these three paths, God will transform our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit and we will be changed daily into Jesus’ image.
Building Leaders in Real Life
Leaders who build leaders should themselves be involved in the daily responsibilities of leadership. They should not teach in some artificial environment removed from the real world.
Why Do We Feel So Alone?
People of the earth seem to be so lonely and so full of angst about whether or not there is anyone else “out there.” Why did God create humans with this God-sized hole in our hearts?
God and Slavery: The Christian and Social Change
The shocking events of recent weeks have highlighted our nation’s troubling history with slavery and systemic racism.
Are Leaders Born or Made?
The classic argument – nurture or nature – is well represented in leader development philosophies everywhere. We would all agree that some people are “born leaders,” but is it really that simple?
Our Work Is Not Our Own
I have learned once again that our “work “is truly God’s work. And we are used by him to accomplish his purposes in his way and his time.
God's Eternal Purpose Is Fellowship
The Christian life can only come out of a living inward union with its Source: Jesus Christ Himself. How do we enter into union with Him? In this excerpt from To Enjoy Him Forever, we encounter the answer. To Enjoy Him Forever is available as a physical copy or an audiobook.
Naiveté: The Dark Counterfeit of Faith
How can people who love God deeply and passionately and who know much Truth be so easily deceived? There are at least four reasons for this:
Building an Altar in the New Year
In the midst of challenging, isolating, and heartbreaking circumstances, we must stop occasionally and build an altar of thanksgiving to remember God’s faithfulness to us.
Enjoying Solitude — And How to Live It Out.
When God wants to shape a man’s soul He often calls him to solitude. If we want to know God, and grow more in Christ-like character, faith and power we will follow Jesus and intentionally put ourselves into solitude with Him. And as time goes by we will begin to enjoy it and even long for it.
What is Intercession?
Before we can grow as intercessors, we need to know how the Bible defines intercession. The following is excerpted from Building Healthy Intercessors.
Repentance from Dead Works (from Foundations)
What does true repentance actually mean? Dive deeper with this excerpt from Foundations, by Malcolm Webber. Foundations is available for purchase as a physical copy or an e-book.
Healthy Leaders Choose Accountability
The task of Christian leadership comes with high standards – the highest, we would hope! Therefore, every emerging leader must learn to choose accountability.
Empowering Others to Yield
“…you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matthew 16:23)
How an Unknown Leadership Rock Star Changed the World
This article is a reflection on the life of Robert Walter, a Christian leader of courage, heart and brains.
The 2 Non-Negotiables of Legitimate Vision
We short-change the idea of visionary leadership if we think it refers to big-talking, charismatic personalities who manipulate the people to accomplish their own predetermined and self-serving purposes.
A Healthy Organization Needs Both Leaders and Managers!
Managers and leaders are different. What do we do with this information?
How Do You Know God's Calling for Your Life?
A leader must have a calling and a vision from God, or else he would be wise not to lead.
Leaders and Managers in the Bible
The Bible carries definite distinctions between leaders and managers. What does Scripture have to say about the differences?
The Skills of the Spiritual Manager
It takes certain skill sets to be a good manager, and not all managers have the skills needed for the job yet.
What Do Managers Actually Do?
Spiritual managers fill many vital roles as they manage an organization, none of which can be neglected.
Managers and Leaders: Your Differences Are Your Strengths
Leaders and managers differ considerably in their approach to basic issues like direction and alignment. By understanding these differences, we can work together better for the kingdom of God.
Effective Leader Development Is a Complex Collage
An effective leader development process is not a neat series of courses but a fiery immersion in real-life. How do we go about designing such a context?
Simple Design and Complex Design
Anyone can do simple design, and we need to nurture the capacity of every leader (and believer) so that everyone does it.
Designing Transformational Leader Development
Recently I ate a very nice dish when I was in Asia. It was a famous seafood dish for the region – one dish with many different ingredients. There were noodles, water, seafood, ginger, sugar, rice wine and other things. There were a lot of unique ingredients but they all went together to make one tasty dish. This is how to design training! When the chef prepares the dish, he knows what he intends the final product to look like, smell like and taste like. He starts with the goal and then he determines what ingredients need to go in, in what order, how they should be mixed together and how it should be cooked – all the details of the design.
Logos 10 Review
I love Logos Bible Software and, when I’m writing, I use it every day. So, when Logos offered to send me an advance copy of the latest and greatest version – Logos 10 in return for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.
How the Holy Spirit Works (from The Transforming Work of the Holy Spirit)
Discover a simple model of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives in The Transforming Work of the Holy Spirit by Malcolm Webber!
