Five Things Leaders Should Stop Saying

I remember reading James MacDonald’s book of that name a few years back, and came to the conclusion that there were few bigger fakes around. My favorite point was that he claimed, while carrying easily an extra 50-100 lbs, that he’d overcome his “addiction” to food through fasting.

(and this was 4 years before everything exploded…..)

Really, there is a great need for believers to read books carefully and ask “does this really follow?” A lot of misery could be avoided (Driscoll, MacDonald, whatever’s going on at Bethlehem Baptist these days, etc..) if we did and acted on it.

“cast a vision” and “vision casting”

See link : “A … buzzword used by wannabe ‘disruptors’ instead of “envision” or “forecast”. Also used a lot in the faith-based community, apparently, in the sense of communicating one’s vision to impact others.

Better “here’s a plan we have developed”

[Jim]

“cast a vision” and “vision casting”

See link : “A … buzzword used by wannabe ‘disruptors’ instead of “envision” or “forecast”. Also used a lot in the faith-based community, apparently, in the sense of communicating one’s vision to impact others.

Better “here’s a plan we have developed”

Couldn’t agree more Jim. At my last church, they had a missionary church planter from Pensacola Christian come. Most of his ministry revolves around teaching “Vision Casting.” Utter nonsense.

The guy from PCC ought to be asked whether the phrase “vision casting” derives from the traditional manuscripts and/or the KJV. :^) Seriously, given that PCC is traditionally fairly cessationist, the phrase is odd for a PCC grad to use, let alone to use as a base for his ministry.

Really, overall, the thought that comes to mind for me is the basic principle of not using a ten dollar word when a nickel word will suffice, which is also communicated in the proverb “if you can’t blind them with brilliance, you can baffle them with baloney” (or other words). Very often, the use of “jargon” like this serves as a way of shielding the speaker from serious evaluation of his ideas, not as a sign the speaker knows his stuff.

This one confuses me. Should I tell people I’m not busy? Should I pretend like I have all the time in the world? How are pastors to guard their time, prioritize family and spiritual growth, and avoid unreasonable expectations without confessing that we are busy?

Frankly, sometimes the things I am doing are more important than the things other people think i should do. I don’t think that’s arrogant, I think it’s biblical. That’s pretty much exactly what the apostles said in Acts 6 regarding the concerns of the Hellenists about their widows.

It would be nice if Cooke offered any real reasoning here, but I guess that’s too much to ask from someone who’s so busy creating influence and inspiring change that I’ve no idea who he is.

My wife has a bag she uses in her work. It says, “I am very busy” in large letters in plain view. I love it! It makes me chuckle every time I see it.

My wife has a bag she uses in her work. It says, “I am very busy” in large letters in plain view. I love it! It makes me chuckle every time I see it.

As for me, when people ask me, usually on the phone, “Are you busy?”, I usually reply, “Well yes, I’m doing so and so, but I will be happy to talk to you. What’s on your mind?” If the conversation goes longer than I believe is profitable, that gives me the opportunity to say, “It’s been good talking to you, but I’ve got to finish my work on so and so. I look forward to talking to you again later.”