As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“Sometimes the true spiritual leaders of the first generation survive the temptations of such hero worship. But the generation that follows—the generation that sees the veneration of their forbears and aspires to it themselves—becomes corrupt because their motives are corrupt from the start.” - P&D
On Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, I was getting ready for an elders’ meeting to be held that evening at Grace Bible Church in Portage, Wis., where I was serving as interim pastor.
During the afternoon, I received word that Maranatha had made the decision to terminate its football program.
Having heard the news, I did two things. First, I sat down and cried. Second, I called my mom.
Read the series.
Most former athletes acknowledge that there are few sensations that can compare with the thrill of taking the court or the field. In the lives of some—especially those that make it to the highest levels of their sport—this can become the basis of a lifelong struggle. But for others, the same passion that drove them to excel in the athletic arena also drives them to become champions in some other realm of life.
This past summer I began a series of articles in which I am drawing on lessons learned from playing eight years of football in two Christian schools. I am specifically applying that experience to the Christian life and, particularly, ministry.
With the end of the football season approaching, I’d like to conclude that series and make a few more specific applications.
“A year-end report is a celebration of impact that answers the question, ‘How did God allow us to participate with Him in the past year?’ Who wouldn’t want to communicate that with their church?” - Lifeway
“How a leader sees people will impact how a leader leads. If a leader sees people as tools for an overarching vision, you will get one approach…. If a leader sees people as potential pain in their lives, you will get a very different approach…. But there is another way, a better way.” - Geiger
“So if disappointment is inevitable, how do we avoid the awful emotional turmoil that often follows when dealing with church people? One word: expectations.” - C.Leaders
“t’s easy to see only the negative—and even magnify it—when we’re hurting. That’s when we need to pray the prayer of Moses: ‘Please, let me see your glory’ (Exo 33:18).” - Chuck Lawless
What comes to your mind when you hear the term “servant leader?” In our first post on servant leadership, we noted that servant leaders are not docile doormats, but careful cultivators who steward their leadership gifts and opportunities to see others flourish. In today’s post, we will explore the commitment servant leaders have towards developing and equipping new leaders to carry out the work of ministry.
Servant leadership is something people frequently talk about but rarely understand or practice. Many Christians seem to equate servant leadership with passive or subservient leadership. They envision the servant leader as a gentle, accommodating person who works hard to meet everyone’s needs and keep everybody happy. True servant leaders, however, are not docile. They’re driven.
Discussion