Lead with Your Ears: The Benefits of Listening
Issue #127, April 16, 2014 My tongue has gotten me in plenty of trouble, but my ears? Never! If only I would learn to follow James’ counsel, Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear (James 1:19, The Message). Not surprisingly, the first recorded action of […]
Lead with Your Ears: Listen to the Right Voices
Issue #126, April 2, 2014 For a long time, I had the following verse posted on my office wall: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear (James 1:19, The Message). I love the perspective The Message offers to servant leaders, “Lead with your ears, follow […]
Strong Leaders + Willing Followers = Great Results
Issue #125, March 19, 2014 Deborah led Israel during a difficult time in their history, a time of suffering and oppression. But under her leadership God’s people were set free from Jabin, the king who ruled over them. When the victory was complete Deborah composed a song that offers great insight for servant leaders. “When […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Timothy
Issue #124, March 5, 2014 In the last issue of this series we’ll examine the life of Timothy, a young leader who was learning to balance boldness and humility through the mentoring of his spiritual father, Paul. He encouraged Timothy to be bold, especially as it related to his willingness to share with others the […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Paul
Issue #123, February 19, 2014 Confrontation is one of the most difficult and painful tasks of leadership and Paul didn’t like confrontation any better than we do. But when he recognized Peter’s hypocrisy Paul didn’t hold back. When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Peter
Issue #122, February 5, 2014 The first message preached by Peter was confrontational and courageous and brought him into immediate conflict with the authorities. After his case was heard he left the court and gathered together with other believers and prayed, Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Nehemiah
Issue #121, January 21, 2014 Why would a servant leader throw someone’s household possessions on the street? Ask Nehemiah! “I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room” (Nehemiah 13:8). This is not a picture of a weak passive leader. Nor is it an example of an angry dictator. Nehemiah […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Daniel, and Company
Issue #120, December 11, 2013 Not many of us live and work in the presence of the president or top leader in our nation. In this environment, the pressure to conform is enormous and it takes tremendous boldness to take a stand. But, Daniel and his three friends demonstrate that boldness with humility is possible […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Esther
Issue #119, November 27, 2013 Esther has all the qualities of a movie heroine. She was the beautiful first lady in the empire of King Xerxes, a position filled with glamor and prestige. Her rise from an orphan in exile to this position of power has captivated readers for centuries. But behind the amazing story […]
Profiles in Bold Humility: Moses
Issue #118, November 13, 2013 Humility is often seen as a sign of weakness. But Moses is an example of a servant leader who demonstrates that humility can be bold. He is described as “more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). At the same time he was a bold […]