A Flourishing Culture: Mission Focus
Issue #417, February 25, 2026 Organizations flourish when the mission is clear and everyone understands what is most critical to accomplish. The mission of an organization describes the activities that bring the greatest value to those being served. Jesus had absolute clarity about His mission. This was perhaps most clearly stated at the beginning of […]
Paul: Blaze the Trail™
Issue #395, April 2, 2025 Successful leaders maintain a laser focus on the organization’s success and ensure everyone is aligned with accomplishing the mission. This is the third action of the Serving Leader Model®, Blaze the Trail™ (*see note). This action reflects what organizations do—their mission. Faith leaders, like Paul, see their organization as a […]
#384 Serving Leaders Produce a Thriving World: They Share the Mission
October 16, 2024 We have reflected on two actions that serving leaders take which produce a thriving world—they shape the vision and set the values. A third action serving leaders take to produce thriving is to share the mission. Again, consider Paul’s vision of the church body. 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, […]
#373 Nehemiah: Blaze the Trail™
May 8, 2024 Nehemiah served the people of Jerusalem by clarifying the vision and calling the people to live by their values. He also demonstrated the third action of serving leaders, Blaze the Trail, by keeping everyone focused on the mission. Serving leaders clarify for their team what activities bring the success that will accomplish […]
#356 Timothy: Learning Self-Control
August 23, 2023 As he developed his leadership capacity one of the areas that Timothy needed to learn was the discipline of self-control. Consider these instructions from Paul to the young leader: I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you […]
#317 Serving leaders ask themselves: “What am I doing to finish well?”
February 2, 2022 Serving leaders not only want to run well, but they want to finish well. They begin with the end in mind and lead with the end in mind. They ponder the meaning of Paul’s words written near the end of his life. 6For I am already being poured out like a […]
#316, Serving leaders ask those who follow: “Who are you following?”
January 19, 2022 Serving leaders give conscious thought to who they follow. They also reflect on what the following verses mean for those they lead. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV). Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as […]
#313 Serving leaders ask themselves: “What am I thinking?”
November 10, 2021 Leaders work hard and they make things happen. They are people of action! But effective leaders also recognize that thinking about their work is a part of their work. They realize that what they think impacts what they do. Paul challenges leaders to pay attention to the focus of their thinking. 8 Finally, […]
#311 Serving Leaders ask themselves: “What should I start doing?”
October 13, 2021 Leaders often develop plans and strategies for what they could accomplish and they start running towards the goal. But serving leaders don’t ask what they could start doing, but what they should start doing. They again carefully observe Paul’s instructions. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made […]
#309 Serving leaders ask themselves: “What should I stop doing?”
September 15, 2021 Leaders are people of action and most have a long list of things they plan to do to change their world. But serving leaders also stop and ask themselves what they are doing which they should stop! Paul provides these instructions to all Christians, 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to […]