#288 The ABC’s of Beginning Well: Connect with the people
November 11, 2020 Joshua provides a model to all serving leaders about how to begin well in a new role or position. As we have seen in the previous two issues, he began by acknowledging the realities of his situation, then he believed in God’s promises. But leadership is all about relationships and Joshua also […]
The Sound of Silent Leadership…in Persuasion
March 4, 2020 Leaders influence others by persuasion. They can convince others to follow their vision, to support the cause, and to be a part of the team. Almost always, we try to persuade others with words, often strong or loud words that end with exclamation marks! But sometimes the greatest influence to persuade comes […]
Learning from Rehoboam: Leaders Lose when they don’t Listen
October 30, 2019 Rehoboam chose to listen and he did well. He chose the group to whom he would listen and chose wrongly. The choices he made led to an outcome for which he had no choice! When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share […]
Learning from Rehoboam: Leaders Choose to Listen
October 2, 2019 If I asked you, “Do leaders talk, or listen?” what would be your most likely response? We usually focus more on what leaders say than on how they listen. But the short story of Rehoboam’s early leadership, found in 2 Chronicles 10, has many insights for servant leaders on the art of […]
Leadership Temptation: Using Charisma for Promotion
Jesus resisted the first temptation to use His calling to provide His identity, physical or personal needs. So, the devil brought a second temptation to Jesus as he will to all leaders. 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are […]
David and Absalom: Influence
Issue #229, April 4, 2018 Leadership is all about influencing others. But there are different ways that influence is used by leaders. David and Absalom both had influence; people followed them. However, the way they gained and used influence shows the contrast between servant leaders and subversive* leaders. David won the hearts of people; Absalom […]
Will Others Follow? A Question of Influence
Issue #209, June 14, 2017 Moses’ first two questions were about identity: his own identity, and God’s identity. His next question was about leadership. “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” (Exodus 4:1). Moses wanted to know if others would follow. How […]
John the Baptist: Quiet Influence
Issue #181, May 18, 2016 John the Baptist, if he were leading today, would not likely win any awards for success. His leadership did not last long, many of his key leaders left him to follow another, and the crowds at his events were declining when he was arrested and finally killed. But Jesus said […]
A Couple of Servant Leaders: Mary and Joseph – Part 2
Issue #171, December 23, 2015 This Christmas we are looking at Mary and Joseph, both great servant leaders and together one of the most influential couples in history. In this issue we’ll turn our attention to Mary, the better known of the two and the one often mentioned first. In Luke 1:26-56 the story of […]
Daniel: Bringing Others on the Journey
Issue #163, September 2, 2015 It was time for a promotion! The king was so impressed by Daniel’s ability to interpret his dream that he placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its […]