#296 Boaz: Serving by Treating Others Well
March 17, 2021 We already observed that Boaz was a man of standing. Who he was on the inside influenced all we can see on the outside. In the remaining issues of this series we will look more closely at five actions of serving that illustrate his heart and character. First, we’ll look closely at how Boaz treated others. We often judge a leader by his/her accomplishments. What did they do? What goals […]
#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 ABC’s of Transition: Cherish the Relationships
June 24, 2020 We have looked at how Moses acknowledged the realities in his transition and how he blessed Joshua, his successor. In this final issue, we will look at how he cherished the relationships. The story tells us the profound impact of his death on the people. “The Israelites grieved for Moses in the […]
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 […]
The Leader and Emotion: Loneliness
With our entire world connected by social media it seems that none of us should be lonely. But the United Kingdom recently appointed a “minister of loneliness” to deal with the increased social and health issues associated with this emotion. Loneliness is not a new emotion; it was keenly felt by David when he said […]
David and Absalom: Relationships
Leadership is all about relationships and the way we relate to those we lead. There is no leadership without relationships. But how relationships are viewed and developed varies greatly. In this reflection on the contrast between David and his son Absalom, we will examine their relationship with their followers. Both David and Absalom had relationships […]
Open Hearted Leadership
Issue #19, November 18, 2009 Paul practiced what I call Open Hearted Leadership, a unique brand of genuine transparency that characterizes all servant leaders. He challenged his followers and contemporary leaders with these words, “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from […]
Leading with an Open Heart
Issue #12, August 14, 2009 All leaders influence followers, but only servant leaders open their hearts to those who follow. Paul, in an intimate letter to the Corinthian church said, “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.” (2 Cor. 6:11) Paul’s statement reveals a deliberate action which he […]