By: Jonita Fair-Payton on April 19, 2024
My BFF (in my head) Let me just put it out there. I am a FanGirl of Brene Brown. I have been a fan long before the world discovered her. She is my BFF (in my head). My mentor and, in my opinion, one of the most brilliant beings on the planet is friends…
By: Dinka Utomo on April 19, 2024
The foundational skill of courage-building is the willingness and ability to rumble with vulnerability. Once we start to build vulnerability skills, we can start to develop the other skill sets. -Brene Brown- A Pastor in our denomination was very excited – after he had completed his initial ministry of five years in a remote,…
By: Todd E Henley on April 18, 2024
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at a leadership conference to medical doctors, therapists, and social workers. Whenever I am given the freedom to choose my topic, I always try to choose a topic my audience is not expecting but I know they need to wrestle with. Last weekend, my topic was, “Healing…
By: Cathy Glei on April 18, 2024
“What makes embracing vulnerability feel the most terrifying is how taking off the armor and exploding our hearts can open us up to experiencing shame. Our egos are willing to keep our hearts encased in armor, no matter the cost if we can avoid feeling “less than” or unworthy of love and belonging. What the…
By: Adam Harris on April 18, 2024
Our home has a list of “Harris values” hanging by our front door. Our church has “Godwhy’s values” hanging in the hallway so everyone sees them as they walk into the café area (strategic placing). However, until I read Daring to Lead by Brene Brown, it never occurred to me to “operationalize” them for our…
By: Mathieu Yuill on April 18, 2024
Now at the end of the semester, looking back over the texts we have read as a cohort, Brené Brown’s seminal work, Dare to Lead[1], seems like an easier to digest snack opposed to our high-fibre, protein-rich meals we’ve been consuming. The difference I see is Brown’s work is more encouraging and supportive whereas the…
By: Kim Sanford on April 15, 2024
There have been a couple of overarching themes running through our doctoral learning. We’ve read and discussed a great deal about leading out of who you are[1], leadership and differentiation and being a non-anxious presence[2]. I’ve felt this internal work deeply, to the extent that I’ve joked with a couple of close friends that I’m…
By: Jenny Dooley on April 15, 2024
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., by Brené Brown came just as I was hit with a wave of self-doubt while making the final decision for my doctoral project. My husband and peer group have borne the brunt of my doubts and confusion. I appreciate their patience. Dr. Brown came through for…
By: John Fehlen on April 15, 2024
In the spirit of Bobby Duffy’s Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything, let me begin with a confession to all my doctoral peers* that I was wrong about something: Brene Brown is amazing. In a previous blog post I made an arguable statement: “I’m not a huge Brene’ Brown fan. Go ahead, crucify me. I…
By: Mathieu Yuill on April 14, 2024
In Toronto, Canada, a pastor with a compelling backstory and distinctive style—tattoos visible and all—captured the hearts and minds of many by founding The Meeting House. This church, initially gathering in cinemas, represented a fresh expression of faith, resonant particularly with those disenchanted with traditional forms of worship. The pastor, known for his relatable sermons…
By: Dinka Utomo on April 11, 2024
I am proposing that the only way to overcome the Powers is through imitation of Christ, in particular his desires, which always leads to how we act. -J.R. Woodward- Scandals in the leadership of clergy in the church are a phenomenon that has existed for centuries and occur in any part of the world…
By: Adam Harris on April 11, 2024
I’m currently in Washington, DC attending an educational workshop at the Holocaust Museum to foster healthier Christian-Jewish relationships, biblical teaching, and interfaith dialogue. My group has around seventeen members and consists of Jewish rabbis, pastors, priests, seminary students, lay people, and chaplains from around the United States. The first thing we are required to do…
By: Todd E Henley on April 11, 2024
“If the light inside you is not greater than the light upon you, the light upon you will destroy you.” – Scott Dickie’s mentor. The above quote is an excellent summarization of the book, The Scandal of Leadership by JR Woodward. I will soon tell you why the quote resonates with the book, but first,…
By: Cathy Glei on April 9, 2024
“Will we become a scandal to those who look to us as leaders, or will we choose to imitate the scandalous way of Christ? If Christian leadership is primarily about being Christ-like examples, it is imperative that we understand how the Powers seek to undermine us as leaders, as well as examine the lives and…
By: Jenny Dooley on April 9, 2024
Years ago, as I began preparing to leave Jakarta to move to South Sulawesi, an Indonesia friend and member of our church told me she had been watching me. I panicked a little, wondering what she observed. I secretly prayed it was something good. I was keenly aware that my every move was a curiosity…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on April 9, 2024
“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” [1] What an interesting time to read a book about the scandal of leadership. I have been thinking a lot about flaws, challenges, and failures of leadership in recent weeks. Admittedly, it has been a tough year for me. Leading an organization in transition for…
By: Kim Sanford on April 8, 2024
A quick google search of science and mimicry turns up countless articles on the subject. There are examples of mimicry in nature all around us. In humans, copying facial expressions is even considered a milestone of infant development.[1] Clearly, we are creatures designed to imitate something. Furthermore, we know tacitly that we imitate that which…
By: John Fehlen on April 8, 2024
The legendary Christian Rock band PETRA recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary. They were formed in 1972 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is pretty close to when and where I was formed: 1971 in Osceola, Wisconsin. In 1981, at the age of 10, I was introduced to PETRA, with the vinyl of Never Say Die. NEVER…
By: Dinka Utomo on April 5, 2024
“It is only through love that a warfighter can flourish as a warfighter qua just warfighter” -Marc LiVecche- Some Christians have an understanding of original sin, the sin resulting from acts of violation of God’s commands committed by the first human parents, Adam and Eve, as something that has a destructive impact, not only…
By: Todd E Henley on April 4, 2024
Monday, July 12, 2021, my new client showed up to his first session and the first words out of his mouth were, “I heard you can help people heal from the devastating impact of trauma. I am going to tell you things I have never told anyone. After you hear my shitful story, I am…
