By: Dinka Utomo on September 14, 2023
Undefended leadership is about a kind of generous hospitality: a giving of ourselves to the world that transforms it, an opening-up of space in our lives in which the ‘other’ is welcomed and, indeed, utterly changed (Simon P. Walker) The allure of power resides in its capacity to influence others and fulfill personal desires. Possessing power…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on September 14, 2023
“Alexa, Stop!” Before I can write about AI and the applications of it to my studies, I must first talk about my Nemesis Alexa. I was an enthusiastic, early user of Alexa. I was completely captivated by the idea of having her respond on command. I bought an Echo Dot for every room in the…
By: Jenny Dooley on September 14, 2023
For years I dreamed of pursuing a doctorate. I considered social work, psychology, ministry, missiology, and even Southeast Asian studies. I secretly hoped to become a docent at the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore. Needless to say, I am surprised by my choice and surprised by leadership. In Leading with Nothing to Lose: Training in…
By: Todd E Henley on September 14, 2023
As I read Walker’s book two verses kept burning in my heart. With every page chills went up and down my spine. The verses below screamed off nearly every page. “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on September 14, 2023
I had a plan for my Summer. It included many trips to the beach, a quest to find the best breakfast taco (my favorite food), a moderate amount of Uber driving for my children, leisurely reading for a book club that I joined (friends from high school), drinking frozen beverages and having my age-appropriate version…
By: Esther Edwards on September 14, 2023
With leadership books and theories in plentiful abundance, Simon P. Walker takes the subject and draws yet another angle that causes one to take a step back and evaluate self and leadership. In his first book, Leading Out of Who You Are he defines the undefended leader. The undefended leader leads out of their own…
By: Pam Lau on September 14, 2023
A few weeks ago, Tremper Longman posted on his Facebook page about his relationship with Pastor Tim Keller with whom he shared a close friendship. Longman asked: Who will be (or is) the next winsome advocate for Christianity now? There are plenty of culture haters out there, but who will be those voices that try to love and…
By: Adam Harris on September 14, 2023
About a year ago, I taught a class on the book of Revelation from a historical-critical point of view. Weirdly, Simon Walker’s, Leading with Nothing to Lose, reminded me of some of the insights and discussions we had in there. I know this may seem like a weird connection, but this is how my brain…
By: Cathy Glei on September 13, 2023
Leadership is often associated with power, control, and authority. However, what if true leadership emerged not from holding onto power, but from letting go of it? What if true leadership looked more like putting others first, turning the other cheek, washing the feet of the individuals on the team, being last, or laying down one’s…
By: Russell Chun on September 13, 2023
Mit tenne Jézus? (Hungarian) – What would Jesus do? Highlights Part 1 Rare Leadership & More than a menu Part 2 Chapter 13, What would Jesus Do? Part 3 Indigenous Church: Self Supporting, Self-Governing, Self-Propagating. GoodSports International Part 4 Summary Part 1 – Rare Leadership & More than a Menu Rare Leadership The DLGP study…
By: Jennifer Vernam on September 12, 2023
Reading Simon Walker’s second book of the Undefended Leader Trilogy: Leading with Nothing to Lose,[1] I was happy to see that Walker continues to focus on leadership characteristics that extend beyond what is reinforced in today’s popular culture: …you’ll struggle to find a single class that suggests that learning to be weak may actually be…
By: Tim Clark on September 11, 2023
Along with being a pastor, my dad was a bi-vocational contractor. He mostly worked laying floors, but he could do anything, as was evidenced by the fact that he built—by hand—one of the houses I lived in when I was young (yes, I know it sounds like I grew up on Little House on the…
By: John Fehlen on September 11, 2023
My preferred genre of books is the biography, which is the account of someone’s life written by someone else. I also enjoy a good autobiography (emphasis on ‘good’), and yet, those quite often are self-serving, short-sighted, and elbow-bending/back-patting. You always know when a celebrity, I mean, politician, is gonna declare a run for US President…
By: Travis Vaughn on September 11, 2023
In Leading with Nothing to Lose: Training in the Exercise of Power, Simon Walker explores “eight different leadership strategies, each of which ‘does something’ to the space around you.”[1] Walker’s work is so rich and so timely. I will attempt to codify three personal takeaways. Security in the “Other” “The undefended leader is the one…
By: Jana Dluehosh on September 9, 2023
When considering this topic, I immediately could find myself drifting to the apprehensive side of AI. I think I’ve seen too many movies where this type of intelligence could lead us to a place where the machines have taken over humanity. This conversation has been going on for a very long time as machines have…
By: Dinka Utomo on September 7, 2023
“Dealing with systems that output plausible but wrong information feels like a very new challenge” (Michael Webb) The impact of technological advancements, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), extends across various facets of contemporary life, encompassing domains as diverse as church life and ministry. Approximately one year ago, I encountered a noteworthy post authored by a…
By: Todd E Henley on September 7, 2023
In 1991 I was a youth pastor and I specifically remember being at my secretary’s home to talk about an upcoming mission trip. Before I even sat down, she ecstatically said, “Hey PT, look at this! The World Wide Web!” This computer thing is amaaaaaazing!” I had no idea what she was talking about but…
By: Adam Harris on September 7, 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a double-edged sword, harboring both immense promise and perilous risks. On one hand, AI revolutionizes industries, enhancing efficiency and solving complex problems. However, its unchecked proliferation raises grave concerns. One peril lies in job displacement, as AI automation threatens livelihoods across sectors. Moreover, AI bias and discrimination are rampant, perpetuating societal…
By: Kally Elliott on September 7, 2023
Last Saturday my husband and I were driving my college freshman back to his dorm after his first collegiate football game. Talking about classes starting soon I felt the need to impress upon him that college is not high school, that using AI, especially ChatGPT could get him into a lot of trouble. I told…
By: Pam Lau on September 6, 2023
If I were asked to uncover the decline of America’s thinking and writing, I believe I would point to the cultural changes of family and parenting that started soon after the presence of television in our homes. When writers such as Walter Lippman, Alan Bloom and Christopher Lasch observed the growing number of people dependent…
