By: Sam Stephens on March 7, 2014
Dr. Tony Campolo in one of his messages I heard many years ago, mentions the results of a sociological study done of 50 men and women above the age of 95. They were all asked what they would do differently if given the chance to live their lives over again. The responses as he points…
By: Phil Smart on March 6, 2014
My daughter is embarrassed when I try and imitate the “happy dance” done by an actor on a commercial for the Choice Hotels lodging chain. He is so happy after a nice night of sleep for a good price that he dances on his suitcase. It is quite enjoyable to watch – pure joy and…
By: Chris Ellis on March 6, 2014
If I were a ship at sea, Consider: Harnessing the Power of Reflective Thinking In Your Organization by Daniel Forrester would be a shot across my bow. I am, by design, an activist. I would rather be doing something than only talking and thinking about doing something. And that is my problem. As my natural…
By: Sandy Bils on March 6, 2014
Lets make a game? Ok? I’ll tell you a story about a company and you have to guess, which company I was talking about. Ok? Go: I am talking about a large and global company, with stores in 117 countries. The company was founded in the 50’s and already in 1978 it approved a policy…
By: David Toth on March 6, 2014
“Describe in your own words the picture that best represents the process facilitated by your church/ministry that helps an interested follower to become more Christ-like.” I have asked this question of hundreds of ministry leaders, mostly lead pastors, and easily more than 95% do not include focused and/or regular times of reflective contemplation. If Forrester…
By: Garrick Roegner on March 6, 2014
In 2005 we moved to Spain with our 1 year old daughter and a team of 4 Americans, 1 Mexican, and 1 Spaniard to do campus ministry. We were sent as Short Term Internationals, even though we were planning on staying long term. The idea was to go for two years as short termers, try…
By: Richard Rhoads on March 6, 2014
As we feel ourselves going under, drowning in the impossible multiplication of activities, responsibilities, relationships, and requirements, we end up all but abandoning the pursuit of happiness. Our new goal isn’t so much gentle, authentic happiness, nor are we apparently seeking joy, ease, pleasure or delight. Instead, when I ask people how they are, what…
By: Fred Fay on March 6, 2014
Recently, our church team has intentionally taking extra time to reflect on what we are doing in our church. Action without reflection can have dire effects. Course correction is constantly needed. Daniel Patrick Forrester’s compelling book Consider: Harnessing the Power of Reflective Thinking In Your Organization is an alarm for organizations to take time for…
By: Sharenda Roam on March 5, 2014
“Consider Reflection & Haiku” After reading “Consider” this week I must agree with Seth Godin in his statement regarding this book, “While the world seems to want you to go ever faster…it actually rewards you for being insightful and for doing work with meaning. I know it’s hard to slow down to read this, but…
By: Mark Steele on March 2, 2014
The statistics are out and the news is not good. The Wall Street Journal says the average worker will have approximately 7 careers in one lifetime and the average American worker changes employers every 4 years. I have been fortunate to have been in my job for 15 years but that came after I made…
By: Sam Stephens on February 28, 2014
Reading Shelly Trebesch’s Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of A Leader, brought to mind an experience I had twenty years ago while traveling in Germany. I see that as an ‘Isolation’ according to Shelly’s description, one that leaders are taken through voluntarily or involuntarily. Passing through such a valley of ‘isolation’, transforms…
By: Sandy Bils on February 28, 2014
Three weeks ago, I was able to participate at the leadership summit of Willow Creek in Germany. Willow USA and Germany hosted a large conference with 8000 leaders in Leipzig, Germany. In the last years Willow emerged to an important inspiration for a lot of German Churches. Many pastors joined the conferences, bought books by…
By: Garrick Roegner on February 28, 2014
The motif of entering into the desert, a dry and waterless place, for a time of spiritual testing, pain, and growth is prevalent throughout the Bible. Shelley Trebesch in her book Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of a Leader explicates these periods of isolation for Biblical leaders from Moses to Paul, not…
By: Richard Rhoads on February 28, 2014
You need to talk with Larry; he is a man of humility and great wisdom. These were the words my Pastor spoke to me after asking him, “Who would be a good person to seek out for mentorship during my time in seminary?” To be honest, his words surprised me. I’m not quite sure what…
By: Phil Smart on February 27, 2014
When tested by Myers Briggs, I found myself as an ENFJ, not an INFP. Perhaps this is why Isolation by Shelly Trebesch didn’t move me or inspire me as other readings have. It’s not that I haven’t tried to think as she suggests, and I do understand the value. Some parts of the reading actually…
By: Fred Fay on February 27, 2014
Literature on effective leadership had been prolific. Ken Blanchard defines it as “the capacity to influence others by unleashing their power and impact for the greater good”.[1] Leadership is influence for mutual good is a good starting point. Kouzes and Posner add that leadership as “the art of mobilizing other to want to struggle for…
By: Sharenda Roam on February 27, 2014
“Jesus & Isolation in Reverse” While reading “Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the Life of a Leader” by Shelley Trebesch this week for my doctoral program I ran across her “Table 1 – Summary of Fourfold Processes in Isolation,” (44) and “Table 2 – Isolation Examples and Their Experience of the Fourfold Process.” (47)…
By: Chris Ellis on February 27, 2014
Isolation—A Place of Transformation In The Life of a Leader is written by Shelley Tresbesch an Assistant Professor of Leadership and Organizational Development at Fuller Seminary. She identifies two types of isolation. The first is ‘the setting aside of a leader form normal ministry involvement in its natural context usually for an extended time in order…
By: David Toth on February 26, 2014
As district church planting director for my denomination I was really enjoying the ministry! Talking with leaders, both pastors and others, who showed some interested in see an new church planted was not a chore, it was invigorating. And then, quite involuntarily, God threw a curve ball. Move to Hungary? As a Christian and Missionary…
By: Mark Steele on February 23, 2014
I became keenly aware of the emotion that comes from church splits when I tried to help a CEO friend find a consultant to lead his leadership team through a strategic planning process. Unbeknownst to me at the time, he was the CEO of a denominational split over sexual diversity issues. The strategic development consultant…
