DLGP

Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives: Crafting Ministry in an Interconnected World

Do Over

By: on August 24, 2023

Endeavor, Lewis, and Morse I’ll spend a few minutes providing a brief synopsis for those unfamiliar with who or what these three words mean. The words are titles of a top-rated, long-running series based on a fictional character, Inspector Morse, and his partner/mentee, Lewis. Their names represent three standalone series with three different lead characters.…

10 responses

Giants of the Faith

By: on August 20, 2023

In preparing for our trip to Oxford in September, I found the book, The Secret History of Oxford by Paul Sullivan, to be interesting. For instance, I had no idea that Oxford was made up of forty-four colleges. [1] Nor did I truthfully realize until reading through chapters two and three all of the famous…

7 responses

Learning from C.S. Lewis

By: on August 15, 2023

When I pull into my driveway, I arrive at 4332 Morning Brook Court, Stockton, California. This is a special place: it is home. The physical locality of my home has some significance, but not so much as the people who I know in my home. When I walk through my front door, what gives me…

11 responses

We were in the same ballpark?!?

By: on April 30, 2023

As I read Cascades by Greg Satell, the above 2 pictures kept coming to mind. The first one was taken January 12, 2022, and the second one was taken March 15, 2022. As Executive Director of Restore Counseling Center I meet twice a month with my Board Chairman to pray, dream, strategize, and discuss any…

2 responses

Relationship + Obedience + Fruit = Credibility

By: on April 29, 2023

Credibility = proven competence + integrity + relationships As I read Cascades by Greg Satell, my mind was drawn to the emphasis on relationships and community, especially as the author contrasted the historical mental model of strong governance as the catalyst for change. [1]  The need to create interconnectivity and interdependence is essential.  The author…

4 responses

1001 New Worshiping Communities, a Movement.

By: on April 29, 2023

In 2021 the Presbyterian Church (USA) released statistic showing the steady decline of the denomination. Over the last twenty years, membership has decreased but the pandemic exacerbated the decline. The 2021 statistics show current active membership stands at just over 1.1 million, a 51,000-member drop from 2020. Total number of churches in 2021 stood at…

7 responses

B.H.A.G

By: on April 28, 2023

Let me tell you a story about a B.H.A.G.  What is a B.H.A.G. you may ask?  Why it’s a Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal. The term was originally coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their book Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, first published in 1994. Collins says, “The power of the BHAG is…

10 responses

Thinking Fast, Slow and Factual

By: on April 28, 2023

Introduction In an age where information is abundant and opinions often need to be corrected for facts, understanding the actual state of the world can be challenging. Hans Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund’s work, “Factfulness,” seeks to shed light on the actual conditions of our global society and combat the misconceptions that often cloud our…

4 responses

Polanyi The Great and Clark

By: on April 28, 2023

Introduction The relationship between religion, economic systems, and social change has long been a subject of interest and debate among scholars and those that practice religion. Understanding the complex interplay between these forces is crucial for grasping the implications of economic transformations on societies and their core values. In our readings for this week we…

2 responses

Humble, Curious, and Ready to Be Amazed

By: on April 28, 2023

The Journey I’ve been on a journey this week. Leaving Portland last Sunday, I traveled from Oregon through Washington, to Missoula, Montana, where I helped my son, Zeph, pack up his apartment and drive south to California to start a new job and a new life era. Our caravan consisted of one large U-Haul, two…

5 responses

Good Lessons for The Church

By: on April 27, 2023

In His book, Cascades: How to Create A Movement That Drives Transformational Change (1), Greg Satell is instructing his readers on six key principles that drive transformational change. While there were many areas of application to dig into, I found myself ruminating on several primary issues related to my own context: Do We Try to…

7 responses

Keep Challenging Your Status Quo and Comfort Zone

By: on April 27, 2023

“Because small groups engender strong bonds, loose connections provide greater numbers, and a common purpose gives direction.” ­-Greg Satell-   After completing and submitting assignments in two courses, my wife and I went to the cinema to watch Jesus Revolution movie. The movie depicts a spiritual revolution in Costa Mesta, Southern California in early 1970s. The…

6 responses

Making a Point or Making a Difference?

By: on April 27, 2023

While in Divinity school after several of us had shared an interest in starting home churches, the professor challenged us when he said, “Just remember, it takes systems to change systems.” That concept has lingered with me ever since, and I believe that is one of the main points Greg Satell is getting at in…

8 responses

Glass Half Full or Half Empty

By: on April 27, 2023

I don’t describe myself as seeing the world through a full-glass lens, but I’m also not a half-empty-glass person. Even though this is comparing apples to oranges, glass half full notion compared to the ten reasons we’re wrong outlined in Factfulness, it does represent how I tend to generalize things. But then the generalization instinct…

9 responses

Curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought it back

By: on April 26, 2023

My company often describes itself to people as “your marketing department,” because you can’t hire us to create one graphic or one email. Typically we need to be invited into your company or nonprofit so we can learn about the organization, its culture and people. What I’ve learned these last five years since founding Leading…

6 responses

Joy as an act of rebellion against the spirit of the world

By: on April 26, 2023

I once heard someone say that joy is one of the most punk rock attributes a person can have. That it rebels against the world’s system. That it is the ultimate alternative to the cynicism we are so easily sucked into. When I was reading Cascades by Greg Satell I couldn’t stop thinking about that…

8 responses

Fact-Check

By: on April 26, 2023

Factfulness, by Hans and Anna Rosling Ronnlund, is a book that challenges readers to confront their preconceived notions of the world and its inhabitants. Exploring the facts about global development and poverty reduction shows how even seemingly intractable problems can be addressed in ways that benefit all participants. It also offers insight into decisions based…

8 responses

Friedman the second story

By: on April 26, 2023

Introduction Edwin Friedman’s book, A Failure of Nerve, delves into the complexities of human relationships and the challenges that can arise within them. As I revisit this book for the second time, I’ve decided to focus on a particular paragraph that has captured my attention. In this paragraph, Friedman writes, “Anyone who has ever been…

14 responses

Equal or nahhh…

By: on April 26, 2023

The Great Transformation As we sit back and watch the economy change from year to year, one can’t help but wonder what the driving force is. There is constant talk of recession and prices are soaring in every industry. Who or what controls these changes? Some of the answers may become evident in what Polanyi…

2 responses

I can’t stand Sword Swallowing.

By: on April 26, 2023

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We Are Wrong about the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think is another amazing one of those resources shared on our reading list. Hans is Rosling, a Swedish physician, public speaker, and academician. When asked simple questions about global trends – what percentage of the world’s population lives…

14 responses