Sunday, January 17, 2010

The Theological Serenity Prayer

Brothers,

I am confident you will find it very easy to agree that I need to personally adopt this modification of the Serenity Prayer. So go ahead and shout "Amen!" [rgh]

Lord,

grant me the serenity to humbly accept the theological inconsistencies
that do not make a difference

The courage to graciously challenge the ones that do

And the wisdom and knowledge to know the difference!

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2010/01/the-theological-serenity-prayer/





Saturday, January 9, 2010

Aspiring For A Platform

Kingdom Greetings Brothers,

Here is my personal definition of what it means to have a ministry platform. Check it out and then read Tony Morgans article concerning the issues associated with such a privilege.

"A Platform is simply when the Grace of God brings us to the place where others intently listen for the treasure of "His Voice" through the flawed container of "our earthen vessel". This increased scope of influence is afforded solely for the advancement of his Kingdom purposes! "

Now consider the wisdom below by Tony Morgan. WOW!

{RGH}



*No one owes you a platform.

*Sometimes someone who is trusted can help you get a moment on the platform, but you still have to deliver to keep it.

*The harder you try to have a platform, the harder it is to get it.

*If you do what you’re designed to do and you are faithful to stick with it over time, there’s a good chance you’ll have a platform.

*Not all platforms are created equal, but all have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of others.

*Relationships are the foundation of a platform. If you can’t build relationships, you can’t have a platform.

*The person who yells the loudest doesn’t necessarily get the platform.

*If you never stop and listen, you probably won’t get the platform either.

*If it’s just about you, you don’t have a platform.

*You’ll lose your platform if you don’t continue to use it for positive change. You have to move people to a better place.

*You’re more likely to leverage your platform if you tell stories that engage both the head and the heart.

*You’re more likely to keep your platform if you ask questions.

*If people can’t have access to you and your daily life, your platform is probably shrinking whether you know it or not.

*Platforms are established over time and lost in an instant.

*Lots of people want a platform, but very few are gifted to have a platform and even fewer are humble enough to keep it.


http://tonymorganlive.com/2010/01/06/platform/

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Four Reasons Leaders Stop Leading

By Perry Noble

#1 – Fear –
being a leader does not mean that we will never be in situations that make us shake in our shoes; in fact, it means quite the opposite. When a leader allows the fear of a circumstance to trump the fear of God in his life…he ceases to lead.

#2 – A Desire To Please Everyone –
Moses, the greatest leader in the Old Testament, had people ready to kill him on several occasions. After Jesus preached His first sermon people took him to a cliff and wanted to throw him off. (Luke 4:28-30)
The Apostle Paul actually had people who traveled from town to town just to persecute him. If Moses, Jesus and Paul could not please everyone…why in the world would anyone think they could. When the shift goes from please “Him” to pleasing “them,” it’s over. You’ve ceased to lead!

#3 – Addiction To Comfort –
There is always a price to pay if you want to go to the next level…and so often when that price begins to impact a leaders comfort zone he will back off from leading the charge and slip into cruise control. This type of person refuses to seek advice from other leaders. They refuse to read anything that may be helpful. They refuse to attend any sort of conference that may challenge them. They refuse to believe that there are better, more effective ways to do what they are doing. All because IF they did these things they may have to face CHANGE…which totally blows up comfortability.

#4 – Disconnection From God – THE most DANGEROUS thing a leader can do is to STOP focusing on God and BEGGING Him for direction. Going back to Moses for a second…all Big Mo did was listen to God and then do what He said. When we become so busy “doing” leadership rather than focusing on the ONE we are supposed to be following in order to effectively lead others…we (AND the people we lead) are in trouble.

http://www.perrynoble.com/2010/01/05/four-reasons-why-leaders-stop-leading/

Friday, January 1, 2010

Four Skills Needed To Be An Accountability Partner

Jeff Fisher reveals four key responsibilities we have in holding one another accountable. These characteristics should be clearly observable in the way we relate together as Covenant Friends. [rgh]

Cheer
The man who makes himself accountable needs to know he is not alone. He needs to feel that someone is on his side. He needs someone to root for him, but not from the sidelines. An accountability partner is right on the field with him.

Challenge
A man plateaus at times and settles into a comfortable level. This is when the accountability partner needs to challenge. He needs to help his friend stay focused on the big picture, the vision and the mission.

Confront
Confronting a brother in Christ is the hardest job of an accountability partner. No one likes to confront, but when a man is willfully sinning, it is important that we step in and be “our brother’s keeper.

Confrontation is needed when there is negative momentum. When sin and failures occur they need to be addressed. When a man is hardening his heart or not willing to take the next step, he needs to be confronted over his choices. When a man’s behavior is hurting others, it must be confronted. Confession and repentance are the right responses to confrontation.

Comfort
Every man experiences hurts, wounds, disappointments and failures. But it takes a man a long time to start talking about them. As your relationship grows, your friend will begin to trust you with the deeper things. He will slowly expose the hurts of his heart and his feelings about them. This will require that you learn to comfort and be a caring friend.


http://newmanmag.com/e-magazine/122809/story1.php