Friday, November 20, 2015

Every line your story, Jesus


Write me with your glory, 
Jesus Every line your story, Jesus 
Author of my faith

These are the lines from a new song soon to be released on a new album from NewSpring Church, SC. (Watch the full song here)

I left home at the age of 19 starry eyed dreaming of doing great things for the glory of the author of my faith and saviour Jesus. The story to be written was to be glorious.

Now 33 years later I look back and the story certainly has been glorious but not in the way I thought it would be.

It is glorious not because of what I have achieved for God but what he has achieved in me.

It is glorious not because of my greatness but because of His supremacy.

It is glorious not because of my choices but his kindness in protecting me from my own foolishness.

It is glorious not because of my faithfulness but because of His unfailing love.

It is glorious not because of my good deeds but because of His grace.

I am written with Glory because its not my story that is being written, it the story of a faithful, merciful, gracious, supreme saviour, Jesus.

And for the story yet to be written, be it short or long in this life, my prayer is that it be your story that is written Jesus. And that I will embrace your story for my life whatever twist and turn that may take because your story always ends in Glory.


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Top 10 Mistakes Leaders Make


This past weekend we hosted Author and Leadership coach, Dave Kraft at Milton Keynes Christian Centre. During his ministry Dave has served on staff and volunteered in leadership in all sorts of churches, both large and small.

A few years ago he wrote a short book called Mistakes Leaders Make. In it he crystallised both many of the mistakes he personally made and also those he saw other leaders making.

In his conference on Saturday he walked us through 5 of these mistakes giving us time to review our own leadership and discovering any blind spots. It certainly was a challenging day.

Here are what Dave describes as the top 10 mistakes he sees leaders making:

  • allowing ministry to replace Jesus;
  • allowing comparing to replace contentment;
  • allowing pride to replace humility;
  • allowing busyness to replace visioning;
  • allowing financial frugality to replace fearless faith;
  • allowing artificial harmony to replace difficult conflict;
  • allowing perennially hurting people to replace potential hungry leaders;
  • allowing information to replace transformation; and
  • allowing control to replace trust.
You may want to consider picking up the book and reviewing it with your team.