Simple Leadership

In a letter written from Hong Kong in 1879 Hudson Taylor, on the subject of the mission said...

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The all important thing to do is to:

1. Improve the character of the work

2. Deepen the piety, devotion and success of the workers

3. Remove the stones of stumbling, if possible

4. Oil the wheels where they stick

5. Amend whatever if defective

6. Supplement, as far as may be, what is lacking

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We, the leadership at The Edge, should be doing the very same things.
We must being by asking tough questions:

1. What is the character of our work? (how are we dong?)
2. What steps can we take to "Deepen the piety, devotion and success of our worker"?
3. What are the "stumbling stones" and the "sticking wheels" at The Edge?
4. What things are defective or lacking?

Thoughts?

More on Spiritual Leadership

Here are few more quotes from J. Oswald Sanders' "Spiritual Leadership."
I hope you find them as thought provoking as I have.

"True Greatness, true leadership, is achieved not by reducing men to one’s service but in giving oneself in selfless service to them. And that is never done without cost."

"Spiritual leaders must be willing to suffer for the sake of objectives great enough to demand their wholehearted obedience."

"Pessimism and leadership are at opposite ends of life's attitudes. Hope and optimism are essential qualities for the servant of God who battles with the powers of darkness over the souls of men and women. God's ideal Servant is optimistic until every part of God's work is done."

AND HERE IS MY FAVORITE FOR TODAY...
“A great deal more failure is the result of an excess of caution than of bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the Kingdom of God were never advanced by men and women of caution.”

Spiritual Leadership

Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some quotes from Oswald Sanders' classic (you simply must read it) "Spiritual Leadership."

Here are few to get us started....

"Spiritual leadership is no task for those who seek stable benefits and upscale working conditions"

"Ambition which centers on the glory of God and the welfare of the church is mighty force for good."

"True service is never without cost. Often it comes with a bitter cup of challenges and painful baptism of suffering"

Perfect Sunday

This is something I put together a while back.
I think we have to know what we are shooting for - before we can have any chance of hitting it.

Give it a browse and then let me know what I'm missing.

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"PERFECT SUNDAY"

BEFORE SERVICE:

:: Property and facility are clean and uncluttered

:: Friendly, helpful and knowledgeable people are strategically stationed throughout facility (maybe even in parking lot)

:: Through the use of greeters and signage, guests have a clear idea of where to go and what to do

:: No one is left alone in their seat, or standing in fellowship hall, feeling awkward while they wait for service to start.

KID’S CHURCH:
:: Clear check-in process
:: Facility exudes safety, security and professionalism

:: Teachers ready and in class when the first people arrive.
:: The music playing, and what’s on screen, is appropriate and attractive.

:: High quality teachers, curriculum and crafts (crafts are largely how new parents will asses the quality their child’s class experience)

:: A pick-up / check-OUT procedure that is organized, speedy and secure.

IN THE SANCTUARY:

:: Easy to sing, easy to love, Christ honoring songs

:: Musicianship quality that enables congregation to forget the band is even there

:: Sound quality that enables congregation to forget we even have a sound system (free from any tonal distractions)

:: Clear, interesting, God honoring, easy-to-apply message (Enriching and Challenging)

Foxes and Hedgehogs

Have you heard the parable of the Hedgehog and the Fox?
It is a story about being focused - doing one thing (yup, just one) extremely well.
“The fox knows MANY things, but the hedgehog knows ONE big thing.”

In ministry, I want to be a hedgehog and not a fox. But that, my friends, is easier to desire than it is to do. In order to stay focused on the one big thing (crucial thing) that God has called us to - we will have to say "no" to a lot of good, even worthy, things. And saying "no" is hard.

So what "good" things do you need to stop doing (what and who do you need to say "no" to) in order to make the leap from fox to hedgehog?

Who's Called to "Go"?

I have been reading "Radical" by David Platt.
Here an extremely thought provoking quote,

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We take Jesus’ command in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations, and we say, “That means other people.” But we look at Jesus’ command in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” and we say, “Now that means me.” We take Jesus’ promise in Act 1:8 that the Spirit will lead us to the ends of the earth, and we say, “That means some people.” But we take Jesus’ promise in John 10:10 that we will have abundant life, and we say, “That means me.”

In the process we unnecessarily (and unbiblically) drawn a line of distinction, assigning the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all. In this way, we choose to send off other people to carry out the global purpose of Christianity while the rest of us sit back because we’re “just not called to that.”

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The part that really hit me was, "We assign the obligations of Christianity to a few while keeping the privileges of Christianity for us all."

What are your thoughts? Do you think that is true?

In what way are you making disciples and going into all the world?