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Tag Archives: communion with God

What Makes a Leader Christian?

We can learn many things from secular sources about leadership. Yet Christian leadership is different. 1. Our leadership is ultimately about pointing people to Jesus. 2. Our leadership aims to equip people to become the living presence of God in the world. 3. Our marriage and singleness are calls to be a living sign and wonder of His love to the world. 4. Our plans flow out of a deep dependence and communion with God. 5. Our identity and authority emerge from a different foundation. 6. We lead out of our brokenness. What might you add?

What Makes a Leader Christian?

We can learn many things from secular sources about leadership. Yet Christian leadership is different. 1. Our leadership is ultimately about pointing people to Jesus. 2. Our leadership aims to equip people to become the living presence of God in the world. 3. Our marriage and singleness are calls to be a living sign and wonder of His love to the world. 4. Our plans flow out of a deep dependence and communion with God. 5. Our identity and authority emerge from a different foundation. 6. We lead out of our brokenness. What might you add?

Christian and Secular Leadership -The Difference: Part 2

While 50-75% of what we read in excellent secular leadership books may be applicable to a Christian leader, the following qualities make a Christian leader distinct: Our identity is grounded in God who forever says to us, “You are my beloved.”Jesus says to us that we are loved as He is loved.  For this reason we can handle enormous success or enormous failure without losing our identity. A high-quality relationship with God permeates all our relationships and decisions. Our marriage and singleness are a call to become a living sign and wonder of His love to the world. We lead out of our marriages in that our love for our spouses is to be like His love for us – passionate, permanent, intimate, unconditional, and life giving. Our leadership energy is first given to be as present to our spouse as Christ is to us, so that others can see His presence manifested in our tender love. Read more.

Christian and Secular Leadership -The Difference: Part 2

While 50-75% of what we read in excellent secular leadership books may be applicable to a Christian leader, the following qualities make a Christian leader distinct: Our identity is grounded in God who forever says to us, “You are my beloved.” Jesus says to us that we are loved as He is loved.  For this reason we can handle enormous success or enormous failure without losing our identity. A high-quality relationship with God permeates all our relationships and decisions. Our marriage and singleness are a call to become a living sign and wonder of His love to the world. We lead out of our marriages in that our love for our spouses is to be like His love for us – passionate, permanent, intimate, unconditional, and life giving. Our leadership energy is first given to be as present to our spouse as Christ is to us, so that others can see His presence manifested. Read more.

Book Review: Opening to God – "Life as Prayer"

This past Christmas I gifted each of our staff with a copy of David Benner’s book, Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer. In light of our human limits, it is not possible to be excellent at everything -e.g. counseling, managing budgets, strategic planning, preaching,  casting vision. Yet if our work is provide leadership in the church of Jesus, I think prayer may be the most important area where we need to grow in excellence. What might that look like? Benner’s book gives us some very helpful clues. The following are a few of my notes from this timely book: 1. As Teresa of Avila says, the important thing in prayer is not to think much but to love much. 2. Prayer is God’s action is us. Our part is simply to allow divine love to so so transform our hearts that the love of God will spring forth as a response. Read more.

Four Days with the Trappists: Part 1

Last Monday I arrived at the  St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer Massachusetts for my annual weekly retreat with the 70+ monks living there. It was probably my most significant retreat of the last seven years. The following journal entries from my first day (that is until vigils at 3:30 am Tuesday morning) will give you a glimpse into my time:  “The goal of this retreat is to keep company with You Lord, to be with You detached from all else, to get rid of all baggage and be cleansed of the world, and, most importantly, to listen.  I am holding the following questions Lord”: How do I expand and strengthen the boundaries of my inner hermitage in order to live in deeper communion with You? What new direction and strategies do You have for me? How do I expand and strengthen my inner hermitage that Geri  and might live more fully in an exceptional. Read more.