“You have to eat something before you leave for school!” “I’m not hungry, Mom.” “Just a bowl of cereal. Please.” I slouched down on the stool and bent over the bowl, my faced hidden by the curtain of my long hair. I forced down three or four mouthfuls and then hurried away to catch my ride. Looking back to those teenage years, I’m grateful for my mother’s patience with me. I truly didn’t have an appetite for breakfast. Though breakfast now is one of my favorite meals of the day, my adolescent meal clock was wired differently back then. Lots of things can cause us to lose our appetite: illness ..read more

Leading like Jesus is fundamentally different from servant leadership. Servant leadership is a strategy that anyone can adopt and use for their own purposes. That was not what Jesus did; Jesus didn’t simply adopt a leadership strategy designed to achieve maximum results. Jesus led out of who He was; His heart longed to serve. Motivation is the true test of leading like Jesus. Are you serving because it best accomplishes your purposes, or are you serving others out of a transformed heart, a heart that longs to lead like Jesus? Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered ..read more

Jesus’ life was shaped by His relationship with God; His words and actions reflected the imprint of God’s presence in His life. As a result of time spent alone with His Father in solitude and prayer, God’s Spirit poured out of Him into the lives of other people. Do you want your life to reflect God’s power? Live in intimate relationship with Jesus so that your life overflows with the Spirit’s presence and power. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“—John 15:5 Prayer: Jesus, I want to live in intimate ..read more

As leaders, whether in family relationships or in business and ministry settings, others often look to us to know the answers and make decisions. Yet our very humanness means that we will experience times of confusion, when we are uncertain about the way forward. In these moments when all eyes are upon us, we may be tempted to edge God out through fear and pride. Humbly ask God to show you His way today, depending on His faithfulness and wisdom. May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.—Psalm 20:1 Prayer: Lord, I hand over my need to be in ..read more

Five times Jesus tells His disciples that they are to love one another (John 13:34-35; 15:12, 17). These commands are sandwiched between Jesus’ washing His disciples’ feet and His sacrifice on the cross. Together, they underscore that love is an action characterized by humbly serving others at their point of need. Jesus’ example and fivefold command made an indelible imprint on the early church, who were known by all for their loving concern for one another. Are your relationships marked by Jesus’ kind of love? “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one t ..read more

In our April blog we focused on How to Be Free from Insecurity. How’s that going for you? Keep it up. Today we turn our attention to 3 stories we tell ourselves that result in negative emotions and misunderstandings.  When was the last time you misunderstood someone? You attributed false motives to their behavior which resulted in strong negative emotions?  “Do NOTHING out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather in humility consider the needs of others better than your own.” Philippians 2:3 When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He showed compassionate mercy three different times: t ..read more

Sometimes the task in front of us seems insurmountable. We look, and there seems to be no way forward, no end in sight. The task seems too large, our ability out of proportion to the goal placed before us. Could the disciples have had thoughts like these as Jesus commissioned them to go into all the world? Jesus didn’t send them out unequipped; He gave them supernatural power to accomplish their God-given task. Where is God calling you to give your all today, depending on His power to equip and empower you? He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.—Mark 16 ..read more

There are literally thousands of leadership educational resources available today, ranging from books, podcasts, and articles to personal coaching, seminars, and workshops. But are all leadership training and education equal? Do all the methods and teaching angles ultimately lead to the same place? I believe the answer is a resounding no because they do not share the same end goal. The primary differences between biblical leadership and the leadership approach the world offers can be seen by examining the following three key aspects. Focus Leadership doesn’t exist apart from the leader. Biblic ..read more

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day for studying the Scriptures without their hearts being open to the truth revealed in them. We, who have both the Old Testament and New Testament revelation of Jesus, need to beware of the temptation to take pride in our biblical knowledge instead of humbly receiving God’s truth. What difference is your time in God’s Word making in your life and in your ability to lead like Jesus?  “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to co ..read more

Jesus had a singular focus: accomplishing the mission His Father had given Him. His focus motivated Him to do whatever was necessary to clear away any obstacles that prevented people from knowing the full extent of the Father’s love. He was committed to exalting God in every circumstance. Sometimes this meant compassionately meeting needs; sometimes it meant speaking truth no matter how unpopular it might be; sometimes it meant forcefully correcting corruption. What drives your words and actions? To those who sold doves [Jesus] said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into ..read more