We just finished our mid-year elder-staff retreat this afternoon at my home church (www.harpethcc.com). I personally think it was the best one that we have ever shared. Here is why: we spent the first 4.5 hours playing together and letting each other know how much we love each other. It was Lazer Tag (I came in 3rd out of 24 in the first game), pizza, and 5 things we admire about each other. It took all night- there were 24 of us and it was a great night for all. Then, the next morning, we got down to prayer, business affairs, strategy, and plans.
For too many years, I have not emphasized (enough) that relationships come first among church leaders. I have 6 people that directly report to me each week and too often I start with the work of their ministry, not the ministry of my love for them. Love them first, make sure they are doing the work second. That has become an fundamentally important order for me . . . and at my church, we call it "Intentional Love." May I first and foremost be known as a leader who starts and ends with "Intentional Love" for those who work for me and with me.
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Saturday, August 25, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Top Leadership Books
Bill Hull The Disciple-Making Pastor (Old Tappan, N.J.: Revell, 1988). Hulls best book - he shows us what being a pastor-leader is all about.
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, Lead Like Jesus (Thomas Nelson, 2005). It is about who we are more than what we do - servant leadership.
Malphurs, Aubrey. Values Driven Leadership: Discovering & Developing Your Core Values for Ministry. Grand Rapids: Baker, revised, 2004. Values matter more now than purpose. Shows you how to clarify them and put them to practice.
John Cotter, Leading Change (Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press, 1996). My favorite secular book on leading organizations. An easy read.
Jim Collins, Good to Great ( Harper Collins, 2001). Best book on staffing and basic leadership issues facing organizations in print.
Philips, Donald T. The Founding Fathers on Leadership. (New York: Warner, 1997). Great stuff from the founding fathers, many nuggets.
Wagner, C. Peter. Leading Your Church to Growth. (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1984). Best book, even if it is a little dated, on how leadership needs to work for a church growth leader.
Henry Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christina Leadership (Crossroad/Faith & Formation, 1993). He gets you were Jesus wants you, checking your motives.
Other well known Christian leadership writers have also written good stuff - see John Maxwell, Bill Hybels, and Robert Greenleaf.
Featured on newchurches.com.
Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, Lead Like Jesus (Thomas Nelson, 2005). It is about who we are more than what we do - servant leadership.
Malphurs, Aubrey. Values Driven Leadership: Discovering & Developing Your Core Values for Ministry. Grand Rapids: Baker, revised, 2004. Values matter more now than purpose. Shows you how to clarify them and put them to practice.
John Cotter, Leading Change (Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business School Press, 1996). My favorite secular book on leading organizations. An easy read.
Jim Collins, Good to Great ( Harper Collins, 2001). Best book on staffing and basic leadership issues facing organizations in print.
Philips, Donald T. The Founding Fathers on Leadership. (New York: Warner, 1997). Great stuff from the founding fathers, many nuggets.
Wagner, C. Peter. Leading Your Church to Growth. (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1984). Best book, even if it is a little dated, on how leadership needs to work for a church growth leader.
Henry Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christina Leadership (Crossroad/Faith & Formation, 1993). He gets you were Jesus wants you, checking your motives.
Other well known Christian leadership writers have also written good stuff - see John Maxwell, Bill Hybels, and Robert Greenleaf.
Featured on newchurches.com.
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