I'm passing along a cool web app called "Pray for Your Block." For techies, it utilizes the Google Maps API to help people place flags on blocks of streets where they will pray on a regular basis. Check it out: www.pray4yourblock.org
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A few days ago I had a great conversation with a young man who is seeking after God. He's in that wonderful spot where God has been working in his life -- and he knows it. He knows he needs to make decisions which will carry consequences for all parts of his life ... work, relationships, family. So we talked about windows. As I grow older, I have become a believer in windows of opportunity -- those seasons of life when God opens a new door of learning and growth for us. They may come in the form of an introduction to a person whom God has placed in our life for a reason. A window of opportunity may be a challenge to tackle a new problem or a transition at work. Slumps and struggles can be a window of opportunity, too, if we press in and press on to…
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Skills are good. Creativity is fine. Results are important. Each of those, from a Christian perspective, is trumped by character. We should never get so pragmatic that results, even if they are good results, are valued over a person's character. Unlike the corporate world where leadership is measured by results (primarily profit), the Kingdom of God operates with a different set of standards. How can we help younger leaders develop the right character? It starts with having the right character ourselves. We pass on what God has been doing within us. With that one hopefully being a given, there are other things we can do to help a younger leader develop the right character. Lovingly challenge ungodly behavior and attitudes. Depending on their background, a younger leader may never have been shown what godly character looks like. When a selfish or sinful attitude appears, lovingly point it out and map…
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This little gem comes via Mark Batterson on Twitter: "Your level of influence isn't determined by YOUR competence but by the competence of the people you surround yourself with."
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Individually or as a group, one of the most powerful things we can do is create momentum (moh-men-tuhm). In physics, momentum is defined as the mass of an object multiplied by velocity. In simpler terms, it's the tendency of a moving object to continue moving. You know when you have momentum ... and you know when you don't. As individuals, we may sense a loss of momentum when our work becomes dull or our energy level dips low. A lack of motivation is also a symptom of waning momentum. When we're gaining momentum, external forces of motivation aren't necessary -- we get up earlier, we work longer, we play harder. Not because we're told to but because we want to. In a group setting, momentum gives birth to excitement and new ideas. There is an air of expectancy in the culture. Employees come to work expecting to have a good…
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