"A man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them." - Mark Twain, American writer Ouch. But true. In some respects, I could probably trace the outline of the last twenty years by the books I was reading at the time. Different books for different seasons. Learning new skills, fine-tuning others. Trying to expand my mental reach beyond just material necessary for my job. I believe a hunger for reading is one of the distinguishing marks of successful people. Moms read about how to be better moms. Coaches study how to motivate and inspire. Teachers look for new ways of teaching old material. It's been said many times before: Leaders are readers. Growing people take advantage of the opportunities to learn from others. A good book allows you to sit in the classroom of a Harvard professor or to get inside the…
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In his book, Invisible God, author Phillip Yancey uses an illustration from practicing piano to illustrate why it's important to pay attention to fundamentals: "I do not play the scales for their own sake, but in order to play the grander pieces I must build on the daily mastery of the ordinary." The daily mastery of the ordinary. This is important lesson across many facets of life. Athletes know that to compete at a high level they must operate from a strong foundation of basic habits. Though an accountant may use Excel and pivot tables, many decisions often return to a basic understanding of addition and subtraction. When it comes to maintaining momentum in your spiritual life, it requires building on a daily mastery of the ordinary. The most gifted athletes practice. The most skilled musicians practice. People who mature in their faith have learned to practice the fundamentals of their faith.…
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Have you tossed any relational hand grenades lately? It might have happened over breakfast as you were discussing the day ahead. One off-handed remark and a good breakfast is ruined by an explosion. At the office, you probably have a short-list of grenade throwers. These are the folks who pull the pin and toss grenades into an otherwise peaceful discussion. Parents pass down relational hand grenades to their children. Teachers toss them into the hearts of students. At one time or another, all of us have been guilty. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian church, he listed a few hand grenades that will rip apart any relationship: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you…
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It never fails to amaze me. After preaching a sermon that I'm sure is a flop, someone comes up to me and tells me how meaningful it was to them. "This was just what I needed to hear." (In my mind I'm thinking, were you listening to the same sermon?). A preacher is often his hardest critic. This happened to me last Saturday night. During my message I was having one of those mental conversations that preachers and public speakers often have ... Am I going to fast? This doesn't seem like a lot material. I bungled that explanation. How much time do I have left? Where's the exit? All of these conversations are happening in real time. Then came the lobby and the comments. Two people leaving in tears (and not tears of joy that the sermon was over). Heart-felt remarks. Good questions about how it applied to specific…
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I'm pleased to announce that I now have three books available for the Kindle: one novel and two short ebooks. The novel is called "Lesser Angels" and tells the story of a brother and sister who discover a secret about their deceased mother and set out to find answers. I titled it "Lesser Angels" because of the people they meet along the way and what they discover about themselves. "The Cure for Insomnia: Preaching That Won't Put People to Sleep" offers my perspective on preaching and communication. Much of this has been road-tested over the past twenty-five years, including those early sermons that inflicted too much pain on my audience. It's not intended to be an academic treatise but the journal of a fellow traveller. "Leading with Heart: Faith-Filled Thoughts on Leadership" is designed to look at leadership through the lens of faith. If leadership is best defined as influence,…
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