Leadership

WAY BACK in 1997, Leith Anderson wrote these words: "As soon as people walk into a church, they can tell if it is oriented toward the past or the future. They don’t discover that by what they see as much as by what they hear. When I visit a church or catch conversations in my congregation, I listen to how people talk about one subject: the greatest days of the church." That is so true. If you've been around a church for any length of time, you probably have heard someone refer to the "good old days," usually in a conversation about how good things used to be compared to how bad they are today. It's not always malicious; in fact, it rarely is. Often it's the result of nostalgia mixed with memories and a desire to recapture a feeling. The "good old days" might have been when a child…

For many years, I was a proud Microsoft user and made fun of those who had joined the cult of Mac. Then eight years ago I made the switch to my first iMac and have never looked back. What is the difference? Apart from aesthetics and a few hardware issues, the main difference is their operating systems. The operating system determines how the hardware processes information and connects all the various functions of the computer. Each of us has our own operating system: it's called your mind. How your mind processes information provides a framework for interpreting life. This includes the ideas we hold and believe to be true about who we are, how the world works, and how we fit into the world. If you're feeling stuck by your past or by failures, you need more than a reboot - you need an entirely new operating system. You need…

Have you ever thrown a boomerang? Unlike a frisbee, a boomerang is designed to go out and come back. Those who are really good at throwing the boomerang don't even have to move to catch it. It just returns to where it started. As I thought about boomerangs, I realized that many of us have psychological, emotional, or spiritual boomerangs. We carry a certain attitude and it comes right back to us. We think a certain way and the results are not at all surprising. We treat people with kindness and they will likely offer kindness in return. Likewise, a harsh word leads to harsh words. Boomerangs. What I believe about God is often what gets returned to me. If I believe he is willing and able to make a difference in my life, I pray with that expectancy and look for signs of his involvement. If I believe in an…

What does salvation mean to you? For many of us, we define salvation in very personal, limited terms. Jesus died for me, therefore, I will live with him. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I have a personal relationship with Jesus. "Jesus loves me, this I know..." In some ways, these views of salvation fit very nicely with the very reasons why we needed saving in the first place. We tend to be self-absorbed, superficial people. At the root of our sin problem is pride: we are the problem. It's not the devil or the corruption in Washington or the declining moral standards in Hollywood. The problem is not out there somewhere; it's me. I am the problem. In addition to the forgiveness of sins, the transforming work of Jesus on the cross should also bring about a change in perspective. I see myself differently. I see God differently. I see…

Here’s an important truth: The higher your sense of entitlement, the lower your sense of gratitude. The more I feel entitled to something, the less thankful I am for it. Why? Because, obviously, I deserve it and why should I be grateful for something that I am entitled to? We can only be grateful when we know that we do not deserve our blessings and we did not create them. I don't believe it's coincidental that the Greek word for thanks is built on the word for grace. Grace and gratitude are closely related. Grace, in its simplest terms, is unmerited favor. I receive what I did not deserve - and that should lead to gratitude. Gratitude requires humility because entitlement and pride are often found holding hands. A prideful person finds it hard to be thankful. On the other hand, a humble person is grateful for whatever blessing comes…