Month: January 2008

Rob challenged us to share one of our favorite leadership lessons. I love the following.

J. Ortberg wrote in his book If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat: “Most people I know love to hear stories and images about the powerful God we serve. But here is the problem: that information alone is not sufficient enough to create courageous human beings. …What am I doing that I could not do apart from the power of God? … Is there any challenge in your life right now that is large enough that you have no hope of doing it apart from God’s help? If not, consider the possibility that you are seriously underchallenged.”

“Peter failed. He sank. But I think there were eleven bigger failures sitting in the boat. .. The worst failure is not to sink in the waves. The worst failure is to never get out of the boat.”

It’s when I feel the waves rolling over me, and I have to cry out to God for help that I grow the most spiritually. Like you, I hate those moments. Everything in me longs for peace, safety, and tranquility. The problem is this: we don’t grow if we don’t have to fight. “Where there’s no pain, there’s no gain” is literally true in the spiritual realm.

Onward, Christian soldiders.

 

Joel

John Maxwell is well known for the following quote:  “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”  It’s true, isn’t it? 

I’m wondering — what leadership lessons are near and true to your heart?   

Further, would you be willing to share those lessons with this blog community.  You need not be wordy (as you may note this blog post in quite brief).

Let me share two of my favorite leadership lessons that I have learned over the past several years. 

First, everyone will not be like you.

Next, everyone will not like you.

Post a comment.  Be brief.  One or two lines would be just fine!

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com 

Last night we had a powerful time at the cell meeting. The ice-breaker told us to share a special memory of the holiday season. We listened to one another and encouraged one another. The worship time drew us into the presence of God and the Holy Spirit ministered to each one of us. The prayers and praises reminded each of us to press on to love Jesus. The Witness/Word time stimulated us to take advantages of opportunties to communicate with unbelievers. Lastly, the interactive Word time taught us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, like the apostles on the day of Pentecosts (the text was Acts 2:14-41). Afterwards, we enjoyed rich fellowship around a full spread of food. We experienced fellowship with one another in the Holy Spirit.

You’ll notice how my description of each part of last night’s cell had “one-another” in mind. Joel Comiskey wasn’t the star performer. We all were. Think with me about the many Scriptures that tell us to minister to one another:

• Love one another—John 13:3; 15:12, 17; Romans 13:8; I Peter 1:22; I John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11.
• In honor preferring one another—Romans 12:10.
• Don’t judge one another—Romans 14:13.
• Receive one another—Romans 15:7.
• Salute one another—Romans 16:16 (“salute” means “to draw to one’s self, to receive joyfully, welcome,” even “retarding” one’s own journey to do so)
• Greet one another—I Cor. 16:20, II Cor. 13:12, I Peter 5:14.
• Serve one another—Gal. 5:13.
• Don’t provoke one another or envy one another—Gal. 5:26.
• Bear one another’s burdens—Gal. 6:2.
• Forbear one another in love—Eph. 4:2, Col. 3:13.
• Forgive one another—Eph. 4:32, Col. 3:13.
• Teach and admonish one another with song—Col. 3:16.
• Comfort one another—I Thess. 4:18.
• Edify one another—I Thess. 5:11.
• Exhort one another— Heb. 3:13; 10:25.
• Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works—Heb. 10:24.
• Wash one another’s feet—John 13:14.

The cell group is not about one person. It’s about everyone ministering in an environment that maximizes the priesthood of all believers. 

Comments?

Joel

Revelation 21:5 says, “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

We have a brand new year ahead of us. New victories. New challenges. New battles.

Yes, there will be battles. At the end of 2007, we had a couple from our own cell group tell us that they could no longer commit regularly to our group because they were building a home in another part of the country (this couple was in the equipping process and we were hoping to prepare them to be the next multiplication leaders). In another one of our cells, a key couple stopped communicating with their leader and decided to stop attending the group. It threw the group into havoc.

You can’t lead a cell group, plant a cell church, or do anything for Jesus without experiencing trials and tribulations of many kinds.

Yet, if we believe in an Almighty God, we must believe that He can turn around the darkest situation for His glory. He can make all things new. God is the God of new beginnings. 2008 is a time to remember that He is all powerful and has new surprises for all of us. Let’s enter this next year full of expectation of the great things that God is going to do through us and in us.

Through Jesus we are more than conquerers. Remember Christ’s words: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

 

Comments?

 

Joel

 

by Steve Cordle

I am a piano player of many years. I took private lessons from the time I was in 3rd grade through college (my undergrad degree is music). I learned a lot from my teachers, who usually sent me home with instructions like “Work on that section… clean up that part…” But looking back, I realize that while they told me to practice in order to play better, they never told me how to go about this thing called private practice. They seemed happy when I told them I practiced a lot, but I don’t think my time practicing was always strategically used.

It’s not really true that practice makes perfect; instead, practice makes permanent. it’s only effective practice makes perfect.

When it comes to ministry and discipleship, what are your leaders “practicing”?

One way to coaching our leaders toward a new level is to make sure that everytime we talk with them about something they do by themselves (like pray, or lead a meeting) that we also show them how to do it. Otherwise, they will probably continue to do exactly what they are doing. If we are coaching toward a different result (which is much, though not all, of the time) it means adopting a different practice.

Private devotions is a great example. It is great to encourage our leaders to spend time with God – but are we truly teaching them how? Are we showing them how to best utilize that time alone with God? Sure, we need to allow for different personalities and practices, but if we don’t give them specifics and follow up later, they will probably hit a routine plateau and stay there.

A new year is a natural time to adopt new practices. May God bless you richly in 2008!