For awhile I’ve been telling the folks on the worship team at my church to remember that they are always leading worship. In fact, I prefer the negative form: You are never not leading worship. You see, once you embrace your role as a leader, you no longer always get to choose when and how … Continue reading
I was listening to the Fresh Air interview with Ben Affleck (it’s really good, IMO), and he was talking about some advice he received as a first-time/inexperienced movie director. Early in his career, he was told, “Know what your second shot will be.” Affleck explains that a first-time director always knows what his first shot … Continue reading
Without a watch I can tell you—within about 3 minutes or so—when 1 hour has elapsed. No really, I can. I can do this little parlor trick because over the past 15 years of my life I have had to learn how to use 60 minutes of time in the most effective way possible. I … Continue reading
Last week I was in Dallas to lead worship with some friends of mine. My in-laws also live in the area, so I spent the night with them, and ended up driving around Arlington, marveling at how the area had grown (and shaking my fist at Texas Stadium, but that’s another story). Driving through the … Continue reading
“The real power of jazz is that a group of people can come together and create improvised art and negotiate their agendas … and that negotiation is the art.” (Wynton Marsalis) I’ve written before on how leadership (at least collaborative leadership) is like being in a band; today I’d like to zero in on that … Continue reading
Contrary to popular perception, I’m not a book guy. Honestly. <glancing nervously> No, really I’m not… … I don’t have a problem. … Okay, let me defend myself. I’m not a book guy; I’m an idea guy. I’d actually like to think that I’m a growth guy. I’m hungry for growth—maybe desperately hungry—and to my … Continue reading
Something different today… As a pastor, I have to balance my life between efficiency and love. This is not easy, because these two concepts are nearly mutually exclusive. But that’s my reality. I have to cultivate efficiency because I’m a part of an organization, I lead a team of busy people, and we try to … Continue reading
At Willow Creek’s 2011 Global Leadership Summit (hollah), Bill Hybel’s challenged us to be aware of how we would summarize the central message of Christianity: “What five words would you use to describe the gospel?” He had everyone draw a circle, and then write the five central messages inside the circle. Everything inside that circle … Continue reading
What do you do when you feel like you’re being called to embrace a new identity, a new call on your life? How do you embrace a new role? I was talking to a friend of mine this week who believes she is going through a change in her calling. She is leaving behind the … Continue reading
I apologize ahead of time for the length of this, but this has been on my mind for a while now, and I wanted to share it. Hopefully it all makes sense. I’ve worked for churches now for 14 years. I know I’m supposed to say something higher, and more important sounding, like, “I received a … Continue reading
