How much time do you spend with great leaders? I suggest that you spend at least an hour or so a day learning from them, however you can (through books, tapes, seminars, etc.) That’s why I’m doing this “Leadership Lessons” blog mini-series this week. I want to encourage you to be proactive about learning from some of the strongest leaders … Read More
Leadership Lessons… from Stephen Covey
For the next few days, I’m going to be doing a blog “mini-series” to highlight some of the important truths I’ve taken away from the time I’ve spent studying great leaders – namely, Stephen Covey, Dale Carnegie and Zig Ziglar. All three of these men have a lot they can teach us about being effective with people. And let’s face … Read More
The Power of a Doubting Pastor?
It has been said that people will not follow a leader who is not confident. As pastors, we have the advantage of leading people with a confidence that is not rooted in ourselves or a great business plan, but in God himself! I wish I could say that I have always led with an unshakable confidence in God and His … Read More
Lessons Learned From Rick Warren – Lesson #4
Lesson #4 – Don’t Be Afraid To Fail Rick used to tell us, “If you aren’t failing at least once a day, you aren’t trying hard enough.” I’ve heard Woody Allen put it like this, “If you don’t fail now and again, it’s a sign you are playing it safe.” Notice that the difference between Rick and Woody comes in … Read More
Make Progress – Be Unreasonable
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable man.” — George Bernard Shaw, Playwright
Taking Off The Mask
Most pastors want to be perfect. But we can’t be. So what do we do instead? We try to make people think we are perfect. We put on the mask of perfection and go about our day, never letting anyone get too close. Because, if they did, they might see that we are actually (gasp) human. I hope no one … Read More
The Truth About Church Systems (NEW Free Report)
One question I get constantly is ‘Nelson, what do you mean by Church Systems?‘ Great question. And one that definitely needs addressed. Because if you really get ‘church systems’ it will dramatically improve how you lead your church and increase your understanding of how God grows our churches (often much faster than we think possible) But if you go about … Read More
Leaders Have a Small Rearview Mirror
This weekend Kelley and I had a little get away in Los Angeles. On Friday we drove down to Orange County to meet friends, visit Saddleback Church (where I was on staff for a couple of years) and check out our old neighborhood. On this trip, I was reminded of a thought that’s been bouncing around in my head for … Read More
When to Challenge the System
Jay Curlee in Corpus Crisiti, who works with my friend Bil Cornelius, got me thinking about systems today (its not that hard to do – ha! I talk, speak and write a lot about church systems as most of you know). Here’s what he asked: “Progress demands change. It demands a leader who seeks to push through the chaos of … Read More
Sometimes you gotta pull away
If you’ve listened to my Developing A One Year Personal Growth Plan resource then you know I’m a big fan of pulling away. Pulling away for a time of relaxation, recovery and renewal. There are several key times to pull away, including: – Every week (your sabbath) – Every year (your vacation) – After a busy ministry season This last … Read More