By Larry Kreider One of the most important roles a spiritual leader has is to become a spiritual father or mother. Let me explain. My friend Don Finto, who served for many years as the senior pastor of Belmont Church in Nashville, Tennessee, has a life-long passion to father younger men in ministry. His [...]
Are you refreshed enough to be able to refresh and encourage others? By Doug Lehman “The Lord is my shepherd. . . . He refreshes my soul” (Psalm 23:1a, 3a). Life has been full of the unexpected. Routines have changed. Rhythms have been interrupted. Pressure is squeezing us on multiple fronts. There has been [...]
By Keith Yoder Here is a list of markers indicating when it is time for leaders to move on or transition from their current role. Not all indicators necessarily apply to each leader or transition. Continual sense of satisfaction, stimulating challenge or reward is diminishing or diminished. Sustaining physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy [...]
By Keith Yoder Markers of readiness for succession in emerging leaders with desired indicators of actions, decisions and behavior include the following: Demonstrates consistent and constant strong character and integrity under pressure Articulates and honors enduring values of the organization and the movement Teachable, curious and devoted to quick and continual learning Identifies, assesses, [...]
Principles gleaned from biblical instances of succession in leadership By Keith Yoder Moses to Joshua Preparation – Moses Learning to distribute leadership (Exodus 18:13-26) Recognition of limitations on his leadership (Numbers 27:12-14) Hearing the Lord’s message that his service as leader was concluding (Numbers 27:12-14) [Leader development, self-awareness, attentiveness to Lord’s voice] Preparation – [...]
by Larry Kreider Honor the LORD and His presence by continually looking to Christ in our midst for discernment and decision-making. Honor the God-given vision, biblical values, and the mission of the local church. Honor the leadership of our family of churches. Honor the present senior leader. Honor the new senior leader. Honor the elders [...]
By Brian Sauder The motto adopted by the US Army Corp of Engineers during World War II was as follows: The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer. I wish I could say I approach the challenge of change this same way, but I don’t. When it comes to change, probably [...]
Our God is a God of grace and restoration. One of the most difficult things a spiritual leader may experience is when leading the process of godly discipline and restoration when someone within their realm of responsibility falls into sin. This article gives grace-filled guidance for ministering to someone in this type of situation. [...]
Spanish Edition of the Lausanne Covenant here About the Lausanne Covenant The Lausanne Covenant is an affirmation of Christian faith and belief, and a commitment to the Christ’s command to fulfill the Great Commission. It was adopted by representatives of churches from over 150 nations in 1974, and has since become a unifying statement [...]
Local Church Bylaws and Constitution Sample Document In many countries, churches either need to register or can receive legal protection and benefits from officially registering as a church or organization under that country’s laws. Circumstances will be different in each national and legal setting. The following is a model which a church may find [...]
