What would you score on a scale of 1-10 to measure your “fear factor” as a leader?

One of the greatest challenges every leader faces is looking ahead with faith during fearful times.

As we end 2023 and look ahead to 2024, may the God of peace rule in our hearts and give us wisdom, courage, and strength to walk by faith, and not in fear.

How do you handle opposition?

Fight back? Retreat? Feel alone? Build an army? Gossip?

Read more to find out how to handle opposition God’s way!

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” - Albert Einstein

How can wise leaders promote excellence without being caught in the trap of perfectionism?

Did you know that as a follower of Jesus Christ, we are NOT owners? That is right, we don’t own a thing. We are stewards of all that God has entrusted to us.

This principle is true in leadership, as well. Wise leaders demonstrate a character of stewardship rather than ownership. Even if you own your own business, or are a CEO, a parent, or a pastor, to lead well, your pride and ego will take a back seat to service, sacrifice, and selflessness.

Leadership is challenging, especially when voices around a leader are pushing and even coercing or manipulating for a direction or decision.

Urgency, anxiety, and uncertainty can tempt a leader to act too quickly, and in doing so, step ahead of God and what He is doing to bring about the BEST change.

How do wise leaders respond when sensing a change needs to be made and feeling the pressure to “do something” without having the clarity to move forward?

When Gina and I decided to move away and finish seminary, we did so out of a passionate conviction from the Lord. I applied for pastoral positions through the school’s placement office, but nothing had come through yet. The day came for us to resign from our church, and we had not secured a job in Texas.

Should we wait? Should we take a step of faith?

We prayed and God answered.

Just like this impossible shot by Bubba Watson in the 2012 Masters golf tournament, the role of leadership requires exercising creativity. Separating the truly outstanding decisions from the mediocre decisions is the time we take to approach challenges creatively.

Do you have location services activated on your phone? If so, your apps determine your current location in order to get you to where you want to be. Although that can feel a tad “Orwellian,” it is a very convenient tool when you are searching for a nearby restaurant, and necessary when trying to use a mapping device.

In the same way, an accurate assessment of your personal, professional, or even a church’s current condition is necessary to move down the path of vision. You must know where you are to get to where you want to be.

“Vision must be deep enough to be rooted in history.”
- David Jeremiah

The vision God has for you is an outgrowth from your personal history.

The same is true for churches. The vision God has for a church is an outgrowth of the church’s history.

Vision comes from journeying with God.

It doesn’t come from a dream. It doesn’t come from imitating someone else’s vision.

Vision comes from the day to day journey with God, and the guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit. We must draw near to God in order to walk the avenue of spiritual renewal.

Vision is far more than a theory; it is something tangible, something real, and something that has an objective destination for you and the people you are called to lead.

Discovering vision will require embarking on a journey.

Are you ready for adventure?