Success . . . is it a good thing? Or not-so good? There is a significant debate about this within the church. Most leaders have an innate drive to be successful. To achieve. The challenge is figuring out what success…
This past weekend Laura and I celebrated Independence Day with a small group of friends. Over a sumptuous feast of smoked ribs, pulled pork, beans, and slaw, we started talking about—of all things—our lawns. Is that a sign of aging?…
Transparency. Authenticity. Two buzzwords often used, but often misunderstood. Today, an insightful post from Jaime Hlavin that brings better understanding of these words, and hopefully healthier behaviors along with it ~ John. The van bounced along the bumpy, rural road…
Have you ever noticed that our culture attaches itself to charismatic personalities like seagulls on a bag of French fries? Our national obsession with charisma has a long history. Recently I was thinking back to the 1980s (yes I’m aging)….
Are you teachable? Really? It’s critical for a leader to answer this question honestly, because the level of our teachability determines our level of lead-ability. When you’re experiencing momentum in ministry or business, it’s easy to start believing you are the secret…
During his 1988 acceptance speech of the Republican Party’s nomination for president, George H.W. Bush called for a kinder, gentler nation. Almost 30 years later, we’ve apparently ignored his speech. Kindness seems in short supply. No matter where we turn—the…
A bulletproof vest helps absorb the impact of bullets and shrapnel. Its purpose is to keep these kinds of ammo from penetrating a person’s body. These vests don’t guarantee survival when we’re getting shot at, but greatly increase our chances…
Friendly fire describes what happens when a military person accidentally fires on a fellow soldier. One of the most well-known of these incidents happened to Pat Tillman. He was a football player in the NFL who enlisted in the U.S. army…
I love football. This past weekend was a football-lover’s dream—the 2016 NFL Draft. Laremy Tunsil, considered the most talented player in the draft, was the surefire #1 pick. Until a photo emerged of him wearing a gas mask attached to…
When I was a kid, one of my favorite games was hide-and-seek. My siblings and I would take turns: One of us went upstairs and counted to twenty, while the rest hid downstairs under boxes, in the furnace room, or…
