Christian Leadership Alliance
While teaching on a very secular university campus last fall, I noticed something strange about the difference between my days and my nights. During the daytime I would teach students who mostly had little if any religious background at all. Many of them struggled to even identify themselves as “atheists” or “agnostics” simply because they … Continue reading Confident in the Gospel
First Corinthians reminds us that our faithful God will not allow us to be tempted by more than we can bear. I trust the Scriptures, but life doesn’t always feel as if this is true. Any Christian leader who has spent more than a few months at the helm has probably encountered this feeling as … Continue reading Leading When Life Is Too Much
I am privileged to serve mission-centered organizations in my leadership career. While starting strong is important, I discovered that ending well determines the nature of a leader’s legacy. What follows are some strategies I learned from my own transitions, and from others who successfully served God’s purposes in their generation (Acts 13:36). 1. Update Your … Continue reading Ending Well
When an organization considers the term “diversity,” differing dogmas come to mind. One could think of race, ethnicity, gender, culture, age, etc. At the end of the day, we live in an enormously diverse world. While the idea of diversity is not a new concept, many organizations and nonprofits continue to contemplate the value of … Continue reading Welcoming the Wave
Vision, or vision casting, may be one of the most difficult leadership jobs because it calls on a leader to actually envision the future. But ‘seeing the future’ is not easy. One of the metaphors I have used to describe this leadership task is to compare it to driving a bus at night on a … Continue reading Driving in the Blizzard
Times of crisis are inevitable! They are sudden and potentially extremely damaging. They evoke fear, triggering extreme emotional responses. For the leader this requires steady, measured responses. Crisis situations can be viewed as a chance to pivot to needed change, a chance to emerge as an organization and to demonstrate God’s hand on the mission. … Continue reading Leading through a Storm
Effective leadership requires intentionality in planning and actions, as well as in times of restoration and renewal. And like communicating, influencing, and supporting, effectively recharging necessitates a multi-directional approach as we lead: Ourselves Our teams Other leaders Recharging Ourselves “It is God the Creator who made limits, and…placed them within us for our protection. We … Continue reading Recharge As You Lead
Stewardship is not for the faint of heart. In the simplest form, good stewardship is about responsibility for all that God has entrusted in our care. For those who lead and steward teams, initiatives, programs, and expansive mission; effective stewardship can be the difference between life and death. Stewarding resources, people and processes well can … Continue reading Successful Executive Stewardship
It’s official. We are in a new normal. Barna calls today’s landscape the Digital Babylon. Unlike ancient Babylon, Digital Babylon is not a physical place but it exists through digital devices where screens disciple the next generation. Are you a leader with a “Blockbuster” brand of leadership while the next generation is growing up in … Continue reading Next Generation Solutions
Leading a faith-based nonprofit organization requires a unique set of circumstances and skills. Competent management skills, effective leadership skills, and a biblically-based spiritual foundation comprise key ingredients to an executive leadership assignment and outcome. To be transformed is yet another thing, beyond effective management and leadership. Personal transformation is a matter of the heart, a … Continue reading Transformational Leaders
