Where are you headed?


Thursday, May 27, 2010

What is leadership, really?


Reading Henry and Richard Blackaby's book called Spiritual Leadership. In their book they define leadership as "moving people on to God's agenda." Anything else, they say, is not true spiritual leadership.

I like this definition - a lot. The reason? It focuses attention on what is most important when it comes to leadership --- people and their lives really and truly being changed and transformed in such a way that they no longer live for themselves and their own agendas, but for God and His agenda for their lives. Too often the focus of leadership tends to be on whether or not we can get people to buy into some "vision" or "plan," etc. But none of that matters if what we are doing doesn't move people closer to God and His Vision and Plan for their lives.

As you evaluate your leadership, ask yourself: "Am I moving people on to God's agenda for their lives? Why or why not?"

May God empower you and use you to move people toward His Kingdom purposes.

Taking the drive,

John Kenney

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Casting Vision and Raising Faithful Stewards

I am privileged for so many reasons…
 I love my wife and she loves me
 Our family truly enjoys being “our” family
 I have a wonderful career working with some incredible people
 My pastor and my church are phenomenal

I go to North Point Community Church and my pastor is Andy Stanley. I love going to church. Today, Sunday, April 16, I heard, perhaps, the best message I have ever heard on money. I can remember when we did not hear too many messages on giving, but over the years they come with more frequency.

As Andy was preaching on giving he was also casting vision. The two go together inseparably. You can bank on this, and yes and I mean this both literally and figuratively. In fact, here is the way I share with pastors, money flows toward vision.

Andy made it ever so clear that he would not get a raise if more people started to tithe. But, he drew some great pictures; he talked about never having to do another capital campaign if everyone started tithing. I almost had a heart attack when he said that but the truth is I would welcome that.

Andy went on to say if all the people of North Point tithed we could build buildings for Atlanta Union Mission and catch this, he said as the school systems have started laying off teachers because of the economy, North Pointers could pay for some displaced teachers to go back to work. We could make sure that schools still had art and music teachers.

When you prepare your next stewardship message, remember money flows to vision. Always has, always will…

Enjoying the drive,

Bob

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Journey towards Success in Leadership

"God may allow His servant to succeed when He has disciplined him to a point where he does not need to succeed to be happy. The man who is elated by success and is cast down by failure is still a carnal man. At best his fruit will have a worm in it." --- A.W. Tozer

Read Tozer's quote on a friend's facebook page recently. Hit me hard because I've been on the journey of learning this God-lesson myself right now in my ministry.

Think about how true Tozer's statement on leadership really is. When things are going "well" for us in life and ministry ... we are "happy" and feel "successful." Not only that - we feel like we are more of the person God has designed us to be. But when things aren't going great for us, when we struggle and seem unproductive in our pursuits ... we are "unhappy" and feel like "failures." And this, too, reflects on how we feel about ourselves and our relationship to God. IN THE END it's a never-ending kind of tug-of-war where success sometimes is winning, and where other times failure gets the upper hand.

So what are we to do? That is the all-important question. My journey has brought me to the place where success is not as "grand" as it used to be. For a time I thought something was wrong with me for having this attitude - but in the end I'm learning that this is right where God wants me. Because in the same way my failures don't hurt nearly as much as they used to. Again - right where God wants me to be. I'm learning that to depend on success or fear failure is to have the wrong focus. When focused on God, no matter the outcome, we can do the Kingdom work God has for us.

One last thought - look at the cross. Talk about something that looked like failure in the world's eyes. But God used it to bring about the greatest work the world has ever know - salvation!

May we die to ourselves so that we can more fully live for Christ!

Taking the drive,

John Kenney

Monday, May 3, 2010

Another Perspective on Leadership

How would the people you serve and the people you work with describe your leadership style?

People notice.

With the internet being on our desks, in our hands and even in our cars, young or newer leaders have the opportunity to observe the best of the best every waking minute.

One of my favorite leadership paradigms is from author Max DuPree. Some of you already know where I am going.

DuPree said, The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last responsibility is to say “thank you.” In between the leader should be a servant.

Sounds like there could be some scripture intertwined in there. That goes against the grain of many leaders, some even in the church, they want to trade the servant status for the rock star status.

Again people notice.

Enjoying the drive...

bob