» 2006 » October

The volume of business in religion far outruns the spiritual capital of its leaders.

The initial consequence is that leaders substitute image for stubstance, satisfying the customer temporarily but only temporarily, on good days denying that there is any problem (easy to do since business is so very good), on bad days hoping that someone [...]

Two great posts from Sam Metcalf on Thomas Edison, his “Muckers” and implications for movement leaders:
Edison the Innovator
Muckers
InnovationMovements

Jim Collins, co-author of Built to Last and author Good to Great understands organizations and leadership. Plunder his writings for insights into movements and movement leadership.

Lately he’s writing about Good to Great and the Social Sectors. If you want to try before you buy visit his lecture hall and listen in.

Church Planting MovementsLeadershipMovements

We can thank Jean Calvin for the Swiss watch. In 1541, he restricted the wearing of jewelry—a worldly vanity. This forced the goldsmiths and other jewellers to turn into a new, independent craft : watchmaking. By the end of the century, Genevan watches were reputed for their high quality.

For centuries the Swiss have been the [...]

Sam Metcalf’s post on Demonization and the Power of Jesus reminded me of how “modernist” I’ve become in my behaviour when it comes to confronting evil in people’s lives.

How distant I am from the powerful ministry of Jesus to those who live under the oppression of the enemy.
Power encounter

Jesus knhow important relationships are in the spread of a movement. From the beginning, the movement he founded grew through the favourable reports that spread from family member to family member, from neighbour to neighbour, from workmate to workmate.

Jesus recruited his band of disciples through relational networks. John the Baptist, a relative of Jesus, connected [...]

Earlier this year John Piper gave a ten minute message on why his church was willing to invest people and resources in a new church plant: Introducing All Nations Christian Fellowship, A Church Plant of Bethlehem Baptist Church

This is what he said:

This is a ten-minute introduction to Sherard Burns’ sermon. Sherard and Wally Brath and [...]

A couple of weeks ago we asked the question: Hope Chapel, Hawaii: How do they do it?. This video provides some of the answers.

How many churches do you know of in the West that have great great great great grandchildren? A sure sign that Hope Chapel is fueling a movement. Especially when recently converted, non-Anglo, [...]

If a person thinks of prayer as a way of not getting involved, of not acting, of avoiding risk, if he supposes that prayer lets him escape fatigue and danger, assures him of tranquility and a good conscience, gives him all-around protection, then we can say that he has not understood the reality of prayer. [...]

Cartoon source

When your horse dies it’s a good idea to dismount. When you’re in a hole it’s time to stop digging. When the paradigm needs to change, you can’t work your way to success. You need to change the rules of the game.

Ten years ago most analysts wrote off Apple. Today they all wish they’d [...]