Posts by theim
Courageous Leadership By Chris Jorgensen
What Does Courage Have to Do with It? So much of leadership hinges upon courage. Successful leaders routinely display it; struggling leaders find courage challenging to muster, and some, once successful leaders, fail because they succumb to pressure and choose not to exhibit courage. Nehemiah 2 captures a tremendous example of leadership courage when Nehemiah…
Read MoreIn Search of Well-Being By Dr. Zenet Maramara
Definition and Christian Perspective on Well-Being The Oxford Dictionary defines well-being as “the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.” For Christians, well-being reflects the Trinitarian life of God, characterized by flourishing within a community. This idea is deeply rooted in God’s nature as a relational being—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in perfect communion. This…
Read More8 Fundraising Strategies By Christa Huff and Amy Sewall
Fundraising Strategies in an Election Year As we look at the year ahead, one question that is asked repeatedly is, “How will the upcoming election affect my fundraising strategies?” Although we can’t predict the future, we have been through a few election cycles in the past, and what we can say is that with strategic…
Read MoreThe Triple Bottom Line By Mark L. Vincent
The Third Line Matters Most You are likely part of an associational system or line in some aspect of your life. WAIT! Don’t stop reading! This statement means that the place you do business, your work in a ministry organization or nonprofit, your congregational home, your family, your involvement in a civic organization, your participation with…
Read MorePromoting Polycentric Participation By Dr. Gary G. Hoag
A Polycentric Approach to Christian Mission In recent years, Christian workers have used the term “polycentric,” meaning “many centers,” associated with the Christian mission to proclaim that it should not be understood as “from the West to the rest” but rather “from everywhere to everywhere.” But what has not been discussed as widely has been…
Read MoreTransforming “I’m Swamped” into Purposeful Productivity By Zándra Bishop
The Path to Purposeful Productivity As leaders and executives, “I’m swamped” is far more common in our professional vocabulary than purposeful productivity. It’s a candid expression of the overwhelming flood of responsibilities that can leave us feeling like we are fighting to keep our heads above water. Yet, we can take this profound wisdom to…
Read MoreThe Disruptive Leader By Andrea Leigh Capuyan
Disrupting Cycles of Captivity Personal challenges and weaknesses can reinforce dysfunctional and disruptive patterns in an organization. Healthy organizational transformation must begin with personal transformation. Through personal examination, a leader can begin to break cycles of captivity and discover pathways that lead to freedom for everyone in the organization. Often, amid work and ministry, leaders…
Read MoreMoving Sideways Like a Crab By Alec Hill
The Virtue of Sideways Career Moves Most of us only think about our careers vertically, not sideways. We either move upward (promotion) or downward (demotion). But there’s another, often overlooked, route. This involves making crablike horizontal moves to take new positions at roughly the same level, title, and pay grade. Lateral moves may occur either…
Read MoreDo You Hire for Character or Skill? By Dr. Ken Byrne
Character and Skills in Hiring for a Christian Organization “…be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards everyone.” Titus 3: 1-2 Every Christian organization wants to extend God’s grace in Word and Deed. Doing so includes hiring staff. Social media emphasizes…
Read MoreLeading and Following By Dr. Marybeth Leavell
Leading and Following as a Steward While leading and following may seem like opposite roles, in the context of stewardship, they are closely intertwined and complementary aspects of the same overarching responsibility. Let’s explore the essence of stewardship and how following and leading complement each other in the practice of this transformative model. The Steward…
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