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Relationship-Based Management

Management practices on a kingdom path focus on the quality of relationships rather than the quantity of outputs.. In plain terms, the desire of Jesus is that we are known by our love, not our numbers. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. ~John 13:35, NIV This…

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The Call of the Cosmograph

by Larry Johnston  Ph.D Okay, maybe I’m just weird (close associates might say there’s no “maybe” involved!). But the simple truth is, I loathe waste. I’m sorry. I can’t help it. Inefficiency bothers me.  And not being strategic just drives me up the wall. It’s possibly little more than some quirky personality trait, but I suspect…

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Faithfulness-Focused Strategies

Steward leaders who are singularly motivated by obedience adopt faithfulness-focused strategies. Like Jesus, they desire to say what the Father says and do what they Father says to do. Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father…

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Passing the Test

Dr. Shirley A. Mullen Higher education has come slowly to true outcomes assessment. Christian higher education has been no exception. We have made plans for years — even plans that we called “strategic.” We have certainly done “evaluation” of students. We have regularly evaluated each other through the peer accreditation process. But in all of…

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An Interview with Rich Stearns

CLA President and CEO Tami Heim, interviewed Rich Stearns, president and CEO of World Vision, U.S. Driven by his passion to raise awareness and support for poverty and justice issues, Stearns authored The Hole in Our Gospel (Thomas Nelson, 2010), Unfinished (Thomas Nelson, 2013), and a new 90-day devotional book co-authored with his wife Renee’ — He Walks Among Us (Thomas Nelson,…

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Eternity-Oriented Metrics

Steward leaders use eternity-oriented metrics to measure the effectiveness of faithfulness-focused strategies. They tend to be more qualitative than quantitative. For example, Jesus called twelve disciples and instructed them to make disciples. He defined that not with quantifiable evangelistic goals (such as number of souls saved), but with the qualitative imperative that they team people…

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The Perfect Match

By Tom Atema Leading and measuring belong together! I totally understand that the degree of change and the pace of change will be different for every person and organization. That is not my concern. What I am concerned about is, for the most part, leaders of faith-based nonprofits are under the illusion that they are…

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The Power of Mirrors

By Larry Johnston He doesn’t get much press these days.  Especially in nonprofit circles.  Perhaps he should. His name is Charles Horton Cooley, and in 1902 he expounded what he called the “looking-glass self.”  A social psychological concept of self, it says, in essence, “I am not who I think I am, nor am I who…

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What Song is Your Life Streaming?

By Doug Nuenke How would those closest to you — your spouse, a close friend, or a team member — describe the melody of your life? Would they suggest a light-hearted Bach fugue or a dramatic Beethoven symphony? How would they characterize the tempo and the dynamics of your life?  “He was busy.” “She made…

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3 Core Characteristics of Kingdom Outcomes

Gary G. Hoag, Ph.D., R. Scott Rodin, Ph.D., & Wesley K. Willmer, Ph.D. We propose that kingdom outcomes have three characteristics: Kingdom Outcomes are the Byproduct of Obedience to the Holy Spirit Kingdom outcomes are the result of submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul reminds us that it is the Spirit…

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