There are so many audio files available to us today, that I am reluctant to recommend or use any. However, I have found few good audio resources on small group strategy and leadership, until now.

North Point Community Church has posted the audio from their group leaders training event, Re:Group online for download and use. I practically downloaded every talk (I listen to them on my way to and from work 3 days a week).

I hope you enjoy these as much as I have. Small groups are amazing when they are done well, but when they are done poorly, I almost wish the group strategy had never been tried.

Regroup Audio

Craig Groeschel has put much of the content of his latest book, It, on video. I for one am grateful for leadership training that can be shared in both formats, as it is with another favorite series of mine: Habitudes. Enjoy the same video from Craig below, and check out Lifechurch.tv for more on the resources. Habitudes is available on GrowingLeaders.com.

Bookie from LifeChurch.tv on Vimeo.

It is quite an extraordinary parallel to me to view the presidential news after the election. Outside of the hundreds of African’s Americans who have been inspired by this historic occasion, the biggest news now centers around the appointment of Barak Obama’s new staff.

The news is reminiscent to me of the New Testament occasion where Jesus’ disciples began arguing over who would be the greatest in His kingdom. Jesus uses this setting to make His model of leadership clear by washing his student’s feet in the role of the lowest servant in the home. The message: “leaders are servants.” Read the rest of this entry »

Sacrifice to Lead:
Monastic Leadership (Lessons from the Medieval Church)

In the late ancient and throughout the medieval church, as Christianity was endorsed by the Roman leadership, the movement of people from the cities to places of solitude for spiritual devotion became vogue. While this drained the cities of some of the more devoted Christian followers it may have served to raise up Christian leaders in an environment where religious studies were the complete focus. As church leaders were needed, we find that a large number of influential church leaders, even popes, came from this mass exodus of sanctuary in solitude and celibacy to lead the church. Read the rest of this entry »

I feel compelled to write this…I’m embarrassed and ashamed of many of my Christian brothers. For months I’ve been hearing repetitions of a rumors that Willow Creek released a pretty major statement of “repentance”…that it feels the seeker sensitivity movement was an incorrect view of church, and that they’ve since changed the way they’re doing church. News that would be headline-worthy…IF were really true. That’s where the shame comes in. I am taken back at the number of times I’ve heard this rumor recalled by friends and “church people”. So many have been willing to share the news, but none had any reputable source to back their claim. Why share something if you are not sure it’s true? Willow Creek is a very well know association with a reputation of integrity…so why didn’t anyone think the rumor deserved research? (Hang on everyone, this is destined to be a long entry)
Read the rest of this entry »