Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Women Leaders in the Church

By Lisa Bevere

“The argument for disempowering women is illogical, and unscriptural.”

For the past couple of years I have been following Kris Vallotton and have been really fascinated by his teachings—particularly his teachings on women in church leadership. Last month, I had the privilege of connecting with Kris and his wife, Kathy, at Bethel’s Prophetic Conference 2016. We discussed the idea of doing a blog swap, and here it is. I hope you enjoy the insights Kris brings.
Women Leaders in the Church by Kris Vallotton
In a recent interview with America Magazine, the Pope spoke of his concern for women to find their proper role in the church. He said, “Women are asking deep questions that must be addressed. The church cannot be herself without the woman and her role.”
I agree with the Pope. I have an amazing wife, two daughters, a daughter-in-law and three granddaughters that wake up every day to a world of discrimination simply because of their gender. But the most troubling aspect of this oppression is that the church is often found leading it! Many believers have developed a theology that proactively uses the Bible to disqualify women from the most formidable roles of leadership, especially in the church. I am appalled by the number of Christian leaders who are convinced that women are not as qualified, called and/or gifted to lead as men are.
The argument for disempowering women is illogical, and unscriptural. For instance, if the devil’s mission is to kill, steal and destroy, then consider this: Men commit more than 80 percent of all crimes in the world! In America alone, 93 percent of all prisoners are men, while women commit only .04 percent of all violent crimes. That’s right, men are also responsible for starting most wars, committing the worst atrocities ever chronicled and have incited nearly every genocide in the history of the planet. Think about this: It was Hitler who slaughtered the Jews, men who massacred the Native Americans and men who enslaved the Negro. Men account for most rapes, serial killings and thefts. And it was men who put Jesus on the cross. There wasn’t a single female involved in the crucifixion! As a matter of fact, Pilate’s own wife tried to talk her husband out of crucifying Jesus. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that women are innocent of wrongdoing. NO! I am simply pointing out the fact that men are at least five times more likely to help the devil carry out his dirty work.
Biblically speaking, while 10 apostles huddled up in a house trying to save themselves, it was only three women (and John) who stayed at the Cross to comfort Jesus in the dark night of His soul. Although Jesus had been telling His disciples for months that He would be crucified and rise on the third day, it was only two women who visited the tomb on that fateful day. When the women found the tomb empty and encountered excited angels, they ran back to the village to tell the “world-changers” that the stone was rolled away and Jesus was gone. Yet only Peter and John even bothered to see if there was any truth to their story, while the rest of the apostles refused to believe. It was Mary Magdalene that first encountered the risen Christ and it was Jesus who instructed her to go tell His disciples that He had rose from the dead. In spite of all of this, (in the name of the Bible) many Christians still disempower women and relegate them to the back seat of the bus. Yet even under the Genesis curse (which placed husbands above wives), Old Testament women were empowered to be prophetesses, judges, queens and leaders.
When Jesus gave His life up on the cross, He became sin for us and thus destroyed the curse that was propagated against us (including the curse that caused husbands to rule wives) in the Garden of Eden. But 2,000 years later, much of the church still has only applied God’s redemption to one gender and relegated women to the ball and chain of the Garden tragedy. The fact is that in the last hundred years, many countries of the world have begun to champion women, giving them places of leadership in politics, in business, in education and in most every realm of society, while much of the Body of Christ won’t even allow them to be elders in a church of 50 people. We have failed to realize that Jesus founded the Women’s Liberation Movement. He taught women, spoke to them publically, protected them from the religious community and empowered them to minister.
After many years of research, I am convinced that there are four basic reasons why men and women are not empowered equally in the church. First of all, the devil hates women even more than he hates men because the curse that God pronounced over the SERPENT was that women would be hostile with the devil. Therefore, the spearhead of demonic warfare is focused on women. Secondly, most men are insecure; reducing women helps them feel more powerful. Thirdly, many Christians have misunderstood the Bible with reference to women. Therefore, they don’t want to violate their understanding of the Scriptures to empower women or be empowered as a woman. And finally, as a people group, women tend to be less competitive than men, they are not “typically” fighters, they are prone to be more humble and gentle. Maybe this is because they gave birth to everyone on the planet. Men often mistake these attributes for weakness and believe women are not as qualified to lead. This results in women being promoted less frequently than men, or men purposely oppressing women.
The moral of the story is this: We need women to rise up as matriarchs along side of our patriarchs in every realm of society so that God’s full intention for the planet can be fulfilled. PEACE ON EARTH AND GOOD WILL TO MEN (AND WOMEN)!
I hope you enjoyed reading this post by Kris Vallotton. If you would like to learn more, I encourage you to pick up Kris’ book Fashioned to Reign.

4 Sexist Myths That the Church Should Reject

By Rachel Elizabeth Asproth

“Despite Christians’ pledge to reject unhealthy and sinful cultural messages, these painful and divisive gender jokes and ideologies have infiltrated the church.”

We’ve all heard them. Stupid jokes and thoughtless comments. Sexist sayings and caricatures. From the pulpit, at the altar, in school, from boyfriends, girlfriends, teachers, parents and friends. People pass off myths as facts and case-by-case examples as universal truth.
Women are like this and men are like that. Women are obnoxious. Men are arrogant. Women are needy and men are emotionally unavailable.
These statements are infused with cultural and gendered assumptions. They have no basis in the gospel, and what’s more—they are rooted heavily in socialization. And yet, despite Christians’ pledge to reject unhealthy and sinful cultural messages, these painful and divisive gender jokes and ideologies have infiltrated the church.

1. Men Are Bad Parents

This one is a classic. Men are hapless, bumbling fathers who hold their kids incorrectly, forget to warm up the bottle and have to pass their wailing infants over to their wives, who can then use their superpowers to pacify them. I’ve watched this scene in more than a few comedies. And I. Don’t. Buy. It. This line is cheap and it sells men so short it breaks my heart.
Women are not naturally superior parents. We learn and we make mistakes. It’s just that society isn’t always watching quite as amusedly when it observes the failings of mothers. Men love their children just as fiercely as women do. They are completely capable of tenderly holding their babies and consoling them in the early hours of the morning.
But when we make jokes that portray men as foolish, incompetent fathers, we participate in a system that says that men can’t be gentle, that they can’t be tender, that they can’t be sensitive and trustworthy. In short, we encourage men to fall short and women to compensate (and the same goes for housework).

2. Women Are Manipulators and Men Are Easily Manipulated

This one is as old as time. Literally—Eve, anyone? This joke usually goes something like … you don’t even know you’re doing what she wants until you’ve done it, or she always gets her way in the end anyway, or maybe something like … if the wife ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Many church fathers bought this one hook, line, and sinker—Augustine is a prime example.
This myth implies that women’s strength is in deception and falseness—that women get what they want by bending others to their will, by using their wiles to trick men into giving them what they want and when they don’t … well, obviously, they do what they can to make everyone else miserable.
As a woman, this one bites deep. I don’t spend my days scheming to get what I want from men. And, I would argue that expecting to get what you want and then throwing a tantrum when you don’t is a mark of immaturity, not femaleness.
You might think this one is a harmless little gender war joke—men are stubborn and women are clever. But this actually paints two very ugly images of men and women—women are liars and men are hopelessly malleable.
Do we actually like the image of ourselves that this paints? I certainly don’t.

3. Men Are Primarily Sexual Beings and Women Are Not Sexual

Men are more sexual than women. It’s just biological. Never mind that some men have very low sex drives, and never mind that some women have very high sex drives. This gender myth has very little basis in reality—but it is a cultural value.
Particularly in the church, it is common to emphasize modesty and chastity in women—often for the sake of the oh-so-uncontrollable male sex drive. Those of us women who attended youth group growing up can probably recall lessons on shielding our bodies from our spiritual brothers’ wandering, lustful eyes. I’m calling this one.
While men and women do have biological and chemical differences, a given man is not necessarily more sexual than a given woman. And it doesn’t help women when the church pretends that men are the only sexual beings. In fact, women can feel alone, alien and rejected if they do not fit the prescription of the non-sexual Christian woman. Further, when purity/modesty culture is the name of the game, women take on responsibility for the sins of those around them—imagining that they are culpable for others’ wayward hearts.
And on the flip side, men grow to view themselves as untrustworthy, uncontrollable and primarily sexual. Both of these images fall heartbreakingly short of God’s healthy and beautiful intention for men and women. So, instead of prescribing a strong sex drive exclusively to men, let’s remember that sex is a gift from God—often enjoyed equally by men and women (on a case by case basis). Let’s do men and women a favor and start talking about female sexuality in Christian culture.

4. Men Are Protective (Exclusively) and Women Like Being Protected

OK, this is the myth that really kills me. Men just instinctually protect, right? I’ve got some news for you, culture. It’s not a guy thing, it’s a human thing to take the hit for the people you love. It’s the human thing to want to save the people you care about from hurt. I’m a woman and it’s also my instinct to protect those around me, emotionally and physically, because that’s part of being in relationship with people.
In my experience, women have a ferocious will to protect and provide. It’s just a part of loving people wildly—the way Jesus calls us to. It’s also part of the gospel call—we lay down our lives daily for Christ, for what’s right and for those that need us—out of love and a desire to serve.
And yet, complementarians would have Christians believe that women should sit on their hands and let men do the protecting. But what if women don’t want to be protected? What if we want to have your back, men? What if we want you to have ours? What if we want to protect men too? What if we want a partner and not a knight in shining armor? Maybe it’s not as glamorous, but it sure is empowering. And I’ll take that any day.
So, let’s stop shoving men into the role of protector and hero and cornering women into the role of victim and damsel. Let’s instead define ourselves by our humanity—and the call on all Christians to protect and serve each other and the world.
Enough of these mythical formulas for male and female identity. Nobody wins and nobody is free, because we remain slaves to the worst gender stereotypes and the divisiveness of sin. Let’s embrace a rhetoric in the church and in everyday life that says that men and women are whole, competent, capable, complete human beings—who cannot be diminished by ignorance, stereotypes or sexist myths.

Dear Children’s Minister

By Mark Dance

Dear children’s minister, here are nine reasons why scores of pastors, parents and church members love you.

Every church has someone who is in charge of the children’s ministry, regardless of where they are on the org chart or payroll. They are not in it for the money or the glory. They obviously love Jesus and our kids—so I’m going to love them back today through this letter, which I hope you will make sure they get.
Dear Children’s Minister,
I love you and so do scores of other pastors, parents and church members. Here are nine reasons why:
1. You love our kids like they are your own—You don’t just love your job, you also love our children and treat them like they are your own family.
2. You minister mostly behind the scenes—No one really knows how hard your ministry is because you operate almost entirely outside of the limelight. The Wizard of Oz was a poser; you are the real deal.
3. You give your pastor candy—I have a handful of children’s ministers who can testify that I’m not speaking hypothetically here. I claim several obscure scriptures about the Levites to justify my crimes, yet you loved me anyway. I love you all right back!
4. You adapt to constant changes in the law—This has been the biggest change I’ve seen in the last three decades of ministry. In my opinion, these changes are good because they benefit the children. In the first church I pastored, the baby room had an old floor heater which was an accident waiting to happen. Today, facilities have codes and background security checks are normal and necessary for the safety of our children. Jana Magruder, Director of LifeWay Kids, recommends Ministry Safe as a helpful resource.
5. You juggle family, church and school calendars—Most of the children’s ministers I have served with were also raising their own children. I appreciate how much of a challenge it is for you to win at home and at church.
6. You recruit and equip a zillion workers—It takes a very determined person to recruit an endless carousel of workers and teachers for your ministry. The retention rate is much lower for your ministry, yet you step up to the plate all year long.
7. You work way more than you are paid for—Many of you serve with distinction even when your salary fails to keep pace with the growth of your ministry. Pastors, you can help to stabilize this position and reduce turnover by initiating incremental changes. I can’t think of one growing church that has not prioritized their children’s ministry, starting with the staff.
8. You make the ministry staff better—Every staff has a personality, which you contribute to in a way that is very important. You bring a special measure of grace and class to the staff meetings. Also, those of you who are female represent the majority of church members, which helps bring a balanced perspective to our planning.
9. You are legit missionaries—In addition to hosting VBS, seasonal events, etc. on church campuses, you are also blazing trails in schools, parks and at community events. Blaze on!
I would love to hear from you why we all love and appreciate our children’s ministers. Please share them on Twitter, Facebook or in the comments section here.

4 Deadly LIES Pastors Tell

By Joe McKeever

Falsehood belongs to the attackers of the faith, not its citizens nor its defenders.

“Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices” (Colossians 3:9).
“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 12:22).
Lying is almost unforgivable in a pastor.

1. Do not lie to us about your resume.

If you say you went to school there or pastored that church, we want to believe you. If you earned a degree, say what it was. If the degree was honorary, but not earned, say that also.
What you must not do is give the impression you attended a school which you did not or served a church which you did not serve or possess a degree you don’t.
Why would anyone lie about their resume? Obviously, to enhance their prospects for a job.
But any position acquired as a result of a falsehood is worthless in the long run.
Regularly, we hear of high-profile executives, educators and coaches being caught for padding their resumes, for claiming degrees they did not have, for professing honors they did not earn. Perhaps the most shameful is the man who claims to have been a war hero, who wears the uniform and sports the medals, but who, it turns out, is a consummate liar.
Tell us the truth, pastor.

2. Do not lie to us about your testimony.

I heard a certain pastor’s testimony on more than one occasion. It was so moving that when he went to Heaven, I paid tribute to him on these pages by telling his story.
Sometime later, his brother found the eulogy by googling his name, and called me. “You know there’s not a word of truth to it, don’t you?”

He said, “Oh, I know you wrote what he told you. But it’s all made up. None of that stuff happened.”
He went on to tell me the “true facts,” if you will, of his brother’s testimony.
There are no words to describe my disappointment.
Why would a person lie about his testimony? That question has nagged at me ever since.
The only answer that makes sense is to enhance his impact in the congregation, to make himself seem to be more than he is. And how sad is that.

3. Do not lie to us about your ministry.

To our everlasting shame, the term “ministerial exaggeration” has entered the language. If anyone should tell the unvarnished truth, it should be those disciples of Jesus Christ entrusted with the truth of God in the gospel of salvation.
A half-century ago, a well-known preacher began assembling a list of the largest churches in America. Each year, those churches and others which “might” be in the running received a phone call asking for their latest numbers. I actually took that call a couple of times myself.
The compilers of those statistics learned all too quickly that preachers can be adept at creative counting.
On Easter Sunday, perhaps they brought in a Hollywood celebrity and had 2,000 in attendance, in contrast to their usual 300. But, check the preacher’s resume and all too often it will say, “When Reverend Hotshot came to Hillshot Church, they were running 250 in attendance and are now running 2,000.”
Some pastors have been known to fudge on numbers when nothing is at stake, when telling the simple truth would have done just as well.
I once organized a conference and invited in a professional to speak. We charged admission, so the actual number attending was not in doubt, something like 250 or so. But the guest speaker promptly put in his newsletter that we had packed in a thousand people for his seminar.
I wondered if he did not know that some of us read his newsletter and would catch that. The only conclusion that made sense is he did not care.
Do not lie to the church about where you went, how you spent your time, whom you saw, what was said and the plans that were made.
All you have is your integrity, pastor. Lose that and you’re gone.

4. Don’t lie to us about finances.

If you turn in your mileage for reimbursement, make it accurate. When turning in expense receipts, make sure they are what they claim to be. And if some of the items are questionable, err on the side of conservatism.
Ten years from now, you will have none of the money the church paid you for expenses. But if you can look back with a clear conscience and know you did right, that confidence is worth more than gold.
I once knew a pastor who served on a denominational board which required him to fly to a distant city several times a year, with the board covering all his expenses. When the church leadership discovered that he had also been turning in those same expenses for the church to reimburse him, they quietly sent him on his way.
They could abide the occasional boring sermon or uninspired leadership, but dishonesty in finances crossed the line.
He who is unfaithful about money can be counted on to transgress in other, bigger ways also (see Luke 16:10-12).
Give us pastors whose integrity is blameless.
Let us take seriously Christ’s honor, the people’s respect and our personal integrity to the point that we always do the honorable thing.
May we who are called to shepherd the Lord’s people so live that if someone is looking for dirt to use against us, they will have to hire people to lie about us.
“Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. But some men … rose up and argued with Stephen. And yet, they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.’ And they stirred up the people. … And they put forward false witnesses” (Acts 6:8-15).
Falsehood belongs to the attackers of the faith, not its citizens nor its defenders.
Let’s get this right, preachers. Everything depends on it.
Everything.

17 Leadership Quotes And Lessons For X-Men: Apocalypse

When I went to see Captain America: Civil War I had the bar set very high. I was expecting the movie to be one of the best action films I had ever seen. It proved to be just that.
When I went to see X-Men Apocalypse I had the bar set very low. I expected a movie for guys who like movies. Shiny objects. Very loud. A lot of action and global destruction. I did not expect it to win an Academy Award but I was just wanting two hours of mindless entertainment during a very busy season in my life. It proved to be just that.
X-Men Apocalypse is an OK movie. Just like Batman vs. Superman in March, it will not separate itself from the other films in the franchise. Ultimately, it will be a forgettable comic book movie which I will probably watch often on FX in about two years.
However, it was entertaining in spots and did contain some quality leadership lessons. The following are 17 Leadership Quotes And Lessons For X-Men: Apocalypse:

Unto Whom Much Is Given Much Is Required – Professor Charles Xavier, played by James McAvoy, said, “A gift can often be a curse. Give them wings and they may fly too close to the sun…Give them the power of imagination they think they may rule the world.”
Too Often Leaders Do Not Live Up To Their Talent – Scott Summers, played by Tye Sheridan said, “It doesn’t feel like a gift.” To which Xavier replies, “It never does at first.”
Leaders Bring Out The Best In Others – Though they had two completely different value systems and took two completely different approaches, both Xavier and Apocalypse pulled the best out of those on their teams.
Leaders Must Learn How To Best Leverage Their Gifts And Talents – Xavier said, “To understand one’s power is to learn the extent of it.”
Ignorance Results In Fear – Xavier said, “Everyone fears that which they do not understand.”
A Leader’s Greatest Weapon Is Their Mind – Raven, played by Jennifer Lawrence, said, “Charles wants students, not soldiers.”
Good Or Bad, We All Sit Down To A Banquet Of Consequences – Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender, tried to escape the consequences of his actions from X-Men: Days Of Future Past. However, when the townspeople where he lived discovered who he was, it cost him his family.
Leaders Touch A Heart Before They Ask For A Hand – During his recruitment of Magneto, Apocalypse took him back to the concentration camp where his family was imprisoned and later killed.
Leaders Must Properly Evaluate Reality – Raven said, “Just because there’s not a war doesn’t mean there’s peace.”
Great Leaders Never Confuse Activity With Accomplishment – Quicksilver, played by Evan Peters, said, “For a guy who moves as fast as me I always seem to be late.”
Smart Leaders Give People What They Want – Whether you lead a church or business, give the customers and people what they want. The best part of the movie was the one scene with Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman.
Great Leaders Serve Those Less Fortunate Than Themselves – Xavier said, “Those with the greatest power must protect those without.”
Some Leaders Never Understand The Power Of Their Influence – Raven said, “I’m not a hero.” To which Jean Grey, played by Sophie Turner, responds, “You are to us.”
Great Leaders Are Resilient And Finish Strong – Raven said, “I’m going to fight for what I have left.”
Unsuccessful Leaders Do Not Build A Quality Team – Xavier told Apocalypse, “You will never win because you’re alone. I’m not.”
Great Leaders Protect Those They Serve – Xavier said, “I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to my school looking for trouble.”
Great Leaders Give Those On Their Teams An Identity And Vision Of What They Could Be – Raven said, “Forget everything you think you know, you’re not students anymore! You’re X-Men!”

Once again, if you go see X-Men: Apocalypse, keep the bar low and just have a good time.

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1869 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2015 Global Leadership Summit, That Church, REACT and Catalyst Conferences. If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader. Enjoy!!!

7 Tips To Building Healthy and High Performance Ministry Teams

Meetings are an unavoidable part of ministry leadership. If you want to move the ball forward in ministry, you have to have meetings.
But, what’s the difference between a productive and effective meeting, and one that sucks the life out of everyone in the room?
Here are some tips from Lance Witt’s upcoming MinistryU class, Building Healthy and High Performance Ministry Teams, to ensure your next meeting is a great one.
To have a great meeting, answer these four questions:

Determine if a meeting is even necessary?

Many times, a meeting isn’t even needed. Whatever needs to be accomplished can be done so via a simple email or phone call.

Are you thinking of your meetings like an airline flight?

Good meetings are like a great flight—there’s a takeoff, the time in air, and a landing.
If you come into a meeting with no clear agenda and no clear outcomes for the meeting, your takeoff is off to a rocky start. Make sure you know the purpose of the meeting before you set it.
3. Do you have a clear path to get from point a to point b?
Agenda items will help you stay on track and avoid getting derailed and off topic during the meeting.
4. Lastly, can you land the plane?
Remember, it doesn’t matter how clear the agenda was, or how good the snacks were, or how much discourse there was without a clear action plan for what was discussed.
Answer these three questions to effectively “land the plane”:
What did we decide?
We have an amazing ability to interpret things differently. Write down on a whiteboard or flipchart the decisions that were made so there’s no ambiguity around those decisions.
Who needs to know what we decided?
Write down the decisions that were made in the team meetings. This minimizes the chances of decisions being reinterpreted between the team meeting and the time a decision gets communicated.
Communication not only shares information, it also demonstrates value.
Who is responsible?
As important as it is to have clear decisions and clear communications, it’s just as important to know who is responsible for certain actions. Ultimately, all those decisions boil down to hard work.
Write down the action items related to the decisions that have been made and who is responsible for those action items by what date.
Following these tips will help move good decisions toward great outcomes.
This article is a small sampling of what you can learn in MinistryU, an online learning platform featuring video tutorials, downloadable resources, and actionable tools to give pastors and church leaders practical skills to lead thriving churches.
Although MinistryU isn’t live yet, you can join our launch team now to be part of this new movement by ChurchLeaders.com and Outreach, Inc.

Click here or on the image to the left to learn more about MinistryU.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

When Ministry Knocks you Down, How to Get Back Up

by Charles Stone

If you’re a pastor, a missionary, or serve in a church, you can’t avoid discouragement, disappointment, and hurt from ministry. The Bible even uses the not-so-complimentary metaphor “sheep” to describe those we serve. And sheep get dirty and smelly and often kick and bite. Sometimes those sheep in the church do the same to their shepherds. So when you get kicked, forgotten, disrespected, ignored, mistreated, gossiped about, or misunderstood, how do you move forward?

Portrait of a man with fist and eyes closed on black background

The story recorded in 1 Samuel 30 gives great insight. David had just begun his career to fight the bad guys. Early on he faced a huge defeat. While he and his army were in battle far from home, the bad guys, the Amalekites, attacked the city where his family and the families of his army lived. They burned the city and kidnapped their wives and children. When David’s men discovered this, they considered removing him from his position, not by a vote of a board or a congregation, but with big rocks to the head by stoning.
The Scriptures then record one of the most beautiful verses every written. The old King James Version captures it well.

David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. (1 Sam. 30.6)

It worked because his guys didn’t stone him but marshaled their energy and once again pursued the bad guys under his leadership.
As I’ve faced discouragement in ministry, these simple choices have helped me encourage myself in the Lord.

Acknowledge your pain and emotion to the Lord but don’t wallow in it. Neuroscientists have discovered that when we name our emotions, it turns down the volume in our brain’s emotional centers.
Journal your thoughts. Writing them down helps me stop the tendency to incessantly mull over the hurtful situation. Writing therapy been scientifically proven to help us process pain.
Read God’s Word, especially those verses that speak of hope and victory. Every time you read the Bible, you are actually re-configuring the circuits in your brain and reinforcing Biblical values and truth.
Do something pro-active. Take action to move forward. In David’s case he took specific action to resolve the problem. He rallied his troops to chase down the Amalekites.
Stop condemning yourself and remind yourself that you are a child of God, loved by Him with great intrinsic value regardless of whether your church is growing or whether people treat you with respect.
Pray for those who have hurt you. I’m amazed how God defuses looming bitterness in my heart when I pray for the sheep that bite me.

How have you dealt with your ministry pain?
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Friday, May 27, 2016

18 Things Which Do Not Happen Without Quality Leadership

Do not ever take leadership for granted. Leadership is not to be discounted. As John Maxwell famously said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Without quality leadership, nothing good happens. If you want your church, team or organization to get better, get better leadership.
In the May 19th edition of the USA Today, Paul Bissonnette wrote a column about the impact of hockey captains. His argument is no other sports league feels the impact of quality leadership more than hockey. His column inspired the following list.
The following are 18 Things Which Do Not Happen Without Quality Leadership:

There is no hope for a brighter tomorrow. Leaders inspire others.
There is no unity or alignment. Leaders make sure everyone is on the same page and headed in the same direction.
There is no direction. Your church, team or organization are rudderless. Leaders show you the path to success.
There is no sense of calm. Conversely, there is panic. Leaders remain calm under pressure.
There is no sense of urgency. People get complacent or lazy. Leaders have a strong work ethic.
There is no confidence. Leaders have and bring confidence.
There is poor communication. Leaders have excellent communication skills.
Organizations lose their edge. They are constantly being beaten by the competition. Leaders have an edge.
Your church, team or organization is unstable. Leaders provide stability.
There is no excellence. Your church, team or organization is reduced to a level of mediocrity at best. Leaders bring out the best in others.
There is no unity. Your team is divided. Leaders bring people together. They are inclusive.
There is a lack of transparency. Leaders are genuine.
There is no sense of awe. Nothing extraordinary ever happens. Leaders bring intangibles. They bring a little extra.
There is no trust. Leaders are sincere.
There is no positive momentum. Leaders turn organizations around.
There is a lack of accessibility and therefore, limited staff development. Leaders are noticeable.
Nothing gets done. Goals are often not met. Leaders are productive.
People on your team are quitting when times get tough. Leaders help others through adversity.

Once again, do not ever take quality leadership for granted.

15 Practices Of The World’s Most Creative Leaders

Each year Fast Company magazine unveils their listing of the top 100 Most Creative People In Business. Regardless of your profession or area of discipline, it is a can’t-miss edition for anyone in leadership.
In this year’s June edition, editor Robert Safian identified 15 common threads of these creatives and artisans. Ironically, many of the best practices are very logical. The following are 15 Practices Of The World’s Most Creative Leaders.
This list provides a grid for anyone wishing to go to the next level in their creativity and leadership.

No Fear Of Failure – If one idea goes bad, top creatives are sure they will come up with another better idea.
Recognize Opportunity – The phrase “You can’t do that” does not apply to the most creative people. They see opportunity where others see locked doors.
Vision – The most creative people see the world as it could and should be, not just as it is.
Completely Disruptive – Today’s creatives are attacking cultural norms and then changing them. Do not be afraid to engage culture in discussions.
Help Others Succeed – The most talented individuals are creating systems, methods and products which makes the lives of others easier.
Productivity – There is no creativity without creation.
Continual Learning – The most successful creatives and artisans are constantly learning from other creative outliers. The best are humble enough to learn from the best.
Desperation – Desperation is one of a leader’s greatest assets. Click 14 Benefits Desperate Leaders Experience to learn why. A lack of options causes desperation which in turn, causes creativity.
Solutions – Creativity is not skinny jeans and tattoos. Creativity is solving the most pressing problems we face.
Generosity – The most creative people give back. They freely share their knowledge with children and those in countries without access to technology.
Networks – Creatives are leveraging their relationships within the artisan community to address issues and solve problems. Teamwork does make the dream work.
Good Stewardship – Creatives are discovering unique ways to better steward the planet’s resources.
Financial Viability – This is not a group of starving artists. They work hard to ensure their work and other products are financially viable. Financial viability ensures sustainability.
Data Driven – These outside-the-box thinkers are using practical data to inform their decisions.
Provide Access – Are you making it hard for customers to receive your products? Today’s top creatives are using alternative pricing, technology, and other channels to provide access to their products and services to as many people as possible.

These are 15 practices of the world’s most creative people.

Why growth = hope (for me and for everyone)

Areas where I need to grow, my grandmother's heroic story, and a recent leadership talk I gave...

A couple of weeks ago, I got my annual work performance review. This can cause some anxiety, and in previous years I felt quite nervous entering these feedback sessions. However, this year was different. I found myself eager to hear how other people experienced working with me, so I could build even better relationships and trust with them.

These days, I find myself less concerned about "how far along" I am in my leadership growth and maturity. Instead I'm simply grateful to be learning and growing, because that gives me hope. And it seems to give others hope too! You can read more about areas I need to grow in, and some thoughts about why growth = hope below:

Growth is Hope
(A Sweet Taste of the Future)

An update on my garden, and on areas I need to grow in personally.

Speaking of growth, there are few authors who have helped me understand this topic like Dr. Henry Cloud, and he recently released a new book called "The Power of the Other," which is about the surprising effect our relationships can have on us — for good and bad. I wrote a review on the book, but through my unique lens as an ethnic minority leader... and through telling the story of my late grandmother, who survived bombings and political regime changes in order to serve our family. I hope you enjoy reading about her story:

An Ethnic Minority Perspective: "The Power of the Other"

(Book Review)

Great leaders are in touch with their needs and can ask for help. But for many ethnic minorities, our walls are high… because our pain runs deep.

Finally, last month I had the privilege of speaking at our ministry's national leadership conference on the topic of "security" in leadership. Here's a description: Leadership is full of challenges and demands that often reveal our insecurities. This talk addresses the theological foundations of security and includes practical ideas and tools for growth in our security as leaders.

I hope you find the video helpful and practical:

Facing Our Insecurities in Leadership (Video)

What does it take to let others see our weaknesses even when it’s uncomfortable? To work with talented people without feeling threatened?

Thank you for reading, for your support, and for your passion and dedication in leadership! I'm grateful to get to learn and grow from each of you. I look forward to interacting with you soon... I always love hearing from you!

Gratefully, Adrian

Free Resource of the Month!

In case you missed it:

Download my new free booklet / guide for team, individual, or coaching use! It covers:

How to make feedback creative and fun
How to give feedback in a way that honors people
How to receive feedback without getting defensive
How power and control impact feedback environments
What feedback might look like in different cultures
Learning your personal "feedback style"

Read my blog on "Feedback and Ethnicity" here:

Is there an “Asian American” way to handle feedback? How does ethnicity impact feedback processes and growth?

I hope these resources help you in your leadership!

My goal is to keep this newsletter concise, personal, practical, non-spammy, and once a month. How am I doing? Let me know.

Do you know someone who might be encouraged by these updates? They can join the group here.

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y book, "What Really Matters in Leadership": PDF (free) Kindle Paperback

Get my book, "The Art of Growing Through Feedback": PDF (free) Kindle Paperback

33 Lessons For Christian Leaders Needing Financial Freedom

“Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant havest.” – Proverbs 14:4
Pastors desperately need resources they can use to invest in the business and financial leaders in their church. That resource has arrived.
Oxen is the latest book from I Was Broke. Now I’m Not and Injoy Stewardship Solutions CEO Joseph Sangl. It teaches the principle that with many oxen can come a great harvest. A farmer knows it is impossible to reap a great harvest without oxen but what does that mean to the rest of us?
An ox as described in Proverbs 14:4 is “Any resource that enables people to accomplish far more than they could on their own.” These are just some of the type of oxen that people can own or leverage:
Stocks – Bonds – Mutal Funds – 401K or other Retirement Accounts – Real Estate – Rental Properties – Small Business – Savings Accounts
Or how about these:

A Job
Assets
Your Home
Your Employees
Intellectual Property
Talents

Pastors and business leaders, I recommend you purchase a copy for everyone in your small group and invest in their lives. Or how about this, create a small group of business leaders, build community, and study this book together.
The following are 33 Lessons For Christian Leaders Needing Financial Freedom:

“If you have multiple oxen, the loss of an ox will be painful, but it won’t immediately lead to a situation where you are solely reliant upon yourself to produce an abundant harvest.’
“That ox (Intellectual Property) could generate an abundant harvest for you with absolutely no future effort required!”
“A job is the catalyst that will provide the very funds used to acquire additional oxen!”
“Oxen can allow you to earn money regardless of whether or not you are working.”
“There is only so much weight you can bear. This is why most people have empty mangers. They carry a huge financial load that their regular income cannot support.”
“Once an ox has been trained well, it needs little to no guidance.”
“If you believe you can own oxen without it requiring any of your attention, you are in for a big surprise.”
“If you purchase an ox, you might have to retrain it.”
“Things come to those who wait, but only things left behind by those who hustle.”
“It is important to recognize that you will still be required to do the work that only you can do. An ox cannot provide strategic thinking or leadership.”
“Money only magnifies who you really are.”
“The costs do not end with the acquisition of an ox – it’s where they begin!”
“Oxen need leadership…To be fully productive, oxen must be placed into the yoke and harness and led to their work.’
“It’s risky to own oxen, but I believe it is more risky to never own oxen.”
“I was obtaining financial advice from broke people. No wonder I was broke!”
“Lack of hope can make the heart sick and completely blind people to the opportunities and potential that is right before their very eyes.”
“If you want to have oxen that produce a profit, it is vitally important to learn how to budget.”
“Prayer is a tremendous idea in times of great trouble, but it is also extremely effective prior to encountering difficulties.’
“Make it your goal to establish enough financial margin so the process of birthing or acquiring another ox will not jeopardize the ability for your other oxen to perform well.”
“Margin covers time of famine…Margin provides security.”
“It is important to be in agreement with your spouse regarding the reasons for owning oxen…oxen ownership will impact a marriage relationship.”
“My dream began to become reality when I chose to invest money in it.”
“Nearly every great organization is built on the passion of its leaders.”
“Passionate people will do what others will not ordinarily do, and this provides the avenue for them to accomplish the extraordinary!”
“You will maximize your life when you match your passion with your talents.”
“There is such a thing as an ox that costs too much!”
“Always remember that work is infinite. Choose to do work that makes the most impact.”
“Leaders who have experienced an abundant harvest are among the most generous people on the face of the earth, and most feel honored to help others with their journey.”
“It is absolutely vital to understand the status of every single ox you own.”
“Excellent record-keeping is a hallmark of individuals who have achieved an abundant harvest.”
“Net worth is the ultimate way to measure your harvest.”
“You must be certain to maintain your integrity as you gain oxen, or the harvest will dwindle away.”
“Make a commitment now to always invest. Always.”

Pastors and business leaders, I have one question. Gox Oxen? If not, purchase this book and start the journey to an abundant harvest today! For more products and resources from Joe Sangl and I Was Broke. Now I’m Not. click HERE.

What Walmart Greeters Taught me about Leadership

by Charles Stone

Looming over six feet tall with a scraggly beard, wire-rimmed glasses, a 12 inch ponytail tied with a rubber band, and a vest dotted with military patches, George would be at home riding a Harley with a motorcycle gang. Instead, he holds a clear plastic jug plastered with yellow smiley-face stickers and filled with dollar bills. And he enthusiastically says, “Welcome to Walmart. Have fun! Want a sticker?” George is my favorite Walmart greeter. I’ve learned a lot about leadership from George.

My second favorite greeter is Jimmy. Unlike George who stands, Jimmy sits…in his motorized wheel-chair. His physical disability keeps him from standing or even holding one of those charity jugs. Yet, with the same exuberance, he makes you feel good with his, “Welcome to Walmart. Thanks for coming.”
I don’t know how well the following statement would hold up under a scientific study, but I believe it to be true. Shoppers who meet George and Jimmy as they arrive buy more stuff at Walmart than those who meet other greeters who, for the sake of not being too harsh, come across with much less enthusiasm.
Both George and Jimmy use their leadership mirror well.
What is a leadership mirror? It’s a concept rooted in science and in the bible.
In 1995 an Italian neuroscientist discovered what are called ‘mirror neurons’ in our brain. Essentially, a part of our brain lights up when we sense intention behind another’s action. When that part of our brain turns on, we feel a connection to that person. Their actions activate our mirror neurons. For example, when someone smiles at us, it drives the same motor response on my face. We smile. That experience then sends signals to our emotional center so that we share a positive emotion with the person. The strongest emotions we portray ripple out to others, whether those emotions are good or bad.
Before scientists discovered these mirror neurons, the bible already had. Remember what the writer of Proverbs wrote?

Prov. 15.1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

That explains that if when I go to Walmart and either George or Jimmy is on duty that day, I have a better experience shopping. They have used their leadership mirror well, even though they probably don’t even know it. Their body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice have become a mirror to me that I subconsciously reflect back to them which in turn affects my behavior and emotions.
This concept profoundly impacts our ability to lead as well. When we use our leadership mirror effectively, team attitudes and performance improves. When we don’t, the opposite occurs. Just think about how you feel the next time you go to Walmart and encounter a dumpy, negative, sleepy-faced greeter versus a George or a Jimmy greeter.
Consider these questions and ask yourself if you need to polish your leadership mirror.

Am I keenly aware of how I come across to those I lead with my body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice?
Do I consistently portray a positive upbeat tone to others?
What is my default facial expression… a scowl or a smile?
Do I consistently show up the same way each day at the office or do I leave people asking, “I wonder which boss is showing up today, the mad, sad, or happy one?”
Do I attempt to truly be present with others in the moment or do yesterday’s events, today’s task list, and tomorrow’s problems distract me from fully engaged interactions?

If we as leaders pay a bit more attention to our leadership mirror and use it well, we not only can increase team performance, but can actually bless those on our team as we help them activate their mirror neurons for the good.
Lately, how have you used your leadership mirror?
Related posts:

Why an Effective Leader’s Team Never Asks, “What Mood Is the Boss in Today?”

By Scott Cochrane “What kind of mood is the boss in today?”
In one of my first jobs coming out of college, that was the question that buzzed around the office almost every day.
The leader of our department was so emotionally volatile that, depending on his particular disposition on any given day, it would change the kinds of decisions that would be generated.
When he was in a good mood, spending was liberal, initiatives were approved and promotions were accelerated.
But when he was in a foul mood, everything changed. “No” was the watchword for just about any proposal.
While clearly an extreme case, nonetheless this leader demonstrated one of the prime pitfalls of so many leaders: leading from the emotional extremes.
No leader is immune from the emotional extremes. All of us experience circumstances that can have us feeling dejected and upset one day, and then feeling quite cheery and positive the next.
But effective leaders learn to manage these emotional extremes, and they reserve their best, most effective decision-making when they are in their emotional “neutral ground.”
The emotional neutral ground is that mid-level bandwidth where a leader is neither overly upset, nor excessively upbeat. It is a sweet spot of leadership where critical thinking is not beset by the fuzziness that can come from unmanaged emotions.
To lead from this sweet spot, and to avoid the dangers of the emotional extremes:

Be ready at all times to self-diagnose your present emotional state

On a 1 to 10 scale, where 1 is very negative emotions, and 10 is very positive emotions, where are you at the moment?

If you’re in the emotional extremes, delay key decisions

The emotional extremes will pass. Give it a day or two before making any key decisions.

Maximize your time in your emotional mid-range

Your best decisions will always be made when you are in your emotional mid-range; when you are neither down and out, nor flying high. Trust your judgement when you at your level-best.
Emotions are real. Every leader experiences the full range of emotional ups and downs.
Just be aware that emotions can impact judgement.
And reserve your most critical leadership moments for when you are out of the emotional extremes.

Why Just Doing Your Job Isn’t Enough

By Charles Lee

“As long as you get your work done, you’ll be OK.” False.

No matter the age, profession or size of company, there still appears to be this belief with many in the “workforce” that as long as we complete the tasks assigned to us by our bosses, clients and/or project management software, we are “successful” in our work or career. It’s as if many approach work like a factory worker who works within their respective lane of activity and hopes nothing interrupts what they need to accomplish to keep the lines moving. Or maybe, some of us have never shaken off the poor habit from school of doing the most minimal amount of work possible while still getting a passing grade.

Knowing what to do isn’t even half the battle.

I know you’re probably super intelligent and up on all the business and professional development trends and insights. That’s why you keep reading these types of posts and articles. Let me bring you into a little secret, most posts and articles are written to increase click throughs, sales of ad space and primarily provide super high-level insights about whatever is hot at the moment. It’s not to say you can’t get anything good from magazines, blogs and news sources, but you have to be able to see what they’re actually selling you.
Over time, if you’re not careful, you’re actually going to believe most of what’s written and it will skew your view of reality. It will easily make us feel smarter than we actually are, more relevant than we know what to do with and more entitled without actually changing our lives. Kind of sounds like a recipe for disaster, no? Generalizations about market research, trends, “best practices,” etc. are just that…generalizations.
Here’s a crazy thing about knowledge in general. It makes you think you are doing something even when you’re not. It’s much more enjoyable to think about what could be, what should be, and why it’s not happening. Knowledge should propel us to move beyond the expectations in our lives, but isn’t it ironic that it often keeps us stuck where we are by distracting us in the hypothetical?
I can’t tell you how many people I meet that are so “forward-thinking” and yet default to an antiquated approach to moving forward. Look, if you want get ahead, it’s less about changing your workflow, hours, etc., and more about going above and beyond anyone’s expectations and doing the hard things that build your life and career.

Work harder, think smarter and produce louder.

I can’t think of anyone (outside of the few that have simply inherited “success”) who have accomplished something significant without going beyond their day-to-day job requirements. Going through life by doing the minimal and being an exemplary employee should never be anyone’s goal. We have to thrive beyond what’s expected, fine tune our ability to think clearly through the noise and distractions around us, and speak up by producing great work that we’ve created to better our lives and the world we live in. Of course, I’m not saying that we work ourselves to death. (Then again, I don’t think workaholism a problem for most of us.) Wisdom is usually in the middle somewhere. In this case, it sits between the extreme of minimalism and workaholism.

Still reading this?

Congrats! You’ve made it to the end of this post. I really do believe all of us have the ability to rise above the expectations that others put on us. I’m not even saying that we have to meet their expectations. What I know to be true (which you can test in your own life) is that no one is going to hand you success. You have to go after it. For me, this has very little to do with money and a whole lot more to do with purpose. My drive is rooted in my desire to live out my purpose. I realized early on that my purpose can’t be rooted in some job description that my boss gives me. Nothing on paper is ever going to encompass all that I am purposed to do. This means that I have to make time and work toward building things that can’t be confined to a day’s work. Some call this over-delivering, but I feel that it’s really just living out who I think I’m designed to be.
Maybe some of you were born with some supernatural talent. I’m a little jealous but very happy for you. For the rest of us, let’s step it up a bit and experience life more fully. Let’s not make excuses and lean on articles written about what we’d like to be. Life is short. Let’s go do something meaningful.

33 Lessons On Leading A Growing Business

Shannon Miles co-founded Miles Advisory Group (MAG) with her husband, Bryan in 2010. She serves as COO of the organization, which is the parent company for eaHELP, MAG Bookkeeping, Render Virtual Webmaster Services, and Ellipsis Virtual Writers. Shannon and Bryan left their high-paying jobs to start MAG in 2010 and have experienced amazing success, including eaHELP’s recognition as the 131st fastest growing company in America in the Inc. 5000.
Shannon was recently was interviewed on Casey Graham’s 7-Figre CEO Podcast. Her insights will help any business go to the next level. And if your church or business is looking for virtual bookkeeping assistance, make sure you contact MAG Bookkeeping. They will do an amazing job for you.

“We had always wanted to own something of our own and develop a business and lead a team.”
“If it didn’t work we could always start over again.”
“If we (Bryan and Shannon) were going to do it (leave stable companies and start a business), we were going to do it together and we weren’t going to do it halfway.”
“Delegation has been the key to our growth and it is the tool that we have uncapped the lid of our leadership in various levels of the business.”
“We have a mantra of replace yourself.”
“What delegation means is looking at the components of what you do and determining who else could be doing them and I use delegation as a form of leader development.”
“Process-oriented people aren’t like the ones out there with podcasts because it’s not exciting.”
“We’ve had the most success hiring from within.”
“Most good decisions are born out of bad decisions.”
“In the beginning of a company you just don’t know what’s going to resonate with the market.”
“I do regret not killing some things sooner.”
“You have to isolate your variables.”
“You have to know what you’re selling is worth the time and energy you are putting into it.”
“We used to not do video interviews and it was a mistake.”
“Something comes across in this non-verbal communication you do not get on the phone.”
“Don’t bring anyone on your team you wouldn’t want to work with yourself.”
“We don’t hire people who are just excited about working from home because that translates to ‘I don’t want to work too hard.'”
“When you filter everything through culture it becomes obvious over time who’s going to work and who’s not.”
“We trust our gut a lot and we have very intuitive people in our HR.”
“We vet our prospects as much as we vet our people.”
“I never bring on a client I wouldn’t want to support myself.”
“We knew that by starting our company we had a chance to create the business we had always wanted to work for.”
“We believed enough in our product that we weren’t going to discount ourselves or sell ourselves short just to make a buck.”
“The one process to focus on that has made a huge difference in our business and made it feel good to do it is the customer experience.”
“We have doubled-down on relationship management.”
“We literally hire people that serve on our corporate team to manage the client relationship.”
“(Early on) we put all our profit back into the business.”
“The sooner we established a budget for our business the smarter we became about our finances.”
“Once you establish a budget the easier it is to hold people accountable.”
“All a budget is is aligning with your plans…It’s assigning dollars to your plans.”
“I’m afraid of our markets becoming over-saturated.”
“Just don’t suck at what you do.” – The best way to deal with fear.
“Don’t try to be all things to all people. Don’t chase shiny things. Hedgehog it…You’ll know you’re in your sweet spot.”

What is one lesson from Shannon’s interview you can implement today to be a better organization?

Sunday, May 22, 2016

The Church Needs More Deborahs

By J. D. Greear

“When God has called women to lead … we equip them to lead.”

My wife and I have three daughters—aged 11, 9 and 7. (We managed to sneak a little boy in there at the end, but ours is still a house full of women.) So the story of Deborah—the first and only female judge in Israel—speaks to what I hope for my daughters, what I dream for them and what I pray over them.
More than almost any other passage in Scripture, Deborah’s story emphasizes a truth that evangelical churches too often neglect: God gives to women every spiritual gift that he gives to men.
There is a myth alive today that men should be taught deep, rich theology … while women should learn how to match their curtains with their pillows, or how to be a good housewife, or how to not feel sad on rainy days. As one prominent author points out, if you attend most Christian women’s conferences and they teach from Ephesians, you can bet they’ll stick to Ephesians 5—talking about the role of the wife in marriage. It’s as if the rest of Ephesians is written for men, and Paul threw in a few verses for the women in his audience.
At the risk of stating the obvious, let me be clear: The whole book of Ephesians is for women. And so is the entire Bible. If women want to know God’s will for their lives, if they want to be shown what God desires for them, they had better not limit themselves to Ephesians 5 and Proverbs 31. Every chapter of every book of the entire Bible is for women. And they need to know it all.
Women shaped by the Word won’t grow up to be weak, superficial waifs. They become leaders. Deborah certainly was. She was a prophet, the wisest person in all of Israel. People came to her for godly counsel, and she led the nation through a time of oppression and war.
Now, some people look at Deborah and try to say that the only reason she led Israel was that there weren’t any “real men” around to lead. But nothing in Judges indicates that. Yes, Barak (her military counterpart) may have wavered in his faith. But the text never says that Deborah’s leadership is a shame on the nation of Israel. Instead, it says that Deborah judged and led because God gifted her to do so.
Our ministry to women at the Summit doesn’t aim to simply create better wives and mothers. Yes, if that is God’s role for you, we want to equip you to do it for his glory. But women’s ministry needs to be about more than being a wife or a mother; it needs to be about seeing women leverage their lives for the kingdom of God. And when God has called women to lead, it means we equip them to lead.

At this point, you may be inclined to ask: Are you saying that there aren’t any distinctions between men’s and women’s roles? Not in the least. In both the Old and New Testaments, God establishes certain positions that he reserves only for men and others he reserves only for women. Women, for example, were never priests in the Old Testament. And as for Deborah, even though she led the nation of Israel through wise government, she didn’t lead the army. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul points out that the role of pastor-elder is one that only men can hold (1 Tim 2:12–3:1).
Where people get tripped up is in thinking that these distinct roles create a dichotomy: Either you believe there is no distinction of roles at all; or you believe women can only serve in some kind of diminutive role, that they should never be leaders in any sphere.
But that’s not a dichotomy the Bible sets up. Scripture shows us that women teach and lead and prophesy and exhibit every spiritual gift that men do. The New Testament calls them deaconesses (Rom 16:1-2), fellow workers for the gospel (Phil 4:1-2) and prophetesses (Acts 2:17). At one point Priscilla is even said to be the tutor of one of the greatest preachers of the day, Apollos (Acts 18:26). But none of these leadership roles subverts God’s order, nor do they mean that we abolish the distinct role of pastor-elder. Women are equals without being equivalents.
Tim Keller summarizes this well:
“God forbids one kind of role in the church to women, as he did in Israel. We must not jump from that to forbidding all teaching tasks to women. … It is better to say that everything a man who isn’t an elder can do—a woman can do also.”
So for women specifically, I want to say three things:
1. God has a calling on your life. Your role is not to sit on the sidelines, make casseroles and have kids. You are not simply your husband’s wife or your children’s mother. So do you know your calling? Have you risen up to obey it? Like Deborah, you need to get in the fight.
2. You are a leader with spiritual authority. Yes, you. I know a lot of women who are entirely too dependent on their husbands. They never take any spiritual responsibility and act like “submitting” to their husband means they shouldn’t ever exercise any spiritual authority anywhere. But that’s not Deborah (who was married, by the way). Here we find a leader of the highest caliber, the wisest and most courageous person in all of Israel. So don’t hide behind your husband. If God has called you to lead, then lead.
3. You can do all this while respecting God’s order. Deborah doesn’t subvert God’s order by leading. She is still identified by her husband, and doesn’t take positions God hasn’t assigned to her. Reject the dichotomy: You don’t have to choose between exercising your gifts and obeying God’s order. Deborah did both, and you can, too.
The church needs more Deborahs. We need those godly, strong women to step up and use the gifts God has given them. We need Deborahs in the home, speaking courage into their family’s lives. We need Deborahs in ministry, calling us to give and pray and go and sacrifice. We need Deborahs in society, women who lead with wisdom, courage and faith.