Is there a place for quiet leaders?
In 2013 Paternoster published my book, The Tortoise Usually Wins. It works from the simple thesis that while we often assume that leaders need to be larger than life charismatic figures, the reality often turns out to be different. There is a place for those who are quiet leaders. Sometimes they approach the task of leadership hesitantly, even reluctantly. But they often go on to make a significant difference. Many people have found the book helpful and it has now had a second print run and has also been translated into Indonesian. Here is how the preface to the book starts. If you have...
Read MoreCan good come from conflict? Listening for the Spirit’s voice…
Most of my sermons only get preached once. They serve a particular purpose, and while I file them away, hopeful that they will prove useful on another day, most of them never resurface. Not so with this message. In some ways it is a little sad… a sermon about conflict needing to be preached over and over again. But no point in being silly about it. Conflict often does arise amongst Christians. So here is what I have said about it. If you are in a tricky situation, perhaps it will be helpful in your setting. Actually, sometimes it is better to think about conflict in a peaceful season,...
Read MoreJournaling: A 4 H approach…
Most of us want to grow spiritually, but aren’t always sure how. One path many find helpful is journaling. I have been using it to varying degrees for over 30 years. My journals have become trusted friends, reminding me of insights I have gleaned, things I have been challenged about, and ways in which God has broken through to me when things seemed bleak. You probably agree that journalling about your journey with God is worth doing, but might be feeling, ‘great idea, but in practice how do I go about doing this?’ First the basics. To journal, you need a journal (how profound). For some this...
Read MoreAbout teaching and learning…
Perhaps you wonder why you are reading this post. ‘I’m not a teacher,’ you say, ‘so teaching and learning really doesn’t have anything to do with me.’ But most of us are teachers of one form or another. We might be raising our children – then, regardless of if we want to be or not, we definitely are teachers. Or we might be responsible for supervising someone in the workplace. Or perhaps we lead a home group, or… you get the point. Teaching does not only take place in those formal settings called a school or college. I’ll say it again....
Read MoreSo what to do? The question of guidance…
I once vowed that I would never preach a sermon on guidance. It was an understandable promise at that time, as my own life seemed complicated and I felt that I had made one poor decision after another. But time marches along, and I realise that while there are no easy answers, it is important to think about the way in which God guides and leads us. So I preached a sermon on guidance a few years ago… nothing earth shattering – just a simple exploration of some tried and trusted principles that have helped guide God’s people over the centuries. This is what I said at Carey...
Read More