Leadership Factors

December 16, 2010 at 3:36 am (Leadership Factors)

                                 

                            Rev. E. Anderson

WHAT IT TAKES TO SUSTAIN THE MOMENTUM

Taken from John Maxwell’s Leadership Bibl 

1 Kings 2: 1-10

How does a winning team keep winning? What makes it possible for an organization to keep the momentum going. The answer is not what, but who. It takes a leader to sustain to sustain momentum, a leader- who possesses, . . .

1/. A WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION’S MOMENTUM

Most leaders happily accept responsibility so long as an organisation succeeds, but hedge when the organisation starts to slip.  Yet momentum – positive, negative, or non- existent – is always the leader’s responsibility. Olan Hendrix, C.E.O. of the Leadership Resource Group, maintains that after you’ve led an organization for three years, every problem is your problem. 

2/. A WLLINGNESS  TO DIRECT MOMENTUM INSTEAD OF LETTING IT DIRECT HIM

Momentum always has a direction Most people in an organization have lttle impact on its momentum; it simply carries them But leaders ingot words cannot afford to surf  momentum, they must steer lt Before Solomon became king, an outstanding military leader, David, created the nation’s momentum. Yet Solomon never led an army; his goals weren’t military in nature. He gave most of his attention to trade and construction -|and that meant he had to change the direction of the nation’s momentum.

3/. WILLINGNESS TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC AT ALL TIMES.

Remain positive! Some personality types find it easy to remain enthusiastic; others don’t. Reflect on the following secrets to keeping leadership positive all the time.  

4/. THE WORK I’M DOING IS MOST IMPORTANT

Make sure your vision, your mission, and your actions all line up. It’s easy to stay excited when what you are doing really matters

5/. THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE THE BEST.

Place a high value on everyone you work with. Expect the best of them, and they’ll give their best.

6/. THE RESULTS WILL BE POSITIVE.

For the most part, you get what you expect. Only occasionally will you be surprised – but even then, you’ll just as often be surprised – by better results as by worse ones.

Have you ever met a leader with a chronically negative attitude who was able to continually sustain positive momentum? Probably not.

No leader can ignore the impact of momentum If you’ve got it, you and your people will be able to accomplish things you never thought possible lf you don’t, the smallest tasks will seem difficult. As the leader, you must make the choice to have it.

                              

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Powerful Quotes

December 16, 2010 at 3:28 am (Quotes)

                               

                       Rev. E. Anderson

MERRY CHRISTMAS QUOTATIONS
Compiled by James Watkins

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness - Bob Hope

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love - Hamilton Wright Mabie

Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home - Carol Nelson

Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves - Eric Sevareid

Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered - Phylllis Diller

Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect - Oren Arnold

Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won’t make it “white - Bing Crosby

The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas - W. C. Jones

The only real blind person at Christmas-time is he who has not Christmas in his heart - Helen Keller

There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions – Bill McKibben

He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree - Sunshine Magazine

Christmas began in the heart of God. It is complete only when it reaches the heart of man - Unknown

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men – Luke 2:9-14

There has been only one Christmas – the rest are anniversaries - W.J. Cameron

Celebrating Christmas without Christ is like celebrating George Washington’s birthday without mentioning the first president – James N. Watkins

Christmas without Christ is a mess - Jose B. Cabajar

This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ - Frank McKibben

Christmas is the day that holds all time together - Alexander Smith

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year - Ebeneezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

The implications of the name ‘Immanuel’ are both comforting and unsettling. Comforting, because He has come to share the danger as well as the drudgery of our everyday lives. He desires to weep with us and to wipe away our tears. And what seems most bizarre, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, longs to share in and to be the source of the laughter and the joy we all too rarely know - Michael Card

I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the word seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses - Taylor Caldwell

                               

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Focus

December 16, 2010 at 3:19 am (Focus)

                                              

                             Rev. E. Anderson           

      GOD-HELP

“Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God” – Psalm 43:5

Self-help is not total hogwash. Just partial. Popular psychology has become a national obsession since the 1960s and has gathered steam into the. twenty- flrst century. We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars annually on books, tapes, and seminars to help our way out of obesity, depression, and family dysfunction. Like scores of generations before us, we are troubled and desperate people. What is unique to us, however, is our self-reliant attitude toward tackling the tough issues and pains in our lives.

Not all self-examination is a bad thing. God has given us the ability to step out- side of ourselves and examine our attitudes and actions in the third person. In balance with the rest of life, this is a good and healthy practice. If it is done in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, it can be a revolutionary force in our lives. In Psalm 43, the psalmist performs some introspective surgery and refines his self-talk. Realizing in that he is slipping into a state of despair and possibly even depression, he bolsters himself and points his weary disposition back to the source of its hope and strength-the Lord.

This type of prayer is a healthy and underutilized has given us these emotions, and we need to take them under the control of our renewed minds and God’s Word. Often, this requires some rigorous personal work and self-talk. Think of it as God-help versus self-help.

Where is your attitude today? What are your thoughts about where you are in life? Your work? Your family situation? Your colleagues? Your boss? Are you up or down? Take a quick inventory and work on your attitude in areas that need it. Begin to rewire your internal conversations with yourself.

                                             

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Illustrations that Light up Life

December 16, 2010 at 3:07 am (Illustrations)

                               

                       Rev. E. Anderson

BLEMISHES AND CHARACTER

Someone took the time to analyze the faces of 90 famous people who had been photographed by Yousoff Karsh and included in his book, The Faces of Greatness. According to the study, 70 of the men who posed for Karsh were physically unattractive – 35 had moles, wens, and warts; 15 had noticeable freckles or liver spots; 20 had obvious traces of acne or other pimples; 2 had highly visible scars.

These blemishes did not deter them. Picasso, the renowned painter’, Thornton Wilder, the great playwright; Richard Rogers, the composer of many popular and other musicals; Christian Dior, the honoured designer all had imperfections that were obvious to the world. What might have embarrassed lesser men just added character when they posed before the ever-truthful lens of the portraitist.

                               

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Messages of Note

December 16, 2010 at 3:03 am (Messages of Note)

                                 

                             Dr. John Andrews

WE CAN ALL BE TRANSFORMED

 

A new revelation of the risen Christ can turn your Ilife around in a moment, says NLT member John Andrews 

Revelation has the power to revolutionise – just ask the two disciples walking on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. At the beginning of the story in Luke 24 they are discouraged, demoralised and on their way home after experiencing a weekend of monumental disappointment.

But by the end the scene has been transformed, and the key to it all is revelation. Dr Luke tells us that, on the journey to Emmaus, Jesus opened the Scriptures to them (v32); that as they ate together their eyes were opened (v31); and finally that when all the disciples were together, Jesus opened their minds ‘so that they could understand the Scriptures’ (v 45). The same word is used on each occasion.

Revelation is the ‘making known of something that was previously unknown or secret’, and that’s exactly what happens to them. They got an insight into truth previously unknown or for one reason or another kept secret from them. So, what happened when they encountered a revelatory moment?

New vision - ‘They recognised him’ (v31) Wheen their eyes were opened they saw Jesus afresh, as if for the first time. This made sense of the emotions the: hid experienced as they walked along the road and their hearts were ‘burning within them’. In other words it had ‘felt’ like Jesus, but it couldn’t have been, because he was dead.

Now, however, they could see him for themselves. They recognise him. They saw him as they had never seen him before… resurrected!

New inspiration - ‘They got up’ (v33) The NIV says that they got up ‘at once’ or literally ‘in the same hour’. Having seen him, they acted, filled with dynamic inspiration to do something that only a few hours before would have seemed impossible. The power of revelation is such that it injects fresh energy into them and inspires them to make the seven-mile journey back to Jerusalem.

New direction - ‘Returned at once to Jerusalem’ (v33) Freshly inspired, the disciples headed back to Jerusalem. Earlier that day they had left even though Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other women had told them that Jesus was alive. The group responded to the words of these women as if they were talking nonsense (v11). The two decided to leave the others and ‘go home’ but now, having seen for themselves, and with inspiration pulsating through their veins, they re- turned to the place of disappointment and doubt armed with hope and faith.

New confession – ‘It is true! The Lord has risen’ (v34) 1:17-18).

Their previous confession hadn’t been so good… ‘We had hoped that he was the one that was going to redeem Israel’ (v21). ‘ They had seen Jesus brutalised, tortured and executed… it was over.

But now, they had seen Jesus resurrect-ed, alive and well. And out of this dramatic revelation came a transformed confession.

A fresh revelation of truth, a new insight into Christ, seeing something previously unknown or a truth up to this point kept hidden can be the means of bringing dramatic and dynamic transformation to our lives.

We can begin the day believing one thing and end it believing something completely different. We can begin it moving in one direction and end it moving in a fresh or new direction.

It happened to these two disciples, and it can happen to you and me.

Praying for the church at Ephesus Paul said, ‘I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better… that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you’- Ephesians 1: 17,18.

Seeing is the key to knowing, and knowing is an essential element of transformation. Pray with me: ‘Open our eyes, Lord, so that we may see you and your truth in a new and transformational way’.

                              

     

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Sermon Starters

December 16, 2010 at 2:57 am (Sermon Starters)

                                
                               Rev. E. Anderson

This is a simple outline for you to think about and meditate on. The introduction, main thoughts and conclusion need further material to be added. It is an outline for you to expand, develop more fully and fill in to spiritual profit and inspiration.

WORKING TOGETHER

Taken from the Word for Today

Church growth consultant Jim Wideman highlights some things you can do to help those looking to you for direction:

1/.  PUT THEIR GOALS AND NEEDS FIRST.

You’re a part, not the whole enchilada. Think about how your actions affect others. Be observant of the challenges and setbacks they’re experiencing, and find ways to lighten their load even if they don’t ask.

2/. HELP OTHERS TO WIN.

Let expel others  take a slam-dunk while you take an assist. Keep the ball moving till someone has a chance to score. Adopt the motto, ‘It doesn’t matter who gets the credit’. Be willing to accept blame and reluctantly assign it. Maintain an authentic desire to share victories. ‘A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse’ – Mark 3:24 NLT; you can’t sink someone else’s end of the boat and keep your own afloat.

3/.  OVER-COMMUNICATE.

Keep everyone in the loop, spend time with your peers, invest in your team mates, and admit when you need help. Be open to correction and advice. Leadership coach Rick Tate said, ‘Feedback is the breakfast of champions and a good communicator is a good listener.

4/.  DON’T TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY. 

Leadership, by definition, is about ‘others’. When you start thinking it’s all about ‘you,’ you lose perspective.

5/.  GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT

Paul, Timothy’s mentor, said to him: ‘Concentrate on doing..work you won’t be ashamed of…’ – 2 Timothy 2:15 ( TM). Good leaders empower others. Lao-Tzu said, At the end of the days of truly great leaders, the people will say about them, ”We did it ourselves.”

                                 

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