Self Development

Self development is one of the most joyful engagements humans have the opportunity of being a part of. God gave you potential...you get the opportunity to develop it. A friend of mine was just telling me the story of being in the car with a 92 year old lady who was telling them how God was teaching her about her attitude and what she needed to do to improve it. How cool is that? Growth may seem hard (and it is) but really the sacrifices of growing are just a clever disguise. Once you pay the big price, you find that growth is actually very, very fulfilling.

Join us for this great day of learning and development. Make the sacrifices necessary to be a part of it! Deadline for early bird is April 15. You can register online at http://www.leadercastmoosejaw.eventbrite.com/

The Need For Leaders

I have had the privilege of spending some time with Dr. Paul Magnus (one of Canada's leading voices on Christian leadership) the last few days learning and discussing leadership.

Here is one thing I have been struck with:
"There is a major leadership shortage. Over time, my sense of the importance of leadership has grown exponentially. I have a dream to enhance the quality of leaders in every kind of group and organization."  - Dr. Paul Magnus

This is huge. Leaders don't just appear. They don't just show up out of no where. Leaders are made not born. We have a responsibility, if we are to do the work of God in our generation and be good stewards for the next. We must raise up leaders at every level and in every organization that will expand the kingdom of God. So, how are we intentionally doing this? With our children, with our youth, with our young adults, with seniors, with men, with women...with everyone.

We need a greater heart for developing leaders.
We need greater intentionality and strategic plans to actually do it.
We need better definitions and understandings of what leadership really is and how God forms leaders through us.
We need to fulfill our mandate for our generation and the next.

Developing Myself and Others

Here is one of the frameworks I have used for years in my own personal development and in developing leaders. I have found that it is easy to focus on one area of development to the neglect of others. I see these three areas as needing to stay in balance for healthy growth. We must grow in:

1. Knowledge. The increasing of truth and information in our lives. Much of learning and development happens here. If we neglect this area we end up in huge disasters. I call this area of development "HEAD".

2. Power. The finding and forming of inner motivation  and strength in our lives. In Christian terms, this is being full of the Holy Spirit and leaning on the strength of God in our lives. It is the experiential, emotional side of development. If we neglect this area we end up passionless, powerless, useless. I call this area of development "HEART"

3. Action. This is learning by doing. At some point we have to take the knowledge and power we are given and put them into practice. We have to put feet to our faith. To grow as a leader we need to be leading something. To grow in our walk with God we need to not just know the truth (HEAD) and believe the truth (HEART) but we also must obey the truth. I call this area of development HANDS.

So there it it.
HEAD, HEART, HANDS.

Learn the truth, love the truth, live the truth.
Know Jesus, love Jesus, serve Jesus.
Learn leadership principles, develop a leader's heart, and do something with your leadership.

HEAD
This includes reading, studying, questioning, discussing, memorizing, re-learning, listening.
Developing a framework of truths and principles from which to work.

HEART
This includes developing a heart of love, a passion or motivation, forgiveness, joy, a servant's heart, humility, experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

HANDS
This includes obedience to God's word, applying the principles in action, executing on things that you know need to be done. This is practical application in the real world.

All head and heart and no hands? Hypocrisy. Zero effectiveness. Nothing actually happens. Just a dreamer.
All head and hands and no heart? Cold. Unloving, dispassionate. No real power to transform. Does more damage than good, destructive.
All heart and hands and no head? Crazy. Poor decisions, naive, deceived, dangerous.

All three together? Accomplishment. Forward motion.

Try using this framework for holiness, for leadership, for managing a company, for evaluating your family life (a healthy family is healthy and growing in these 3 areas in a balanced way), for your church, your ministry.