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Iron Sharpens Iron
Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” In reflection on our many years in ministry, I am drawn to the truth of this proverb. I have seen it play out in my own life more times than I can remember. We usually think of ministry as investing our lives through serving others, as we hopefully “sharpen” them through discipleship, worship and community. However, I have recently given some thought as to how often others have sharpened me in the past, when I didn’t even realize it. What does this proverb mean, exactly? Most commentators see it as a statement of how people affect, or influence, one…
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The Giants Are Going And The Pygmies Must Take Over
Recently one of my former students sent me an e-mail about a current article in Christianity Today on Karl Barth, one of the most influential theologians in the early part of the twentieth century who had an adulterous relationship for much of his married life. The article was revealing, penetrating, and distressing as it spoke of such terrible sin in the life of one of the most significant thinkers in the past one hundred years. My former student, now a man with thirty years ministry experience and a key theological thinker in one of the largest evangelical countries in the world, reminded me of a time when he came to…
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Fifty-Five Years Ago this Week
Leadership is broken because leaders are unbroken Fifty-five years ago this week I flew from Philadelphia to Dallas to become a student at Dallas Theological Seminary and enter into the great adventure that transformed me from a rough edged kid into a pastor, professor, and mentor. Amazing! So many rough edges remain, but grace has worked through them despite my flaws. Three influences at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) laid the foundation for God’s grace in me, and I want to celebrate these influences for His glory… 1. My fellow students, peers who taught more than anyone else, perhaps in all my life. I sat in the classroom with some of…
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How to Glorify God at School
Just got home from taking my student to walk her schedule and practice opening her locker at her new school. Despite all the fears that come with her disability—you can read about that here—I feel so thankful for God’s faithfulness in Anna’s life, as she gets ready to start junior high in a few weeks. One of the challenges Anna faces this year has more to do with her desire to glorify God at school than anything else. I told her glorifying God can produce all sorts of blessings, but it can also lead to bullying. She didn’t even blink. Instead she asked, “What am I suppose to…
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What Is Your Voice: Expert or Fellow-Traveler? 5 Tips to Communicate with More Influence
Whether to friends and family or to an audience, whether consciously or unconsciously, we all assume a certain voice when we speak. Take this little test to find out if you are more of an expert or a fellow traveler… 1. Have you demonstrated mastery of a particular interest or passion? 2. Have you demonstrated over the long haul the ability to love well and have great relationships? Have you raised an outstanding family? 3. Have you demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit in your life out of deep devotion to prayer and God’s Word, or in the crucible of suffering? 4. Have you demonstrated mastery of a profession…
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The Antidote for Fear
Are you ever afraid? I am. We may fear noises in the night, but there are other fears more likely to haunt us. Whether we see ourselves as ministry leaders, parents, or people who influence others, fear can ruin our effectiveness. If we don’t find an antidote, the disease of fear will destroy the abundant life and prevent us from fulfilling God’s great purposes for us. Isn’t fear really at the heart of stress and worry? We fear the worst case scenario and become anxious and tense. So we work harder to earn money, fix the problem, take control, prevent the disease, or please others. Fear can paralyze us, preventing…
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Blog for Influence
Got two minutes? Here are my thoughts on blogging for influence: 0
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A Vision of the Person You Can Become
My 20-month-old granddaughter epitomizes the value of vision. Because we don't live nearby, it is often months between our visits. The changes are remarkable at that age. What makes a baby want to grow and progress? Where does she get the vision to want to learn skills such as walking, talking, dressing herself, and feeding her doll? A child's vision comes from watching her parents. When we talk to our kids, they begin to echo the sounds. As we dress them, they want to do it themselves. As they experience the love of parents who feed and protect them, they care for their dolls—and eventually their own children. So…
