Leadership

|Leadership
Every ending is a new beginning.
All Good Things Must Come to an End
Image: Unsplash & Erick Hodge

Last week I wrote a blog about getting the most out of life and maximizing our productivity for God’s specific calling on each of our lives. In the post, I shared my own understanding of what God is calling me to in this season including following him, loving my family ...

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Six keys to being more productive in life and ministry.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Life
Image: Unsplash

Pastors have a lot going on. We have to be present mentally, emotionally, and physically in many circumstances throughout each week. We often have families that are, or should be, a priority. We have responsibilities that pull us in many directions daily.

As the lead pastor ...

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We often miss the most important thing to defend.
Are We Guarding the Wrong Things?
Image: Death to Stock

As leaders, there are a lot of things we guard.

We guard our weaknesses.

We guard our pain.

We guard our reputation.

The more we guard our weaknesses, the weaker we become.

The more we guard our pain, the more hurt we become and the more we hurt others.

The more ...

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Do we point people to the larger purposes of salvation?
Are We Preaching ‘Self-ism’ or Christianity?
Image: Erick Hodge

In recent months, I have been blessed with opportunities to speak to thousands of church leaders at venues as diverse as a Willow Creek conference in Erfurt, Germany, the Kainos conference in Memphis, Tennessee, and Exponential East in Tampa, Florida, from which I am writing ...

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There’s a massive difference between being a great communicator and being a great communicator of the gospel.
The Six Cs of Life-Transformative Preaching
Image: Erick Hodge

There’s a massive difference between being a great communicator and being a great communicator of the gospel. This blog is for fellow preachers because I care about Jesus, his church, reaching the lost, and discipleship. I want to challenge preachers to preach the gospel, ...

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Guard against ministry idolatry by preaching the gospel to yourself.
Let the Gospel Defend Your Heart
Image: Flickr & Erick Hodge

There is a subtle, seductive disease of the heart that often disguises itself as a holy ambition for the glory of God.

What is this spiritual heart disease? It’s called finding your identity in ministry. Instead of worshiping Jesus, you worship the ministry Jesus ...

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When God asks us to do something beyond our abilities.
The Leadership Crucible
Image: Unsplash & Erick Hodge

Sometimes God, in his sovereign wisdom, will place us in a situation or allow circumstances to descend upon our lives that will batter and shatter us. We will find ourselves in an emotional storm that will wring our hearts. Often, we will be asked to do something for the ...

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The world needs blessed leaders who care for and equip God’s flock.
A New Kind of Leader, Part 5
Image: Erick Hodge

This post is part of a series on the Beatitudes and leadership called “A New Kind of Leader.” You can read the earlier posts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

For the past four posts, I have written about the need for a new kind of leader, a leader that is shaped ...

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What does it mean to value people over production?
A New Kind of Leader, Part 3
Image: Erick Hodge

Last week I began a series on the Beatitudes and leadership called “A New Kind of Leader.” You can read the earlier posts here: Part 1, Part 2

What is leadership?

Leadership is not telling people what to do. Leadership, first and foremost, is about embodying what ...

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Are today’s pastors more like CEOs than shepherds?
A New Kind of Leader, Part 2
Image: Erick Hodge

Last week I began a series on the Beatitudes and leadership called “A New Kind of Leader.” You can read the earlier post here.

After attending and speaking on the church leader conference circuit since 2008, I have begun to wonder if we are trying to create CEOs ...

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Learning to lead in love.
A New Kind of Leader, Part I
Image: Erick Hodge

As life has slowed down a bit in recent days, I’ve had more time to pray, think, and reflect on who God is calling me to be as leader and as a man.

I have been asking myself, “What kind of leader does God want me to be?” Sometimes I feel that the image ...

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Small steps can lead us far from Christ.
Are You Drifting into Danger?
Image: Unsplash

Have you ever had one of those “Are you kidding me?” meetings?

You know that meeting where you hear about a pastor having an affair? Or, a person who once ran a marriage ministry has walked out on their spouse? Or, the star teen who once led the youth group ...

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|Leadership
Pastors need the gospel, too.
The Most Important Sermon You’ll Ever Preach
Image: Flickr

Dear preacher,

I know you love to preach. And I imagine you’re really good at it, too.

From personal experience, I know the sheer terror of preparing a sermon. I also know the feeling in that moment when suddenly the terror becomes sheer joy because God takes his ...

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|Leadership
Loving your enemies can transform the world.
Today I’m Grateful for Dr. King
Image: Flickr

Today, I’m grateful for Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, I can walk into a restaurant, sit down with my family, order food, and enjoy eating it.

Today, I can drink from the same water fountain as everyone else.

Today, I can ride the bus and not be forced to sit ...

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Five lessons from Nehemiah to find the life you are looking for.
How to Be Captured by God’s Glory
Image: Death to Stock

The life you want isn’t found in the latest fad—whether the latest diet or exercise plan, the coolest tech, or the newest Christian quick fix. The life you want is actually interwoven into God’s glory.

But, how do you become captured by God’s glory? ...

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