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End of The Week Links

January 20, 2012

From Catalyst:

40 Great Leadership Books to Read. This isn't an exhausted list but it's one that we think will get you headed in the right direction.
The Generation That Is Re-Defining Generosity. Brian Dodd looks at this next generation with a hopeful lens of how they will impact the world for the Kingdom.
Whose Attention Are You After? Brad gets real with our audience about whose attening we seek daily. Man's or God's?

From The Web:

Thom Rainer wrote a great post on 7 Reasons Leaders Fail. Of course there are WAY more than 7 but this list he sees as some of the main ones. Must read for leaders.
Over on Outreach Magazine's blog, Phil Cooke, gave 10 Secrets of Building Great Teams. He also took the time to explain what allows them to flourish.
PRIDE. We strive to keep this in check in our daily lives but what about our online lives? Pastor Craig Groeschel confronts the issue of pride on our blogs, Facebook, & Twitter.
Creative Arts Pastor, Stephen Brewster, breaks it down in this great post, 20 Traits of Creative Leaders.
The Gospel Coalition blogged this week about my favorite age group, collegiates & 9 Keys to Reaching Colleg Students. Very helpful for anyone in the field.
Fear. It cripples & paralyzes. Pastor Perry Noble lays out 10 Things Fear Causes.

Posted by Ashley Williams at 05:03 PM • Permalink •

Whose attention are you after?

January 19, 2012

Who's Watching you? Who are you watching? Whose attention are you after?

Really.

Whose attention do you crave?

Are you chasing the attention and approval of friends, or peers, or those who have arrived already? Are you seeking the attention of "celebrities" in your circle? Would it make your day to be noticed by someone? Your boss? The CEO? The Senior Pastor? Founder? That artist or musician?

Or are you content with the attention of your Heavenly Father?

Leaders must be cautious of chasing after the things of this world. Chasing after the attention of others, jumping in on the latest fad, and seeking the approval of the crowd is not acceptable.

Romans 12: 2 warns us against this: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Our attention and focus should be on things that are Eternal, and we should crave the attention of God, not man.

Don't get caught up in trying to be "noticed by man." Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

By Brad Lomenick, check out more of his thoughts here & follow him here!

Posted by Ashley Williams at 03:51 PM • Permalink •

It’s Not as Bad as You Think

January 18, 2012

Scott Todd is author of Fast Living: How the Church Will End Extreme Poverty and serves as Senior Ministry Advisor at Compassion International.

When was the last time you heard good news about extreme global poverty? It seems like all we hear are sad stories and overwhelming, bleak statistics. Do you think the percentage of people living in extreme poverty (defined economically as income below $1.25 per day) is getting better, worse or about the same since 1990? Barna recently conducted a survey on this question and found that only seven people out of 100 answered correctly (7% of 1,429 surveyed).

The same result happened when people were asked whether the number of poor children dying each day has improved, gotten worse or stayed the same since 1990. Only 13% got that answer right.

Why do 90% of us think extreme poverty is getting worse when it's actually getting better? And here's the amazing thing - it's not just a little better. It is radically better. The percentage of people living in extreme poverty has been cut in half (from 52% to 26% of the world's population) in the past 30 years. There are about 2 billion people who are not trapped in extreme poverty but who would be if we were still at 52%. This is significant improvement! The same is true of child death rates. The number of children dying before their 5th birthday from poverty-related causes has been cut in half in the past 30 years. Every day 20,000 children do not die from poverty-related causes but they would have died if we had not made such tremendous progress.

We are making incredible progress on just about every front and it's not just these two indicators (as important as they are) - but no one seems to know. Literacy rates are climbing, clean water access is dramatically improved, malaria rates are plummeting, technology access is way up, and even corruption indicators like transparency in government or democratic participation are showing strong progress. There is a long and compelling list of evidence that extreme global poverty is half-defeated and all momentum says we can, and by God's grace, will finish the job in this generation. You can see this evidence and explore its credibility at live58.org.

The Barna survey participants were then shown the evidence of progress and 83% admitted that they were unaware of the improvements. But here's the critical finding: Half of the survey participants said they "would be likely to do significantly more" to help end poverty if they saw that it was "doable".

If we can move the needle from uninformed pessimism to informed hopefulness then it will unleash an unprecedented level of engagement in the cause. It will accelerate the already stunning progress. High expectation can be a "self-fulfilling prophecy". What would happen if the 138 million church-attending American Christians, who are stewards of over $2.5 trillion dollars per year in income, actually expected that extreme poverty can be defeated? What if we took God's clear command to care for the poor to its fullest, most serious and comprehensive form? The hope of ending extreme poverty is not wishful, it is realistic and strong.

This is what the 58: initiative is all about. It is a call to respond to the message of Isaiah 58, embracing its promises and creating a culture of celebration around the good things God is doing. We are striving to move the needle from uninformed pessimism to informed hopefulness. Many Christians are already engaged in the cause but often with a subtle motivation of guilt or duty. What if that motivation shifted from duty to opportunity? What if we actually expected God to fulfill what He has clearly called us to do?

The 58: initiative is building a unified movement of Christians, churches and poverty fighting organizations that are seeking real solutions and taking action together. Serious action rooted in fasting, prayer, generosity and celebration. In January 2012 we are launching the 58: Global Impact Tour as an on-line global experience. Each month we will focus on a different country, a core poverty issue and a specific poverty-fighting project in that country. The tour involves 12 countries, 12 poverty issues and 12 world-class projects that make a genuine impact. If you want to lead others through the Global Impact Tour experience, it is built for your use as a leader at live58.org. Consider this your invitation to join.

Posted by Ashley Williams at 05:25 PM • Permalink •

The Generation That Is Re-Defining Generosity

January 17, 2012

To learn more about Brian, visit his website at www.briandoddonleadership.com. In addition to his blogging duties, Brian is a Generosity Architect for INJOY Stewardship Solutions. As a free gift to Catalyst readers, Brian and the INJOY team are providing a FREE two-page report detailing your church's giving capacity and potential. Simply click here for that resource.

As a Christian leader in my mid-40s, I constantly struggle with cynicism. Like many experienced leaders, I have faced multiple disappointments, been lied to often, and have often been bloodied and battered. In addition, my generation must fight the feeling that we have seen it all and done it all.

God never intended for this type of unhealthy thinking.

That is why I love the current NextGen Christian leaders. For a week I sat glued to my laptop watching the Passion 2012 Conference as it streamed online. Never in my life had I witnessed a group of Christ-followers unify in such large numbers around such a horrific cause as the 27 million currently trapped in global slavery. Throughout the week, I found myself literally wiping the cynical tears from my eyes. Young leaders were moving me emotionally.

Then on the final evening, Louie and Shelley Giglio announced the numbers:

• $2,566,670 to end global slavery.
• 36,000 towels and 156,000 pair of socks to stock homeless shelters in the area.

And then he made another announcement that hit me like a ton of bricks, "When a couple in attendance saw the generosity of the people here, they gave an additional $500,000 for a grand total of $3,066,670!" Young leaders were moving the previous generation of adult financial leaders to extravagant generosity.

When I think about this group of NextGen Christian Leaders, I just want to communicate how proud I am of you. How impressed I am. Our future is in great hands with this generation! The following are just some of the many reasons why:

It is this generation that I feel when a God-sized vision is placed before them, can accomplish just about anything it sets its heart and mind to.

It is this generation that made us care about global poverty, clean water, the poor, illiteracy, and the 27 million who are enslaved around the world.

It is this generation that taught us that worship is not just about music. It is about living a life that is so fully surrendered to Jesus that it serves the forgotten and least among us.

It is this generation that would rather start a non-profit than a garage band.

It is this generation that inspires adult financial leaders to give $500,000.

It is this generation that is returning to a love of the scriptures.

It is this generation that will settle for only unfiltered truth - both regarding the Bible as well as the needs around the world.

It is this generation that I love praying for.

It is this generation that I am privileged to financially resource.

It is this generation that will lead the churches my grandchildren will grow up in and I will grow old in.

It is this generation that is making me exchange cynicism for optimism.

It is this generation that reminded us how to dance.

It is this generation that was asked to raise $1 million, and did it!

It is this generation that is re-defining generosity.

That is what I think of this generation of NextGen Christian leaders. What do you think?