Stress is NOT your Biggest Problem: Perspective is
The Power of Perspective What if stress isn’t your biggest problem? What if how you see stress is? In neuroscience, there’s a concept called reappraisal. It means reframing a stressful situation in a new light—seeing it not as a threat, but as a challenge, or even a growth opportunity. Scripture calls it “renewing your mind” (Romans 12:2). In
A Powerful Tool to Help Create Change in your Church
Change in every church is difficult, but necessary. Things that are alive, change. One powerful tool that can help move change forward in your church is storytelling. I’ve excerpted a brief portion of my fourth book Brain-Savvy Leaders, the Science of Significant Ministry below that describes the power of storytelling to create change. Narrative persuasion is a
The Three B’s that Build Stress Resilience
The Three B’s that Build Stress Resilience I often get asked, “How do we actually build resilience?” Over the years of study, coaching, and personal trials, I’ve come to rely on what I call the Three B’s: – Biblical truth – Brain insight – Best practices These three strands form what Ecclesiastes 4:12 calls “a triple-braided cord”—not easily
Are You a Catalytic Leader?
The book, The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leadership Organizations by Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom, highlights the value of what the authors call, ‘leaderless’ organizations. Although I don’t advocate leaderless organizations, one chapter describes tools that successful non-leader leaders use to catalyze their respective organizations. These qualities also apply to catalytic leaders. I’ve summarized them below. Qualities
Does the Bible have Refrigerator Rights in Your Life?
When I visited my parents when I was younger, within five minutes of my arrival I almost always open the refrigerator to see what’s in it. I did this for years. And they didn’t mind me doing so. However, I don’t have that freedom to do that in most everyone else’s home. If someone invited
A Simple Way to Deal with Criticism
In the heat of the moment when someone criticizes us, it’s easy to react and make things worse. Too often when I’ve received a critical comment at church I’ve gotten defensive or said something in return that I wish I could take back. Has that every happened to you? When that happens, what can we do
Why you can’t hear how you really sound (and why it matters)?
Have you ever heard yourself speak on an audio recording and said, “Wow! I didn’t know I sounded like that?” If you have, you are not alone. It’s a brain thing. We actually can’t hear our voice and tone the way it actually sounds. [That must be why some people with really bad voices think
What Would you Do for $10,000,000? How Leaders Build Integrity
What are you willing to do for $10,000,000? James Patterson and Peter Kim published the book, The Day America Told the Truth in 1991. In their research they posed this question to 2,000 Americans in an anonymous survey. These are the results. Would abandon their entire family (25%) Would abandon their church (25%) Would become prostitutes for a
Reprimand at the Moment or Look for a Teachable Moment?
If you lead people in any way … in a church, a business, or a team, those you lead will screw up, fail, and often disappoint you. When that happens, and that employee or team member needs correction, when is the best time to correct? In the past, when a staff person who reported to me made
