wine-skin

The wineskin holds the wine.  The problem is that sometimes we place more value on the wineskin than the wine.  Also, you can't put new wine into an old wineskin or it will burst.  Many times as leaders we won't change our structure or the "how's" of ministry and therefore are unable to hold any new wine.  If God were to pour out "new wine" into our "old wineskins," it would burst and be unable to hold it.  God will not pour out His wine onto the ground.  We have a choice as both leaders and as individuals when it comes to God's "new wine."  If we don't continue to grow, change and prepare, we will never be entrusted with "new wine."  What are you preparing?

the past

What role does your past, play in your life?  We have all been shaped by our past.  Many of us have learned and grown from it, while others are buried under it.  Your past is either a platform or an anchor.  The choice is yours.

problems are opportunities

Every problem is an opportunity.  Almost all revolutionary ideas and inventions, have come out of problems.  The discomfort of problems can even help us focus more intently on finding a solution.  Problems can be an opportunity for change.  People only change to avoid pain or get pleasure.  In times of problems, leaders have a prime opportunity to step to the forefront and lead change.  The problems help create motivation and sometimes a wave of momentum that the leader can steer to move people out of their comfort zone and into a better way.

growth

Is there any area of your life you can stop working on and continue to grow?  The answer is no.  When we stop working on something, we stop growing and progressing in that area.  This goes for every area of our lives from physically, spiritually to marriage.  What areas of my life need some work?

twice as fast

I'm learning when it comes to continuing growing and moving forward as a church, you have to run twice as fast.  Nothing ever stands still.  There is always a current taking you backward.  This could be the culture which will leave you in the dust if you don't move with it.  In the church world, it could be the attrition of people moving away, dying or just plain leaving.  Whatever the case, to stand still means death.  If fact to even plateau, you have to be moving forward to make up for the opposite current.  To move forward, you have to run twice as fast.  It's a two steps forward, one step back.  At what pace are you moving?

never satisfied

As a leader, we can never be satisfied.  This is a dangerous thing to balance, I realize that.  I want to be content in whatever God allows me to steward, but I also never want to grow complacent and comfortable.  The moment I am satisfied with everything just the way it is, is the moment I began to go backwards.  So I'm striving to be content is who God has made me and in what capacity He is allowing me to serve, but at the same time I want to continue to reach farther and dream bigger.

The Forum

I have had an incredible time at the Forum pastors leadership event this week.  We heard from a great Pastor and leader named Dary Northrop from Colorado.  It was some rich teaching time and here are a couple of the highlights through quotes:
. Legacy happens through relationship.
. Trust is either earned or burned.
. Lead with love.
. When you walk in a room, act like everyone likes you....it will change you.
. Share a success, build a wall, share a failure, build a bridge.
. Our love has to be aggressive enough to move us into action.

Chew on it....I know i am.