measuring ourselves
We have a tendency to overestimate ourselves and inflate our positive qualities. Recently, researchers asked nearly a million high school seniors to assess their leadership skills. Seventy percent rated themselves as above average, while only 2 percent rated their leadership skills below average. In another study, 94 percent of college professors rated their work above average. Psychologists call this the “illusionary superiority” effect—where we think we’re better than we really are.
leading integrity
In 2012, a think-tank held a search for 1,000 people of integrity in their country. From that group they identified 20 who they felt could become key governmental leaders. This was in reaction to the widespread dismay over the fact that one-third of the country’s regents and mayors were under investigation for graft. In a country of hundreds of millions, there was no shortage of leader applicants, but the think-tank believed it was imperative that they help elect leaders who possessed integrity.
thief of time
Maneesh Sethi hired a woman to sit at his computer and watch him as he worked. Armed with a list of his tasks, her job was to slap him if he tried to put off working by checking Facebook or scanning other websites. Later, he employed a tall Swedish man to do the same job—that guy hit a bit harder, according to Maneesh. Oddly, this rather extreme measure worked. Maneesh claims that his “slappers” helped him become 98 percent more productive by preventing procrastination during his workday.
guard these well
Japanese-born baseball player Ichiro Suzuki, having led professional leagues in Japan and the US in hitting, is arguably one of the best hitters to ever play the game. One could say he has a special bat—literally. The Mizuno sports equipment company custom-makes bats for Ichiro by hand. They use Tamo wood grown on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, and Ichiro cares for them like Stradivarius violins. He even uses a custom-made suitcase that’s shockproof and moisture-free to protect them.
experiencing community
Respondents to a recent Barna Group survey listed the following as key elements of their church life: connecting with God, experiencing transformation, gaining new insights, and feeling cared for. All of those things happen as individual believers come together and use their gifts to bless and edify one another.
generational investment
Standing quietly in the back, I am moved by the sight. Arms reach upward, voices carry throughout the room, and a tireless energy reverberates to the sound of the drum. Passionate and full of promise, they are far more than a group of teenagers. They are sons and daughters of God—the generation now, not next.
you choose Q: how can I know God's guidance in ministering for Him?
Q: I’ve been struggling to find God’s guidance and also his direction in my life as far as ministry is concerned. –Kenneth
A: I’m excited that you want to serve Jesus. You’ve asked about how you can know where He wants you to serve.
As a believer in Jesus, you’re a vital part of the body of Christ. You’re given specific…
hard work
Hey, Dad! It’s Micah. All that hard work finally paid off. I made gold defense (starting defense). I’m so happy. These are just baby steps to my days in the pros.”
My 12-year-old son sent me this text after his final football practice. As a first-year player, he had made it into games, but had not started all season. As a…
you choose Q: should everyone speak in tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit?
Q: Should everyone speak in tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit? —Femi
A: Because the gift of tongues was one of the miracles that occurred as the Holy Spirit ushered in the age of the church at Pentecost, and because tongues-speaking was prominent in the Corinthian church, some Christian groups believe it's necessary to speak in tongues today as…
rules and order
As you step into the room, you’re greeted by a cacophony of noise. Everyone is talking, but no one is listening. For a moment, you think you’ve stepped into the New York Stock Exchange—but it isn’t that loud, lively place. It’s a church meeting in Corinth.
Obviously, the church in Corinth was anything but boring. It was bustling with activity.…
it's in there
When I was 7 or 8 years old, I reached into the refrigerator, grabbed the pitcher, and poured myself a cool glass of iced tea; took a sip and . . . yuck! Not enough sugar. I figured I would simply add sugar and all would be well—my iced tea would turn from the bitter, ill tasting beverage to a cooling,…
one body
As the helmet is made for the head,
likewise for us, this day God has made;
we rejoice and thank God for each day,
as He saves man in His time and way.
God blesses our brains with His knowledge,
and bestows our minds with His wisdom,
that we use them well from age to age
to help bring others to His kingdom.
God’s helmet of salvation
is for…
September 12, 2011
What’s a spiritual gift that you possess? How are you using it for God’s glory?
a part or apart
In The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church, Reggie McNeal writes, “A growing number of people are leaving the institutional church for a new reason. They are not leaving because they have lost faith. They are leaving the church to preserve their faith. They contend that the church no longer contributes to their spiritual development.”
I wonder how…
