"3 Reasons I Stay Stuck" by Steven Furtick:

Recently I completed a personal evaluation exercise in my journal. I wanted to uncover the 3 main factors that keep me from moving forward and embracing new paradigms in my life and leadership. In other words: why do I stay stuck?

From my journal to your computer screen, here’s my short list. Hope it helps tow your truck out of the mud.

1. Complacency Change is hard. Positive change is just as hard as negative change. Sometimes it’s easier to stay stuck than to move forward. Often it’s more comfortable to stick with something that’s tolerable and familiar than to embrace something that’s preferable and unknown.

2. Regret I really don’t know how to explain this, except to say that my regrets often overpower my ambitions, causing me to remain in a state of paralysis.

3. Distraction It’s hard to tell how many major adjustments I’ve avoided making because I was busy tending to insignificant side items. It’s tempting to divert attention from the big thing that God wants me to change by slam dunking something that ultimately doesn’t matter at all.

I don’t want to stay stuck. I don’t want the storyline of my faith to be eclipsed by a shift I was unwilling to make.

If you’re feeling stuck, as I so often do, here’s a prayer to pray…if you dare:

God, help me move forward at the speed of your direction and intention,no matter how painful the transition may be.

Great leadership requires great passion. Passionate leadership moves followers, deepens their convictions and gives them faith to believe despite overwhelming obstacles. People will admire a good leader but they will sacrfice for a passionate leader. Where do you get this type of passion? It comes from a deep burning belief that God has called you to make a difference.

After speaking difficult truth to the people of Israel, Jeremiah was arrested, beaten and told to be quiet. The next day when he was released, he looked at his captures, and said, “But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” (Jeremiah 20:9)

Passion is that God given burden that burns so deeply within me that it cannot be contained within me.

When you have God given passion it consumes your heart, mind and soul.

You can’t quiet the emotions God has placed in your heart
You can’t cease striving toward the vision God’s placed in your mind
You can’t stop praying for the burden God has placed in your soul.
What do you need to do today to recapture the passion in your leadership?

STOP TRYING TO BE FAIR! From Tony Morgan (emphasis added by me):

I had lunch with a few of my West Ridge teammates a couple of days ago in a no-name restaurant. It was quite the surreal experience. Everything about the restaurant screamed 1970s…including the waitresses. One of them reprimanded me for trying to pour tea for someone else. (I’ll never do that again.) Oddly enough, they were playing Madonna music over the sound system. Like I said, it was very surreal.

As we were walking out, we noticed this display of business cards:


There have to be over 50 business cards on that shelf. Everyone is vying for the attention of the restaurant patrons. You can buy a house, get your hair cut and catch a taxi among other things. I guess we could call Sheila’s Beauty Salon to see how effective this advertising is for her business. Looks like she got the prime real estate on the front row.

I guess we can’t fault these businesses for taking advantage of some free advertising. And, honestly, I guess we can’t fault ministries in our churches for doing the same thing. At some point, though, someone in leadership probably needs to ask the question: what’s the priority message?

Here’s the reality though, it’s just easier to say “yes” to everyone. It’s easier to treat everyone the same. Only problem is that when you try to make everyone equal and attempt to treat everyone fairly, you end up with this cluttered display of business cards.
Regrettably, this crowded shelf of business cards is reminiscent of what I see in too many churches. In an attempt to be fair, churches are willing to be less effective. When we promote every ministry equally, nothing gets prioritized.
When every ministry is treated the same, it creates confusion for people trying to figure out their next step. When we give everyone the same platform, it’s difficult for any of the messages to be heard.

The only answer to this is for leaders to be unfair. You have to determine your priorities, and give those ministries the focus in your messaging. You have to be willing to say “no” to many requests for platform time and bulletin space and email blasts. You have to keep the important stuff important.

It’s one thing when you’re in a 70s restaurant in northern Georgia and someone is trying to get you to find a new beautician. It’s a completely different deal when you’re trying to help people take their next steps in their spiritual journey. If your objective is to help people become more like Jesus…
Stop trying to be fair.

GO TONY!!!!

Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child? Genesis 17:17

When God gives you a glimpse of what your true calling is, does it make you want to fall on your face and laugh, just as Abraham did? Does it seem ridiculous that God might choose little 'ol you to do something that might change the world? Once you pick yourself up from laughing, consider that He just might mean what He says! Live it up!

from The Daily Verse