10 Leadership Lessons Learned in 50 Years of Leadership

Pastor Chuck Swindoll, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at Catalyst 09, offered the following lessons he has learned:
1. It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
2. It’s dangerous to succeed. I’m most concerned for those who aren’t even 30 and are very gifted and successful. Sometimes God uses someone right out of youth, but usually he uses leaders who have been crushed.
3. It’s hardest at home. No one ever told me this in Seminary.
4. It’s essential to be real. If there’s one realm where phoniness is common, it’s among leaders. Stay real.
5. It’s painful to obey. The Lord will direct you to do some things that won’t be your choice. Invariably you will give up what you want to do for the cross.
6. Brokenness and failure are necessary.
7. Attitude is more important than actions. Your family may not have told you: some of you are hard to be around. A bad attitude overshadows good actions.
8. Integrity eclipses image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.
9. God’s way is better than my way.
10. Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.

Reasons I Love Youth (FCA) Ministry

Here are some thoughts from Austin Duncan who serves as the High School Pastor at Grace Church. While he wrote these about high school ministry, I think they also apply to FCA ministry as well. I pray that you will be encouraged by them -- Gordon Thiessen

I love student ministry because:

1. I love evangelism (Matt 28:19). The wise youth minister is an evangelist at heart and desires to see young men and women give their lives to Christ. If we neglect to minister to students we lose an opportunity to preach the gospel.

2. Leadership is influence. It is a matter of fact that young people are easy to influence. Marketers use this for profit, schools further their agendas, and too often their influence over teenagers leads them away from the things of God and into worldliness.

3. I love the hope of their maturity. Colossians 1:28-29 encourages me to minister to students in such a way that spiritual progress will take place in their lives. I love seeing Christ’s maturing, sanctifying work in teenagers whose lives are devoted to Christ.

4. I love the thought of their potential. I look out at the young faces in our high school service on Sundays and see that ahead of them are life’s greatest blessings and challenges. Trials, temptations, battles, and joys await them. This is the outset of their walks with Christ. It is in these initial years they have the opportunity to learn spiritual disciplines they will benefit from for the rest of their lives.

Ron Brown on Motivation after the Virginia Tech game

Following the Husker's loss to Virginia Tech, Tight End Coach Ron Brown talked about motivation. You can download a lesson on motivation here.

The Living Water

John 4:1-54
If you're having trouble getting the group to talk, you might consider asking several opening questions like, "What one thing stood out to you in the encounter Jesus had with the woman at the well?" You can also go around the room and ask each person to answer the question. If the group is very large (more than 10 people) you might consider breaking into several smaller groups. You can download the lesson here. The study guide is here.

Roy Helu on the Gospel

Husker running back Roy Helu on the Gospel. You can download the lesson here. The Roy Helu player card can be downloaded here.