Josh Ellis
The Best Leadership Book You've Probably Never ...

One of the best parts of getting a PhD in Leadership was being required to read widely on the subject. From time to time, I get asked what some of my favorite leadership books are. So, I thought I would take the time to answer that question here and accompany my answer with a fairly through review.

If stranded on a desert island and given only one book from which to teach leadership, I would choose a lesser known book called Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership by Lee Bolman and Terrance Deal.

The Best Leadership Book You've Probably Never Read
Tony Wolfe
Building (and Rebuilding) Trust

In one season or another, every one of us has needed to either build or rebuild trust. The issue of trust is a human issue. Building it is crucial to every budding relationship, and rebuilding it is crucial to every damaged one. So, how do we build or rebuild trust? They didn't teach me math in seminary, but over the years, I have used this formula:

TRUST = (Truth + Transparency) * Time

Building (and Rebuilding) Trust
Campo Londoño
Antimetabole

Antimetabole es la transliteración de una palabra griega y consiste en la repetición de palabras en clausulas sucesivas, pero en diferente orden. Por ejemplo: ¿Cómo sería una congregación donde la mitad son creyentes no practicantes y la otra mitad son practicantes no creyentes? Sería una situación que haría llorar a nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

———

An antimetabole is a Greek literary device that consists in the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in a different order. For example: Do we have congregations where some are non-practicing believers and others are non-believing practitioners? This would make our Lord Jesus Christ cry.

Antimetabole
Sally Hinzie
Is the Building the Vision?

How many new church plants start to decline after they acquire a permanent building? I recently received this question in an email.  Though I don't have the statistics, I do have stories. These are stories of churches that have slowly started their decline after completing building projects and others that have built and are still thriving today. But what has made the difference?

Is the Building the Vision?
Dian Kidd
April Prayer Guide

Every month, we feature people, events, and ministries we want our people to pray for. So, join us as we pray to and praise God for what He's done, because we're always better together.

#UBAPraysTogether

April Prayer Guide

outreach

Discipling Muslim Background Believers by Abu Da'ud

Discipling Muslim Background Believers by Abu Da'ud

Reaching out to Muslims who may be seeking Christ and discipling Muslim-background believers can be a unique challenge. One resource we've found particularly helpful is Abu Da’ud's 5-book series on Discipling Muslim Background Believers. From his own experience coming to faith in Christ and reaching out to other Muslims, Da’ud discusses common misconceptions about Christians, answers questions Muslims often have, provides a structure for discipling new believers, and creates specific study resources for those who are helping Muslim-background believers grow in their faith.

The Creative('s) Way to Do Outreach

The Creative('s) Way to Do Outreach

Have you ever thought of art as a form of outreach? If we do it right, art can bring glory to God and display his greatness to mankind in a way that causes people to follow him. That sounds a lot like outreach to me! I recently wrote an article encouraging leaders to value art in ministry, but what about the creatives in our midst?

Artists can serve to aid in evangelism, discipleship, and the edification of others in the church, as well. So, how can we get started? Here are a few suggestions for the artists (and wannabes) among us.

Who's Your One?—Beginning a Lifestyle of Evangelism

Who's Your One?—Beginning a Lifestyle of Evangelism

In my role in ministry, I have a lot of people confide in me that they feel they are failing with personal evangelism. You may be one of those people. Honestly, I feel I am at times. Truth is, I am afraid too many believers (here in the US that is) are struggling in this area. That’s one reason why I'm so excited about a new initiative by the Southern Baptist Convention called “Who's Your One?”

Real Solutions for a Modern Crisis

Real Solutions for a Modern Crisis

As the end of Human Trafficking Awareness Month draws to a close, we do not need to simply move on from the issue. Only in recent years has the evil of human trafficking gained the exposure it has now. That is, while many may consider slavery a thing of the past, we now know that, though it takes different and less obvious forms, slavery and trafficking are just as pervasive today. There is much work to do to eradicate it altogether.

Hospitality for Those Without "The Gift"

Hospitality for Those Without "The Gift"

Some people think I have the “gift of hospitality,” but I assure you, I do not. I am not a hospitable person. I am an introvert. My home is a haven where I can recharge and get ready to be with people again the next day.

In time, I have learned that hospitality is not a gift but an act of obedience with great gospel benefits. For me, though, it's been a journey.

What We Have Lost

What We Have Lost

As one of the largest refugee-receiving cities in the US, there are so many ways to share Christ’s love with “the least of these,” and we’re proud to see our people doing just that. With the approach of World Refugee Day, I want us to think a little about the losses, big and small, that refugees here in Houston experience every day and ways some of our people are at work to make those losses a little less painful.