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Progress (pt. 2)

PROGRESS (Pt. 2). Last week we looked at a couple of keys to or principles of progress...being fully engaged and laying aside anything that may hinder us or slow us down.

The principle of progress that I want to introduce to you here may seem paradoxical initially. (Most Kingdom principles are!) Here it is...from time to time you need to slow down and step away so you don't lose your way! In the world of sports, we call it a "time out". In our walk with Christ, it's called the Sabbath.

A number of years ago I heard Andy Stanley say that in relationship to ministry and leadership "we need to work on it, not just in it." In other words, if you don't occasionally step back and step away, you could just be carried along and lose your way.

During our upcoming series, "Confessions of a Pastor", I'm going to take some time to do just that...work on it. Here's a confession...after 25 years of going full-throttle, I need to make sure I'm on track and good to go for the next 25 years!

The benefits? First, you'll have the privilege of hearing some of our other pastors make some bold confessions. Second, I believe I'll gain some fresh insights that will serve all of us well as we move into the future that God has for us. After all, the best is yet to come!

More Photos...

Here are a couple more pictures showing the progress of our White Pines Campus Building.

Roistemi

ROISTEMI. Say what? If you're thinking, "sounds Greek to me", that's because it is. So what is "proistemi"? Here's a hint...it's one of my favorite subjects and points of interest/study. Proistemi is the Greek word for leadership. It's a compound word. The word "pro" means in front of, above or before. "Histemi" means to bring, stand, establish or hold up. Put the two together and it means to stand before, preside over or to lead.

Let's break it down even further. How would you define leadership? I've discovered that there are about as many different definitions of leadership as there are authors on the subject.

To keep it simple, I like the definition that I've come across over and over again in my research and study...leadership is influence! I like this because I don't believe that leadership is necessarily tied to a position, title or personality.

According to Romans 12:8, there is a gift of leadership...like any gift, some have it, some don't. However every one of us has some level of influence on others. If you're influencing someone else's actions, opinions or behavior, you're leading them. Therefore, you are a leader!

Just like anything else that the Lord entrusts to us, we have a responsibility to manage or steward it well. At Crossroads, we're passionate about helping you to do that and take your "proistemi" (leadership) HNL. One vehicle through which we can do that is our Leadership Institute

Learn More here:
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Focus

FOCUS. A friend gave me a ride to O'Hare airport this past Sunday after church. We enjoyed some great dialogue during the hour and a half drive.  At one point he made a statement in reference to a particular project that some of our leadership has been working on. He said that the issue was focus, not control.

Have you ever been challenged to stay focused? I certainly have! I could offer a number of reasons as to why, but at the end of the day, what matters is staying focused. It's critical!

Focus, or the lack of it can be the difference between victory and defeat, success or failure, even life and death. Champions stay focused on the goal, prize or mission at hand...especially when facing opposition. We see examples of this all through Scripture...

Paul said, "I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." (PHIL. 3:13 NLT)

It's not just what you choose to focus on, but what you choose NOT to focus on as we see in the life of Abraham...

Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. (ROM. 4:19 MSG) 

What are you focused on? May we all be like Paul and go for the prize! May we all be like Abraham in that we don't focus on our circumstances, but rather on God's promises! Speaking of prizes and promises...you are the focus of His love!

Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. (EPH. 1:4 MSG)