What I’ve Learned Writing 700 Blogposts

The 700 club is a US Christian Broadcasting Network program featured by ‘Pat’ Robertson. The show is a blend of personal stories, news, guest appearances and songs. The original 700 were financial supporters banding together to save the show soon after its 1960 debut. Its content, though regular, remains random and unpredictable … a little like my blog. I’ve now joined a 700 club, too, having 700 posts on this site. Here’s some of what I’ve learned from writing regularly.

The Best of the New Testament Commentaries

“Commentaries too often replace our need to hear from God,” an older minister once told me. He was right in the sense that our devotional reading of the Bible is never out of vogue. On the other hand, for background insights and a richer perspective of context, the learning provided by experts can be extremely helpful. Most of their work is very readable and affordable. So, here’s my take on some of the best commentaries available for the books of the New Testament.

What They Didn’t Tell You About Dunkirk

Dunkirk is a current movie being widely acclaimed for its realistic portrayal of the evacuation of over three hundred thousand soldiers during the Second World War. The land, sea and air drama almost places you right at the famous French beach, but sadly overlooks one vital element of what has become history’s greatest and most famous rescue.

How Identity Impacts Leadership Success

If you were to earn more money would it change you, or just make you a richer version of yourself? As one rich man once said, we’d all like the chance to find out! Character determines our destiny and is shaped by values we don’t just choose, but live. It ‘leaks’ out of us very naturally in our everyday choices and interactions. That’s why a leader’s identity is a reflection to others of their inner world, often more than is realised. Most of our leadership iceberg is below the water, but it props up what is seen. So how does personal identity actually affect the success of our leadership?

The Right Chemistry for Maximum Impact

Very few people ever become committed followers of Jesus without the assistance of others. The Bible calls this support the “ministry of reconciliation,” something that is part of the essence of being a Christian. Every believer is therefore inescapably committed to this role, this ‘ministry,’ which is about bringing people into relationship with God. What is fascinating about this phrase in 2 Corinthians 5:18 is that it is indirectly likened to being a catalyst. God’s plan, in calling us to serve Him, is to turn us into catalysts who very naturally, spontaneously, and inevitably impact people to come to faith. Here’s how and why this applies to you and why any Christ-follower is a minister.

Saving Leaders From Themselves

In leadership development, strategy can provide order and system to what needs to be done in a shared approach to success. While others will have strengths that we don’t, they will also have some weaknesses. Anticipating and adjusting in light of these can help grow teams and their leadership skills. This needs us not to assert ourselves with an ‘I-told-you-so’ or an ‘I-know-better’ attitude, but to bring the best out of others without having to take the credit. Here’s some helpful keys to doing this with a more stimulating focus on strengthening people, rather than on the more intense approach of overcoming problems.  

Every Leader’s Strategic Lift

Winston Churchill said, after the Second World War, that “it is wise to look ahead, but hard to look farther than what you can see.” Few leaders would disagree with the need for a compelling and clear vision to lift the eyes of those who will then see further, but success is also found in the ‘how’ of arriving at a preferred destination. Visionary leadership sets the course, whereas strategic leadership charts it. To compel people to go from A to Z needs us to first show them how to go from A to B.