What makes me happy…
When life deals you blows and setbacks, coming home to this evens the score…this is for Daddy’s little girl…
Leadership Gems from Matthew 8-14
I’m in the process of going back through the Bible viewing it through the eyes of a leader. Here are more leadership gems from Matthew 8-14
- All leaders face fear. Having faith doesn’t eliminate fear. God is
still in control, though, so we don’t need to be paralyzed by fear. (8:23-27) - Jesus modeled building relationships with those he was trying to influence. (9:11)
- I’m supposed to pray for God to send those that will serve beside me. I wish he’d send them faster. (9:37-38)
- The team is more important than the tools. (10:9-10)
- If people don’t listen, I need to move on. (10:14)
- Good leaders find the right balance between being "shrewd" and "innocent." (10:16)
- To go with that, in parts of this book I’m called to be "meek," and
then there are times when God wants me to "forcefully advance" the
mission. (11:12) - Organizations will will not be successful or last where division exists. (12:25)
- My words will always reflect the condition of my heart. (12:34)
- Though I find strength and encouragement and accountability in my
relationships with others, I still need to prioritize the time when I’m
alone with God. (14:13) - Sometimes I need to risk comfort and safety to get closer to God. (14:22-36)
Questions from T. Williams…
What up Blog Family…
I received these questions from T. Williams – very good questions I might add…
Good afternoon Pastor,
Here are just a few:
Q. What is your favorite place to vacation and why?
A. Currently, my favorite place to vacation is Aruba. We (Shauntai) love the Caribbean and have visited a good many islands, but none
compare to Aruba & for numerous good reasons. The weather in Aruba
is almost always perfect… sunny & not too hot year round. Aruba
is arid (cacti grow here) so it hardly ever rains & there is much
less humidity than other islands. Definitely no hurricanes. Island
breezes keep the temperature in the 80s. Arubans couldn’t be nicer or
more respectful wherever you go. They take a great deal of pride in
their homeland. All Arubans learn to speak 4 languages in school.
English is a must! There is virtually no unemployment…everyone works.
You do not see the signs of poverty that you sometimes encounter on
other islands. We have no fear wherever we walk in Aruba, day or night.
The govt is very strict on crime. The beaches are exquisite! Palm
Beach (where most hotels are located) has gorgeous, clean white sand and
the water is clear, warm, bright blue & extremely calm. You can
rent a foam raft & actually float on the water as you would in a
pool. If you’re looking to body surf, this isn’t the island for you. No
one disturbs you trying to sell tee-shirts & trinkets while you
sunbathe. Most hotels & time shares face the sunset, which are just
magnificent.
Q. Name one important lesson that you learned from both your mom and dad that has been crucial to succeeding in life?
A. Nothing happens in life until you wake up from dreaming, stop complaining, and decide to work hard for what you want.
Q. What do you love most about being a father?
A. That I am continuing the legacy of the Stowers family: Work hard…remain faithful…own a business…DESPISE DUMB DEBT…marry better than yourself…continue the name w/o shame.
Q. If you had an opportunity to ask God one question, what would it be?
A. Why slavery and racism – especially for African-Americans?
Thanks T.,
Questions from Keisha…
Leadership Gems from Matthew 1-7
I’m in the process of going back
through the Bible viewing it through the eyes of a leader. Here are my
thoughts from the first seven chapters of Matthew (come join me on this journey):
- Leaders make mistakes. God can redeem leaders. (1:6)
- It’s all about obedience. Joseph "did what the angel of the Lord
had commanded him." When was the last time you heard from God and did
what he told you to do? (1:24) - I may have positional power, but God is always more powerful. (3:11)
- The way I live my life is dictated by the amount of time I spend in the Word of God. It is my sustenance. (4:4)
- Time is running out. I need to embrace the urgency. (4:17)
- Part of my responsibility is to look for the ministry potential in others. (4:19-20)
- My leadership should produce peace. (5:9)
- My actions will speak louder than my words. (5:16)
- God doesn’t like it when there’s division and anger between leaders. (5:22)
- I need to follow through with my commitments. (5:37)
- People will persecute me. I need to pray for them. That’s difficult for me. (5:44)
- God wants me to be me. He wants us to be real–not fake. (6:5)
- There are some actions people don’t see, but God still does. (6:18)
- What I do with my money will impact my heart. Interesting that God
didn’t say it the other way around. Makes me think disciplines with
time and money impact the condition of my heart. (6:21) - As a leader, I need to prepare for tomorrow, but I shouldn’t worry about tomorrow. (6:34)
- If I’m a good leader, my ministry will bear good fruit. The measure of my success is not the input but the outcome. (7:17)
- The win isn’t for people to hear the message–the win is life application. (7:24)
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Blog Family,
I received these questions from "Kitten"
Hey Pastor!
I sent a few questions the other day, but not sure if they went through. So here’s a few more.
Q. If you has one wish what would it be?
A. That God would make me as wise as Solomon
Q. What is your favorite book in the bible? Why?
A. This is a hard one because I glean from so many books. The creative/poetic side of me almost picked Song of Solomon because words have a way of framing reality – Solomon & his wife do a great job expressing their love for each other. The practical side of me almost chose Proverbs since it’s filled with tidbits that are applicable and transferrable. I almost chose Acts because it chronicles the establishment of the church and the movement of the Holy Spirt.
I chose Nehemiah because it’s VISIONARY AND STRATEGIC. Nehemiah receives word the Walls of Jerusalem are down and he gets a burden to rebuild them. BURDEN PRECEDES VISION. He devises a strategy to return to Jerusalem. Furthermore, he faces opposition, dissension, and enemies, but he perserveres, rallies the people, and rebuilds the wall – CLASSIC BOOK ON VISION AND STRATEGY!!!
Q. What is 3 things that you would like your children’s children’s children to know about you?
A. I remained faithful to God and my calling…pastor of the Greatest Church in the Universe
I remained faithful to my wife…She makes me better
I remained faithful to my mission – developing and empowering others to lead effectively…
Q. What is one word to describe each the following?:
Pastor of Mars Hill, teacher of many, husband to your queen, father of three, a black man, and Clarence Stowers Jr
A. Pastor of Mars Hill: Innovative
Teacher of many: Empowering
Husband to my queen: Fulfillment
Father to three black men: Legacy
Clarence E. Stowers, Jr.: Out-the-box (does this qualify as one word or three)
Thanks Keisha "Kitten" for your questions – you made me think!!!