A leader does not like clutter. He likes to know where and when things are for quick access and use. His favorite shape is the straight line, not the circle. He groans in meetings that do not move from premises to conclusions but rather go in irrelevant circles. When something must be done he sees a three-step plan for getting it done and lays it out. A leader sees the links between a board decision and its implementation. He sees ways to use time to the full and shapes his schedule to maximize his usefulness. He saves himself large blocks of time for his major productive activities. He uses little pieces of time lest they go to waste. (For example, what do you do while you are brushing your teeth? Could you set a magazine on the towel rack and read an article?) A leader takes time to plan his days and weeks and months and years. Even though it is God who ultimately directs the steps of the leader, he should plan his path. A leader is not a jellyfish that gets tossed around by the waves, nor is he an oyster that is immovable. The leader is the dolphin of the sea and can swim against the stream or with the stream as he plans.
Justin Taylor has a great post over on his blog on “How God Called John Piper to Become a Pastor.” If you’ve heard of John Piper before but don’t know a whole lot about him, this is a great place to start.
Well, it’s been another very long weekend. Our Senior Pastor (Christian) broke his collar bone on Friday, so I ended up preaching this morning on Psalm 32. Below is a video on the prosperity gospel, which I referred to in my sermon.
I figured that was enough to make this a tiring weekend, but as soon as I finished preaching I got a call from Amy telling me to get home immediately so we could take Micah to the hospital b/c he was having trouble breathing. I rushed home and we spent a couple of hours in the ER while he got a breathing treatment and we learned all about croup (which is what he had). Sitting here tonight, I’m reminded of a couple of things. 1) I am so thankful that God has allowed me to live in a day and age when I can take my son to the ER for a couple of hours and heal what used to be a disease that children would easily die from. 2) I am also thankful for such a loving church body. Caryl and Nick actually met me at the hospital and took Cody back home so that Amy and I could be with Micah during the treatment. I have received so many facebook comments, text messages, e-mails, etc. from members of our body and I am overwhelmed with their grace. My whole family is truly blessed to be part of such a loving and caring church. 3) Finally, I am reminded of the sovereignty of God in blessing me with the opportunity to preach on Psalm 32 this morning as well as the grace to get me home and to the hospital quick enough to take care of my boy.
I’m getting ready for a pretty major sermon in February on abortion, so I’ve been looking around the web a lot for resources. Collin turned me on to this one today and I think that it is well worth the 3 minutes it takes to watch it. It’s John Piper speaking directly to Barack Obama in the form of a sermon.