Author: jeffrey arbusto

The Servant Leadership Training Course

By James C.  Hunter

 

•  Since leadership is influence, we are all leaders, but the question is what kind of influence will we leave with a person?
• To lead is to serve.

• Leadership is about who you are.

• Leadership is your ability to inspire people to action, to be all they can be.

• Leadership is influence, character and skill.

• Leadership is a skill available to almost everyone. It’s something that can be learned and not necessarily that you were born with. 

• Leadership is not something you are because you have read about it or know about it, it must be put it in practice. There are people everywhere that know all about the topic of leadership but do nothing about it.

• You cannot improve if you do not change.

• If it stays in our head, it is of no value. It must move from our head to our heart to action.

• Since leadership is a skill, you cannot blame things on your parents, your past or what you’ve experienced. You can always learn and grow.

• Leadership is not about what you do but who you are.

• Leadership is a sacred trust – Coach John Wooden

• Leadership is character in action.

• Leadership is 99% about character. 

• Leadership is a combination of strategy and character, but if you have to lose one, lose strategy.

• Character is moral maturity, you’re commitment level to doing the right thing. 

• Character is doing the right thing whether you feel like it or not.

• Leadership development and character development are synonymous; you improve one by improving the other.

• The test of your leadership is to ask yourself when people leave if they are better than when they came.

• A leader has a responsibility of helping people be the best they can be.

• People have a lot of needs. They want and need to be heard and encouraged.

• We build our influence and authority with people when we serve them.

• When you get your people what they need, they will make sure you get what you need.

• Love is seeking the greater good of other people.

• Develop the spirit of appreciation. When was the last time you appreciated someone, and told them?

• Kindness is courtesy and showing someone attention.

• Listening is an attitude that we have towards other people.

• The goal is not perfection rather improvement.

• Good people skills is nothing more than good manners.

• Leadership is not about style it is about substance. 

• Respect is treating people like they are important.

• You can judge character of a person by how they treat those that can do nothing for them.

• You must make your choice between being a servant leader and being a self-serving leader.

 

The Evangelization of the World in this Generation

By John Mott

 

• • The reality of their (SVM) consecration is proved by the fact that during the past decade over two thousand of them, after completing a thorough college or university preparation, have gone out from North America and Europe under the regular missionary societies of the Church to work in non-Christian lands. A still larger number are equipping themselves for similar service abroad.

• “There is money enough in the hands of Church-members to sow every acre  of  the  earth  with the  seed of  truth.” — Dr. Josiah  Strong 

• “The Sunday School is in some respects  the largest undeveloped missionary resource of the Church.” 

• “The idea of the evangelization of the world in this generation is reasonable. The plan is perfectly feasible. There are men enough and there is money enough in the Protestant churches of Europe and America to do the work. It can be done. And it ought to be done.” — Dr. A. P. Parker

• “Our responsibility surely is to the men of our own generation. No Christian will venture to say that our Lord ha.a laid upon His Church an im­possible task, or that it is His will and purpose that generation after generation of men should pa.as away into the unseen world without the op­portunity of hearing and embracing the way of salvation, the knowledge of which He ha.a en­ trusted to his Church and for the spread of which He has made His disciples responsible.” — Rev. James Jackson

• “Our position on the question of possi­bility will be largely determined by our views of its desirability. If we do not think we want  the world evangelized, we will not have to search far before we find it impossible to evangelize it. But if to-night, face to face with our glorified Master, we catch His Spirit, hear His word, and are will­ ing to do His will, and will open our hearts a little to catch that other cry that comes across the seas to-night from every heathen land, I do not think we can refrain from brushing away a great many objec­tions to the possibility of the evangelization of the world in this generation that may now confront our view. This is not a human issue. God is in it. I have said that there is nothing in the world or the church, except its disobedience, to render the evangelization of the world in this generation an impossibility. It  is possible so far as God is concerned. Nay more, it finds its pledge and inspiration in Him. We often talk as though God was not interested in this question. We enumerate our human forces and look over the field to be possessed, and, just as we are hopeful or despondent, say it can or cannot be done. But this leaves out the mightiest force of all. You re­ call the question said to have been asked Luther by his wife in one of his despairing moods,-a question, I believe, alleged to have been addressed to Frederick Douglass also, by Sojourner Truth,­ Is God dead?’  I repeat it to those of you who doubt and hesitate to-night :  ‘Is God dead?’  If we cannot rely on Him I am willing to surrender the whole question.” — Robert E. Speer

• “The Modern Theory of the Evangelization of the World,” says: “The Church would realize her relations to her enthroned Lord, if she would duly awake to her opportunities, responsibilities, and resources, and if her re­ sources were more fully consecrated to the service of the Lord, there would be little difficulty, within one generation, in covering the whole open field of heathendom with centers of evangelization sufficiently near each other to diffuse the gospel over the intervening spaces.” — Dr. George Robson

• Leading authorities in all the great mission fields have been asked to estimate how many mission­aries, in addition to native assistants, would be required so to lead the missionary enterprise as to accomplish the evangelization of those countries within a generation. The highest number sug­gested by any one is one missionary to every 10,000 of the heathen population. Few gave a lower estimate than one to 100,000. The average number given is one to 50,000. The number most frequently specified is one to 20,000.  If we follow the last proportion, it would call for an increase of the present missionary force from 15,000 to 50,000.

• The Church in Christian lands is well able to supply the number of missionaries required to evangelize the world. To make up the entire num­ber called for would take but a small fraction of the Christian students who will graduate within this generation. It would require less than one­ fourth as many men as now constitute the Prot­estant clergy and ministry of North America and the British Isles. The present distribution of la­ borers is not only uneven but unfair.

• The missionaries who are sent out to evangelize the world should be men of the highest qualifica­tions. The success of  the  undertaking  depends even more upon the quality of the workers than upon their number. The  Apostolic  Church  set apart some of her ablest men for this work. Surely an undertaking of  such  difficulty as that involved in extending  the Kingdom  of  Christ  in all the earth calls for the strongest and the best. Well has Professor  Legge  urged   that “missionaries  ought to be the foremost men whom the Christian Church possesses; the men who have inter-meddled most with, and gone deepest into all knowledge ; whose intellectual resources are the largest, whose prac­tical and persuasive ability is the finest, and whose temper is the most under their control ; the most fervent in spirit, the largest in mind, and the most capable in action!’ Generally speaking, the mis­sionary needs a  better all-round preparation than the home pastor.

• On the spirituality of the missionary more than upon any other one factor on the mission field depends the evangelization of the world.  Far more vital than the physical, social and intellectual equipment of the missionary is his spiritual fur­nishing. It is supremely and indispensably im­portant that he be a man filled with the spirit of Christ. This point is being emphasized to-day by missionaries on every field. They maintain that unless the missionary be under the sway of the Holy Spirit he will, in the midst of deadening heathen influences, become cold and indifferent, his preaching will be fruitless, the example of his own life will be powerless and he will be unable properly to lead and to energize the native workers. Dr. Griffith John in dwelling on the last consid­eration says: “The quality of  the  native agent will very much depend upon the quality of the foreign  missionary. An unspiritual, self-indul­gent missionary is not likely to surround himself with capable, spiritual, earnest, and devoted native helpers.” 

• Too much stress, therefore, cannot be placed on having missionary candidates form the habit of thorough and devotional Bible study be­ fore they go to the field, because a man mighty in the Scriptures is almost sure to be mighty in Chris­tian work. The enterprise of world-wide evangel­ization calls also for missionaries of spiritual vision and of victorious faith in God and in His message.

• One of the most difficult problems on the mis­ sion field is that of raising np and training this force of suitable native workers. They should be men with clear knowledge of the truths essential to salvation, men of true piety, men earnest and effective in service.    That it is not an easy matter to secure them, every missionary can testify. The unreliability, the lack of spirituality, the want of resourcefulness and the low ideals and motives which characterize so many native agents is a source of much discouragement. So while there should be due regard to obtaining large numbers of workers and to distributing them wisely, the main concern must be to enlist and build np workers who will be really efficient.   This calls for thorough and prolonged training. Strongly manned theological seminaries are greatly needed on the mission field. Without doubt the greatest work of the missionary is to make missionaries. In no other way can he so multiply himself. Some missionaries claim that each missionary should aim to train a band of at least ten native workers.

• There must be a great increase in voluntary Christian work by the rank and file of  the membership of the native Church, if the Gospel is to be diffused throughout all lands in our day. 

• What characterizes a missionary church? It is a church whose members are intelligent concerning the enterprise of world-wide missions, and who recognize and accept their responsibility to help extend Christ’s Kingdom throughout the earth. Christians will not earnestly eet about the work of evangelizing the world until they have a deep con­viction that this is their duty and an ardent desire to perform it. The basis of such conviction and desire is knowledge.   Among the rank and file of the Church membership there is at present great ignorance and consequent indifference concern­ ing missions. As a result only a comparatively small fraction of the Church members are doing anything in an aggressive or whole-souled way to evangelize the world. Surely God never intended that only a few earnest and devoted men and women, here and there, should have a vision of the unevangelized world and be possessed by an in­ tense longing for the salvation of the heathen.

• “The evangelization of the world in this gen­eration depends first of all upon a revival of prayer. Deeper than the need for men; deeper, far, than the need for money ; aye, deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing, world-wide prayer.  •  •  • The condition and consequence of such prayers as this is a new outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Noth­ing short of His own suggestion will prompt the necessary prayer to bring Him back again in power. Nothing short of His new outpouring will ever solve the missionary problems of our day.” —  “Prayer and Missions” by Robert E. Speer

• Pastors should be taught to look on their churches, not only as a field to be cultivated, but also as a force to be wielded on behalf of the world’s evangelization. No student should be counted worthy to assume the duties of the ministry who has not acquired a world-wide horizon and who has not caught the real mission­ary spirit, that is, the spirit of Christ.

• In actual use the Watchword (The evangelization of the world in this gen­eration) has proved to be remarkably effective. This is due to the fact that it is at once concise, comprehensive, definite, instructive, Scriptural, striking and inspiring.

• It is impossible to measure what might be done by a few men who, catching a vision of the world evangelized, yield themselves wholly to God to be used by Him to realize the vision. …  So to-day, let not one, or a few, but many of those in all lands and among all races who acknowledge Christ as King arise and resolve, at whatever cost, to devote their lives to leading forward the hosts of God to fill the whole world with a knowledge of Christ in this generation.

The 12 Week Year

By Brian P Moran 

• You can get more done in 12 weeks that most people do in 12 months. 

• Many businesses will have a humongous push at the end of the year and make a large percentage of their money at that time. The reason they make so much money is because everyone needs a deadline.

• The greatest predictor of your future is your daily actions.

• Vision without action is just a dream.

• An ounce of action is worth a pound of theory. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

• Why do so many people enjoy watching sports? It is because there’s a system of keeping points. Scorekeeping lets everyone know how they are doing, and reveals where someone needs to improve. Too often in life and business we fail to keep score.

• The common misconception is that score diminishes self-esteem, but the exact opposite is true.

• Measurement drives progress. Your goal is not perfection but excellence.

• Intentionality is how you make war on mediocrity.

• On the whole there are only a few action steps that lead to the majority of your accomplishments.

• With the 12 week year work plan, you’re not expected to make commitments for a year rather for 12 weeks at a time.

• Breaking your bigger goals into 12 weeks segments, as opposed to a year, is much more achievable.

• Results are not the attainment of greatness but simply confirmation of it.

• You must switch from impossible thinking to possible thinking. 

• Some people say they don’t need a plan because they already know what they are going to do, but the problem is that we do not always do what we know we should. What is your game plan to achieve what you want?

• The plan between your ears is not as effective as the plan on paper. Write it down.

• People that make four times the normal salary are usually not working any longer than others, they are just working differently.

• Act on commitments not feelings.

• If you are serious about a commitment, then tell a friend. The odds of your following through is much higher when you tell someone and have accountability.

• We have two lives: the life we live and the life we are capable of living.

 

Paul and His Team

By Ryan Lukkesmoe

 

•  Paul found common ground almost everywhere he went. Because of his upbringing, where he was from and what he did, he was able to find common ground with many people. Common ground does not guarantee success, but it helps tremendously doing ministry.
• Paul spoke to the Jews as Jews and to the Gentiles as Gentile. He became all to win some. 

• Seeking common ground with others is wise because it is disarming.

• Too many times we have an “us versus them” mentality. We must drop that and find common ground with the lost.

• Spiritual growth takes time. Acts 15:10–11

• If we’re not careful, we are guilty of overburdening our children because they are not as mature spiritually as we are. We must be careful about putting too much emphasis on rules.

• It is easy to overburden young Christians. People do not change overnight. Over time we resemble Jesus more and more because the Holy Spirit is working in our lives.

• Paul realized he needed others. Luke, Titicus, and others helped Paul do much more than he could do on his own. Moses had to learn this lesson as well (Exodus 18:18). These men did not live alone, and we were not meant to live alone either. 

• Give people credit, see them as equals, and let them help you.

• Paul called people fellow-workers. He recognized he needed them and was better because of them. 

• Peacemaking is vitally important today. It was a teaching from Christ, but one that is not seen often. Sadly, if you do not make peace or take initiative to make peace, it most likely will not be made.

• Peace is not made easily and is great greatly neglected today in the church.

• 2 Timothy 2:23–25

• Cristians should avoid conflict as much as possible. Strive for unity, not division.

• Jesus called us to love our enemies, the ones who hate us. If we are to love the ones who hate us, how much more should we love God’s children.

• Great influencers make people feel encouraged and valued. Paul recognized and mentioned others in about every epistle he wrote. 

• We are to forgive and reconcile because that is what Christ did for us and teaches us to do with others.

• The way we handle broken relationships is a picture of Christ to a watching world. 

• If we view ourselves as irreplaceable, we do a disservice to the ministry and all those around us.

 

Crash The Chatterbox

by Steven Furtick

-Winning the war of words inside your soul means defying the critic inside of you.

-Paul may have been one of the greatest Christians of all time, yet he also fought the
battle in his mind – Romans 7:22-23

-The danger is not just what the chatter says in our head but what it doesn’t let us
hear.

– Identify comes before activity.

-The only one that needs to give us approval has accepted us, but too often we
cannot sense that.

-Insecurity can be an ultimate insult to God because it is believing that He didn’t
know what He was doing when He made us.

-A big reason for insecurity is that we are comparing everyone’s highlight reels to our
behind the scenes, boring life.

– Many Christians spend their lives trying to achieve something God has already
achieved for them.

-The more you learn to repeat back what God says, the more you will be able to crash
the chatterbox inside of you.

-God accepts us unconditionally. His acceptance is not based on what we do or have
done but based on what Christ has done.

-Things will change when you realize God does not just love you, but He likes you as
well.

-The enemy cannot keep you from who you are but he can blind you from realizing
who you are.

– When Adam sinned against God in the garden, God came down and asked him an
impactful question. Adam told God he was naked and God asked him, “Who told
you that?” God had not told Adam he was naked. Adam did not hear that from God.
and this was the point. It came from the voice of the liar. And so many things we hear
and believe are also from the voice of the liar.

-The only way the chatterbox can get through in our minds is if we have already
deleted what God told us through His Word.

– If we are going to win this battle, we must push past the fears that are rooted deep
within us.

-What doors have remained closed because of the fear inside of you?

– Fear does not evaporate; it must be evicted.

-Kick fear out of your heart or it will keep you from what God has for you.

-We do not have to fear the storms we face when we know who protects us.

-Assess the fear but don’t obsess over it.

-In the parable of the talents, two servants gained more for their master and were
praised. The other servant hid his talent, made no gain and was condemned by his
master. The Scripture tells us he hid it and was condemned because he was afraid.
What are you missing out on as a result of fear?

– The enemy’s whispers give fear, but God’s whispers give hope.

– What labels have you placed upon yourself lately (I am a screamer, angry, dumb,
etc.)? It’s time to pull those off and realize God has already placed labels on you.

– When “I is the most mentioned word in our chatterbox, then God is the most absent
or forgotten.

– God’s assessment of you is determined no matter where you were before or where
you are right now.

– You can beat discouragement with gratitude.

– Gratitude begins when our sense of entitlement ends.

You’re Not Listening

By Late Murphy

 

– Listening is fundamental to any relationship.

– Listening how we understand and comprehend.

– To not listen is to ignore and not learn from the world around you.

– People become lonely because they are not listened to.

– Listening is more of a mindset than it is a checklist of do’s and don’t’s.

– Hearing is not the same as listening. Listening is proactive.

– Listening is the way you keep up with someone as the pages in life continually
turn.

– It’s amazing what you can learn about someone when you are totally focused on
them.

– It is hard to withhold or jump in and insert something when someone else is
talking, but by doing so you will be able to pull back the curtain and see in the
person’s life.

– If you jump in, advise, or try to fix the situation, you’re telling the other person
they are not smart enough to figure out a solution.

– Practical question should be asked, but those are not the only kind that should
be asked.

– Good listeners are good questioners.

– You cannot have good relationships or narratives without listening to other
people.

– Listening to a stranger is one of the most kind things you can do.

– We sometimes fear that if we listen too closely we will realize our thinking is
flawed, so we talk over each other and do not listen.

– Your view of someone changes when you take time to listen to them.

– You do not win people over or learn from them by arguing… but you do by
listening.

– Listening is a courtesy and sign of respect.

– You cannot tell someone you respect them, you must show them – and listening
is one of the best ways to do so.

Why Your Kids Misbehave

By Dr. Kevin Leman

 

10 ways to change your kids:

1. Put the ball in their court. Don’t cover for them, make them face the
consequences. If you always stand up for them, cover for them, or clean up for
them, they will never learn. This prepares them for life when they leave your
house.

2. Look for teachable moments. Every day there are opportunities to teach your
children a lesson.

3. Use reality discipline instead of punishment. Real life consequences are much
better than a lecture, and will prepare your children for life.

4. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t say things that you have to
back down from (e.g.: you are grounded for life). If your kids know that you mean
what you say, there will be that will fix many behavioral issues. Be consistent.
Follow through with what you say.

5. Say something once and then walk away. Most kids know that they do not have to
obey the first time, they wait until their parent says their full name, gets louder, or
begins screaming. They know what they can get away with, and we have train
them to miss behave. Give your vocal cords a rest, you only need to say it once.

6. Remember that fighting is an act of cooperation. You can’t do the emotional
tango with only one. You are the adult, so don’t join in the argument. If you don’t
engage, there is no battle.

7. Decide what is worth the battle.

8. Don’t snow plow the roads for your children. If you lie and cover for your kids,
you are harming your child both now and in the future.

9. Don’t sail into your child’s wind. Don’t let your child control you and make you
angry. Kids should not set the atmosphere in the house, don’t be swept up in
their drama.

10. Don’t ask questions, instead ask for their opinion or make open ended
comments.