SO CHALLENGING! Jon Ferguson who wrote Exponential has been teaching us on this core competency for leaders to multiply their impact as part of our NewThing Catalyst Community. The 5 Steps of Leadership Development Conversation – “I think you could be an outstanding leader of…. would you be up to apprenticing?” YES  Great! Let’s work together  (This has to apply to every area of leadership and ministry.) Qs at every stage – “What worked? What didn’t work? How can we improve?” Step 1. I Do. You Watch. We talk  Just watch me.  2. I Do, you help, we talk  Get in the mix, ask them to help at some level. How could they help?  3. You do. I help. We talk  Transition to taking on responsibilities for the group. You run the sound board… 4. You do. I watch. We talk  They are getting increasingly confident. I’m a safety net.  5. You do. Someone else watches.  The former apprentice is now leading another and apprenticing them.  We always need new leaders. Not just for a new location, but for where […]

I’ve been reading and listening around issues of why it’s hard to be a man these days. Because the pressure is on, as I wrote about in my book Rough Diamonds. Most of the men I now connect with are not struggling so much with being a tough guy as I worked with (or arrested) in the Police – but rather they’re struggling as they try to be a ‘nice bloke‘. That sounds okay, but it’s not the authentic masculinity Jesus modelled and its pursuit can lead to the creation of passive aggressive, approval seeking, manipulative wimps. This leads to frustration, giving to get, fixing rather than listening, avoiding conflict, constantly seeking approval and hiding mistakes. The ‘nicest bloke you’d ever meet’ can also be dishonest, secretive, controlling, passive-aggressive, isolated, and addictive. I’m convinced that trying to be a Christian nice bloke can compound and collude with this rather than help it. As a man who’s moved from tough guy to recovering nice bloke I want to meet up with other men more, as both scripture and psychology affirm this […]

In the time of the Roman empire, whenever a VIP family had a baby, they didn’t have Facebook but to get the word out but they’d send out a herald. The emperor would send out heralds to let all the other VIPs know, announcing the ‘good news’ of the birth. If this was a first son, even better because the family name would continue! “A child is born!”  So when we read the God sends a herald angel, to say ‘Hark! Good News!’  Notice – who does God send heaven’s heralds to? LUKE 2: 8There were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, […]

The major missions partners we support as Ivy were able to report briefly on their current position. Ngage – challenges; a small charity doing big stuff. Getting funding is tough. Everyone going for the same pot. Exciting? Still looking at youth work Hub in Burnage. Also possibility of Free School. Development fund application successful! Roc; Highlights – the Fuse; has grown their faith. 2000 visitors from all round the country. Today in holiday club a child wrote ‘This is the best day of my life,’ Football coach said ‘this has been the best week I ever did.’ Challenge? Bid to deliver restorative justice for MCR Also – family mentoring Need more staff, bigger infrastructure. Besom; David King – Christians being released into social action. Meeting needs to matched help. Building relationships with the people we help too. All kinds of people get prayed for, someone recently said ‘THANKYOU nobody ever prayed for me before.’ David is now holding the baton for someone else to pick up the Baton on this. Dignity. An amazing year – a big movement of 3600 […]

I’m in too! #40dayscreative