Do You L.E.A.D. Well by Kris SwiatochoL: LED
Are you being led by the Lord so that, in turn, you can lead others in the Lord? Are you spending enough time with God so that when you lead, it’s coming from him, his spirit, versus only your knowledge? You can easily get distracted with life, taking away that precious time with the Lord. How will you know what God wants you to do, who to lead or minister to, what ministries to start or end, and what direction for the ministry, etc., without time with him first? Take a few minutes and spend time with the Lord, asking for his direction for your next steps. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. E: ENCOURAGEMENT Ministry can be tough sometimes. And the people in our ministries can strain your energy, focus, and joy. It can make you question whether you should continue to lead. This is why encouragement is so important. We need encouragement as leaders, but we need also to offer encouragement. It’s easy to complain or point out the problems, the areas of your ministry you don’t like, and the people you wish would leave or wish would change. Don’t forget that sometimes you just need to offer a hug, take someone to coffee, listen, or send a quick text saying I am praying for you. As you encourage, God often encourages you in the same way so that you can keep going! 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. A: AFFIRM Life can easily get in the way of leading. The enemy will whisper comments that lead to doubt of your calling. Maybe you should just get a job as a greeter at the church instead of a teacher, or perhaps you will just set up the chairs and not speak anymore. Sure, you could do those other valuable areas of ministry, but don’t let the enemy cause you doubt. It’s when he does this that you are at your most vulnerable. So, guess what? He does the same to those you lead. Take a few minutes and pray for your team. Send them a message and affirm them in the roles they serve on your team, despite whatever they are going through. God is not done with you or them yet. Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. D: DISCIPLESHIP We have heard the word discipleship most of our Christian walk. The scripture tells us that we are supposed to be doing this. And while some of us are, that word comes with many expectations, including a huge chunk of our time. Because of this, most people do not disciple, or do they? No Christian got to where they are without someone speaking into their lives. From the pulpit to music to prayer to fellowship to Bible study to one-on-one mentoring—all are forms of discipleship. Challenge your team today to be thankful to those who have spoken into their lives and, in return, to speak into others---no matter what it looks like. Even forwarding a reel or morning devotion, watching a Christian movie with others, attending a Christian concert, retreat, or conference, or a serious talk about accountability can all be aspects of discipleship. John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. Keep up the great job, and L.E.A.D. well. Kris Swiatocho is the Director of The Singles Network Ministries and Kris Swiatocho Ministries. She has been in leadership for over 30 years, helping countless churches to start and grow their ministry. She is the author of several books, including the leadership curriculum. • www.TheSinglesNetwork.org • www.KrisSwiatochoMinistries.org • www.LaborDaySingles.org • www.IntentionalRelationshipSolutions.org The Grey Divorce and Why Is It Growing? by guest writer, Laura Petherbridge"Laura, my 66-year-old mom, just told me that she and my dad are getting divorced. I'm in shock. They have been married for thirty-nine years. Why? What are they thinking?"
This daughter can't fathom her parents getting divorced in their senior years. However, it's not that atypical. Baby Boomer couples are divorcing at astounding rates. "Research has found that boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are divorcing more than any other generation. A new analysis of divorce data from 1990 to 2021 released in July by Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family and Marriage Research found that divorce rates for those aged 45 and over rose during that period, while rates dropped for those younger than 45. The most significant increase in divorce rates was among people 65 and older: The rate tripled from 1990 to 2021. 1 in 4 divorces were among those age 65 or older." While we may be surprised to discover that an older generation is choosing to split, the bigger question is why. Between online research and my observation after 30 years in divorce ministry, here are the top reasons:
To read the original post: https://www.thesmartstepmom.com/post/the-gray-divorce-what-is-happening For more information on Laura, click here: https://www.thesmartstepmom.com/about Kris holds a singles retreat every September up in the mountains and I’ve attended the last 8 years. The 3rd year, Sept 2017 I came for the leadership portion of the meeting and was inspired by the teaching, many years of experience working with singles, messages shared, stories from other church leaders and resources galore at the meeting and on the website. I left that weekend fired up and it sparked me to start a singles focused bible study at our church which has been running a year now and doing great... I have so many stories I could share... many new visitors/members... connecting with singles in the church that weren’t plugged in.. networking with other Christian groups and churches... things just continue to spiral... we held a singles NYE celebration a few weeks ago. The owner of The Barn Dance (non-alcoholic club) that some of us go to often came. His club was only open on sat night BUT... he was inspired by the number we had at our dance and the amazing community... he had no idea that singles have that much of a need/want to be together. SO tonight he hosted his first Christian Singles Dance Party at The Barn Dance and it was a big hit. Planning to do a monthly dance there.—opening with prayer and ending with praise songs and prayer. I can’t wait to see what God has for us in 2024. Also very excited about this years Singles Retreat! Find info on thesinglesnetwork.org and come join us Thanks Kris for all you do... for your heart for God and singles. |
COG National Conference, Orlando, FlLeadership SnippitLeaders That Last Curriculum• Leaders that Last is 6 weeks, 6 topics Curriculum:
The first 3 weeks that are inward focus towards personal development and last 3 weeks that are outward focus towards building and unifying the team. • Leaders that Last Curriculum includes: A trainers guide with additional questions, icebreaker ideas, small group discussion, and weekly assignments, etc. plus participants outline. • Leaders that Last Curriculum is a: Microsoft word document so you can alter to fit your specific group whether young adult, single adult or single parent, divorced or widowed. WEEKLY TOPICS: Week 1: Who You Are in Christ Week 2: Affirming Your Calling as a Leader Week 3: Spiritual Warfare Week 4: Mentoring/Finding others with a Similar Calling Week 5: Building the Team Week 6: Caring for the Team. Week 1: Who Am I? Description: Everything starts and ends with a great team but a team starts with a great leader. A great leader should know who they are in Christ first in order to lead others. This leader also should have a personal, growing relationship with Christ. This lesson will focus on your identity, your personal growth in your faith, and your walk with the Lord. Week 2: Who Ya Going to Call? Description: Learning and affirming your calling to be a leader. Most maturing Christians are serving the Lord but often in the wrong area, this lesson will help you focus on the right area God is calling you into. Week 3: The Devil Made Me Do It! Description: This lesson focuses on how to recognize the enemy’s attacks on you, your team, and your ministry, and what to do when it does happen. Week 4: Making Copies! Description: This lesson focuses on the importance of recognizing potential leaders by starting with those who are voluntold versus volunteers. Week 5: There’s No “I” in Team Description: Everything falls and rises on leadership. Without a great team that is unified in the path to reach the goals God has put in place, leadership will fail. This lesson will focus on how to build a team that builds the ministry. Week 6: Are You a Care Bear? Description: This lesson focuses on how to keep our team, our leaders, and, ultimately, our ministry going and growing. Leadership Articles by Kris SwiatochoAdditional resources by Kris and other authors, click here.
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