Keep On Keepin' On

This week I’m talking about doing good. Christians are designed by God to good stuff. But when the economy takes a downward turn, your 401k slides downhill, or your business is stretched just to make it every week, you may get discouraged. You are not the first generation to go through tough times.

The Galatians over 2000 years ago had it tough. Paul wrote to them and said in Gal. 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. They didn’t give up!! They became a powerful church and maintained their course of doing good. Be encouraged that doing it God’s way will always produce a harvest if you don’t give up. You got to keep on keeping on.

There Will Be A Harvest

This week we're talking about doing good. We are designed by God to do good stuff. When we come to believe in Jesus, we begin to do good things that reflect the Father’s heart. Whether we work in construction, in banking, in business or in government, we can being doing good things and following God’s principles, yet knowing we will not always see an immediate reward.

We get tired. We get weary. But take heart. A harvest is coming! It’s in God’s word. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Take heart that we know there will be a harvest-- a positive return on our investment of doing good. Don’t stop doing good! There will be a harvest!!

Visit Crossfire This Sunday. We Advocate Consistency for Our Leaders

This week I’ve been talking about consistency in leadership. Jesus was the same person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He was a 24/7 leader, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Each of us has the desire to be led by people who are consistent in their life. If you’re looking for a church that exhibits 24/7 consistency in leadership, try Crossfire. We have a prophetic edge, vibrant worship, challenging teaching and we advocate consistency in leadership for all of our leaders. We would love to lead you. Come and visit us this weekend!

Pictured: Crossfire Pastor Deborah Wittmier

Be The Same Person Everywhere

This week I’ve been talking about consistency in leadership. Jesus was the same person twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He lived with his disciples for three years. He was a 24/7 leader, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

What kind of leader are you? If you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior you have the power on the inside of you to be a 24/7 leader: a person who is consistent in life, irrespective of circumstance or context. A consistent leader will gain trust and faith from those they lead. Jesus did it and, if he lives on the inside of you, so can you. Be the same person in church as you are at the construction site, the same person at the office as you are at home, the same person in private as you are in public.

Leadership By Conviction, Not Polls

This week I’ve been talking about consistency in leadership. Jesus was the same person twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He lived with his disciples for three years. There was no room for inconsistency in his leadership life. This is a powerful leadership trait. We see it today as we experience political campaigns. People look not only for consistency of message, but consistency of character.

People crave leadership that they know will serve them the same way behind closed doors as in front of TV cameras. People crave leadership that takes positions of conviction in spite of poll numbers and focus groups. We all want a leader whose character has been tested and refined by trials, a leader who does not waiver when confronted with evil. Jesus didn’t waiver. A Jesus-centered leader should not either.

Don't Let Darkness of Heart Undermine Your Leadership

This week I’ll be talking about consistency in leadership. Jesus was the same person twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There was no room for inconsistency in his leadership life. Few things undermine your leadership more than for the people you lead to discover darkness of heart in your life.

Several years ago I listened to a government leader speak to an audience eloquently and passionately about a certain topic. He seemed so professional, even poetic in his leadership. A few hours later in an informal setting with a few people, he was totally different. He spoke belligerently and profanely. He was inconsistent in his life and it undermined my trust in him.

Consistency In Leadership

This week I’ll be talking about consistency in leadership. Jesus was the same person twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He lived with his disciples for three years. There was no room for inconsistency in his leadership life. So it is with any leader. Effective leaders must be the same person in the dark as they are in the light; the same person in private as they are in public. Effective leadership is undergirded by the trust developed with those you lead. People trust because they know your authenticity transcends venue and circumstance. Even when a consistent leader makes unpopular decisions, those they lead will still follow if they trust the heart motives of the leader, heart motives revealed by consistency in their life.

Crossfire Leaders Lead By Love

This week I am talking about servant leadership. When God called Moses into leadership he told him this in Ex. 15:13, “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you guide them to your holy dwelling.” Moses guided people towards God and did so in love as he led them to the Promised Land.

If you're looking for a local church where leaders lead by love and always point to God the Father as their source of leadership strength, try Crossfire. We have a prophetic edge, vibrant worship, challenging teaching, and we advocate Jesus-centered leadership. We would love to lead you. Come and visit us this weekend!

Pictured: Servant-leader Lydia U., who is an intercessor and teaches occasional classes for Crossfire.

Humility In Leadership

This week I’ll be talking about Jesus-centered leadership. God called Moses into leadership to deliver the Israelites from slavery. All Godly leadership is always provided by God and centered in Him. Moses declared this in Exodus 15:13 “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you guide them to your holy dwelling.” The Lord would lead Moses and Moses would lead the people.

Jesus-centered leadership guides people to the source of our strength, Jesus Christ. This takes humility. Moses was humble in his heart towards his leader. When awards, affirmation, and accolades come to you as a leader, it takes humility to then point to God as your source of strength, wisdom and counsel for your leadership success. Give Jesus the credit this week for success in your leadership.

Jesus-Centered Leadership Will Point To God

This week I’ll be talking about Jesus-centered leadership. God called Moses into leadership to deliver the Israelites from slavery. All Godly leadership is always provided by God and centered in Him. Moses declared this in Exodus 15:13 “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you guide them to your holy dwelling.” The Lord would lead Moses and Moses would lead the people.

Note that the Word says God would guide them to God’s holy dwelling. Yes, Jesus-centered leadership will point to God rather than to self. Many leaders in the church and in business get that turned around. They point to themselves rather than to God. This doesn’t mean you have to preach a sermon to your employees every day. But when accolades for your leadership success are bestowed upon you, you have opportunity to give God the credit for working through you.

Leaders: Keep People's Eyes on God

This week I’ll be talking about Jesus-centered leadership. God called Moses into leadership to deliver the Israelites from slavery. All Godly leadership is always provided by God and centered in Him. Moses declared this in Exodus 15:13, “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you guide them to your holy dwelling.” The Lord would lead Moses and Moses would lead the people. Jesus-centered leadership will always point to God the Father.

Moses was constantly challenged to keep the people focused on God the Father. In so doing, the people experienced miracles, experienced God’s Spirit leading them each day, and had more than enough food to sustain them. Only when the people took their eyes off God did they falter and fall. So it is with leaders today. Only when the people take their eyes of God do they falter and fall.

Lead By Love

This week I’ll be talking about Jesus-centered leadership. God called Moses into leadership to deliver the Israelites from slavery. All Godly leadership is always provided by God and centered in Him. Moses declared this in Exodus 15:13, “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you guide them to your holy dwelling.” The Lord would lead Moses and Moses would lead the people. Jesus-centered leadership leads from a position of loving those you lead.

I know this is hard to fathom in the corporate culture in which we live, but it is true. Moses had to see past the inadequacies of the Israelites to be an effective leader. He had to extend love rather than judgment, mercy rather than punishment. Love helps you see what people are in spirit rather than in the flesh. It helps you see past emotional walls into their heart. Jesus did this routinely and so can you!

Crossfire Advocates Servant Leadership

This week I’m talking about servant leadership. Jesus said in Matt. 20:26 “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” This one scripture reveals the heart of Jesus as a leader. When you lead by serving you gain the trust of those you serve. Without gaining such trust you cannot be an effective leader in business, in family, in the church.

If you’re looking for a church that exhibits servant-leadership as a core principle, try Crossfire. We have a prophetic edge, vibrant worship, challenging teaching, and we advocate servant leadership for all of our leaders. We would love to serve you. Come and visit us this weekend!

Pictured: Pastor Peggy Nelson, servant leader of the children's ministry at Crossfire.

Embrace the Servant's Heart

This week I’m talking about servant leadership. Jesus said in Matt. 20:26 “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” This one scripture reveals the heart of Jesus as a leader. When you lead by serving you gain the trust of those you serve. Without gaining such trust you cannot be an effective leader in business, in family, in the church.

People seldom trust leaders who demand to be served. They see the self-centered heart that makes such demands. They see past the façade of faith into a heart that has not been changed to serve rather than be served. Everyone desiring to lead effectively must embrace the servant heart, the servant attitude. It’s not that hard! Just view your job, your role as one of serving a higher purpose, a Godly purpose, a Jesus-centered purpose. Embrace the servant’s heart today!

Leading By Grace

This week I’m talking about servant leadership. Jesus said in Matt. 20:26 “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” This one scripture reveals the heart of Jesus as a leader. His call, his purpose, his desire was to serve God and serve people. The servant leader must function with great grace because it is a selfless style of leadership. By esteeming others highly the servant leader must tap into God’s grace, God’s undeserved favor, knowing that he must also extend grace to those he leads.

By extending grace to those you lead, you exhibit the heart of Jesus. Jesus is our leadership example. He is our leadership model. The more you understand the power of grace in your life, the more you will be a servant leader to those in your life.

Model Servant Leadership

This week I’m talking about servant leadership. Jesus said in Matt. 20:26 “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” This one scripture reveals the heart of Jesus as a leader. he concept of serving as a form of leadership always includes a long range perspective. Jesus knew only had three years of time with twelve guys before they became the leadership of the church.

The most effective long term strategy is to model servant leadership. He lived it. He was the same person whether teaching to thousands, or eating lunch with the guys. He served at all times. Today we can be effective servant leaders only if we model servant leadership. Too many so-called leaders preach one thing in public, but do another in private. There is no room for that in servant leadership.

Serve Like Jesus Did

This week I’ll be talking about servant leadership. Jesus said in Matt. 20:26 “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” This one scripture reveals the heart of Jesus as a leader. His call, his purpose, his desire was to serve God and serve people. This is the true heart of leadership under the new covenant of faith and grace.

Any Godly leader in business, in government, and in the church must reflect the heart of a servant if they are to lead as Jesus led. It is an attitude of the heart rather than a position or a title. It is an attitude that esteems others highly and desires to serve a higher purpose designed by God the Father. If you desire to lead like Jesus, you must desire to serve like Jesus. Tune in the rest of this week to learn how.

Visit Crossfire For Some Encouragement This Sunday

The Bible says in Heb. 3:13 we are to “encourage one another daily.” Yes it says daily! We need daily encouragement, daily good news, daily energy to keep on in the faith and face the challenges of the day.

Encouragement is a by-product of the local church. If you’re looking for encouragement but can’t seem to find it, try our church, Crossfire, in Centennial, Colorado. We believe in building people and encouragement is a building block of our church. We have a prophetic edge, vibrant worship, challenging teaching, and freedom to walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Come and visit us this weekend. We will be excited to see you! You will be encouraged!

Pictured: Pastor Deborah, Katie N., and Hope R. at the annual all-church picnic.

You Have Everything You Need

Sometimes we just need to be reassured that God has already given us everything we need to succeed in life today. We need to know that the Lord has blessed us greatly. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” This is an awesome affirmation that Jesus has given us everything we need for living today. Be encouraged that if He lives on the inside of you, you’ve got what you need.

Encourage Someone Through Prophecy

We need daily encouragement, daily good news, daily energy to keep on in the faith and face the challenges of the day. Even the gifts of the Spirit can encourage us. Paul told the Corinthians that prophesy is for “strength, encouragement, and comfort" (1 Cor. 14:1-3).

You can give a prophetic word to someone today to encourage them when they most need it. Ask the Holy Spirit if there is someone you can encourage through the gift of prophecy. Ask for an open door to bring strength, encouragement, and comfort to someone in your workplace, your church, or your family.

Sow Encouragement And You Will Harvest Encouragement

A great way to be encouraged is to encourage someone else. The Bible is clear that what we sow we can also harvest. Many people you meet today will need encouragement. Try encouraging them. Sow encouragement into their lives and you will reap encouragement in yours. You see, pessimistic, discouraging people seldom get encouragement from others because they sow discouragement. They harvest discouragement.

Ask the Lord for opportunities today to encourage someone else. You’ll find yourself being encouraged in the process.

Jesus Will Sustain You

The Bible says in Heb. 3:13 we are to “encourage one another daily.” Yes it says daily! We need daily encouragement, daily good news, daily energy to keep on in the faith and face the challenges of the day.

Paul linked encouragement to strength after giving the message of grace to the believers at Antioch. Encouraged people are stronger, more optimistic, and hopeful than those who are discouraged. Jesus desires to feed you encouragement today. He is like a protein bar which gives energy to overcome every circumstance facing you. As you start your week, eat of all that Jesus has given you through His incredible grace and love. It will sustain you in a powerful way today.