Gifted for Leadership

Confessions of a Money Changer

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:05:28 -0600

What would Jesus say about our cashing in on women's ministry?

]]>While visiting a very close friend, I agreed to help with her church’s women’s ministry event. I expected to prepare hospitality tables, fill vases with flowers and serve coffee and muffins. It’s what we often do in women’s ministry. Instead, I was directed to the makeshift market that had been set up in the lobby. Eight-foot long, cloth-covered tables were fashioned into a large rectangle. The speaker’s collection of books, teachings, recordings and—most surprisingly—jewelry covered...

Putting Complainers to Work

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:23:04 -0600

I am a firm believer in open-book management—the practice of openly communicating financial details broadly across organizations. When I took over an intact department, I sought help in establishing a good approach to open-book management from a good friend and expert in the topic, Chuck Kremer. Chuck recommended an approach for sharing success stories, setting goals, and tracking actions along with in-depth review of the financial statements. These steps consumed nearly an hour a month—taking...

Life, Doctrine and Women's Ministry

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:20:36 -0600

Whether through books, Bible studies, retreats, or conferences, a central focus of women’s ministry has been on the practical dimensions of Christian living, either presupposing the theological understanding of the audience—which isn’t always wrong to do—or simply neglecting to ground the practical in a richer theological framework. Of course, I’m not suggesting we aren’t teaching women Scripture, but in the rush to fill in the blanks, we aren’t teaching women to handle the Word as...

Journeys into Leadership

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:28:55 -0600

The other weekend I ran into a guy (literally) who had stopped short to turn around as we followed the masses out of a church sanctuary. “Sorry,” he said, looking disheartened and eying the crowd. “I was supposed to have a group following me.” “No problem,” I laughed. “’Nobody behind me’ is the story of my life…..” And it really is. I can’t tell you the number of times in my life as a leader,...

The High Cost of Cheap

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:19:03 -0600

I love a bargain. Whether I’m buying clothing, groceries, or other supplies, I enjoy knowing I got a deal. I can even dress it up in spiritual clothes, claiming I’m being a “good steward” of my resources by being thrifty. Unfortunately, cheap sometimes has a hidden price tag. The prices of certain goods—from soccer balls to candy bars—are low because the people who produce them are paid little or nothing for their labor. The laborers...

Women: Mission Critical

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:49:09 -0600

Each of us wants to believe that we matter. That we have something to offer. That our contributions to building God’s kingdom are needed and valuable. But as I travel the world speaking to women in ministry, I have found a substantial obstacle to seeing that happen. One might think the biggest barrier would be convincing men that women are needed for this assignment, but that’s not the most difficult challenge. A greater challenge seems...

Electronic Anonymity

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:32:45 -0600

Have you ever tried to navigate a sticky relationship via computer? Perhaps a disagreement with a friend or a dicey situation at work? You sit down, the desk chair creaks a bit, your fingers start flying. At first you type out of fear or with a good streak of indignation. The keys are clicking fast and hard. You stop, re-read it. Too harsh. Backspace, backspace, backspace. Start again. Having this conversation face-to-face has definitely crossed...

Shepherd Lessons

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:20:01 -0600

In researching for Scouting the Divine: My Search for God in Wine, Wool, & Wild Honey, I spent time with a shepherdess named Lynne in Oregon. During my time in wet fields among the flock, I opened the Scriptures and asked Lynne how she read particularly passages not as a theologian but in light of taking care of her flock. Her answers changed the way I read and understand Scripture—bringing new depth and richness. Yet...

Disarming for Jesus

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:22:21 -0600

I have a confession to make. I like pop music. And not just the Miley Cyrus, High School Musical flavor. I like the beat thumping, chorus humming, and—dare I say it—booty-shaking kind. There it is. I am a woman in my early 30s, with three children and a minivan. I run a Christian counseling practice and a women’s ministry. People look to me for soul direction and depth, and in my spare time, I like...

Going Deeper in Relationships

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:06:04 -0600

All I wanted was a friend. A best friend. My family had just moved from Northern Maine to suburban Philadelphia after my 5th birthday. Friends, I thought, I‘d finally have friends. Who doesn’t want a best friend, or long for a lifelong friend? You know, the kind you make in kindergarten who stays loyal and true for a lifetime. I don’t know about you, but neither “best friend” nor “lifelong friend” is on my friends...

The Joy of Communion

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:09:09 -0600

Every night, I ask my two-year-old son a question: What should we thank God for today? In the months we have engaged in this practice, Quinn’s thanksgivings have included noodles, his friend Lily and raisins. One night during Lent, perched on my lap in the dark of his room, Quinn returned my question with one of his own: “I eat Christ?” I was sure I had heard him wrong. So I asked my question again....

Get Ready!

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:19:49 -0600

At a multi-generation women’s conference in Alaska where I was about to speak, an older woman leaned over and whispered in the ear of the young girl sitting next to her, “Get ready!” The young girl’s eyes widened. “Why? Where are we going?” The reply? “To the edge of your chair!” No one ever whispered those words in my ear, but several years ago, quite unexpectedly I found myself on the edge of my chair...

What Not to Wear--Part 2

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:12:44 -0600

I closed the book after the fourth chapter. I hugged my knees to my chest, rested my chin on my knees, and let out a long, heavy sigh. I sat, conflicted, on the oversized chair in our living room while my husband was upstairs asleep, my emotions fluctuating, oddly, between compassion and rage. If the battle really was ‘every man’s,’ then my husband was no exception, which, I concluded, left me with only two options....

Control Freaky

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:22:29 -0600

Last spring, after I was asked to consider running for the board at my kids’ school, I prayed this: God, you know how much I’d love to do this. But I just don’t have time to be president of a school board….. Go ahead and roll your eyes. I’m sure God did too. Because, of course, no one was asking me to be president. They were asking me to consider a nomination to be a...

Fame's Folly

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:28:27 -0600

According to many in the media, last weekend is being dubbed the “weekend of outbursts.” An athlete, a lawmaker, and a musician—three distinct persons in the public eye—lost their cool. Each one of them felt injustice inflicted on themselves or another. And they made their feelings known … to everyone. Being in the public eye might have some perks, but the heat of scrutiny is not something I desire. When I have a meltdown—as we...