Leading and Teaching
I believe it was Bill Hybels who once said that it is difficult to lead well and preach well in the same week. It is a challenge I can identify with and one I am facing this week. Tuesday was made up of a full day of leadership meetings – a morning spent with the senior leadership team, an afternoon with the staff team, finishing with trustees' and elders’ meetings in the evening. It was a long but very fruitful and encouraging day! Contrast that with Wednesday, which I set aside for final preparation for this Sunday’s message in our Origins series. From a day spent discussing vision, values and strategy in rooms full of people, to a day spent alone in my office with a table of books!
I have observed that the healthiest churches are both well led and well taught. Getting the right balance between the two, knowing which to prioritise at any given point is an important skill. I would like to recommend a couple of blogs which I enjoy reading – both are excellent resources for learning more about these two important areas. The first is Paul Alexander’s blog, paulalexanderblog.com, where you will find many great articles about different areas of church leadership. And I would also highly recommend thinktheology.co.uk, an excellent source of articles by writers and thinkers passionate about theological matters.
Finally, we have all been shocked and saddened by the recent terrorist attacks in London and Manchester. Let us continue to pray for our nation, for its communities and leaders, and for our emergency and security services. We pray also for today’s election – may God’s will be done.
