WHAT’S THE “IT” FACTOR?

6412_108194389038_518889038_2321235_1166167_nRead Dennis Sy’s blog about “What’s It?”

Great blog!  Here’s an excerpt…

I was being interviewed last Thursday and was asked “What is the IT factor of Victory?”, “What is the magic that keeps this movement alive and growing?”

The answer I gave was “THE CULTURE THAT THE LEADERS CREATE”

1. Leadership is not positional.

2. Empowered leaders

3. Humility.

4. Multi-generational thinking.

To read the whole article, click here.

LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS

How can the Bible be God’s Word when it was written by mere men?

How can we trust the Bible is really God’s word?

How was the Bible put together?  And who decided to put them together?

If God is One, then why are there three persons?

Does God really exist?

These are a few questions we will answer in our next series in our Leadership Group starting July 15, 16 and 18 every Wednesday (6:30 pm), Thursday (6:30 pm) or Saturday (9 am)?

We will be studying Systematic Theology and how it relates to every day life.

Remember, “right thinking leads to right living…”


“… praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way…” (Colossians 1:9-10)

SMALL GROUP LEADER ESSENTIALS

Essentials-coverIn our Leadership Group, Carlos Antonio shared key concepts taken from the book “Creating Community” to keep in mind as we lead small groups.

1. Think growth.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into His likeness… (2 Cor. 3:18)

Small groups can become ingrown.

We cannot reduce small groups into numbers and statistics.  It’s all about life-change.

The interesting about life-change is that it takes time.  That’s why Paul told the church in Corinth that transformation is a process.  We are BEING transformed into His likeness.

2. Cultivate relationships.

Ways to make this happen is to cultivate…

– Authenticity
– Confidentiality
– Respect
– Availability

3. Promote participation

The more they participate, the more they feel they are part of the group.  The goal is not to teach and be the Bible answer man.  The goal is spiritual growth.  People learn more as they personally discover truth through revelation.

4. Replace yourself.

Who in the group can you start to apprentice for future leadership?  Be conscious of replacing yourself.

Empower people to lead and help you make disciples.

Maybe easier said than done but it can be done.

STEPPING ASIDE

I spoke to a guy this week who told me he wanted to lead. Though his heart was not in the wrong place, I warned him that a lot of leadership is not found in a title or position.

While I appreciate how John Maxwell defined leadership as ‘influence’, Jesus defined it differently.

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:42-44)

Leadership is serving.

This I saw yesterday during our Metro Manila Staff Meeting.  Jam, who is a phenomenal worship leader led us into the presence of God.  He’s the one in the middle of the picture in a white shirt.  While this was happening, I was watching Pastor Joel Barrios (on the far right in red).  He used to be in the frontlines and the one in the middle.  Yet as he has raised so many worship leaders, he has deliberately stepped aside to let others take the lead.

We’ve seen too many insecure leaders today try to stay in the ‘spotlight’ as long as they can.  This is not the case with Joel Barrios – a man who knows how to lead… He leads by serving.

God help me to be like him – a secure leader who loves serve and knows when to step aside.

LEADERS ARE READERS. BUT WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE READING?

Never really grew up reading.  Never liked it.  Never enjoyed it.  I know, I’m such a bum.

While my classmates would read Hardy Boys and Sweet Valley High (yes, they were boys… I know, weird, right?), I would be out playing basketball, tumbang preso, baseball and getting smelly.

However, through the years, I’ve ‘forced’ myself to like reading because I realized I can’t grow (spiritually, intellectually, leadershipically… making up words now) if I don’t read.  Started as a “have-to” but now becoming a “love-to”.

I still read veeeerrrrryyyyyy sssslllloooowwww, but I think I’m making progress.  Much of reading is a discipline, not really a natural inclination, at least for me.

But if I read 250 words a minute, this would mean that in 20 minutes, I could read 5000 words.  An average book has about 400 words to a page.  So in 20 minutes, I could read about 12 1/2 pages.  So if I discipline myself to read 20 minutes a day, six days a week, that would be 312 times 12.5 pages for a total of 3,900 pages.  If an average book is 250 pages long, this means I could read 15 books in one year.

Achievable?  Definitely.  Now all I need is discipline.  So help me, God.