LEADERSHIP

Dick Hardy

 

TEN THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN INTERVIEWING A POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE

Dick Hardy, Pastoral Leadership Consultant emails:

Have you ever said to yourself after you hire someone, ‘Wow! I should have asked that question. How did I miss that one?’

Let me give you a few thoughts to ponder when interviewing a potential staff member. This should not be construed as an exhaustive list but should give you food for thought as you go below the waterline in learning all you can about people who desire to serve under your leadership. (Be sure to check with your legal counsel before digging on some of these subjects).

Interviewing
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PASTORS, CHURCHES AND MISSIONS

George Forbes 2010

Missionary statesman Dr George Forbes recalls one of Dr Ralph Winter’s powerful statements:

‘Unless and until the church in faith, makes the future of the world more important than the future of the church, the church has no future.’

Dr. Winter was named among the Top 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America by Time Magazine (2005) and this heart-searching statement was burned into my heart and memory years ago.

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A FAMINE OF THE WORD

Jim McClureQuestion: I feel that some preachers today aren’t really teaching what the Bible actually says. Are we in danger of losing the reality of scripture?

Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, responds:

In Amos 8:11-12, the prophet writes, ‘The days are coming, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I will send a famine through the land – not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord, when I will send famine on the land. People will be hungry, but not for bread; they will be thirsty, but not for water. They will hunger and thirst for a message from the Lord. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.’ (more…)

INFLUENCING THE YOUNG

JESUS’ ATTITUDE
Matthew 18 reveals the heart of Jesus toward children…he warned that they shouldn’t be neglected but rather warmly accepted and encouraged.’ Verse 7 (Message) tells that he said, ‘Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse…’ (more…)

THE BUZZ

TEXAS
Ebola update

Aimee HerdBreaking Christian News’ Aimee Herd emails:
Three times now, Ebola survivor Dr Kent Brantly has donated his blood to a patient suffering with the deadly disease—the latest recipient being Texas nurse, Nina Pham, who contracted Ebola from caring for Thomas Eric Duncan who died last week.

The first person who received a blood transfusion using Dr Brantly’s blood was fellow humanitarian aid doctor Nick Sacra, who has recovered from Ebola and been released from the hospital. (more…)

BOXES, COMFORT ZONES AND OTHER FREEDOM BLOCKAGES

Dr-Robert-&-Maureen-McQuillan_Photo

Robert and Maureen McQuillan write:

Okay, okay…it’s not new, those urgings to ‘Get out of your comfort zone; Think outside the box; Get a life; Remember Jeremiah 29:11…’ and similar challenges to move ahead into new spheres with God’s help.

Yet we keep coming across Christians who still haven’t made the positive move and got on with living life to the full in God-given freedom! (more…)

GOOD GRIEF!

Rick Marschall

Rick Marschall challengingly asks:

How many of us have attended church services where the pastor, or perhaps a superstore-style greeter (some larger churches today have designated Hospitality Pastors), flashes the salesman-white smile and asks everybody how they ‘are’?

Assisted by throat-microphone and ubiquitous large-screen image confronting the audience, they often follow with the robotic demands: ‘I can’t hear you! Good morning!! I want to see everybody smiling!’

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RESOURCES

The following available from Koorong Bookstore – Ph: 03 9262 7444 / coraliec@koorong.com.au

BLOOD COVENANT
Michael Franzese

Blood CovenantMob boss Michael Franzese had it all – money, power, prestige. Then, he did the unthinkable. He quit the mob. In one of the most fascinating books ever written about today’s Mafia, Michael reveals the answers to the many mysteries surrounding his incredible life. Find out how and why he did what no one else managed to do – and live. Journey with Michael through a life defined by two blood covenants – the first bound him to the mob, the second set him free.

See this month’s Impact article.
Other Michael Franzese books available by order…
MF 2

 

 

I’LL MAKE YOU AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE

MF 3

 

 

THE GOOD, THE BAD  AND THE FORGIVEN

 

 

Koorong Blackburn news…
Coralie Casey advises: ‘We have Ally Finlay in store October 16 and Andy Vance playing jazz keyboard on November 8 so lots of fun things in the pipeline.’

FAVOURITES THAT KOORONG STAFF LOVE…
Check this link: www.koorong.com

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AVAILABLE FROM SOURCES INDICATED
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
Rick Marschall
Johann Sebastian Bach...
Two-and-a-half centuries after his death, the complex life of composer Johann Sebastian Bach continues to fascinate. His colourful life was anchored in his belief that ‘music has been ordered by God’s Spirit’ – so much so that he began each composition by scrawling Jesu, juva (Jesus, help me) at the top of a blank page and concluded each with SDG (short for Soli Deo Gloria, to God alone be the glory). Through the eyes of noted music and culture writer Rick Marschall, the intensely personal yet boldly public faith that earned Bach the nickname ‘The Fifth Evangelist’ takes on fresh meaning.

From a survey of Bach’s family and its deep Christian roots to a behind-the-scenes look at how he crafted his masterpieces, this book paints a picture of an astonishing figure and his relationship with his God. Rick Marschall brings Bach’s enduring music and influence to the postmodern world and to all who would draw inspiration from his relentless pursuit of divinely ordained creativity. Link: RickMarschall@gmail.com See also this month’s Opinion.

LEADING CHANGE WITHOUT LOSING IT
Carey Nieuwhof

Leading Change
Leaders try to bring about change. And change almost always elicits opposition. So how do leaders navigate change, and the opposition to it, without giving up their dream for what could and should be? Carey Nieuwhof examines five strategies that can help church leaders engineer change:
1. Determine who is for (or against) the change and why.
2. Decide where to focus your attention.
3. Develop the questions that will set your course.
4. Learn to attack problems instead of people.
5. Persevere until the critical breakthrough.

Insightful and practical, Leading Change Without Losing It offers hope and encouragement for leaders, no matter where they serve in the church. Link: careynieuwhof.com See also this month’s Leadership.

GRACE REVISITED
Jim McClure

Grace Revisited.jpg
Theologian Dr Jim McClure cuts through the jargon so beloved by theologians enabling readers to rediscover the profound significance of the unavoidability of grace in salvation and in living the Christian life. Grace Revisited takes us on a journey back to ancient Greece to unearth the origins of the word and concept of the Greek word charis. With scholarly precision, this easy-to-read book shows that the commonly accepted definition of grace as ‘The unmerited favour of God’ falls short when applied to the New Testament.

Well researched book by an insightful author, Grace Revisited reveals grace as having a strong active meaning, not something that is passively received but rather as something that has a dynamic effect on those who receive it. Jim McClure shows that grace is like a many faceted diamond out of which shines a greater understanding of the great God we worship. Normally $35 but obtainable from the author for $25 (plus postage). Link: jbmcclure@hotmail.com

See this month’s Ask Dr Jim for another of the author’s timely articles.

THE BUZZ

CRISIS IN IRAQ
Crisis Response International (CRI) update

CRi

Founder/director Sean Malone reports that CRí Relief Operations continue in Iraq: Our team has recently located a large group of Yazidi refugees who escaped the genocide in the Mt Sinjar region, perpetrated by ISIS. We are currently meeting basic needs and distributing relief supplies to them. Thanks to Samaritan’s Purse, we also were able to give over 4000 pairs of shoes to victims who had traveled for weeks on foot to save their lives.

CRí now has the ability to distribute thousands of copies of the Bible to refugees, as we also continue to meet other life sustaining needs. In addition, our teams have ministered and provided medical care to Kurdish forces on the front lines who are fighting to push back ISIS and keep refugees safe. (more…)