Leadership Development

Leadership Development equips churches and ministry teams to identify, train, and empower leaders for long-term discipleship and mission. Explore practical, Bible-based resources on mentoring, coaching, apprenticeships, and building leadership pipelines for elders, staff, and volunteer leaders. You’ll find guidance on cultivating character, clarifying competencies, delegating responsibility, and creating a healthy culture where leaders grow and multiply. Whether you’re developing emerging leaders, strengthening current leadership, or building a repeatable process for your church, these articles help you invest in people who can faithfully lead in Jesus’ name.

July 25, 2015

Christian Standard

Bob Russell’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Bob Russell, retired senior minister of Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky. ________ Those who have most significantly influenced my thinking in recent years would be: Ben Merold, retired minister, Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles, Missouri. I”ve learned a lot from observing Ben”s ministries and am thankful we”ve become close friends while conducting mentoring retreats together. At age 88, Ben”s joyful, energetic,

July 25, 2015

Christian Standard

Jeff Walling’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Jeff Walling, founding director of the Youth Leadership Initiative at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. ________ The thoughts and writings of Tim Keller, John Ortberg, Bob Goff, Thomas Merton, and C.S. Lewis have all been recently impacting how I think about Scripture. While hardly a new name among Christian authors, C.S. Lewis”s words still vibrate with deep spirituality and practical wisdom. Lewis

July 24, 2015

Christian Standard

Michael Plank’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Michael Plank, executive director of worship and discipleship, Spring Road Christian Church, Lanett, Alabama. ________ Dr. Richard Averbeck, professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, is also the director of the Spiritual Formation Forum. Building on the amazing work of Dallas Willard in the field of discipleship, Averbeck and his forum of scholars in this field

July 24, 2015

Christian Standard

Jordan Rice’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Jordan Rice, lead pastor, Renaissance Church, New York, New York. ________ Timothy Keller“s “God Loves Cities” changed my life. In this talk, he offered a compelling, clear picture of the unique opportunity churches have to affect more people than ever by patiently and consistently engaging cities. Instead of demonizing the city for all of its ills, he offered a picture from

July 23, 2015

Christian Standard

Mark Scott’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Mark Scott, professor of preaching and ministry, Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. ________ As tempting as it is to name the five members of my family (wife and four children), I will name and give commentary to five thought leaders. Two are older and have mentored me. One is a peer and has walked alongside of me. Two are younger and

July 23, 2015

Christian Standard

Ryan Phipps’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Ryan Phipps, lead pastor of Forefront Manhattan in New York City. ________ I know my Bible. I know how to articulate what I believe. Where I find myself forever lacking, however, in a melting pot of all things like New York City, is how “to understand, rather than to be understood.” I take the time to learn from people who “understand”

July 23, 2015

Christian Standard

Mark E. Moore’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Mark Moore, teaching pastor, Christ’s Church of the Valley, Peoria, Arizona. ________ Don Wilson: Don founded Christ”s Church of the Valley 30 years ago. It has grown to more than 23,000 in weekly attendance, and there”s a very good reason. Don is one of the most driven and shrewd leaders I”ve ever met. His single life focus is to build the

July 23, 2015

Christian Standard

Sean Palmer’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Sean Palmer, lead minister of The Vine Church, Temple, Texas. ________ If N.T. Wright isn”t the world”s greatest living theologian, he”s certainly the one influencing my life and work the most. In fact, among my pastor and theologian friends, I”ve begun to call Wright “Q” because he is the source of a great deal of what is now being preached and

July 17, 2015

Christian Standard

Mel McGowan’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Mel McGowan, president of Visioneering Studios, Irvine, California. ________ Eric O. Jacobsen: He has been one of the best theologians of space and an “interpreter” of our contemporary cities and communities through his advocacy of “New Urbanism,” which describes the maturing of the American suburban dream into a denser, more diverse, polycentric, postmodern reality. Dave Gibbons: David is my Jedi kung

July 17, 2015

Christian Standard

Ethan Magness’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Ethan Magness, pastor of spiritual formation with Mountain Christian Church, Joppa, Maryland. ________ I feel like I am learning so much right now in ministry. So many people are participating in fruitful experiments of ministry and biblical study, and I am grateful to get to learn from them. Here are a few who are especially influential to me right now. In

July 17, 2015

Christian Standard

Victor Knowles’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Victor Knowles, founder and director of POEM (Peace on Earth Ministries), Joplin, Missouri. ________ Leroy Garrett is perhaps best known for his magnum opus The Stone-Campbell Movement, but I think his best work is his transparent autobiography, A Lover”s Quarrel. It caused me to tear up a number of times. Anyone who can touch your heart can reach your head. This

July 16, 2015

Christian Standard

Philip D. Kenneson’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Philip D. Kenneson, professor of theology and philosophy at Milligan College, Tennessee. ________ Over the years, I have been consistently challenged, convicted, and unsettled by the work of Stanley Hauerwas, Miroslav Volf, and Rowan Williams, three of the leading theologians of our day. All three not only ground their theology unapologetically in a Trinitarian understanding of God, but each deeply loves

July 16, 2015

Christian Standard

Casey Tygrett’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Casey Tygrett, spiritual formation pastor with Parkview Christian Church, Orland Park, Illinois. ________ Neal Windham, professor of spiritual formation at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University and Seminary, is a mentor, friend, and a true gift to know. Neal has a way of speaking about spiritual formation that is biblically thorough and paired with a deep sensitivity to what it means to be

July 16, 2015

Christian Standard

Rick Grover’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Rick Grover, senior pastor of East 91st Street Christian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana. ________ Wayne Smith, retired minister from Lexington, Kentucky: Wayne is a lifelong friend who taught me that our commission to love and serve people always trumps my own agenda or strategic plan. Leonard Wymore, retired NACC executive director, Johnson City, Tennessee: Leonard and my grandfather were best friends,

July 15, 2015

Christian Standard

Thomas F. Jones Jr.’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Thomas F. Jones Jr., executive director of Stadia, Irvine, California. ________ Wess Stafford, president emeritus of Compassion International: Wess is an extraordinary leader who grew Compassion International, a child advocacy organization that works only through the local church, to one of the world”s leading nonprofits. Most important, he has helped shape the world”s thinking about the importance of giving hope to

July 15, 2015

Christian Standard

Ian DiOrio’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Ian DiOrio, lead pastor of Yucaipa (California) Christian Church. ________ Doug Parks and Bart Rendel started Intentional Churches in 2013 after lengthy stints on the leadership teams at Canyon Ridge Christian Church and Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their vision is to create a movement of like-minded churches who learn, use, and collaborate about the best practices of growing

July 14, 2015

Christian Standard

Liz Curtis Higgs’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Liz Curtis Higgs, conference speaker and best-selling author of Bad Girls of the Bible. ________ Three remarkable leaders quickly come to mind: Christine Caine thinks globally, speaks passionately, and states her mission clearly: “to make Jesus” last command our first priority: “˜Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”” (Matthew 28:19). Along with her husband, Nick, Christine is deeply involved in

July 14, 2015

Christian Standard

John Derry’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from John Derry, president of Hope International University, Fullerton, California. ________ There are almost 100 books about leadership on the shelves in my office and on my e-reader, representing 40 years worth of reading and studying the subject. Among them are several by Jim Collins, John Maxwell, and Peter Drucker. I have learned much from these prolific writers about what is necessary

July 13, 2015

Christian Standard

Randy Harris’s Thought Leaders

We asked 35 Christian leaders, “Who is the influencer with the biggest impact on your life and ministry?” Most of these leaders listed several influential thinkers, writers, innovators, and leaders more of us should get to know. This response is from Randy Harris, spiritual director with the College of Biblical Studies, Abilene (Texas) Christian University. ________ If I confine myself to largely contemporary figures, the list might look something like this . . . Non-Christian: Thich Nhat Hanh is, in my opinion, the greatest living Zen master, whose very presence brings peace. He is an example of what one can become if one

July 13, 2015

Christian Standard

A Conversation with Chris Seidman

Chris Seidman, senior minister of The Branch Church, Dallas, Texas, speaks with CHRISTIAN STANDARD contributing editor Jennifer Johnson about “serving as a missionary in the land of religion” and how being debt-free has allowed his church to be “spontaneously generous.” Seidman was a main-session speaker at the 2015 North American Christian Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. See the exclusive interview.

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