Articles for tag: Personal Growth

July 15, 2015

Christian Standard

On Being Slow to Speak

By Jim Tune In her book Letter to My Daughter, Maya Angelou writes about a dinner party hosted in the home of a very rich and sophisticated friend during the author”s first trip to Senegal. As Angelou explored the ostentatious home and observed the elegant guests, she noted they were all carefully stepping around the beautiful, expensive rug in the middle of the floor to avoid dirtying it. She became outraged and appalled that her hostess would be so shallow as to value her things above her guest”s comfort. Finally Angelou decided to act; she stepped onto the rug and

July 10, 2015

Christian Standard

Kerry Allen’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 Kerry Allen, an evangelist and executive director with Person to Person Ministries, Hillsboro, Ohio. ________ The greatest blessing in my life is to have a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship is not by accident or coincidence. It is the result of numerous individuals God has brought into my life who have taught me, loved me, and

July 25, 2014

Christian Standard

Right Here, Right Now

By Rick Rusaw (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) I had moved to Fort Myers, Florida, to begin my first ministry in a local church. I was a young man, and I was filled with aspirations, not only for this opportunity, but for other places with other opportunities. It wasn”t that I considered this church to be merely a stepping stone, something to endure until a better situation arose. No, it was a wonderful place with plenty of opportunity. But I also knew that those who do their ministries well are usually offered leadership positions

July 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Put It in Print

By Rick Jett (From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”) The best advice I ever received was from Alan Ahlgrim, former senior minister of Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Colorado. About 20 years ago, Alan was teaching one of the graduate classes I was taking at Cincinnati Christian University. One lesson was about personal growth of a leader. He said good leaders are constantly growing. They will read, take classes, attend conferences, and interview other leaders. He explained that growing leaders will set goals. He walked us through an exercise of writing goals and action steps

October 9, 2012

Christian Standard

Learning from Trials: Find This Book and Read It! (Part 4)

By Brenda Garrison   Nine Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life: A Psychologist Probes the Mystery of Why Some Lives Really Work and Others Don”t Dr. Henry Cloud Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004 As a mom, I want my daughters to live the abundant lives Jesus promised us. One way I encourage them to do so is by giving them books that have spoken to me. One of our favorites is Nine Things You Simply Must Know to Succeed in Life and Love.  In his book, Dr. Henry Cloud teaches nine principles that anyone can implement

November 5, 2008

Christian Standard

If You Feed It, It Will Grow

By Mark A. Taylor Living things grow, or they die. This is a fact I tend to forget every spring when I”m planting. I have this way of cramming too many plants into my borders and patio pots. But at the end of the summer everyone can see my folly. Zinnia struggle for sunlight as they poke their stems through the drooping stems of spent perennials planted too close beside them. Tomato vines sprawl, the vines poking through slats of the deck and snaking through daylilies nearby. I notice some plants have grown to the size of a small bush,

December 26, 2007

Christian Standard

Change: How to Accomplish the “˜Impossible”

By Mark A. Taylor “Why don”t you just talk with them?” I suggested. She and I were discussing a married couple in the church whose attitudes would probably slow down progress on our ministry project. “Because it won”t do any good,” she answered quickly. “I”ve discovered through the years that talking to people about some way they need to change seldom results in making the change happen.” Even though I”ve forgotten the details surrounding this conversation, I still wrestle with this Christian leader”s conclusion. Don”t talk to people about change? But isn”t the church in the change business? Hasn”t Paul

Secret Link