A Word to the Wise 
 
Pick one room where you spend a lot of time. What is one item in this room that you no longer use or do not benefit from? Keep what serves you or inspires you. Remove what distracts you.

James Clear, 3-2-1 Thursday, 8.27.26

A Word to the Wise 
 
"The quality of Associational leaders has continued to increase over the past decade, and I give SBCAL a lot of credit for that.” Jonathan Howe, Vice President of Convention Administration, SBC Executive Committee, in Indianapolis last week

A Word to the Wise 
 
Unbeknownst to many leaders, showing appreciation is its own unique form of recognition.
Often confused with praise or compliments, appreciation acknowledges effort and character, not outcomes or performance.
Praise says, “You hit the number.” Appreciation says, “I know what it cost you to get there.” That distinction matters more than many leaders realize.
A team member can miss a target and still deserve appreciation for the persistence, integrity, or sacrifice they brought to the attempt.
​
Admired Leadership Field Notes, 8.4.26, Closing the Gratitude Gap

​A Word to the Wise 
 
Good leaders create belonging without making it dependent on exclusion. They resist the shortcut of an “us” versus “them” story, even though it is fast and effective.
They know that story quietly trains people to stay quiet, play it safe, and measure their worth against those on the outside. So they build identity instead around shared purpose, shared values, and shared standards.

​Admired Leadership Field Notes, 7.26.26, The Downside of Using Exclusion to Create Group Cohesion

A Word to the Wise 
 
“Dockery looked to God for direction and looked to his team for execution of the vision.”

Andy Pettigrew, Steadfast: The Leadership Journey and Model of David S. Dockery
 

A Word to the Wise: 
 
A lack of evangelism is the greatest danger facing churches today. Leaders often diagnose symptoms while missing the root issue. That is why evangelism cannot be treated as a department in the church. It is the bloodstream. When blood flow is restricted, organs begin to fail one by one. Struggling ministries may not be suffering from poor organization as much as from a lack of evangelistic energy. When too few new believers enter the church, every ministry eventually feels the strain.
​
Sam Rainer, 7.13.26, Church Answers, Why All Church Health Is Downstream from Evangelism

A Word to the Wise: What’s the Difference Between Discipleship and Leadership Development?
 
Here's a simple way to think about it:
 
Discipleship teaches how to live like Jesus.
Leadership development helps people lead like Jesus.
 
Here's a practical exercise:
 
Take one leadership role in your church and ask:

• Does this role only describe tasks?
• Or does it also describe spiritual responsibility?
• Are we asking this person to do ministry?
• Or are we helping them develop people?

​Mac Lake, 6.24.26, What’s the Difference Between Discipleship and Leadership Development?