Practices of Healthy Associations
I had the privilege of speaking to the Florida Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders (FBCAL) in Jacksonville, FL, this week on “Practices of Healthy Associations,” and “Trends in Associational Missions.” Over the coming weeks, I would like to share with you several practices that I see as common to healthy, effective associations. Today is the first one.
The Associational Leader is a Passionate Leader and a Committed Learner
Al Mohler, in his book, The Conviction to Lead, says, “The passionate leader is driven…Passion is contagious.”
He goes on to say, “When the mission is ambiguous and the beliefs of the organization are nebulous, passion dissipates quickly. Organizations driven by passion thrive on the experience of seeing change happen in the service of common convictions…To lead with conviction is to seize the role of teacher with energy, determination, and even excitement.”
I had the privilege of speaking to the Florida Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders (FBCAL) in Jacksonville, FL, this week on “Practices of Healthy Associations,” and “Trends in Associational Missions.” Over the coming weeks, I would like to share with you several practices that I see as common to healthy, effective associations. Today is the first one.
The Associational Leader is a Passionate Leader and a Committed Learner
Al Mohler, in his book, The Conviction to Lead, says, “The passionate leader is driven…Passion is contagious.”
He goes on to say, “When the mission is ambiguous and the beliefs of the organization are nebulous, passion dissipates quickly. Organizations driven by passion thrive on the experience of seeing change happen in the service of common convictions…To lead with conviction is to seize the role of teacher with energy, determination, and even excitement.”
You are growing as a Christian – having a regular Daily Quiet Time; journaling; having prayer partners. You know your spiritual gifts and operate out of them as much as possible. You help others discover, develop, and deploy their gifts for kingdom advance – leadership pipelines.
You are a leader of leaders. If that is not your identity, pray, seek wise counsel and role models and grow into that identity; for example, join an AMS Cohort. Read or reread the chapter by this same title in our 2020 book, The Baptist Association.
“Everything rises and falls on leadership, except for the grace of God.” Dan Reiland, author of Amplified Leadership
Mohler again: “The organizations of the future will learn fast, learn well, learn together, and learn to keep on learning. Love undergirds the entire process of learning, taught by Augustine.
The leader is always fighting apathy, confusion, lack of direction, and competing voices.”
You are a reader…and a podcast listener and conference goer - iron sharpening iron.
Mohler: “Those who lead with conviction must read with conviction.”
Read 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and you will read over 30 books a year. I learned this from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, and his blog 3-2-1 Thursday.
Leaders listen. Listening may be the most under-taught and under-valued skill of leadership. The best ideas a leader has often comes from others. Tom Billings, TX, speaking at our 2018 Conference. Our book also has a great chapter on being a good listener.
Mohler quoting Peter Drucker: “Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.”
You are humble and teachable; open to learning- including through reverse mentoring –
a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person who is older than the mentor.
What about you? Are you passionate about your calling and your role? It is a unique role in the SBC. It requires calling, conviction, passion, and consistency. Are you a role model as a leader of leaders? If not, pray, repent, and learn by seeking wise counsel from godly peers and others. Don’t coast!
A Word to the Wise: “The real strength and backbone of the SBC is the association – despite the fact associations receive no Cooperative Program funds.” Mark Clifton, NAMB Senior Director for Church Replanting, Bivocational Ministry, and Rural Ministry, 11.29.23
Here are Four Things to Know this Week:
Be a Light in 2024 (Paul Tripp)
Younger and Older Christians Hold Differing Views on Israel, War with Hamas, Lifeway Research
First-Person: For Baptist Confessionalism (Malcom Yarnell and Stephen McKinion)
Barna Says Significant Number of Non-Christians Reverence the Bible (The Christian Index)
May you and I magnify the Lord this week,
Ray
You are a leader of leaders. If that is not your identity, pray, seek wise counsel and role models and grow into that identity; for example, join an AMS Cohort. Read or reread the chapter by this same title in our 2020 book, The Baptist Association.
“Everything rises and falls on leadership, except for the grace of God.” Dan Reiland, author of Amplified Leadership
Mohler again: “The organizations of the future will learn fast, learn well, learn together, and learn to keep on learning. Love undergirds the entire process of learning, taught by Augustine.
The leader is always fighting apathy, confusion, lack of direction, and competing voices.”
You are a reader…and a podcast listener and conference goer - iron sharpening iron.
Mohler: “Those who lead with conviction must read with conviction.”
Read 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and you will read over 30 books a year. I learned this from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, and his blog 3-2-1 Thursday.
Leaders listen. Listening may be the most under-taught and under-valued skill of leadership. The best ideas a leader has often comes from others. Tom Billings, TX, speaking at our 2018 Conference. Our book also has a great chapter on being a good listener.
Mohler quoting Peter Drucker: “Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.”
You are humble and teachable; open to learning- including through reverse mentoring –
a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person who is older than the mentor.
What about you? Are you passionate about your calling and your role? It is a unique role in the SBC. It requires calling, conviction, passion, and consistency. Are you a role model as a leader of leaders? If not, pray, repent, and learn by seeking wise counsel from godly peers and others. Don’t coast!
A Word to the Wise: “The real strength and backbone of the SBC is the association – despite the fact associations receive no Cooperative Program funds.” Mark Clifton, NAMB Senior Director for Church Replanting, Bivocational Ministry, and Rural Ministry, 11.29.23
Here are Four Things to Know this Week:
Be a Light in 2024 (Paul Tripp)
Younger and Older Christians Hold Differing Views on Israel, War with Hamas, Lifeway Research
First-Person: For Baptist Confessionalism (Malcom Yarnell and Stephen McKinion)
Barna Says Significant Number of Non-Christians Reverence the Bible (The Christian Index)
May you and I magnify the Lord this week,
Ray
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