Gary Runn

Surprised by the Grace of God

garunn — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:11:03 +0000

Since we have returned from living in Italy there have certainly been days where I have felt upside down. Those are the days where it has been difficult to get my bearings emotionally, spiritually and even physically. You know what you have left behind but the road ahead is still curvy and layered with fog. Stage of life also plays into this for me. I want to know that everything I am doing counts and flows from a deep center. Its during these times when life can feel very functional. You go through the motions but there can be a sense of profound vagueness about the outcome and your contribution. But today God kindly spoke into my mental haze in two distinct ways. He reminded me this morning in my study of Revelation that He is the sovereign Creator and Redeemer who is present enough and powerful enough to bring all of life towards His purposes. And he surprised me with a phone call.

Today, Lewis gave me call from Ohio to reconnect and bless me. Oh, he didn’t know that his call would be a blessing on this day. But God did. Lewis was a student at the very first campus I went to as a 23 year old staff member with Cru. He was a fraternity guy that I stumbled upon one day who became a student leader in our campus ministry and a friend. I witnessed how God transformed Lewis into a caring, compassionate, devoted follower of Christ who had great influence on all around him. It was the grace of God then to allow me some measure of fulfillment in mentoring a young man’s life. Lewis and I had not heard from one another for many years. But today he called to let me know that he and his family had begun a new chapter of their lives in Ohio and that he was still discipling men. He was excited about how God was leading he and his wife into some very fruitful times of ministry among coworkers, neighbors and with church communities. He updated me on some other guys from those days when Lewis was a college student. It was amazing to hear how several of them are still walking with God and having an impact on the world. That was 32 years ago. It seems like yesterday and it seems like forever ago. I don’t take for granted any more that people will still chase hard after God 32 years later. We all experience enough bumps and bruises, either through our own choices or through life in a sin wrecked world, that it can’t be a given. Today I sensed it was only by God’s grace that Lewis and I are both still passionate about Jesus Christ and still want to serve Him in whatever way we can. And to think I played any role in his life in coming to faith or helping him walk faithfully for 32 years is even a greater dose of grace for me on this day. And one that God knew I desperately needed. May you be surprised and encouraged today by the grace of God.

Soli Deo Gloria!

5 for Leadership

garunn — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:35:34 +0000

Here are a fresh five:

What Is The Conversation You Need To Have? This is a post from Mary Jo Asmus on her blog Leadership Solutions. The foundation of her post is that relationships matter and therefore difficult conversations are essential. Mary Jo offers three constructive steps to being intentional about those uncomfortable conversations.

Wondering ‘Am I A Good Leader?’ Take The Sheryl Sandberg Test Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook. Scott Eblin writes this post and offers three simple questions based on his studied profile of Sandberg and what makes her a good leader. Read and see how you stack up. Be sure to read about how Sandberg has modeled the answers to these same three questions.

Entitlement: The Gimme Generation This comes from David Murray on his blog Head, Heart, Hand. This is a fascinating post (both a podcast and a written piece) about the current generation of college students and their sense of entitlement and the implications. This is a must read for anyone working with Mosaics.

Dangers Leaders Face This is a very insightful post from Dave Kraft on the Resurgence blog. Dave offers up two very practical issues that can hit leaders squarely between the eyes and put their leadership in danger. This is worth your time and contemplation.

The Difference Between Capacity and Calling This final offering is a five minute video of Pastor Wayne Cordeiro in conversation with Mark Driscoll and James MacDonald over the issue of spiritual leaders and burnout. There are some helpful insights here about living out and fulfilling what God has truly called us to do.

There are the five for this week-lead well!

Seeing Everyone You Lead As A Volunteer

garunn — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:47:35 +0000

A friend of mine recently made a comment that he wished all those under his ministry scope would see themselves as employees, not as volunteers. I knew what he was driving at. He simply wished that people would willingly follow his lead. It would be so much easier if people would just salute and obey. But today, more than ever, people see their time and their commitments as voluntary. We have to see all those under our ministry scope as volunteers. A volunteer is defined as a person who chooses willingly to offer their service. People have multiple options these days as to where they will give their discretionary time. Even paid employees can vote with their feet if they feel unfulfilled. So how do you lead volunteers?

1. You must inspire them through a purposeful vision. People want to aspire to do their best. But you must inspire them by painting a compelling picture of a desirable future that elicits passion. A clear and compelling vision will draw people to your leadership because they can see that what you are calling them to really matters. Be sure that it does-matter.

2. You must solicit their commitment through active involvement. If your vision does matter than you actually need people’s greatest creativity and best efforts. You will get there by inviting them into the process of figuring out how your vision will be accomplished. Commitment naturally flows from involvement. Ask those around you to contribute in meaningful ways and you will get their heart and soul.

3. You must celebrate them along the way. If you are chasing something God sized then you are in for some challenges. There will be some dark moments and some dark days. The greatest resource you have is dispensing hope to those you lead as they try and sustain the effort. Celebrate the little milestones as well as the big ones. Help people see progress. Point them to Christ as their true source of hope and endurance. Thank them for their specific efforts in time and by name.

If you will do these few things on a regular basis, you will get people’s best efforts and not just their grudging service. It really isn’t much of a motivation to hold people to a contract. But to take them on a journey that is worthy of their lives can make all the difference.

What would you add to my thinking?

5 for Leadership

garunn — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:20:01 +0000

After a ten day trip to Italy, I am back with this weeks five.

Personal Coaching For Those In Ministry This is from Michael Hyatt’s blog and provides some critical information through an interview format for the value and practicality of having a personal coach. I benefitted greatly from a personal coach a few years ago. I highly recommend this post-you will also learn about a group called Ministry Coaching International.

Unleadership-A Crisis Of Identity This is a gem from Mike Myatt on his N2Growth blog. Here is a quote from the post that will make you want to read the whole-Leadership is more than a title; it’s a privilege and therefore a burden of the highest responsibility. Nothing is more dangerous than a leader who loses sight of their real purpose – to serve something greater than themselves.

Leaders Can Forgive Without Forgetting This is an interesting read from John Baldoni. John highlights well the need for leaders to forgive those who have failed. He doesn’t discount the possible consequences, but does show how forgiveness can be empowering and restorative.

Are You A Team In Name Only? Three Questions To Help You Find Out This post is from Jesse Lyn Stoner who is a business consultant, author and executive. She is new to me, but I have really enjoyed her thinking on several topics. This post is very practical about the purpose and need for teams. She offers some diagnostics to see if your team is truly on track. Take a look.

You Cannot Go To The Next Level If . . . This is a quick, practical read from Perry Noble, the pastor of New Spring Church in South Carolina. Perry offers 15 points of what may be holding you back from taking your leadership and influence to the next level.

There are the five for this week. I will be posting some of my own leadership thoughts in the next few days. I have been thinking through several topics and principles that I am looking forward to sharing and learning from the feedback. Thanks for taking a look.

5 for Leadership

garunn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:20:15 +0000

Here is a fresh five-I hope they prove effective in helping you lead to the best of your ability.

What I Learned From Steve Jobs-Since Apple is still merrily humming along after the death of it’s founder, I thought it was time to point you to this post from Guy Kawasaki that he wrote back in October. Guy offers 12 insights from being in the room with Mr. Jobs. Here is a little teaser towards the end of the post, ” . . . the starting point of changing the world is changing a few minds. This is the greatest lesson of all that I learned from Steve.”

2012′s Top Churches To Watch In America-This comes from the blog Church Relevance. It is a fascinating look at some of the top churches in the U.S. ranked according to varying categories-such as: church growth, church innovation, church planting, church size, influencing other churches, and an all areas category.

On Leadership And Your Credibility Assets-I found this post in Linked 2 Leadership and was intrigued by the straight forward principles that Lori Gilmore shares concerning credibility. It all gets back to integrity.

Book Review: Leadership is Dead-I thought it would be a good change of pace to offer a book review this time. This was found on the Practice of Leadership blog and gives a good glimpse at this new book by Jeremie Kubicek. The post claims that this book speaks to the heart of leadership and not just the head. The reviewer also suggests that this is a very timely book-in light of all of the failed leadership we have seen in various parts of our culture in the last few years. This is a helpful review and highlights some key principles.

Top 10 Servant Leadership Tweeters in 2011-If you are into Twitter-then this may be a good resource for you. This brief post comes from Ben, the founder of the blog Modern Servant Leader. This is a good blog and this post will give you some new leaders to follow on Twitter.

There are the five for this week-enjoy!

LQW: What are the causes, dangers, and implications of fear based leadership?

garunn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:17:33 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted a Leadership Question of the Week on courage. Now I want to discuss the other side. As I mentioned in that pose, I often see leaders lead in fear. I see it in contemporary life. I see it in the Scriptures and I see it in me at times. So the question has been put in the title: What are the causes, dangers, and implications of fear based leadership? I would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

5 for Leadership

garunn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:34:24 +0000

After a brief hiatus due to travel-here are a fresh five.

Why Vision Is More Important Than Strategy-This is another gem from Michael Hyatt. Michael reflects on his time of taking over the top spot in Thomas Nelson Publishing. Through his own journey you will see some very practical ways to gain vision and the importance of keeping that vision in front of those you lead.

7 Ways To Lead With A Limp-Ron Edmondson offers up seven principles for leaders who feel like less than a leader today. As leaders we all fail and make mistakes-how do you allow those moments to refine you and help you lead? See what Ron has to say.

The Current State of Leadership-Research Findings-This is a post back from August of this past year. It comes from The Practice of Leadership blog. It is a fascinating glimpse into a major research study that was done this past year on effective leadership. You will definitely be interested in some of the findings.

Caring For The Commons-This is a guest post on the Great Leadership blog. This post takes a look at the moral decisions that all leaders make on a daily basis-those types of decisions that actually impact the well being of those you lead. Kiel and Lennick talk about “moral intelligence” as vastly more important than cognitive intelligence. Take a look.

Lonely Leadership-This post comes from a women’s leadership blog called Gifted for Leadership. This is a Christian blog and Esther Feng writes this post on the need for true community and what it takes to get there. This is worth reading no matter your gender-because we can all end up in isolation and experiencing lonely leadership.

There are the 5 for this week. Lead well!

Leadership Quotes Worth Considering

garunn — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:34:06 +0000

What people don’t understand is that a leader isn’t a leader until someone believes in him. A leader has to communicate that he is worth following. JoJo Tabares

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. Harry S. Truman

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. Warren G. Bennis

Leadership is influence. John Maxwell

Leadership is intentional influence. Michael McKiney

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. Ken Blanchard

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. Norman Schwarzkopf

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. Bill Bradley

Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. General Colin Powell

I am reminded how hollow the label of leadership sometimes is and heroic followership can be. Warren Bennis

The first responsibility of a leader is define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. Max DePree

My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence. General Montgomery

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. Jack Welch

. . . whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Jesus Christ

My Golden Retriever & The Nature of Loss

garunn — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:47:23 +0000

This past Monday we had our family dog of nine and a half years put to sleep. She was a Golden Retriever named Taffy. My wife bought her on the side of a highway near Bastrop, Texas as a puppy-on a whim. She quickly became a dominant thread in our family tapestry. She tapped our pocketbook too much, she made us mad with her adolescent antics, and she stole our hearts. She didn’t retrieve very well and she once ate most of a lasagna off of our countertop. But she helped my seven year old daughter overcome her fear of dogs and she never veered from providing us with a rousing reception upon coming home-even if we just went to the mailbox. She obeyed two commands-”Come” and “Sit.” Looking back, she was our “sacred object” that got us to Italy and home again over the past five years. In her, God provided an emotional constant to the stormy experiences of life and ministry in a foreign land. But about six weeks ago we discovered she had cancer. She went through a major operation just before Thanksgiving-there was just too much-it had spread too far. We are grateful as a family that she made it this long and through the holidays. We needed her and I think she needed us. It has been a challenging time of transition to life back in the States.

The pain of losing our dog has caught me off guard. I have teared up at random times. I have felt kind of lost and empty. Why? She was just a dog. Maybe she represents the culmination of other losses. Both of my parents passed away during our first year in Italy. They died four months apart, also of cancer. And I am only child. I had only passing moments to truly process my loss back then. Fresh loss is forcing me to reconsider other losses.

I have been reading Genesis in the Bible this month. Genesis means “beginnings.” Chapters 1 & 2 describe God’s creative activity for the beginning of life as we know it. The ultimate purpose for humankind is also established. We are to reflect God’ s image and steward the rest of creation. But in chapter 3 everything changes. We move from being image bearers to becoming image builders-because of sin. Fear, shame and hiding become regular drivers of human behavior. And death enters the world. We were not meant to taste spiritual and physical death. We were not meant to suffer loss. But now we do. It’s a devastating reversal of the created order. And we especially mourn the death and loss of those who were close to us-those we loved. Death and loss steal relationship and replaces it with seemingly unanswerable questions. That’s why I miss my dog. That’s why I miss my parents. I have lost relationships that I treasured.

Death and loss should also serve to make us wonder what is wrong with the universe. These impostors should actually cause us to consider God because we are hard wired to sense that we were meant for more. Genesis 3 also begins to reveal God’s rescue plan. He is not only the Creator-He is the Redeemer. The rest of the Bible unveils the magnificent storyline of God chasing after people to rescue them from sin and death and loss. The end of the book reveals a re-creation that is a believer’s future certain hope. In that future reality, death and loss are destroyed. Relationship with our Creator is fully restored. Do you understand? Do you hope?

I will feel the loss of my favorite dog for a longtime. I will experience new losses. But I know the end of the story. There is hope in One who died on my behalf. And He says, “Come.”

LQW: Is Everyone a Leader?

garunn — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:52:52 +0000

Here is the 2nd installment of “Leadership Question of the Week.” I have been asked many times if I believe that anyone can become a leader? I see organizations that seem to live out this philosophy-that all who will, can become leaders. I have sat under teaching that clearly stated that only certain ones are suited or chosen to be leaders. Some will refer to leadership as a unique spiritual gift. What do you think? Comment below and add to the conversation.