Boy, I like what I have read behind him, but this article makes me nervous. Does He really mean all of this?

Does God Speak to His People? By John Eldredge

Can you imagine a relationship where there is no communication whatsoever? …

Now, I know, I know – the prevailing belief is that God speaks to his people only through the Bible. And let me make this clear: he does speak to us first and foremost through the Bible. That is the basis for our relationship. The Bible is the eternal and unchanging Word of God to us. It is such a gift, to have right there in black and white God’s thoughts toward us. We know right off the bat that any other supposed revelation from God that contradicts the Bible is not to be trusted. So I am not minimizing in any way the authority of the Scripture or the fact that God speaks to us through the Bible.Catalyst | The Leadership Filter for What’s Next in the Church

SermonIndex.net audio sermons – Great place for Tozer, etc. Neatly arranged and very well done.

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=121902211929 – Speaking of Tozer, here is one from Sermonaudio.com. Click on this and look for links to others of his as well.

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/dispen/literal.htm - Do I Interpret the Bible Literally?

http://www.memoryverses.org/ Not very fancy, just lots of good ideas and some good articles.

http://www.wacriswell.com/ The W. A. Criswell Sermon Library,a collection of over two thousand sermons Dr. W. A. Criswell preached during his fifty-five years of ministry at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

http://www.biblebb.com/files/gathw.htm The Gospel According to Hybels & Warren

http://www.cbmw.org/ The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood — Always thought provoking, particularly in today’s time.
 

As always, a thought provoking article from MacDonald. Good reading for the new year on the whole.

I would suggest the Pursuit of God to help with this quest.

Take Time to Be What? – LeadershipJournal.net

Take Time to Be What?
A classic hymn shows why holiness is scarce these days.
by Gordon MacDonald

In the early 1880s, William D. Longstaff wrote a poem that later became a hymn called “Take Time to Be Holy.” In my branch of church tradition, we often sang this hymn. As a kid I considered it uninspiring (sorry, Mr. Longstaff), and I groaned whenever the song leader announced it. Today, decades later, I have taken a fresh look at the song and reconsidered my earlier appraisal. There’s substance here.

Take time to be holy,
Speak oft with thy Lord,
Abide in him always,
And feed on his word.
Make friends of God’s children;
Help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.

There are three more verses to Longstaff’s hymn, and the second verse is also worth quoting:

Take time to be holy,
The world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret
With Jesus alone;
By looking to Jesus
Like him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.

When Things Get Ugly – LeadershipJournal.net

When Things Get Ugly
What’s a leader to do when followers are revolting?
by Gordon MacDonald

My first crack at shepherding a congregation came during seminary days when a group of twenty families, ranchers and farmers living on the Kansas-Colorado border, offered a parsonage and a small paycheck if I would be their pulpit-guy. My wife, Gail, and I enthusiastically entered the rural culture to serve the people. They taught us much, and we loved them in return.

A few months into this experience, the deacons convened a meeting to resolve a business issue. I can’t remember the subject matter, but I do recall that people I really cared for began to say things to each other that left Gail and me devastated. It was like being parents of children fighting in the back seat. It sounds prideful, but we couldn’t believe that people under our ministry influence could act so unpleasantly.

Very Neat Idea. I like his thinking and his attitude about weeding out until you have what is necessary.

The Low-Information Diet:

How to Eliminate E-Mail Overload & Triple Productivity in 24 Hours

Catalyst | The Leadership Filter for What’s Next in the Church

The Leadership Life of the Senior Pastor, Part 2
By Dan Reiland

Every profession has its set of pitfalls. Policemen deal with risk every day and battle cynicism that comes from who and what they see. Social workers wrestle with massive case loads that challenge personal touch. Professional athletes and entertainers face the oppressive competition, and on the list goes.

So what about senior pastors? There are no pitfalls that are exclusive to any profession, but there are a few that clearly and consistently rise to the top of what senior pastors communicate are “the things that just seem to take me out.” What are among the top pitfalls they face on a regular basis?

In terms of pitfalls, I’m not including sexual temptation and sin in general because it lacks relevance, but because, in contrast, it always exists. It should never be dismissed. Further, it is an area so huge and complex it merits an article all to itself. So when it comes to this area – guard your heart! Beyond this Grand Canyon-sized pitfall there are others that are more subtle, but nonetheless can have devastating results. The following three things are what pastors tell me are the “real deal” that competes with being and achieving all that God has intended.

Finishing Well: How Pathfinders Transform Success to Significance — Bob Buford

Great article and FANTASTIC web site I just discovered.

The Uncertain Leader
You can’t always be sure, but you’d better be clear.
Andy Stanley

July 1, 2003

Uncertainty
is a permanent part of the leadership landscape. It never goes away.
Uncertainty is not an indication of poor leadership; it underscores the
need for leadership. It is the environment in which good leadership is
most easily identified.

Where there is no
uncertainty, there is no longer the need for leadership. As Jim Kouzes
puts it, “Uncertainty creates the necessary condition for leadership.”

It
took me several years to figure this out. As a young leader I was
tormented by the assumption that I should know what to do in every
situation. If I were a good leader, I would reason, I would know exactly what to do. After all, I am the leader! Leaders are supposed to be able to stand up at any given moment and give direction with absolute certainty. Or so I thought.

The Uncertain Leader – Leadership journal – ChristianityTodayLibrary.com

Leadership Wired – May 2007

The Difference Maker 1 – Making Your Attitude Your Greatest Asset

By Dr. John C. Maxwell

Motivational speakers have famously touted the slogan, “attitude is everything.” While there’s no doubt about the power of a positive outlook, attitude alone won’t take you to the top. By itself, attitude is unable to resurrect a doomed business plan or make up for a deficiency of knowledge. Attitude can’t alter reality or reverse a dire financial situation. The “attitude is everything” doctrine becomes dangerous when a person lives on hope rather than paying his or her dues for success. The mindset, “Everything will turn out for the best,” substitutes for planning and effort. Attitude has undeniable benefit, but it’s not a magic ticket that compensates for failure to perform. You cannot disconnect attitude from reality and expect to be successful.

SermonCentral.com: John Maxwell on Leadership Landmines

Church Leadership Landmines By Dr. John C. Maxwell Catalyst Conference It happens all the time. Successful church leaders—pastors with great aptitude, great teams and great vision—are moving along, growing their churches when, all of a sudden, they fall flat on their faces. Their churches start hemorrhaging. Their best people start jumping ship. Their families start falling apart. And they sit in their offices with their heads in their hands wondering, “How did this happen?”

Issue 10-3

Issue 10-7

Leadership Wired – March 2007

Issue 9-22

Issue 9-20

Issue 10-6

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Impact-international

Scott Coghill’s Organization.

Top Ten Stories of 2006 | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Top Ten Stories of 2006 The events, people, and debates of the past year that Christianity Today’s editors and writers believe have shaped, or will significantly shape, evangelical life, thought, or mission. posted 12/27/2006 08:53AM

SermonCentral.com: Preaching for Life Change

A charitable response to a former article by John MacArthur. A defense of a “Rick Warren” style of preaching.