GProCommission, Author at GProCommission

January 28, 2020

Dr. Ramesh Richard shares his one word for the year: Able

Able-Our Word for 2020 and Beyond

Limits characterize life. Humans experience physical and psychological limitations, geographical and chronological parameters, cultural and intellectual boundaries. Call it finitude. We may try to maximize this existential reality, and we must. Some even break human limits in indirect ways. Remember when poets thanked God that “men cannot fly”? Now we fly, harnessing mind, metal and nature to transport us across the world and to the moon and back—most often with bags. Finitude is attended by frailty. All earthly life features a necessary beginning and an inevitable end. Once we cross peak age, which comes all too early (25, I am […]

January 23, 2020

Pastor Nieuwof breaks down the big shifts that will be needed to change the direction of the church in the coming years.

6 Disruptive Church Trends That Will Rule 2020

So what are the 2020 church trends you should watch in what is shaping up to be a very pivotal year? In this post, I’ll share six new trends that really have my attention. While it might seem like a lot of change and challenges ahead, you and I lead in an age of massive disruption. Industries are being disrupted or obliterated in years, not decades, and once-dominant companies are falling fast (just ask Polaroid, Blockbuster or Compaq computers). And leading in the church is even a little more complex than leading in the marketplace for numerous reasons. Here’s one of them: […]

January 21, 2020

Author Bob Tiede shares the power of focusing on one year as the vision for your year.

What Is Your “One Word Focus” For 2020?

Did you know that a “One Word Focus” for 2020 could dramatically increase your effectiveness in the coming year? There is incredible power in having a single focus! Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page have written an incredible book: “One Word That Will Change Your Life.” They share: “87% of us make New Year’s Resolution every year. Although these resolutions are meant to be good and well-intentioned solutions, unfortunately they are built on a flawed assumption of more effort, willpower and goal setting. We set to-do goals instead of to-be goals. Success is measured by what we accomplish instead of who we become. […]

January 21, 2020

Say No to Saying Yes in Your Ministry

Reshared with kind permission from Breeze Church. Welcome to 2020! I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m living in a sci-fi movie. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 1900s but the year 2020 feels like hover-boards, vacations to the moon, and robot butlers. Anyway, a question for you: Do you have any goals for 2020? Maybe you’re a resolutions person, or perhaps you have goals in mind for your church or ministry. Perhaps God has placed something on your heart to run after in 2020. Recently, I spent some time in the book of Nehemiah. […]

January 16, 2020

The Bible illustrates the essential characteristics of a leader.

Five Key Characteristics of a Leader

reshared with kind permission from Barry Voss. With this being an election year, the American people are looking for a leader. But what exactly is a leader? A leader is someone who not only is effective in positively influencing others, but who also demonstrates the character of a leader. People want leaders they can trust to do what they say. One’s character is what makes trust possible. This is true for all leaders, whether they are political, business or church leaders. I believe that there are 5 basic characteristics of a leader: Characteristic #1 First, they must have integrity. It means […]

January 14, 2020

Fight Your Fears

reshared with kind permission from Author and Pastor Joshua Reich. All of us have fears. It might be the dark, failure, snakes (that’s one of mine!), heights, being alone, or being in a crowd. How do you know if you fear the right things? If we aren’t careful, we can be afraid of things that aren’t worth being afraid or we can let fear dictate what we do and don’t do. One pastor said, “What you fear establishes the boundaries of your freedom.” What you fear establishes the boundaries of your freedom. -Erwin McManus CLICK TO TWEET One way to know […]

December 17, 2019

Ministry and Finances: Managing Money

Virtually all ministries require some level of finances to operate. Typically, they rely on the donations and gifts that they receive from their members or followers. As a church leader, you have the responsibility to make sure that all donations are recorded accurately and that all church expenses are legitimate and accounted for properly. This is typically a legal mandate, but, more importantly, it is a Biblical expectation as well (Luke 16:11-12)! Managing your church or ministry finances well demonstrates to God, and your membership or followers, that you are trustworthy. The Bible warns us that failure to maintain the […]

December 4, 2019

A Leaders Defection: The Goodby Kiss Part II

Dr. Richard’s article on Christian leaders defection and our response reshared and cont’d from PART I. The clincher for me on the issue of eternal life is the very meaning of eternal in that life. If eternal life can be lost for any reason at all, it is not eternal by any definition. In addition is the question of proportionate contribution. To the extent to which one contributes to salvation, to that extent it can be undone. Contribute much to it, undo it easily. Contribute a little bit, undo it eventually, with one too many sins. Contribute nothing, and simply […]

December 3, 2019

Baby monkey clinging to his mother, showing the monkey example of grace.

When Christian Leaders Defect: “The Goodbye Kiss”

Dr. Ramesh Richard shares his wisdom and insight on how to reflect and understand as well as react when high-profile leaders defect from the faith. God has patiently put up with a history of leaders who defect—of whom I am one. I defect often. Although I am more aware of my sins of commission than omission, my every sin denies and defies allegiance to the Lord I love. I must return to the One I belong by confession, quickly and regularly, about attitudes and actions not aligned to His standards. Short History Two higher-profile defections in 2019—a mega-church pastor and […]

December 2, 2019

Pastoral Training efforts multiply in Latin America

Gloria and her husband Hosman have trained pastors for nine years. They currently aim to train at least 100 per year. But their training emphasis has shifted. Now they not only train pastors to lead local congregations, they train them to replicate their training. By doing so, they exponentially accelerate the training of pastors. Gloria and Hosman face the same challenges that many around the world face: pastors who lack time (many are bi-vocational), money (the church can’t pay them), resources (e.g. transportation), education (even basic) and experience (they don’t know enough to know what they don’t know). So they […]