Luke 17: Your Life Is Not Just About Your Life

Father’s Day at NLC

We had an interesting Father’s Day at NLC.

We opened up with a Johnny Cash cover song. “Walk The Line.” Kris Allen actually sang it at our Greater Little Rock campus. I captured this photo on my iPhone.


We had a crowd participation game, this hilarious video created by the awesome peeps of Church on the Move in Tulsa, OK, and then I spoke from Luke 17:1-3. I will post video message soon.

Honor Flows From Humility

My Message From Sunday

I got called into speak at our weekend services. I had about 24 hours to prep. Not my style but it was good for me to rely on God. I talked about what I consider my life message. “Having a Teachable Attitude.” Here it is in case you missed it.

Selecting Leaders: Teachable

#6 Teachable

I’ve posted about this topic before because I love it so much. Click hereherehere, and here.

Proverbs 10:22 (NIV) “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Being teachable should be a non-negotiable.When I am interviewing potential leaders I try to figure out if they are the type of leader that will be willing to learn under any circumstance. Teachable people can go further faster.

People skills, a positive attitude, and other qualities can be learned if you are teachable. I’ve seen countless examples of leaders skyrocketing in their influence because they are willing to be taught. In my opinion being teachable is the most important quality of a leader.

Questions to ask:

Who are their mentors?
How would they handle criticism and correction?
Do they ask great questions?
Can they handle being given direction?
Can they admit weakness?  Say I’m sorry?
How do they handle failure and trials?

Selecting Leaders: Competency

#4 Competency

Competencies are the accumulation of skills, knowledge, experiences, and abilities that make the leader valuable to the team. If you only choose leaders who only have character or leaders who you have a natural connection with then you may end up wasting your time. They have to be able to bring results and contribute to the goals of the team. I always look for people that have great work ethic because God’s mission requires great work ethic. Am I right?

I would always prefer for my leaders to already have strong self discipline and skills. The truth is that everybody has an area where they are gifted. I always make sure we have some sort of a position for every leader on my team. Their gifting needs to match up with the positions or roles that we have available. 

In Exodus 18, Jethro told Moses to “select capable men” to help him. He specified “capable men.” This obviously means there are some that are incapable and excludes those that are incapable.

In verse 22, he says, “That will make your load lighter.” Leaders should make our load lighter.

Also, in II Timothy 2:2 Paul says, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Decade Recap

Slick Rick Ringtone

At our DECADE event, which was NLC’s 10 year anniversary service, we just HAD to give everyone a gift. We figured a ringtone of our Pastor rapping would be quite appropriate. A couple of years ago when our creative team was shooting a video of Rick, he started rapping during one of the breaks. He thought the cameras were turned off. They weren’t. And thank God for this ringtone. Enjoy

Decade Pics

Decade has come and gone. It was pretty amazing to see all of our campuses come together to celebrate New Life Church’s ten year anniversary. Around 13,000 people gathered to worship God in the Verizon Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas and give God the honor He deserves for ten years of awesome ministry through NLC. Enjoy the pics!

Selecting Leaders: Chemistry

#3 CHEMISTRY

Not chemistry as in the periodic table. Chemistry as in harmony when working together.

Around our staff team we have a phrase that we use called “Divine Flow.” We use it when describing people that are easy to be around. You probably know what I’m talking about. Those people who don’t take a whole lot of work and energy for you to  to be around. It just clicks. You both “get” each other.

I really do think that running a team should be fun. So I build my team full of leaders who are fun to be around and who energize me. And I don’t apologize for it. Because I think when you work with people you actually like then you will get more things done.

Questions To Ask:

                    • Do I like being around them?
                    • Will I look forward to having meetings with them?
                    • Does it energize me to work with them?
                    • Do they “get” my vision?
                    • Do they trust me?

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