Archive for Grady King – Page 3

Want to Strengthen Your Marriage?

by Grady King –   The greatest gift husbands and wives can give each other is to grow in Christ.  No human being can fully meet the needs of another human being. On our best day, we still fall short.  This is why growing up in Christ—which is tantamount to doing what is in the […]

Digging in the Dirt with Leaders & Churches Part III – Followship in a Consumer Culture

by Grady King People want leadership. People don’t want leadership.  As long as leaders are doing what I think they ought to do, I will follow. If not, I will be present to some degree, but not necessarily support or follow.[1] It’s certainly not God’s idea of leading or following. Churches are in need of […]

Digging in the Dirt with Leaders & Churches Part II – Healthy, Mature Leaders & Churches

By Grady King –  When a child throws a temper tantrum it’s obvious. When a parent chooses to appease the child to control the tantrum, the child is in charge. If the parent reacts, expresses anger, the child will push the button again. And the cycle continues. Without guidance, teaching and modeling of what is […]

Digging in the Dirt with Leaders & Churches

by Grady King –   It’s my life to be helpful to leaders and churches. It’s both blessing and burden.  Prayerful, humble listening, observing, and analyzing goes with the territory. So does “speaking the truth in love” (Eph 4.15)—passage about relationships, character, maturity—of growing up in Christ. It’s not always comfortable and there is plenty of […]

Is Your Church a Refuge of Hospitality?

by Grady King –  I have seldom met a church that did not say, “We’re a friendly church!” or “We welcome all people.”  Here’s the truth. Most churches consider themselves more friendly than they really are, and every church has a sophisticated screening system of who is welcome and who is not. I am fortunate […]

When a Resume Gets Shredded Because of Age

By Grady King – As a young preacher I was told, “We like you but we’re looking for someone with more experience.” As a middle aged preacher I was told, “We really need a younger preacher who can connect with our young couples and be here a while.” And after age 60, the lines on […]

Looking in the Mirror

by Grady King –  Others know it. He doesn’t. The way he comes across as a leader is hindering his effectiveness. His blind spots are obvious to others: controlling, defensiveness, over-talking, blaming and failure to take responsibility. In short, he lacks self-awareness and is at risk of being told by his elders, “We have decided […]

Leaders & Failure: Shadows in the Soul

by Grady King –  We don’t fail. We learn. These five words give hope thanks to my missional friend, Pat Keifert. What are you learning as leader from failure? Most church leaders I know fight a sense of failure. No matter the public rhetoric of trusting God, working hard even those good day experiences, often […]

A View from the Pew

by Grady King – Since January of this year, I have been blessed and challenged to be in twenty-seven churches with Hope Network. From rural, to urban and suburban ranging in size from 50-1,000. Recently, on a Sunday, I got to sit and not stand.  It’s my way of saying I was not the preacher […]

Every Church Has a Story: Walking on Sacred Ground

by Grady King –   I went to high school with friends who were Creek Indian. Their burial grounds were sacred. They were no mere cemeteries—simply holes in the ground.  These sacred burial sites were a blend of Indian traditions, fused with Christianity and the spirits of the “old ones” were respected in this sacred […]

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