At 40 years old, I am a leader in training. I am constantly observing, studying, recording, journaling the things I am learning in leadership. I read constantly and I am always interested in studying leaders. I love reading about US Presidents and love reading leadership books. I study pastors, ministers, educational leaders, and nonprofit leaders. I am a work in progress as a leader. Here are some lessons I have collected observing leaders, especially pastors: Genuinely care about people. You may not be the most outgoing person but if you care about others, it will develop loyalty, and … [Read more...] about Leadership with my eyes WIDE OPEN! 13 Leadership lessons I am learning . . .
Archives for July 2014
Holiday Preaching – Something I’m Losing Interest In
I am finding that I am preaching fewer and fewer "holiday" sermons as the years wear on. I will preach a few Christmas-themed messages in December (it's foundational to the gospel story of Good Friday and Easter). I preach on Good Friday and Easter on the appropriate themes (which are pretty common for me the rest of the year as well). The Sunday before Turkey Day is likely to be Thanksgiving themed. But that is about it for me now. Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. The rest of the year I tend to give a brief homage to the particular holiday and then move on to whatever expositional series I … [Read more...] about Holiday Preaching – Something I’m Losing Interest In
King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”
If they ever did a "Best Speech Ever" contest, this and Gettysburg would be contenders. … [Read more...] about King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
Here's another speech worth listening to. … [Read more...] about Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
The Bill of Rights
When we speak of our constitutional rights, it is often the Bill of Rights to which we refer. Have men ever devised a better set of governing guidelines (let's leave out the OT theocracy for now!). … [Read more...] about The Bill of Rights
The Preamble to the Constitution
Today is "Great American Documents and Speeches Day" … [Read more...] about The Preamble to the Constitution
The Declaration of Independence
Ever read it all the way through? … [Read more...] about The Declaration of Independence
My TOP 10 tips of advice to Pastors on Social Media marketing
My name is John Roland and this is my first blog article on SBC Voices. I am a bi-vocational pastor and I am 40 years old. I have my MDiv with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (2001). Married with 3 kids and live in Newnan, GA (25 miles south of ATL Airport). I am a fundraising executive, have served as a senior pastor to three different churches, served as a director at Luther Rice Seminary, served as a Director of Development at Kennesaw State University, served as an executive director of Prayer Igniters (www.prayerideas.org) , and have been a … [Read more...] about My TOP 10 tips of advice to Pastors on Social Media marketing
Save the Cheetahs, but Slay the Children
I’ll never forget an experience I once had in one of my pastorates in East Texas, an experience that highlights the illogical atrocity that is liberal thinking. In attempts to raise money for a Christian School associated with the church, one of our members raffled off a cow for butchering. After the raffle was over he took the cow to the butcher, but it was turned away because it was pregnant. To be clear, I get this. Butchering a pregnant cow is weird. Let the cow have the baby, then butcher it. And then butcher the cow’s baby once it grows up. That’s the circle of life. Lion King teaches … [Read more...] about Save the Cheetahs, but Slay the Children
It’s a Team Harvest
As laborers for Jesus, we are all working to reap a harvest through the gospel. We plant, we water, and we harvest. However, we don’t always get to do all three things with the same person. Sometimes we’re the one who plants the gospel in a person’s life. At other times we’re the one who waters that gospel so that it might take root, grow, bloom, and bear fruit. Still other times we are the one who gets to harvest that soul by leading them to faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, it’s God who brings the growth and the harvest, but He uses human agents to bring it about (Matthew 9:37-38). … [Read more...] about It’s a Team Harvest