Ron Harris

Another meeting. It seems like every time we turn around, another meeting is staring us in the face. And it doesn’t seem to matter if the meeting is virtual or in person. Those meetings often leave us wondering if we just wasted our time—and the time of everyone on the team.

My friend Bob Tiede in his “Leading with Questions” blog quoted Mark D. McIntyre, the head of an agency based in Washington, DC. McIntyre talks about those meetings we all have experienced that seem rather unproductive and offers some suggestions on how to get to the point. He suggests that each person in the meeting should be able to answer the question “What’s the objective of this meeting?”

That sounds good, but it isn’t always easy to discern what that all-important objective really is. McIntyre offers five words to help nail down the objective.

1. What?
2. So what?
3. Now what?

Mark McIntyre suggests the leader of the meeting ask “Okay, so who are we and why are we here?” While this can sound humorous, it serves to 1) define each participant’s role and 2) state the objective for the discussion.

This sounds like good advice for more than just ministry or business meetings. What about couples, families, students, and churches making key decisions? Wouldn’t it be good to know where you are headed…the objective…before you set out on the journey?

The Lord gives us that kind of wisdom when He talked of “counting the cost” before starting a project. If you don’t have a clear understanding of the objective of a project or decision, it is hard to evaluate and harder still to reach a good sense of direction. Coming out of a meeting without a plan of action causes everyone to wonder about the time spent and the path forward.

As a leader, it is critical that your team has clear directions and a clear understanding of the objective before them. Jesus’ direction for His disciples gave them a clear understanding…a clear path…to the objective.

Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Matthew 10:7 NLT

As I think about it, that is the call on all in Christian media, and in our personal lives as well.

Go.

Announce.

The Kingdom is near.

So… in light of that, what should we be doing today?

God’s best,

You’ve probably had ministry friends who, though facing a big challenge or crisis, remain calm. It’s almost as if they don’t grasp the reality of the situation or how serious it is. And we can even feel a bit envious of their peace.

I was reading something from Fred Smith, the master mentor to many ministry leaders, that got me thinking about this. He related an experience with Dr. Stephen Olford. This American evangelical leader trained many pastors in expository preaching. Billy Graham said of Olford that he was “the man who most influenced my ministry.”

Sitting with a group of prominent pastors, Dr. Olford said, “…when I die, if my family does not say, ‘There is something of God in the man, I will have failed.’”

What does that mean, to have “something of God” in us? Fred Smith listed several attributes that came to his mind as he pondered this:

• a quiet center that cannot be panicked
• evidence in the way we speak
• the quality and breadth of love
• [a positive] attitude toward death

All good points and all are worth striving for as we live out our leadership and our lives.

The first one caught my attention—a quiet center that cannot be panicked. Do you know people like that, who remain unruffled and strong in their faith while others around them are in turmoil?

Think of the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when the storms were raging, and the waves were crashing. They were in fear while Jesus was calmly asleep in the boat. Here’s the account from Luke 8:

The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”

Luke 8:24-25 NLT

Such a graphic picture. The storms above were real. Yet Jesus did not panic. He had that “quiet center” based on the power of God within.

How can you stay calm while the storms of life rage? It doesn’t come by just overlooking the problem. Calmness comes from:

• placing confidence in an omniscient God.
• spending time with our heavenly Father to solidify that trust.
• an understanding that our Lord loves us and will either calm the storm or calm our hearts in the midst of the storm.

An old hymn has the formula for that kind of calmness:
While passing thru this world of sin,
And others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within,

Let others see Jesus in you.
Let others see Jesus in you;
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true,
Let others see Jesus in you.

God’s best,

In my morning devotional reading I read right past some words. Two sentences later, I had to go back. I’m sure it was God’s Spirit hitting the brakes for me, shifting me in reverse. So I read the words again.

… God Himself lives within you…

I had to stop. And think. And sit in wonder at that truth. The great God who fashioned the universe, who put everything in place, who started our world spinning and has interacted throughout history… culminating in sending His Son Jesus to live, die, and be resurrected from the dead…that God lives within me!

Amazing. But understanding that truth led me to ask myself, “What difference does that make? What difference WILL it make today?”

As I communicate the hope of the Gospel to others, do I do that in my own wisdom, or in the wisdom of the One who lives within me? As I lead others in ministry, as I have opportunity to encourage and strengthen the work of others who are impacting the world with God’s Truth, do I do so with my good ideas or with God’s direction?

God’s word through Isaiah to His people clearly defined the Lord’s role in our lives:

I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is good for you
and leads you along the paths you should follow.

Isaiah 48:17 NLT

Do we believe that? Do we live that? Do we follow that? Paul seems to be in awe and wonder as he writes his thoughts on God’s amazing wisdom.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!
How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him advice?

Romans 11:33-34 NLT

Peter Drucker was arguably the leading management thinker of the 20th century. Many believe his great insight was built upon his faith in God. Drucker is quoted as writing:

“The personal will of God is a ‘bond above them, with the common ruling power, which encompasses everyone everywhere.”

In other words, God’s wisdom should be the overarching truth that is the foundation upon which we build our leadership and our lives. And to think, this wisdom is dwelling within us at all times. God Himself lives within you!

What is the reward for recognizing that fact? Job said it well:

But he knows where I am going.
And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
For I have stayed on God’s paths;
I have followed his ways and not turned aside.
I have not departed from his commands,
but have treasured his words more than daily food.

Job 23:10-12 NLT

Listen to God’s Voice. Treasure His Words. He is right there, living within you!

God’s best,

It’s just a little yellow sticky note with a quote on it. It’s been sitting on my various computers for almost twenty years. I’ve moved it each time I upgraded my computer—so much so that the “sticky” part doesn’t work, so I tape it on the computer where I can see it again and again. What is the quote?

There is nothing more dangerous than a small character in a big assignment.

It’s from my spiritual mentor, the late Henry Blackaby. I keep it to remind me that God honors character in our lives. But it goes even further. It is often said that character and integrity boil down to doing the right thing when no one else is watching. Jesus reminds us that those actions won’t remain secret forever.

For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. Luke 8:17 NLT

We are seeing that played out in news stories again and again, and it is damaging to the cause of Christ and for our culture.

The legendary basketball coach John Wooden drew a comparison between character and reputation. It’s a good reminder.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

Episcopal clergyman Phillips Brooks, the author of the Christmas song “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” helped us understand how to build character—one brick at a time. He said, “Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.”

It is in those quiet, alone moments that we are tempted to do the things that will eat away at our character. Eve was alone with the serpent when she took that fatal bite. The Lord was not around when Adam followed suit. Those “alone times” are the very times we need to guard ourselves. Our character is at stake. And, as with Adam and Eve, the repercussions can be devastating.

Is there a simple definition for the character of a person? For the believer, it is this: Christ-likeness. Listen to this from Oswald Chambers:

“The expression of Christian character is not good doing, but God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit Divine characteristics in your life, not good human characteristics.”

My friend Mike Huckabee wrote a book many years ago when the topic of character was being bantered about in the political realm. The title says much — Character IS the Issue.

It should be the issue for us in Christian leadership. Make character…your character…matter.

God’s best,

I’m told the Finnish people have a saying:

Some have happiness; everyone has summer.

Of course, in Finland, summer is bound to be better than winter, so the saying gives the Fins something positive to look forward to. It makes sense.

How are you doing? What is your outlook for today…tomorrow…next week? And how do you know if you are doing OK?

One of the easiest things for all of us to do is to compare ourselves to others. We may look at other ministries, other leaders, and other parents and determine that we’re not doing as well as others. Comparison. It can kill the spirit.

Someone has said, “We often judge ourselves by our intentions and judge others by their actions!” That can be a spirit-killer, too. I’ve often said that we compare our worst with someone else’s best. And we lose out when we do that.

Leadership expert John Maxwell warns those who lead not to look at the performance of others as their guide.

“Leaders must avoid comparisons. It’s a no-win activity. The only worthy comparison is between who you are and who God created you to be. God doesn’t condemn you when you fall short—he gives you the tools to become the person he wants you to be.”

I love that. God is more interested in seeing you lead successfully…obediently…than He is in putting you down when you don’t “measure up” to others.

I know…easier said than done.

When some of the Corinthian believers tried to tell Paul he didn’t measure up to others, he didn’t mince words in putting that idea down.

Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

2 Corinthians 10:12 NLT

In Luke’s account of one of Jesus’ parables, we see that comparisons can bring bad results when we go the other way, thinking we are better than another. Jesus was not too kind in the story of the Pharisee who prayed:

I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!

Luke 18:11b NLT

Jesus proclaimed it was the humble tax collector who went home justified before God.

Comparisons are seldom, if ever, good. Know who you are in Christ, and remember, you are serving God, not man. Let Him enable you to do His will His way…and in His strength.

Don’t get downhearted. Your summer…your good days…may be right around the corner.

God’s best,

Those of us who have spent time on the air have had to learn to hear our own voice. Usually, we cringe a bit—or a lot—and then try to figure out how to make it better. When I started in radio almost sixty years ago, I quickly learned I had a Texas “twang.” So, I set out to overcome some of the bad vowel sounds, replacing them with sounds that could be heard without distracting the listener.

Have you experienced that in your leadership role? If nothing else, it is a reminder of the value of our voice as we present information and inspiration to others. Whether you are presenting on the air, to your board, your donors, or even your family, you want to convey your message in the clearest and most powerful way.

A great way to start is by listening to yourself. As you present to others, record it and listen back. Be less concerned with the content and pay more attention to how you say something. Ask yourself:

• Did anything distract from the information that was given?
• Did the timbre and volume of my voice help tell the story?
• Did I use the full range of my voice to express the depth or intensity of what I was saying?

Listening that way will give you things you can work on to improve the sound of your voice. But there is more.

Are you creative in your use of words? My friend and communication coach Valerie Geller says we need to be creative and descriptive in what we say and how we say it. Her phrase: Talk to the blind man. Describe things visually. It’s not just a pretty sunset, it’s a tangerine sky.

Our voice has power, and our words have weight. Together, they can become the palette of colors we use to paint word pictures to help others understand and feel what we feel.

Our voice also helps us build relationships that are strong and lasting. Jesus pointed that out when He said:

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

John 10:27 NLT

There is a lot wrapped up in that verse. There is the recognition of Jesus’ voice that reminds the “sheep” of who the Shepherd is. There is a feeling of security, of peace, of comfort. So much so that the sheep follow the Shepherd willingly.

Most of us have sat through class lectures and even sermons where the speaker droned on and on. There may have been good information, but the voice did not express much passion or drama to let you know what he or she thought about the topic. There wasn’t a sense of importance or urgency expressed through their voice. More than likely, you were not driven to action by the way the voice expressed the information or the story.

Your voice is critical and should be an important component of the presentation you are making. Don’t take it for granted. Use all the colors of the vocal palette God has given you to tell your story…and to tell His story.

God’s best,

All throughout my radio days…now approaching almost sixty years!… I have understood that the best radio engagement is when the presenter understands he/she is speaking to just one person. We call radio a very intimate medium, and that is the reason why.

I grew up in an era of pre-television, when families actually sat around a big console radio and listened to variety programs and radio dramas. Not true today. Our radio and podcast audiences are typically by themselves in a car, or listening on earphones or ear pods on a commuter train, or while jogging in the neighborhood. One person.

While I knew that to be true and have tried to both practice and teach that technique, it was not until this past week that I understood it also had biblical foundations. And of all places, it came from a sermon on Jesus and the “wee little man” Zacchaeus. It is a familiar story, especially for little children. You may have already started singing the song:

Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.
He climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.

My friend Dr. David Allen preached on the passage in Luke 19 that tells the story. It happened in Jericho on Jesus’ way to Jerusalem. Crowds pressed around the roadway, waiting for Jesus to pass. But due to Zacchaeus’ size, he had to take radical action to catch a glimpse of Christ. So up the sycamore tree he went.

David Allen’s point, which is relevant to us in the media, is this: Jesus doesn’t “see” the crowds. He sees the individual. In this case, it was a wee little man. And Jesus called him by name.

Another time, the crowds were pressing in on Jesus when a woman touched the edge of his garment. Immediately, Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” The disciples were incredulous. “The people are all around you, Jesus, pressing in…and you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

Jesus sees the individual and addresses that specific person and their need. We ought to follow that pattern in our media presentations.

I cringe when I hear someone say, “Greetings to everyone out there in radioland.” It may be “radioland”, but we need to address the individual. Is there a scripture to share? Think of one person and give them that passage. You may be part of God’s instructions for life that person needs.

Sometimes, we can simply change our word usage. Instead of “Good morning, everyone,” we can simply give a personal “Good morning, how are you this morning?” But even that requires something…a change of mind and a change of heart.

We need to be less concerned with the big numbers and more concerned with the solitary person the Lord puts in our path. We need to follow the pattern set by our Savior and think less of the crowd and more of the person who needs a word from the Lord.

How many do you see? The many…or the one?

God’s best,

You’ve heard that phrase, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” That used to be reserved for people making financial investments in schemes or projects. But in these days of internet and social media, we can all fall into that trap.

Full disclosure. I’ve done it myself. I would see a “special deal” and feel I just couldn’t pass up such a bargain. The stark reality hits later. I should have checked further. Thankfully, the impact was relatively minor.

Part of a passage from an Old Testament story deals with a much bigger impact. Right after Joshua and the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they went into battle. Jericho turned out to be a victory as the people followed God’s commands. Watching those walls fall should have taught God’s people something.

But right on the heels of that victory, they were defeated by a small army from Ai. There was sin in the Israelite camp. Achan had not heeded the Lord’s direction, and the result was defeat.

After God dealt with Achan and his family, Israel defeated the army of Ai. Lesson learned? Follow God’s directions? Not exactly. Soon, some travelers showed up in worn clothes with old-looking wineskins, moldy bread, and worn-out sandals. They said they were from a distant land, and the Israelite leaders bought their lie. And here is the verse that caught my attention:

So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord.

Joshua‬ 9‬:14‬ NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

They did not consult the Lord.

How many times have we ventured out in ministry and have failed to consult the Lord? How much time, energy, and resources have we invested in a project that we thought was good…yet we failed to consult the Lord?

Not everything that sounds good IS good. Not every idea is a good idea. Not every strategy is a godly strategy. How do we discern the good idea from the godly idea?

“They failed to consult the Lord.”

That phrase resonates in my mind and heart. How many times have I launched into a project or headed down a ministry road to see roadblocks and failure? Had I consulted the Lord? James said we often don’t have what the Lord intended for us for a simple reason.

…you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

James 4:2 NLT

James goes on to point out that we fail by not asking with the right motives.

Direction for growth. Challenges facing the ministry. Issues with people. Looming battles with authorities. All of these require us to seek the Lord and His ways…and His timing.

Then, see what our God will do in and through us as we consult Him and follow His direction and plans for our lives and our ministries.

God’s best,

My roommate in college came up with a “philosophy” that ended up as a sign on our dorm room door.

Be sincere…whether you mean it or not!

Yes, it was a joke. But you may know people who apparently have taken that slogan to heart. Humility falls into that category, too. There are people who are pseudo-humble, and you know by the rest of their life and activities that humility is not their core belief. Yes…humble…and proud of it.

One church media ministry was doing a commendable thing by giving small awards…special pins…for those who showed expertise, teamwork, and humility. When they gave out the humility pin at a dinner, I wondered (out loud, I’m afraid) if they wore their humility pin, did that immediately negate their award? Humble…and proud of it.

A business consultant and mentor to many major ministry leaders, the late Fred Smith, wrote about humility as a quality he wanted to see in a pastor. Some wise words here.

“I would want my pastor to not act humble, but actually be humble. I have always used the definition of humility as: ‘not denying the power, but admitting it comes through you and not from you.’”

Power comes through you…not from you.

I believe that’s a good word for more than pastors. As we give leadership to others, how do we present ourselves? As the all-knowing authority? Or as one who acknowledges that all we have…our experience, our wisdom…comes from God. Listen to the scriptures:

Everything we have has come from you [God], and we give you only what you first gave us!

1 Chronicles 29:14b NLT

Paul underscored this truth when writing to his believing friends in Rome:

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Romans 11:36 NLT

So how can we claim anything we have as coming from us? Power? Wisdom? Strategy? True humility comes as we recognize that it is God who is at work in us and through us to accomplish His will for His purpose. The late Dr. Henry Blackaby, writing in Experiencing God Day by Day, says humility is something hard for us humans, particularly for leaders who seek to be effective in their efforts.

“There are two ways to attain high esteem. One is the world’s method: Take every opportunity to promote yourself before others; seize occasions for recognition and manipulate your way into the center of attention. The other way is God’s way: Humble yourself. Rather than striving for recognition and influential positions, seek to put others first. Cultivate humility, for it does not come naturally.”

Did you catch that? Cultivate humility, for it does not come naturally.

You know, now that I think about it, that would have made a far better slogan for the sign on my dorm room door.

God’s best,

Leaders often look back on their lives and work and see the path they have climbed to get to where they are today. And in looking back, they quietly say to themselves, “I’m glad I don’t have to do all that again.”

They would never say it out loud, but their heart is saying, “I’m above all that, now that I am a leader and in charge.”

When I was a media minister, I had a seminary student intern who wanted to lead a church media ministry. One day, I asked him to coil up the big, long camera cables we had in our small studio. He looked at me and, either in words or facial expression, communicated, “It is beneath me to do that.” The young man was about to learn a lesson from me.

In the years of our MEDIA Alliance ministry, I have licked envelopes, folded programs, set up tables and chairs at conferences, and performed many other menial tasks. To be honest, I didn’t really think about it as being above me or below me. The task just needed to be done.

The founder of Bell Aircraft, Lawrence D. Bell, is quoted as saying, “Show me a man who cannot be bothered to do little things, and I’ll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things.”

Jesus was pretty clear about how we need to serve and where our hearts should be. He taught that the first should be last, and He demonstrated this as He washed the disciples’ feet. Some of those chosen men struggled in that area. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, wanted something from Jesus.

“Arrange it,” they said, “so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory—one of us at your right, the other at your left.” Jesus said, “You have no idea what you’re asking…”

Mark 10:37-38 MSG

I know that in leadership, we need to delegate tasks to others, protect our time, and do the things that only we can do. But we also need to check ourselves to see where our heart is. Pride is a sneaky thing that can destroy a good and powerful ministry.

Leadership expert John Maxwell is strong on leaders serving others in our ministries or organizations:

I believe the bottom line in leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others. That is achieved by serving others and adding value to their lives. I believe that God desires us not only to treat people with respect but also to actively reach out to them and serve them.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

A word of warning: Don’t do those menial tasks for show or announce to others what a great servant you are. Or pride will be knocking at your door.

Serve the Lord…and others…with gladness, and let the Lord lift you up.

God’s best,