Thanks for this. These are very practical and godly statements.

This one strikes me most:

6) Brokenness and failure are necessary.

This seems to be the pattern of scripture from beginning to end.

I am struck also by #6 especially. Chris Heuertz of Word Made Flesh talks about "failing forward" as his MO in leadership--the mission organization is constantly falling into the arms of Christ's mercy, and only so serves its friends who are poor. Check out my profile of Heuertz when it drops next Tuesday at www.faithandleadership.com.

The one that strikes me the most is that leadership is lonely. Recently I discovered why I dislike leading - because it's an unselfish position. It's not a place for me to voice my opinions and share my thoughts the way I would otherwise, it is a place to facilitate, to pour into others what I would like to receive. Ugh. So hard. I'm willing to learn though .. just will need time :)

I guess if I had to add an 11th lesson it would be that leadership is selfless service.

They're all good... and not so new or groundbreaking. We know it all,we just have to live it all.

11th Lesson is Leadership is what you act and not what you speak

6,7, and 10 thump me pretty good and regularly. This was a good list... Kinda reminds me of Hanz Finzel list... thanks for this...

I might add - relax and enjoy the journey. Glorify God. It's all about Him, not about us. Too many pastors are Church hopping, trying to get a bigger congregation. Relax, and let God work through the preaching of His Word.

This is the kind of stuff you would expect to come from Charles Swindall. I believe, Swindall will go down in history as one of the finest preachers of the Word of God.

I was told once by a pastor, "Don't even think about trying to enter the ministry unless you believe it is your calling" (my paraphrase). This list is further evidence of that sentiment.

I have recently been learning more and more that leadership in ministry is not about me. At all. I think that is why the points that hit home with me the most were:

#1) It’s lonely to lead. Leadership involves tough decisions. The tougher the decision, the lonelier it is.
#6) Brokenness and failure are necessary.
#10) Christlikeness begins and ends with humility.

I don't want to be lonely, especially when making tough decisions, I don't like being broken or failing, and humility is especially challenging when I am put in a leadership role.

I am trusting that God will give me strength to keep trusting him as I learn these hard lessons in the future.

8) Integrity eclipse image. Today we highlight image. But it’s what you’re doing behind the scenes.

We have been talking about this in my Leadership class. Integrity is vital to leadership. It doesn't matter how good of a communicator or preacher you, if you lack integrity you are doomed to fail.

11) If you are calling someone to follow you must live a life worth following. If you are calling people to be courageous you better have courage. If you are calling people to humility you better be humble. If you aren't living the way you are preaching then how can you expect someone to follow you?

This list reminds me of many of the aspects of leadership I am learning in my Foundations of Leadership class. This first one really strikes me because I remember my paster saying that very same thing this past summer in my internship. Being young and inexperienced, I have yet to fully realize what that means, but it has stuck with me for some time. If I were to add an 11th one, I would say it is crucial to develop a prayer base, a group of people where you can just be real and and gain accountability. That way when it gets lonely at the top, you are reminded that you are never truely alone.