Jumpstart your day with this live recording from this morning’s Fearless Leadership Coaching.
How Conan O'Brien Dealt with Jay Leno
“I just want to say to the kids out there watching:
You can do anything you want in life.
Unless Jay Leno wants to do it too.”
- Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien was hurt by Jay Leno in 2010. He had been contractually guaranteed the prestigious hosting duties of NBC’s The Tonight Show six years earlier and within a matter of months of taking on the new gig, he was Leno’d.
Anytime Conan is asked to look back and talk about that painful experience, he adheres to a simple principle: Don't throw the past under the bus, even when you have been Leno'd.
Conan doesn’t throw the past under the bus. Even when David Letterman was publicly sniffing for dirty laundry to air on his program (that's what gossips do), Conan did not dishonor NBC.
Leaders don't throw the past under the bus, even when they're Leno'd.
There is no honor in tearing down people and organizations . . . especially in church world.
Jesus purchased the church with His blood. That's HUGE!
God loves the church, created the church, and declares the church to be Christ's bride.
Have you ever talked smack about another man's wife? Imagine doing that to Jesus Christ.
If a church has hurt you in the past, that does not give you the right to muddy its name. If a church leader has disappointed you in the past, they are not your enemy (see Ephesians 6:12!).
Forgive and let go. The church's role is NOT to dig up dirt on people but to wipe the dirt off people and launch them into their destiny.
Leaders understand that integrity is doing the right thing even when it hurts. Trust me, I've been unjustly hurt many times during my years of ministry. But I've found that God is honored most when we talk smack the least.
If you're a leader who has walked through the fire, allow Isaac's experience in Genesis 26 to be your model.
Isaac was misunderstood, dishonored, and shunned over and over again. But he doesn't fight back. He submits to the Lord's will and finds closure in a beautiful display of the gospel:
“Isaac asked them, ‘Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?’ They answered, ‘We saw clearly that the Lord was with you; so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you . . . And now you are blessed by the Lord.’ ”
(Excerpt from Holy Shift: Laugh Your Mass Off & Reach More People Far From God by Jonathan Herron)
Photo Essay: My Wife Joins Me On-Stage at Life Church
How to Rebound When You're Fatigued, Frustrated or Unfocused
THE NEW NORMAL
Fatigued. Frustrated. Unfocused.
That’s where the majority of leaders are right now.
The post-pandemic world is here and masks are coming off.
As everyone slowly emerges from our social hibernation, we’re all trying to pick up the pieces of the aftermath.
ADRENAL EXHAUSTION
If you’re like me, the past 14 months have been a crash course on crisis management.
Living on adrenaline and swift pivots take a toll on your psyche and emotional health.
You may be feeling fatigued, frustrated or unfocused.
I should know because I’ve experienced all three!
Take a deep breath. You’re going to be okay.
You Did A Great Job. Really.
If nobody else has said these words to you, allow me the honor:
You did a great job.
There was no one you could call.
We had nothing to measure our progress against as leaders.
This summer is a season to tap the brakes, catch your breath, and learn from this experience.
Now is the time to rethink, retain, and retire so that you and your organization can experience a fearless rebound in the Fall.
THE FEARLESS LEADERSHIP PODCAST #55
In the latest episode of my podcast, I tackle how to rebound.
For what it’s worth, here are some shareable key quotes from Episode 55:
SUBSCRIBE NOW &
NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
Crockpots, Not Microwaves
“Empower us, as Your servants, to speak the word of God freely and courageously. Stretch out Your Hand of Power through us…”
As they prayed the earth shook beneath them, causing the building they were in to tremble. Each one of them was filled with the Holy Spirit, and they proclaimed the word of God with unrestrained boldness.
All the believers were one in mind and heart. Selfishness was not a part of their community, for they shared everything they had with one another.
- the Early Church’s prayer in Acts 4:29-32
Online Worship Experience
BONUS Edition
Below is the BONUS Edition of this week's message, #CrockpotsNotMicrowaves!
Why a Bonus Edition?
Basically a lot of crazy stuff went down in-the-moment thanks to Mother Nature during the 11:15am Outdoor Worship Experience at Saginaw Campus — the first part of the video is me explaining what all happened.
Following my video explanation is the pixelated, sometimes-hard-to-see cameraphone footage of what became my impromptu message that goes in a bunch of new and wild directions!
Photo Essay: One Church in Two Locations
Connect Through Comedy: Think Ensemble
Post-Pandemic Blues?
Now is the perfect time to make a Holy Shift!
Revealing the secrets of popular comedians, I’m providing your team a fresh approach to life and leadership in my weekly podcast:
- Unleash contagious enthusiasm
- Equip leaders to leverage laughter and passion
- Create sustainable momentum in your life and leadership
WATCH NOW
Billy Graham's Urgent Passion
"They had no Bibles, no cemeteries, no Bible schools.
No radios or telephones.
No printing presses.
No churches.
Nothing!
However, they turned the world upside down in one generation.
What did they have?
They had an experience with the living Christ.
They had the filling of the Holy Spirit."
"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."
- the early church in Acts 4.31 (ESV)