Author Archives: Tree of Life Church

Just for the Pastors 02: It’s More than a Job!

Some of the things I have done in my life are just jobs – working in McDonalds, selling mobile phones, being a school teacher, working in recruitment. The job itself was not really the issue, earning money for my family was the issue. But being a pastor is not that. It is a calling. YouContinue reading “Just for the Pastors 02: It’s More than a Job!”

Just for the Pastors 01: You are Remarkable!

In this series of blog posts for leaders, I am writing to pastors for the next few posts. I have been pastoring and called “Pastor Ben” since 1998 when I was a student pastor at an Assemblies of God church. Since 2010, when I started the Tree of Life Church, I have planted twelve churches,Continue reading “Just for the Pastors 01: You are Remarkable!”

Manifest Leadership 15 Tell Them How They Are Doing!

Everyone loves to be told they are doing well. Great people love to be told how to do it better. Most people are actually willing to do better if you explain how them changing how they are doing something will help them win. Show people why you want a change in behaviour or attitude, andContinue reading “Manifest Leadership 15 Tell Them How They Are Doing!”

Manifest Leadership 14 Have an Attitude

At Heal the Nations this year, Greg Fritz kept coming back to Isaiah 1.19 which says if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land. Obedience is a reference to what we do. Willing is not about what we do, but about attitude. There are a lot of people aroundContinue reading “Manifest Leadership 14 Have an Attitude”

Manifest Leadership 13 Let the Rabbits Run!

Jim Collins says that one of the signs of great leaders is that they are not just interested on getting people on their bus, but interested in helping people find their right seat on the bus. The analogy Pastor Ray Bevan used to use was of different animals. Don’t try and make owls swim orContinue reading “Manifest Leadership 13 Let the Rabbits Run!”

WORSHIP LEADER MEANS WORSHIPPER AND LEADER!

There are two keys to being a worship leader, and the clue is in the name! Firstly, you have to worship when no one is looking. Just getting up to play your songs and not actually spending time in the week praying, listening to the Word, reading the Word, listening to sermons, giving generously, lovingContinue reading “WORSHIP LEADER MEANS WORSHIPPER AND LEADER!”

Manifest Leadership 12 Make the Tough Calls

I’ve often offered to my team (and my children as well, but that’s a different arena of leadership) that if there is a tough conversation to be had, that I will happily call the person and have it for them. It’s what my friend Bjorn Lutke calls being the stern grandad. He says that ifContinue reading “Manifest Leadership 12 Make the Tough Calls”

Manifest Leadership 11 Make Your Team Champions!

Your team – your elders, the people working for you, your volunteers, your staff, whatever form it takes – need to be enabled and empowered to influence others. Part of being a leader is learning how to empower others to lead. Put your team in places where they can solve problems for others, where theyContinue reading “Manifest Leadership 11 Make Your Team Champions!”

Manifest Leadership 10 Do the Right Thing!

If you are a leader, do the right thing no matter what. Tell the truth, keep confidence, take responsibility for your failures, love people. Do what is right no matter how you feel about it. We should not just be first in preaching, in prophesying, in singing, we should be first in doing the rightContinue reading “Manifest Leadership 10 Do the Right Thing!”