Category Archives: Leadership

The Power of Character

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Richard Heyduck

In his The Scandal of the Kingdom, Dallas Willard writes: People can do good things and appear to be very good, but when opportunity arises, they may do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if they have … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Dallas Willard, Discipleship, Ethics, Leadership, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Ruth Haley Barton Book on Sale

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Richard Heyduck

I just saw that her Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership (kindle version) is on sale. I first read this about five years ago and it was just what I needed at the time. If your soul feels weary, if … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Discipleship, Leadership | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Chosen, Season 4 episode 2

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Richard Heyduck

Some thoughts and questions from The Chosen Season 4 Episode : – Jesus and Andrew are talking about the recent death of John the Baptist. They get to a point where they’re both laughing, and Andrew wonders if it’s ok … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Discipleship, Forgiveness, Jesus, Leadership, Sin, The Chosen | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Churches Are Infatuated with Metrics

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Richard Heyduck

Another pastor asked me today why the church loves “measurability” so much. The question got me to thinking. My first thought turned to Jerry Muller’s book, The Tyranny of Metrics. (If you like other formats, you can listen to Russ … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, Leadership | Leave a comment

Review: Faith for this Moment

Posted on October 29, 2018 by Richard Heyduck

If you have access to this review, you know we live in a highly polarized culture. One the one hand, our political polarization has been on display during the past week as a miscreant from Florida sent mail bombs to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Clash of Civilizations, Culture, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, Leadership | Leave a comment

What About Leadership?

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Richard Heyduck

The American church has been buffeted by the cult of leadership for a couple of decades now. The cult took root in evangelical Christianity before it did in my own United Methodist Church. We need leaders – not just any … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, United Methodism | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Church as Ecology

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Richard Heyduck

In his Ethics in the Conflicts of Modernity, Alasdair MacIntyre draws from W. Edwards Deming and Wendell Berry: “Individuals who farm need to regard themselves as contributing to a larger project, that of making their particular farm productive while sustaining its … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, church growth, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, Leadership, United Methodism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Reviewing Meet Generation Z

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Richard Heyduck

My introduction to James Emery Miller’s recent book, Meet Generation Z: Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World came through an interview on Carey Nieuwhof’s podcast. My first thought was, “I need to read that book.” Imagine my happiness when only … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Christianity, Discipleship, Evangelism, Leadership, Local church | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Motivation

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Richard Heyduck

My jobs require me to motivate others. As a teacher, I have to motivate students to do the work that leads to learning. As a pastor, I have to motivate people to engage in the practices that constitute a life … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, John Maxwell, Leadership | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Definition-phobia

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Richard Heyduck

In a recent post Tony Morgan writes about reasons churches lack a strategy for life change. The first of his four reasons is that churches don’t define success, fearing the accountability that will come with it. I ran first ran … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Leadership, Local church, Ministry, Tony Morgan | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment