Traits of a Dictator

An absolutist or autocratic leader is also known as a dictator. They may have started out to be a good leader, but after a few years in the same position of authority, they begin to think more highly of themselves than one should think. They become a ruler. In time, they assume sole and absolute power, sometimes through eliminating anyone who opposes them. 

In church circles, they get confused about God, or come to believe that they are the only interpretation of God. If you disagree with them, you are disagreeing with God.  Like a tyrant, or an autocrat, dictators become oppressive, even abusive to the people they supposedly serve.

There is no other term for a leader who holds and/or abuses an extraordinary amount of personal power, especially the power to make rules without effective restraint by a legislative assembly like a committee, conference, or convention, but dictatorship.

You will hear them say things like, "We must get a handle on this situation," "Better get control of that," or "We don't need to let this get out of control."  Control becomes more important than service.  Committee meetings, conferences and business meetings become less important, insignificant, or non-existent.

This leadership style is often characterized by some of the following traits:

• suspension of election or selection process by those they serve
• suspension of most liberties
• control of media or press
• personal gain monetarily
• proclamation of “I am in charge”
• rule by decree
• repression of all opponents
• uses the rules when beneficial, breaks the rules at will
• cult of personality

In the 21st Century, this leadership style does not work well. It eventually ends in an overthrow. It is happening around the world. People eventually rise up.

If your leader has the following traits, they are in trouble:

• Secretive – “I know what will work, but if I keep it to myself and my subordinates mess up, I’ll be able to jump in and save the day.”
• Micro manager – “I can’t trust the programmers to stay on task. That’s why I make them check in twice a day and to let me know their progress.”
• Egotistical – “I have a Harvard degree and 30 years of experience. These hot-shot newcomers think I should listen to them. How could they know anything?”
• Biased – “Why should I listen to women [or minorities or young people or industry experts]?
• Close-minded – “I don’t care what anyone says. I know what’s best.”
• Unwilling to listen – “I already know what people think. They think they know more than I do! Why should I waste my time?
• Dishonest – “No one has to know that last month’s report was a bit skewed. If I turned in the right figures, Smith’s state would look better than mine.”
• Inconsistent – “I know Jane expects a raise because I hinted at that when I gave her extra responsibilities this year – and she knows that Kevin got his raise – but there’s just something about Jane that I don’t like.”
• Lacks focus – “There are so many facets to this work. Some are confusing and I don’t have time for all of them. Someone else will have to figure them out.”
• Has unrealistic expectations – “I promised I would do that.  But they haven't satisfied me so somebody’s going to have to pay!”
• Provides – “I’m not paid to be a counselor or a hand-holder. They’ll just have to do it the best, with no guidance, if they can.”
• Does not plan – “The project is due next week, but I’ve been working on something else real important. I guess they will just have to wait.”

Tanya Voznyuk Passed Away

Please pray for the Vitaliy Voznyuk family in the Ukraine. Bishop Vitaliy's wife, Tanya, has passed away.

Tanya was also Larrissa's sister, Gena's wife.

Bishop Vitaliy is the National Overseer of the Ukraine for the COGOP and a very dear friend.

Bishop Henadzi Kernazhytski (Gena) is the National Overseer of Belarus.

2011 Theme Video - National Day of Prayer Task Force

Former Church of God Leader Ray H. Hughes Sr. Dies

Dr. Ray H. Hughes Sr., former general overseer of the Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.) and past president of Lee University and the National Association of Evangelicals, died late Monday night. He was 87. Hughes was the top leader of the denomination on three separate occasions, the most recent in 1996. He is the only person in the 125-year history of the Church of God to serve as the denominational leader three times.

A widely respected evangelical leader, Hughes rose to top leadership posts in several other organizations, including president of Pentecostal Fellowship of North America and the Pentecostal World Conference. During his chairmanship of the PWC, he led worldwide conferences in Oslo (1992), Jerusalem (1995) and Seoul (1998).

Hughes was first elevated to the post of general overseer of the Church of God after the death of R. Leonard Carroll in January 1972. He was elected later that year to serve out the two-year term and was re-elected general overseer in 1978. He served until 1982 when tenure limitations came into effect. In addition to general overseer, Hughes was elected to first, second and third assistant general overseer on several occasions, serving a total of 22 years on the Executive Committee, the denomination’s highest-ranking body of leaders.

A Video Biography of Dr. Ray H Hughes

Heritage and Innovation: Finding the Balance

In times of change there is the tendency to either stick doggedly to what has always worked in the past or to throw it all out and start new. Neither extreme is the answer.

Heritage and innovation is a tension that needs to be managed—thoughtfully. Our default thinking is to view the world in terms of what has worked before so we often fail to address the changes going on around us. As a result we tend to lose our influence. At the same time, to overhaul everything without regard to our roots—our traditions, our heritage—can take us away from why we began doing what we are doing in the first place.

Howard Schultz recognized as he began to deal with Starbuck’s identity crisis in 2008 that they had to strike a delicate balance between heritage and innovation. In Onward he writes: “I understood that we had to return to our roots, but if that heritage was not linked to a willingness to reinvent and innovate, then we would fail.”

Our heritage is the repository of our values and unshakable truths. Applying them to a changing world makes them relevant. But how to go about this is not always self-evident. As we naturally view what we do through the lens of what has worked before, it is hard to envision a different world. If we don’t learn to apply them to what is happening today, they begin to look worn and outdated to the present world.

We have to begin by asking, “What is Truth (for us) and what is habit?” Truths are maintained. Habits can be adapted.

We need to learn to translate our heritage into a meaningful direction aligned to the present situation. Heritage either stands the test of time or it is a fad. Change for change sake, is faddish. Sustainable influence and growth is achieved when heritage and innovation overlap. Innovation should be informed by heritage which is in turn, made relevant by it.

Change is essential to growth. More than anything else, fear keeps us from making necessary changes. Fear of the unknown. “What will happen?”

Innovation rocks the boat. It creates instability, yes, but the kind of instability needed for growth. If we don’t make heritage relevant by innovation we can stunt growth and diminish our influence. We actually aid people’s ability to cope and thrive in a changing world when we find ways to change what we do without changing who we are. Heritage and innovation is an ongoing tension that needs to be managed.

[from Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog @ LeadershipNow by Michael McKinney]

The Gospel

A Word For Young People

Dr. Harold Hunter Delivers Historic Presentation

At the recent Centennial Celebration of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church 1911 Merger, held on the campus of Southwestern Christian University, Bethany, Oklahoma, the denominational archivist addressed the gathering.  In an engaging and informative presentation, he shared the history of the two merging groups - Fire Baptized Holiness and the Pentecostal Holiness - into a single unit named The Pentecostal Holiness Church.  He presented a targeted portion illustrating the unique role of the western segment of the United States in the founding, growth, and development of the southern based IPHC.

[from PENTECOSTAL RESEARCH COLLECTION (PRC) by SCU]

Bishop Eugene Weakley

Bishop Eugene Weakley, 83 years, of Murfreesboro, TN, died on March 28, 2011 at Alive Hospice Residence, Nashville, TN after a short illness.

He was born in Nashville, TN on July 11, 1927 to Marshall E. and Althea Sensing Weakley. He was married to Juanita Faye Cowan Weakley on November 19, 1955. He has one daughter, Regina Faye Weakley Cassidy of Murfreesboro, son-in-law, Jeff Cassidy and one sister, Eleanor Weakley Wilson of Cleveland, TN. In addition, he is survived by his beloved pekingese, Buttons. He has several nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law. He has a large “extended family” who affectionately calls him, “pawpaw”, “pop” and “dad”. He is preceded in death by brothers, Thomas, Zelbert, and Glen Weakley, and sister, Lucille Weakley.

He attended Trevecca College, Nashville, TN and Cleveland State Community College and Lee University, Cleveland, TN to further his education. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in WWII.

He started his ministry in 1948. He served in various capacities in The Church of God of Prophecy. He was a Pastor’s “pastor” and served in both Alabama and Tennessee for nineteen years. He served as a Full-Time District Overseer of Middle Tennessee and National Director of the Small Group Ministries for nine years, and State Overseer (Bishop) for Tennessee for fourteen years. After retirement, he continued to minister in various capacities until his death and served a total of 63 years in Ministry.

He has traveled extensively in 49 states as well as various countries for the Ministry. He was vital in organizing various churches in the State of Tennessee, initiating the Couple’s Retreat for Marriage Enrichment, enhancing “Ministers-In-Training”, and vital in “raising the bar” for ministers to further their ministerial education. He was the visionary and founder of the Tennessee Center for Biblical Leadership. He has authored two books including: God Keeps Good Books and Part II: Now, The Rest of The Story! He was a beloved husband, father, friend, mentor, and respected minister of the Gospel.

Visitation with the family will be Thursday, March 31, 2011 from 6:00pm-9:00pm at Murfreesboro Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be Friday, April 1, 2011 at 1:00pm at Murfreesboro Funeral Home. Burial to follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens with Military Honors.

The family would like to thank the many friends, relatives, and church members for their kindness during this difficult time. God Keep Good Books!

[http://www.murfreesborofuneralhome.com/index.cfm]

Bishop Eugene Weakley

Yesterday, around 2:00 PM, one of the people who has impacted my life the most in this world, went to be with the Lord. (He has been on my Wall of Gratitude on this Blog from the beginning. Look below in the left column.)

When I was a young man, he pastored in Alabama with my parents. They respected him highly, and so did I. He was later appointed as a denominational official and moved to Cleveland, TN. My parents did also, and Bishop Weakley allowed me to cut his grass at his home a few times when he lived near where the Keith Street church is now. He went on to serve in many capacities as a great minister and finally as Tennessee State Bishop. Few people have impacted my life as much nor as positively as Bishop Weakley. He encouraged one of my first ministry assignments in Tennessee when Buford Johnson and myself worked on a church planting and mentoring program in the Cleveland area in 1985. Bishop Weakley was a powerful man of God.

Yesterday, he went home to a place called Heaven. This is a place he has preached about for 63 years. He was a good man, faithful man, and genuinely caring man - a true leader. He never actually retired. This July would have been 13 years since he supposedly retired. But, he spoke at the Columbia TN Church the first Sunday in January, planned to go to Tucson AZ in April, Texas in September, Tennessee churches throughout the year, etc.

For about one and one half hours yesterday many ministers, family, and friends sang to him. His wife, Wonnie, keep telling him how much she loved him. She finally whispered in his ear and said, "Gene it is OK for you to go on." He immediately departed.

The family will be making funeral arrangements Wednesday and we will announce them here as soon as they are known. The funeral will perhaps be Friday at the Mufreesboro (TN) Funeral Home.

Please keep the family in your prayers.

The Importance of Pastors With Vision

Yes, there are some people that quickly pick up on the lack of vision and leave the church to find another more vibrant church, but how many people keep coming back week after week secretly hoping things will get better? Hoping and praying that the pastor will get a word from God, lead with passion, conviction and purpose. I wonder how many gifted, capable, passionate lay leaders are sitting untapped in congregations around the country. I wonder.

[from MMI Weblog by Todd Rhoades]

Academic Paper Presented on Women Ministers in Pentecostalism

(For the recent centennial celebration of the IPHC several historic papers were presented.)

"The Monday morning session of January 31, 2011 in Falcon, North Carolina celebrating the IPHC Merger Centennial gave way to putting this unique event in historical perspective." Papers presented that morning include "Dr. Dan Woods, "Meet Sam Page"; Dr. Kristen Welch,"Women Preachers in the IPHC"; Dr. Vinson Synan, "The Spirit of Falcon - 1911 Merger".

Paper

[from PENTECOSTAL RESEARCH COLLECTION (PRC) by SCU]

Follow me on Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/DGBrock

Follow me on FaceBook

http://www.facebook.com/dgbrock

How to Start a House Church

There are two steps.

1. Gather people.
2. Make disciples.

Both are bathed in prayer day and night.

Gather people. It is much easier to gather people and win them to Christ than to win people and then try to gather them. The best way we know to gather people is to use food (yes, the real stuff!).

Invite friends, family, and neighbors to eat. The idea of the gatherings is to get to know one another. In knowing one another better, we build trust. Eating together is a natural way to begin relating we want to be church with. There is no planned devotional. No Bible under the table that we pull out as people are finishing their dessert. If a spiritual topic arises in the natural flow of conversation, follow the Spirit’s lead. Share openly as a Christian, but not dominating the dialog.

If things seem to go well, encourage everybody to bring one or two others with them next time. Ask who might be able to bring sandwiches, drinks, empanadas, fruit, etc. to the next gathering.

Make disciples. Continue meeting with food being the drawing card. As the servant-leader senses the Lord’s leading (remember we are praying day and night about all this) begin introducing participative group activities to encourage spiritual dialog.

Which elements are utilized depends upon the group, their spiritual receptivity, etc. Some of the more common and widely used are:

• Short general-interest downloaded YouTube videos burned to DVDs that help generate dialog
• Listening to one another’s stories, spiritual journeys, testimonies
• Singing Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs from songbooks or CDs
• Ice-breakers (some fun, others of a more serious nature)
• Simple group sharing and praying for one another

Again, elements are introduced as the Spirit leads. The goal is to make disciples, not converts. We don’t want to drag our feet, but neither do we want to rush ahead of the Spirit. After 3 or 4 weeks you will have a pretty good idea of who all is shaping up as the core group. These will be at various stages along the discipleship path. Several will have made public professions of faith.

While continuing to encourage everyone to bring their guests to the “eating meetings” prayerfully ask them a key question, “HOW MANY OF US WOULD SAY WE LOVE GOD?” After a show of hands share Jesus’ words, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” What are the Ten Commandments of Jesus Christ? To be a disciple of Jesus we must obey those things He said were important. No one can be a disciple unless he keeps Jesus commandments.

At that point start with #1, the Great Commandment. We ask three people to read aloud Matthew 22:36-40. Then ask three questions:

1. What does Jesus say? (Tell it in your own words what you understood.)
2. What did He mean? (What do the words mean?)
3. How are we going to obey this commandment? (What specific actions can we take to obey?)

This becomes the pattern for the rest of Jesus’ Commandments that will be studied over the coming weeks. Once this pattern of self-feeding is learned, it can be used with any passage of Scripture and is easily reproducible even with new believers starting new groups.

At this point introduce the second major discipleship tool which is to get everyone into a “GRUPO DE TRES” (Group of Three) discipleship group. These are very similar to Neil Cole’s LIFE TRANSFORMATION GROUPS. Try to encourage everyone to be in a group of three. Everyone receives a bookmark card which serves three purposes, 1) Bible reading plan, 2) accountability questions, 3) praying for one another and the lost.

The final element phased in for the “eating meeting” is a time of “one another” ministry where prayer, exhortation, encouragement, counsel, sharing, etc. are openly shared amongst those gathering week by week (1 Cor.14:26.)

There are a few more “nuts and bolts” but this is the gist of how to train house church leaders to start.

[from The M Blog by GuyMuse]