Billy Graham will no longer work with the president.

Billy Graham's work as a pastor to presidents is coming to an end, but he is praying for Barack Obama as the next U.S. leader begins his work, Graham's son said Friday on the ailing evangelist's 90th birthday. Franklin Graham said in an interview that his father's mind remains sharp even as his body continues to fail. But the preacher who has counseled every president beginning with Eisenhower is not in line to mentor Obama.

Billy Graham the man is frail, the legacy strong, "My father feels like his time and day for that is over," Franklin Graham said. "But he would certainly like to meet (Obama) and pray with him."

Graham's views of the world are still respected in White House circles. Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited Graham at his mountainside home during the campaign, and Obama tried to meet Graham but wasn't able to do so because of the preacher's poor health.

Though never partisan in his preaching, Billy Graham is a registered Democrat. His son expressed concern about Obama's views on abortion and gay marriage — an issue Franklin Graham raised in a meeting with the Illinois senator — saying that he and is father are conservatives who believe the Bible speaks clearly on those issues.

"President-elect Obama heard our position," Franklin Graham said. "And I told him that this was very difficult for us and hard for us. It's a moral issue that we just can't back down on."
"But he's our president-elect, and those positions that he holds that are contrary to Biblical teaching, I hope that God will change his heart," said Graham, who now heads the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Obama favors abortion rights, and does not support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marrage. He supports civil unions and believes states should decide their own laws about marriage.

About 160 of Graham's close family and friends celebrated his birthday with an intimate gathering Friday at his home in Montreat, featuring fried chicken, barbecue and sweet tea. His ministry had received some 100,000 greetings — including a video from President George W. Bush — from people who told stories about how he changed their lives. Graham's son said they would be bound so that someone could read a few dozen letters to him each day.

Encouragement is partly what Graham needs. He still struggles with the loss of his wife, Ruth, who died last year, and notes his father has more friends in heaven than on earth.

An avid consumer of news, Billy Graham still listens to television — he has macular degeneration and has can't read more than the headlines of a newspaper — and follows the events of the day. He spends much of his day napping and resting, and Franklin visits on Sundays to try and coax him to make the 100-yard walk to the barn next to the mountainside home in Montreat.

Graham's health is fragile. He was hospitalized overnight last month after falling over his dog while trying to pet it. He had elective surgery earlier this year to update a shunt that controls excess fluid on his brain. The shunt was first installed in 2000 and drains fluid from through a small tube, relieving excess pressure that can cause symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease.
Graham was hospitalized last year for nearly two weeks after experiencing intestinal bleeding, and he has also had prostate cancer. But Graham has still outlived doctors' expectations and some of the doctors themselves.

Exit Interview

Now we know how people in America vote. But, do you know how they vote in church?

It has been said that people in church vote with their feet and their purse. If giving drops, shouldn't you figure out why? If people do not attend, shouldn't you find out why?

Have you ever bothered to do exit polls or follow-up to ask why they did not attend? You will hear many coded answers. Here are some examples and what to do about them:

- "I had something else to do." Translation: "Your event had no value to me." Next Step: Increase the perceived value of the training. Bring in an "expert" to encourage them. Provide a meal. Give them a book or CD when they show up. Another simple strategy is to make sure the room looks like you prepared it for them. Provide bottled water and some hard candy on the tables. Set up a couple of flip charts or whiteboards. Drop some pens and pads on the tables (in case someone says something worth writing down).

- "I can't give one more night (or Saturday) to this." Translation: "I am committed, but I have boundaries." Here is a potential solution: you may need to lessen their overall load by giving them permission to drop out of another responsibility. Some who are gifted to shepherd others may need to pass up on committee assignments and nursery duty to allow others a chance to serve. This can be painful to the individual (and to the church) as ministry priorities begin to shift.

- "I don't need no stinking training." Translation: "I already know it all." This one presents a double challenge. First, determine if their answer is out of arrogance or honesty. If arrogance, they have an unteachable spirit and may need some 1:1 time with a coach or pastor to check their heart. They may not be leaning into the Holy Spirit for interactive guidance on how to lead their members. On the other hand, they may honestly believe that they have been well prepared for leadership by previous training, self-study, and experience. If this is the case ... challenge them to come help you train others. By sitting in on training directed at "others" they may learn a lot... and may help you at the same time. If they are gifted a helping others learn to be leaders, they may be Coach material.

What are you hearing? Do your leaders provide excuses for not attending your training events? What are you doing about it?

[By Dave Treat]

What if Starbucks Marketed Like the Church?

A boy and his boat.

Once upon a time a little boy build a little toy sailboat. He would take it to the park every day and sail the little boat on the pond. He liked watching it coast around in the breeze. Because he loved the Boat, he was pretty careful not to let it go too far out in the pond where he could not get it back.

But one day, the inevitable day came when the boat sailed beyond where he could reach it. He got himself soaked trying, but the boat had gone out too far for the boy to rescue it. He went home heartsick, expecting he would never see the boat again.

But a few weeks later, he was walking through town when he saw his boat in the window at the little secondhand shop. He was so excited! He went into the store and said, "You've found my boat! I made that boat! It's mine and I'd like to have it back! But the man behind the counter said, "Well, maybe it was your boat once, but its my boat now -- and if you want it, you'll have to pay me $20.00 for it."

"TWENTY DOLLARS!" The boy said. It seemed like an enormous amount of money. He had no idea how he could come up with that much cash. He started to hang his head and walk out of the store, but the man said, "If you'd like to earn a little money, I could use some help around here."

And so it was agreed. Every week the boy would come and sweep floors and tidy up the shelves, and the man would give him a few dollars. Finally, the day came when he brought this pocket full of crumpled bills to the store and brought his boat back. He was thrilled.

As he walked out of the store, holding his boat like a long lost friend, he said, "You're mine twice now! You were mine the first time I made you; and now you're mine again because I bought you!"

Be a Leader That Reproduces Leaders

1. View yourself as a leader-maker and your group/team as a leader-making laboratory. After hearing from God the next most important task of every leaders is to find and develop another leader. As a group/team you should always be thinking about how you can develop the next leader for the next group or team.
2. Be on a constant talent search. As a leader you should always be on the look for another person who has the potential to be a leader. Ask yourself the question, "who around you could be a leader if someone would just encourage and invest in them?"
3. Develop an apprentice through process and not through a hand-off. You don't just hand-off leadership to someone, you intentionally develop them through the following apprenticeship process:

Vote Today

Today's Quote

"Aspire to inspire before you expire . . ."

Catalyst

Rules To Live By

- Always use soft words, even when you don’t feel well.
- Always display kind actions and joyful attitudes, even if you have been mistreated.
- Have the right response by quickly forgiving others in your heart even before they ask.
- Always be enthusiastic and look for opportunities to praise others' character.
- Always deflect praise and be grateful to God and others for the ways they have benefited your life.
- Always use manners and be respectful of others and their belongings.
- Always do what is right, even when others may not, or when no one is looking.
- Thank God for how He made you, for what He has given you and everything He allows you to go through. (Romans 8:2)
- Don’t mock or put others down.
- Develop compassion and pray for others.
- Never argue, complain, or blame.
- Quickly admit when you have done wrong and ask for forgiveness (even if you were only 10% at fault).
- Don't wait till you’re caught. Be sure your sins will find you out. He who covers his sin will not prosper, but he that confesses and forsakes it shall find mercy.
- Have a tough accountability/prayer partner to daily share your heart with and to keep you in line (your parents, spouse). The power of sin is in secrecy.
- Be attentive and look for ways to serve others with sincere motives and no thought of self-gain.
- Think pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8, Romans 13:14).
- Always give a good report of others.
- Don't gossip!
- Never tale-bear unless physical harm will come to someone. (Use Matthew 18.)
- Never raise a hand to hit.
- Never raise a foot to kick.
- Never raise an object to throw.
- Never raise a voice to yell.
- Never raise an eye to scowl.
- Use one toy/activity at a time. Share!
- Do your best to keep your surroundings neat, clean and organized.
- Never let the sun go down on your wrath. (Don’t go to bed angry or guilty.)

Interview Questions

Military.com came up with these potential interview questions. I sincerely hope that NO one will ever subject me (or anyone else) to these types of questions ... but I should be ready to answer them, anyway. Here they are:

- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Who was your favorite manager and why?
- What kind of personality do you work best with and why?
- Why do you want this job?
- Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
- Tell me about your proudest achievement.
- If you were at a business lunch and you ordered a rare steak and they brought it to you well done, what would you do?
- If I were to give you this salary you requested but let you write your job description for the next year, what would it say?
- Why is there fuzz on a tennis ball?
- How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?
- There's no right or wrong answer, but if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
- How would you feel about working for someone who knows less than you?
- Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?
- What's your ideal company?
- What attracted you to this company?
- What are you most proud of?
- What are you looking for in terms of career development?
- What do you look for in terms of culture -- structured or entrepreneurial?
- What do you like to do?
- Give examples of ideas you've had or implemented.
- What are your lifelong dreams?
- What do you ultimately want to become?
- How would you describe your work style?
- What kind of car do you drive?
- Tell me about a time where you had to deal with conflict on the job.
- What's the last book you read?
- What magazines do you subscribe to?
- What would be your ideal working situation?
- Why should we hire you?
- What did you like least about your last job?
- What do you think of your previous boss?
- How do you think I rate as an interviewer?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- When were you most satisfied in your job?
- What can you do for us that other candidates can't?
- What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?
- What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
- If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?
- What salary are you seeking?
- What's your salary history?
- Do you have plans to have children in the near future?
- What were the responsibilities of your last position?
- What do you know about this industry?
- What do you know about our company?
- How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
- Are you willing to relocate?
- What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
- What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?
- Give me an example of a time that you felt you went above and beyond the call of duty at work.
- What would you do if you won the lottery?
- Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
- Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own weight? How did you handle it?
- What is your personal mission statement?
- Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
- What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?
- What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
- What is your greatest fear?
- Who has impacted you most in your career, and how?
- What do you see yourself doing within the first 30 days of this job?
- What's the most important thing you've learned in school?
- What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
- What will you miss about your present/last job?
- If you were interviewing someone for this position, what traits would you look for?
- List five words that describe your character.
- What is your greatest achievement outside of work?
- Sell me this pencil.
- If I were your supervisor and asked you to do something that you disagreed with, what would you do?
- Do you think a leader should be feared or liked?
- What's the most difficult decision you've made in the last two years?
- What do you like to do for fun?
- Why are you leaving your present job?
- What do you do in your spare time?
- How do you feel about taking no for an answer?
- What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
- What is your favorite memory from childhood?
- Give me an example of a time you did something wrong. How did you handle it?
- Tell me one thing about yourself you wouldn't want me to know.
- Tell me the difference between good and exceptional.
- Why did your choose your major?
- What are the qualities of a good leader? A bad leader?
- What is your biggest regret, and why?
- What are three positive character traits you don't have?
- What irritates you about other people, and how do you deal with it?
- If you found out your company was doing something against the law, like fraud, what would you do?
- How many times do a clock's hands overlap in a day?
- How would you weigh a plane without scales?
- What assignment was too difficult for you, and how did you resolve the issue?
- If I were to ask your last supervisor to provide you additional training or exposure, what would she suggest?
- If you could choose one superhero power, what would it be and why?
- What's the best movie you've seen in the last year?
- Describe how you would handle a situation if you were required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, and there was no conceivable way that you could finish them.
- What techniques and tools do you use to keep yourself organized?
- If you could get rid of any one of the US states, which one would you get rid of, and why?
- With your eyes closed, tell me step-by-step how to tie my shoes.
- If you had to choose one, would you consider yourself a big-picture person or a detail-oriented person?
- If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
- Who are your heroes?
- Tell me 10 ways to use a pencil other than writing.

[From Phil Hoover]

Attachment Disorder

Pastor, if your people won't follow, it may be the result of past abandonment.

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, several families I know have adopted children from Eastern Europe. As they grow, some of these children exhibit a set of extremely troubling symptoms: hostility, inability to form close relationships, and distrust of people, particularly authority figures. These children can become self-destructive, highly sensitive to rejection and anger, and blame everyone close to them for the problems in their lives.

Finish this article

Why the Best Leaders Are the Best Leaders

From 1996 to 2007, manager Joe Torre led the New York Yankees to the playoffs every year - winning an astounding 17 series in the post-season. Over those same 12 years, the Los Angeles Dodgers did not win a single playoff series. This past season, Torre departed New York to coach the Dodgers. The result? The Dodgers won their first post-season series in 20 years, while the Yankees missed the playoffs altogether.

Ask Yankees and Dodgers fans, and they will tell you that Joe Torre's leadership matters. However, they may not be able to tell you exactly why Joe Torre is an excellent leader. What's true of the fans in New York and Los Angeles is true for many of us. We experience the effects of leadership without understanding the cause.

In this article, I hope to make plain why the best leaders are the best leaders. In a nutshell, remarkable leaders give their best to their people, and get the best from their people. Let's look at how this happens.

The Best Leaders Give Their Best to Their People By...

1) GROWING

People naturally follow leaders they respect as being more advanced than they are. For this reason, personal growth is directly proportional to influence. If you desire to gain followers, then pay the price of getting better.

To give people your best, you have to elevate your leadership capacity. Consider the metaphor of walking up a narrow staircase - you can only go as fast as the person in front of you. When leaders stop growing, they quit climbing and impede the progress of everyone following them. However, when leaders grow, they ascend the stairs and create space for those behind them to climb higher.

Personal growth involves challenging yourself, and pushing beyond the realm of comfort. When is the last time you did something for the first time? How long has it been since you felt in over your head?

2) SERVING

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."~ Albert Einstein

Serving others is an attitude issue. Unfortunately, many leaders operate under a king-of-the-hill mentality. They attempt to pull down anyone above them in order to secure the top spot for themselves. In doing so, they clutch at power, grapple for control of company resources, and strive to dominate others. Seeing relationships as win-lose propositions, they ultimately burn bridges and isolate themselves.

The best leaders take an entirely different approach. Rather than dragging down anyone who threatens their position, they extend a hand to lift the performance of teammates and coworkers. They function with a mindset of abundance as opposed to an attitude of scarcity, and they wield their influence to prop others up rather than to elevate themselves. Over time, they are honored for the contributions they have made to the lives around them.

All leaders serve. Sadly, some serve only themselves. Serving is a motives issue, and the crux of the matter boils down to a simple question: "Who?" Does a politician serve the public or his pocketbook? Does a CEO serve to benefit her shareholders or to support her lifestyle? The best leaders set a tone by serving and prove they are deserving of being out in front.

3) MODELING

Growing leaders have something to share; serving leaders have something to give; modeling leaders have something to show. As V.J. Featherstone said, "Leaders tell, but never teach, until they practice what they preach." The best leaders embody their values. Their passion exudes from every pore and demands respect.

The Best Leaders Get the Best from Their People By...

1) LISTENING

The smartest leaders realize the limitations of their wisdom, and they listen to their people in order to capture invaluable insights. However, leaders don't just listen to gain knowledge, they also listen to give their people permission: permission to challenge the process, permission to test assumptions; and permission to take risks. Nothing turns off an up-and-coming leader like the deaf ear of a superior. The best leaders don't simply listen to incoming ideas; they proactively draw them out of their people. They listen actively, not passively.

2) RELATING

Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. To touch a heart, a leader has to be open to disclosing his or her identity by sharing personal stories and owning up to professional weaknesses. Mysterious or aloof leaders may be successful decision-makers, but they won't get the heartfelt loyalty that comes from authentic relationships.

As simple as it sounds, making a person feel known correlates powerfully to their job satisfaction. In fact, Patrick Lencioni lists anonymity as one of the top indicators of a miserable job. Leaders dignify their people by studying their interests, learning about their families, and finding out their hobbies. Conscious of the power of connection, the best leaders refuse to be barricaded inside of an office, and they take responsibility for relating with others on a regular basis.

3) TEACHING

Gifted teachers have a way of making students out of disinterested bystanders. The best leaders have an infectious thirst for knowledge, and they take pride in cultivating knowledge of their craft and awareness of their industry. A leader's teaching ability depends upon ongoing personal growth. As Howard Hendricks said, "If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow."

4) DEVELOPING

The best leaders understand the differences between training people for tasks and developing people to be better leaders.

Training -- Developing
Focus is on the job -- Focus is on the person
Adds value to specific things -- Adds value to everything
Helpful for a short time -- Helpful for a lifetime
Changes a performance -- Change the performer

The best leaders view their people as appreciable assets and prioritize investing in the talent on their teams.

5) MOTIVATING

After one of my presentations, an audience member approached me who was visibly indignant about my speech. "Why is motivation last on the list?" he demanded. "Well," I replied, "because if you listen, relate, teach, and develop your people, then they will be motivated!"

Sustained motivation comes by creating the right environment for your people and by doing the right things consistently to nurture them. Consider a flower. It cannot grow in the Arctic; it requires a climate conducive to growth. Yet, even in the right environment, the flower must be planted in hospitable soil, exposed to sunlight, watered, and freed of weeds.

REVIEW

The Best Leaders Give Their Best to Their People by ...
1. Growing 2. Serving 3. Modeling

The Best Leaders Get the Best From Their People by ...
1. Listening 2. Relating 3. Teaching 4. Developing 5. Motivating

[By Dr. John C. Maxwell]

Today's Quote

"Most of us plateau when we lose the tension between where we are and where we ought to be." ~ John Gardiner

Free Resources

For FREE Movie Clips and Study Guide on "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" CLICK HERE >>

http://www.ccli.com/TheBoyInTheStripedPajamas/

Don Brock Speaks in Fort Payne

Dr. Don Brock speaking at the middle school in Fort Payne, Alabama concerning emotional development.