School

I'm sitting in Minneapolis right now because I am finishing up my Master's Degree in Transformational Leadership (I graduate on June 3rd). People ask me what exactly is my degree. The best way I can describe it is that it is a program that takes the leadership found in an MBA and the theology found in an M. Div and combines it.
As I sat in class today, I realized how much I have learned not only about leadership in these last three years, but how much I have learned about myself.
Leadership and the development of leaders continues to interest me as I watch how ministry and organizations are shaped by the leadership represented. One of the keys about leadership that is a universal truth is that for effective leadership to sustain itself, it must reproduce itself; meaning that effective (or transformational) leadership must be focused on others first and not yourself. If, as leaders, we all focus on the needs of the people around us, our needs will sufficiently be met. Take that to the bank. The problem is that we become focused or consumed on our own agenda's, clouding our perspective of what will help guid people.
All this to say... I am almost done. What is next for me? I am not sure, but I do know that it will continue to deal with leadership in real and practical ways.
I'm curious, what do you think makes an effective leader? Comment back to me your response, I would love to hear it.

I am also posting some pics of Easter. The great Easter egg hunt in our yard with all the cousins. Savannah (Simone's daughter) came out to visit us with Grandma and Grandpa. We love having her with us!

Gettysburg

I had the opportunity this last week to go on a leadership conference in Gettysburg, PA. It was outstanding! I learned a whole lot about what went on in the Battle of Gettysburg and learned some great leadership principles in the process. It is put on by Campus Crusade and more specifically, Jay & Laurie Lorenzen. If you ever have the opportunity to go, do it. To stand on the battlefields, walking where the soldiers walked, seeing where they died, and seeing what they saw, in a word, it can take your breath away.
I was extremely moved at the cemetery. After observing the spot where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address, I walked through the various headstones. In the three days of the battle, almost 50,000 men lost their lives, all believing their cause was just. It was the greatest land battle in the history of North America. Many stories are told about the men who fought because they were busy writing home to their loved ones relaying their experiences of the military. But there are many more who we don't know about. I stood over a marker in the cemetery that said "863 unknown" all from the New York regiments. These men will probably never have their story told, but their cause was just as real as heroic cause of Chamberlain or Buford. It was truly a moving moment for me.
Since I have been home I have discovered that at least two of my great-grandfathers fought in the Civil War. One in the battle of Atlanta, fought for the 2nd Cavalry unit from Illinois and the other was with the 28th infantry from Illinois, fighting mainly in the Southern Campaigns.
Even if you can't get to the conference, go to Gettysburg! It is a fascinating place... and beautiful.