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Ron Edmondson Leadership Blog

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    Scripture Memorization, Week 4

    By Encouragement

    Each week this year, we are learning another verse from the Bible together. So far we’ve learned (or attempted to learn) three verses.

    How are you doing?

    I won’t share them all each week, but at this point you could easily catch up with us, so here are the first few verses:

    Week one: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

    Week two: In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

    Week three: You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

    This week is a continuation of last week’s thought process. This week’s memory verse is:

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    January 22, 2011
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    Friday Discussion: Why People Don’t Attend Church

    By Church, Culture

    Let’s discuss church attendance today.

    I specifically want to know why some people choose not to attend church.

    I want to hear about your experiences, but I also want to hear your opinions.

    One of my passions is the local church. I grew up in church and there’s never been a time in my life when I didn’t want to go to church.

    Recently I was interviewed for a local online newspaper about the launching of our second campus. (You can read the article HERE.) In the article I stated a statistic that 86% of people in our county do not go to church. That’s what the latest numbers I’m hearing indicate. I didn’t make the number up, but I didn’t do the research either. Regardless of the accuracy of the number, no one who believes in church doubts that it is higher than we would like it to be.

    So, today, I’m wonder why people don’t go to church.

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    January 21, 2011
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    7 Reactions to Controlling Leadership

    By Business, Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Team Leadership

    Recently I was speaking with someone about their experience with a controlling leader. My friend said, “He’s just one of those humor him and move on kind of guys.” I thought to myself, “What a sad commentary to be said about one’s leadership!”

    It reminds me of a similar experience I had with a controlling leader…

    You see, I once had an idea…

    It was a dream…a big vision…

    I knew it would require risk, extra energies, and the assistance of others, but I was confident this was something worth pursuing…

    I even felt it was a call of God for my life…

    I was a volunteer for the organization, not an employee, but I had been given a certain amount responsibility and authority…

    The only problem…

    The leader of the organization was a controlling leader…

    That fact alone changed the way I approached (or didn’t approach) the opportunity…

    Many controlling leaders receive that kind of attention…

    I’ve noticed from my own experience and watching others, that we tend to respond to controlling leaders by:

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    January 18, 2011
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    We Are Different, Diversity Week 2

    By Culture, Encouragement

    year I’m doing some fun posts over select weekends in 2011 aimed at engaging my readership, but also learning from each other. The first one was a couple weeks ago. Read it HERE. I was leaving for Costa Rica and missed last week.

    Some of these questions are serious and some are not. Read through the comments and see how different we are from each other.

    The more comments…the more we get to see our differences.

    Here are this week’s questions…

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    January 15, 2011
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    Costa Rica Report, Part 5 (Seeking Wisdom)

    By Church, Culture, Encouragement, Family, Missions

    Our team of 5 men built and repaired a fence during our Costa Rica mission trip this week. We worked well together, developed great systems, and shared the same work ethics.

    The generally agreed upon leader of our team was a man old enough to be my father. I know that, because he has a son my age. This trip Jay invested in me! What a blessing that has been!

    I grew up most of my life without…

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    January 15, 2011
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    Friday Discussion: How Are You at Saying No?

    By Culture, Family, Leadership

    One of the greatest improvements you can make to your leadership and possibly your life is to learn when and how to say “No”. That’s a tough challenge for me. I’m a doer and a people helper. I like to say “Yes” if at all possible. The reality is, however, than when I say yes to one thing I am ultimately saying no to something else. Often that “something else” has a higher potential for greater good. When I say no to another meeting and yes to my family, for example, I’m investing in God’s greatest gift to me.

    It’s a constant challenge, but it’s a battle worth winning.

    Today I’ve got a couple of simple questions…

    Are you more inclined to say “Yes” or more inclined to say “No”?

    Does it bother you to say “No”?

    Bonus question: What helpful hints do you have for learning to say “No”?

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    January 14, 2011
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    Costa Rica Report, Part 4 (Spending Time with a Daughter)

    By Culture, Family, Missions

    What an amazing team we had on our Costa Rica mission trip! This was a light construction trip, helping with projects around an orphanage that is part of the Abraham Project. The group of 27 are some of the hardest working individuals I know. We did what may have been considered mundane work, but everyone always had a smile, there were no ill moods displayed, and we all realized we were playing small parts in a bigger God story.

    One of my favorite parts of the week was spending it with my future daughter Mary. Mary will be officially joining our family May 27th when she marries our oldest son Jeremy. (We’ve claimed her as one of our own for many years, but I’ll feel better with a piece of paper!) Several months ago Mary brought up the fact that Grace Community Church was going to Costa Rica. She said if I would go she would go. How could I resist an offer like that?

    This week, I’ve fallen more in love with our beautiful Mary. She’s kind, gentle, smart, mature, and hard-working. Mary reminds me of my wife Cheryl. She’s going to be a great wife and mother. (I’m throwing in that mother part hoping that makes it come true!)

    Thank you Mary for accompanying me on this trip…and for making sure…

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    January 14, 2011
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    Encouraged by Big Faith: Costa Rica Report, Part 3

    By Culture, Encouragement, Missions

    Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains. I’m glad God rejoices in small amounts of faith, but what can be done through those who, like Jesus’ disciples, give up everything to follow Him?

    This week, our team in Costa Rica has be encouraged…and challenged…by the faith of two of our own… Jason and Kerby Harpst. Jason and Kerby are a precious couple, very special to Cheryl and me, who left our church this past year to begin full-time mission work in Costa Rica. Both were professionals, Jason an engineer and Kerby a teacher. They had a nice home, two nice cars, great friends, a wonderful church, the greatest pastor in the world (Okay, I threw that last part in…), but they had the “perfect” lifestyle in the United States.

    This week we’ve seen first hand how much they’ve given up…at least as far as the comforts of the world….

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    January 13, 2011
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    Costa Rica Report, Part 2

    By Missions

    Yesterday was our first official “work day” at the Abraham Project. (Read more about this trip HERE and HERE.) Everyone has their own assignments, but mine today was helping rebuild a fence. It was a long task. I’m not accustomed to working with my hands, but this was kind of fun.

    The best part was the connections I made with people in my church who worked with me. These men can sling a hammer, but they can also…

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    January 11, 2011
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    Costa Rica Report, Part 1

    By Culture, Missions

    This is my first trip to Costa Rica. We are here to support missionaries Jason and Kerby Haprst, who gave up careers and left our church to join the Abraham Project here in Costa Rica. I was privileged to speak today at Lighthouse Community Christian Church, where it’s Pastor Jorge Gomez first had a vision for the church and the Abraham Project. I love watching big faith and action come together and this is certainly such an example.

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    January 10, 2011
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