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It seems to be no understatement to conclude that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011, permanently reconfigured the way so many of us in the United States see the world, and ourselves. Two decades later, there are a number of lessons that stand out to me, especially for leaders and organizations.

Further upstream from structures, systems, and processes lies organizational culture. And when it comes to building and leading teams, nothing is more powerful than culture. There are a lot of dynamics that can corrode the health of an organization, but here are two especially dangerous threats to any team.

Effective leaders have an ability to cut through the static and bring clarity, highlighting substance and getting their organizations focused on what really matters. That work never stops, requires regular and consistent communication, and real self-discipline on the part of leaders. But it is absolutely essential work.

I’m not giving up on racial reconciliation. It’s not easy. There are dangers all around, to be sure. And we must make sure that the proposals being offered do indeed align with biblical truth. Ultimately, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to walk in his way, to follow the Master. 

The church of Jesus Christ remains, as always, a people called to faithfulness in this age as they await Christ’s return and the consummation of his rule in the age to come. Church history is part of that labor of both remembering and anticipating—of living between the times.

Our hearts and minds have developed something of an addictive dependency on bad news. We feed on it, seeming to draw some sort of twisted nourishment from it. But in the end, bad news has no nutritive value. It starves the human soul, warping it inward.

One of the most unloving things a manager can do is to refuse to give honest and constructive assessment to their team members. It may not always feel loving. None of us appreciate being told where we need to improve performance or where we are failing to hit the mark. But knowing there’s a problem and refusing to deal with it is anything but loving. 

Mission drift happens all the time. Very often it is gradual and imperceptible. Like the proverbial frog in the kettle, stakeholders within the organization can be the last ones to recognize it when it is happening. But the cost can be massive, sometimes even fatal.

In the context of Christian colleges and universities, graduation represents something of a commissioning. As disciples of Jesus Christ, graduates are marking the end of one season and the beginning of another, all of it under the shadow of the cross. 

In North America, historic Christianity will increasingly find itself pushed to the margins in the years to come. We dare not be naïve about the cost involved or the accompanying challenges. Yet Christian people and institutions are marked by hope.

As we move closer to a post-COVID 19 reality, what questions do organizations need to ask right now in order to be fully prepared? Deferring these questions, and the actions that they require, will only prove increasingly costly.

In our day, defining and understanding loyalty can seem to be especially challenging. It’s sometimes difficult to identify, but we certainly know when it’s broken.

Two ancient trees. One brought death and destruction, the other brings eternal life. One tree haunts humanity, explaining why our world is so broken, why our own hearts are so warped, why death and suffering seem so inescapable. The other seems beyond our grasp, almost a mist of a dream too good to be true.

Fear has an inherently distortive power. It never builds, it only protects. It never advances, it only stands guard. And even worse, fear can push leaders and organizations not only to make poor decisions but quite often to make the worst decisions.

Patrick could never have imagined the vastness of a world still entirely unknown to western Europeans in the fifth century. But his mindset remains instructive nonetheless.

We could never begin to imagine what the twelve months to follow would be like. The shockwaves of a global pandemic left no corner of our lives untouched. I would never choose to relive the past twelve months. But the Lord has graciously brought opportunities for growth in all of them.

Don’t underestimate the impact your encouragement might have in someone’s life today. Rather than putting it off, who is God calling you to strengthen today?