Tag Archive for: Jim Wideman

There’s A Brand New Jim Wideman Book Available Now!

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Over thirty years ago, I began a journey that I’m still on today—a quest to move past “live well and do well” and to actually “lead well.” After fifteen years on the job trying to do my best and working hard, I realized there was more needed than just hard work, or even smart work for that matter. I realized true authentic leadership doesn’t come from a position or even a title; it comes from who you are, as well as, from who you are becoming. It comes from the inside out, and it is not a one-time choice; instead, it is the result of a daily choice to say yes to all of Jesus’ invitations.

One of the good things that came out of the shut down of 2020 for me is that my first book (Children’s Ministry Leadership “The-You-Can-Do-It-Guide”) that I  published more than twenty years ago, the rights, came back to me. Hallelujah! My idea was to read through it and make some updates and self-publish it and make an updated version of this popular book that has served as a textbook on Children’s Ministry Leadership for many colleges and seminaries.

As I started reading the book I realize more than the information inside had changed in twenty years. I had changed! In fact, I realized quick that I am not the same person I was when I wrote it the first time. I don’t think in the same ways, I don’t lead the same way. Although I am still involved in Children’s Ministry, my role had totally changed.  As the Executive Operations Pastor at my church. I mow oversee the finances, the data base, the facilities, HR, legal, security, guest services and car park, as well as Children’s Ministries. I have known from consulting and coaching with churches of all sizes, that the principles of leadership I live and teach work in every area of church ministry not just Children’s Ministry. 

That’s why, this is not the same book. I ended up not updated old material but totally re-writing the book from a whole different viewpoint and perspective as well as as over forty five years of hands-on experience.  What a wonderful opportunity I’ve been given to have a second chance to add, to take away, and to make the changes that I’ve wanted to make for years, as I have coached and taught through this material over the last twenty years.

I hope that wherever you are on your leadership journey that you’ll listen to Holy Spirit and apply what He will be speaking to you through this new book. We all have been called to be learners, and Jesus is not done leading us and showing us what He wants us to know and become, no matter what area of ministry you are currently leading.

I am so excited to announce beginning  October 5th, 2021 my new book “Authentic Leadership That Lasts” will be available for purchase. Right now you can pre-order it here at jimwideman.com  and be one of the first to receive it. I’ll also include a free digital copy as well for ordering from me. So follow the link and order your copy today! If you’d like to purchase multiple copies, reach out for quantity discounts. This new book is filled with gold, so get ready to dig.

 

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Living Your Best Life

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I love John 10. It’s such a powerful chapter, so many thoughts to take captive and make obedient here. John 10:10 is one of my absolute favorite verses in this chapter because it sums up God’s plan for us! He wants us to experience life, abundant, wonderful life through Him. Here’s 3 ways I’ve found to live your best life!

Number 1: THINK RIGHT.

I’ve found that my biggest battlefield is located between my two ears. If you’ve hung out here on this blog or if you have read any of my books you’ve heard me say “How we think effects what we do!” In other words your actions come from your thinking. If we want to do right, we have to think right. That’s where God’s Word comes in. It always works and adjusts your way of thinking to His way of thinking when you line your thinking up with what God’s Word Says.

Number 2: DON’T COMPARE

One of my Infusers shared this word with me and my other coaches she heard from another coach it was Comparanoia. It’s when you are paranoid because you compare yourself to others. I know a lot of Christian leaders who have fallen victim to this including myself. It’s not just when we compare ourselves to others but even when we compare ourselves to ourselves from past seasons. I’m finding that the season I find myself in now is different from previous seasons of my life. Instead of looking back and wanting to live in the past, I want to be like a river and look ahead to where God is leading me. I want to choose that where I’m headed is God’s new direction for me toward the future He has for me. I’m not going to compare my life to others or to past experiences and desire God’s present plan and purpose for my life.

Number 3: BE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL

If you can be thank full you can be thank empty, I’ve found that a great way to stay thankful and grateful is to give God glory and credit for everything.  Another verse I love is Psalm 100:3 It says, “Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”  One of the mistakes older me doesn’t want to make that younger me made was to take credit for things Father God did in my life. We act like good ideas or even fruit that came from obedience was our idea. I had nothing to do with the results, all good stuff comes from Him. When I major on being thankful and grateful and acknowledge Him in all my ways, He makes my paths straight. Every opportunity I have today I am more appreciate of than any opportunity I’ve had  in a previous season. I don’t take serving at a great church for granted. I don’t take opportunities I have to write blogs, articles, books and speak to parents and leaders as ordinary. I cherish each opportunity to help others as gifts from God and special for such a time as this.

Want to live your best life? I do, more than ever! I dare you… read John 10 then walkout these 3 steps this week: THINK RIGHT, DON’T COMPARE, and BE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL and watch your best life, God’s wonderful, His abundant life come into focus.

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What Are You Pursuing?

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There’s a big difference between choosing and pursuing. Choosing is about the short term while Pursuing is about the long term. Mr Webster says to choose means: “To decide on a course of action, typically after rejecting alternatives.” The problem is we’ve all made choices without rejecting the bad choices or alternatives. My wise Mom always told me “Don’t make the same mistakes twice there are enough different ones you can make every time!” So true, so true!

Making good choices is important but when you think about making intentional choices over the long haul choice turns into concise pursuit of a realized goal. The dictionary says to pursue means: “To seek to attain or accomplish (a goal), especially over a long period.” Most people especially me look and give up  quiet easily when searching for something lost while wives on the other hand have learned the difference between looking and seeking. Seek means you look until your find. The Bible speaks more about seeking than just choosing. Consistent seeking leads to pursuit.

In 1 Timothy 6: 11-12 it says “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.“

This scripture tells us, “If there is a good fight then that means that there’s also a bad one!” I believe the bad fight that we sometimes fight comes from pursuing the wrong things. So my question for you is this, “What are you pursuing?” Why not make a list and put them in order by importance. Start with the list mentioned in 1 Timothy 6:11 and then add what is important to you especially your walk with God, your family and other important relationships and last of all your ministry. Spend some time listening to Holy Spirit. He will lead you to the truth and the truth will set you free. What are you pursuing could also be asked this way, “What are you aiming for?”One of my favorite tweets from my book TWEETABLE LEADERSHIP, “If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.”

So what are you waiting for? Start pursuing all the things God is leading you to pursue.

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Been Too Busy To Blog

Busy is one of the words that the meaning just keeps changing. Busy |ˈbizē|adjective (busier, busiest) having a great deal to do: So many times over the years I just thought I was busy and the next thing I knew I was really busy. I learned several years ago that one of the good things about being busy is that it forced you to prioritize what you can do and what others can do. Over the last few months I’ve not only had to prioritize my life and how I spend my time but I’ve had to also learn how to say no to certain things and my blog was one of them was this blog. So why did I need to say no to blogging so I could say yes to seeing my family, 25 flights, 5 conferences, 6 consulting visits, 2 infuse retreats and 3 different infuse groups. I’m having the time of my life but the key is saying no so I can say yes to right stuff. Tomorrow I work at home training a staff in Virginia, then lunch with my wife and then meet a new Kidmin for coffee to encourage him.  Then I fly out for California to help another church. So what is making you too busy for the things you should be doing? What do you need to say no to and what do you need to say yes to? I’m walking out balance in my life, my health, and going through the doors God opens and saying no to the ones that aren’t God. I made a promise in 1976 that if Jesus would open doors for me to minister I would go through them. He’s kept His end of the bargain and I intend to keep mine. So blessed!

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Re-focusing

I’ll never forget the night i walked the aisle during a Youth Revival at Westwood Baptist Church in Adamsville, Alabama and surrendered my life to the ministry. Jesus had gotten my attention earlier that year when someone got me thinking by telling me that “God had a wonderful plan for my life!” Those 8 words rocked my world then and 40+ years later they still rock my world. 


Early in 2007 the Lord began to stir in my heart that I was going to spend the rest of my life putting into younger leaders. I have to admit that I don’t always fully understand what things mean. Sometimes I am told something for me to know and then I have to trust the Lord to give me the next step to walk it out. About six months later God led me to resign my church of seventeen years and embark on a new assignment. That assignment led to what has been some of the most fruitful times of ministry, not just in a local church but also throughout the body of Christ that I have ever experienced.  About eight months ago the Lord began to prepare me for another part of my journey.  Several years ago I read Bob Bufford’s book Halftime about moving from success to significance. It’s a great book that I highly recomend for anyone to read especially if you are in your 40’s or 50’s. Back in March I began to ask myself some questions about if I was truly pursuing significance in my life and using my gifts, talents and abilities the way that I should in the forth quarter of my life.


I love football. There is nothing like the feeling right before the start of a game when you see the crowd, take in the atmosphere and run through the  big sign the cheerleaders made and start the game. Then there’s the first quarter, then the second then the halftime. The halftime is the difference maker and gives you a second chance to run back out there (this time with less fanfare and no sign) and just get to work being more intentional and getting what needs to get done, done! The best I can tell as I try to decern my life, it’s late in the 3rd quarter and I want to enter the 4th quarter with my head and hands lifted high with 4 fingers up chanting 4th quarter!


Several years ago I learned that in order for me to allow the Lord to lead and order my steps as He has promised to do in His word, I had to think in steps. I’m not sure why I’d rather think in leaps and jumps but it’s the steps of the righteous that are ordered by the Lord.

A few weeks ago I took a step that I believe was ordered of the Lord to resign my staff position at World Outreach Church. I am curently coaching 45 leaders in Infuse, + all the other ministries and services I offer through Jim Wideman Ministries. I am also building some partnerships with some other ministries and churches throughout the US that I believe in to consult and work with. I am not retiring, I’m re-focusing. I have been amazed at the way God has opened doors for me to use the gifts He place in me for His purposes. I am so thankful for saying yes to the call of God on my life years ago and also today and look forward to seeing what Jesus has in store for me in the days ahead. I know in my heart, God is not done with me! My best years are ahead and Jesus is going to build His Church and I am thankful that I can be a part of what He is doing in these last days!


More to come…

 

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