Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Living and leading on principle- part 1

People want to copy or replicate what works, whether in business, ministry, marriage, parenting, or any other life- pursuit. That's why their are how-to books that top the best-seller lists week after week. We all want the techniques and methods on how to get rich, parent an all-star, or lead a community-impacting church.

But does replication and duplication really work? Can I copy your methods and reasonably expect to get the same results?

The answer is emphatically NO! Now, don't panic, it's not that you should throw away every book, stop reading this blog, and ignore every teacher. It's just that we can't COPY or duplicate a method and expect the same results as our method trend-setter.

Most books and methodologies get established, because someone experimented, diligently worked, prayed, re-tried, failed, cried, fasted, struggled THEN experience, over time, what we call "success". Then, they write a book , teach a class or seminar EXPLAINING the techniques that took them a lifetime of process and brokenness to uncover and live.

It's NOT the techniques that produce the results we all desire, it's the process of living by God-ordained principles.

DON'T look for the techniques or methods to effectiveness. That will only lead you to unhealthy comparisons and frustration.

DO study the principles that underlined another person's effectiveness, and follow their example. Jesus lived a principled life and taught us His WAY! He did not offer us a bunch of methods. When we lived on principle, methods will come and go, but we will live solid on TRUTH!

No comments: