Author Archives: macarisms

The three signs of a miserable job

Posted on May 22, 2013

The three signs of a miserable job is another helpful analysis by leadership and teams expert, Patrick Lencioni. A miserable job is the one that’s tough to get out of bed for. You dread going to work and you can’t wait to … Continue reading →

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The effective executive

Posted on May 21, 2013

The effective executive: The definitive guide to getting the right things done by leadership guru, Peter Drucker, is primarily a book about how to manage yourself. This is the necessary prerequisite for managing other people. If we can’t manage ourselves … Continue reading →

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The four obsessions of an extraordinary executive

Posted on May 20, 2013

The four obsessions of an extraordinary executive is another easy-read, high-return leadership book by Patrick Lencioni. This book describes a competitive advantage available to every organisation. It’s not about technology, strategy, marketing, or money. It’s about organisational health. Extraordinary executives and standout … Continue reading →

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Life together in growth groups

Posted on May 19, 2013

We’ve previously seen how the Bible describes pastoral care in growth groups as being under God, leading God’s people, by the word of God’s grace, into eternity with God. Pastoral ministry looks back to the Good Shepherd dying for his sheep and looks … Continue reading →

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Leading from the second chair

Posted on May 17, 2013

Leading from the second chair: Serving your church, fulfilling your, and realizing your dreams by Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson is a book I used to recommended to my associate staff. Now that I’m one of them I figured I should look … Continue reading →

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The five temptations of a CEO

Posted on May 15, 2013

Being a self-confessed Patrick Lencioni fan, I figured it was time to re-read another of his books. I love reading them because he writes so well, and he begins most of his books with ‘A leadership fable’. He tells a … Continue reading →

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What got you here won’t get you there

Posted on May 15, 2013

What got you here won’t get you there: How successful people become even more successful by Marshall Goldsmith is a book that I’ve put off reading for some time. It was recommended by a friend in Christian ministry who I … Continue reading →

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Leading on empty

Posted on May 10, 2013

Burnout is a huge issue. It takes a massive toll on individuals, families, organisations and society. Leading experts in stress and burnout have identified church pastors as very high-risk candidates. Most will face these issues in their ministry. Many will … Continue reading →

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fear to hope

Posted on May 10, 2013

in fear despairing doubting denying dying alone in hope embracing believing rejoicing living in Christ

Posted in Christian living, Journey with Cancer, Poetry | 2 Comments

The curse of knowledge

Posted on May 9, 2013

In their book, Made to Stick, Dan and Chip Heath speak of a major problem with communication. It’s called the ‘Curse of Knowledge’. Once we know something, it becomes difficult to imagine what it was like not to know it. We … Continue reading →

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Pastoral care in growth groups

Posted on May 8, 2013

Having been professionally trained as a social worker, I made the assumption for many years that pastoral care was the term for social work in the church. It was about visiting the sick, providing for the poor, counselling the messed … Continue reading →

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Setting hearts on fire

Posted on May 7, 2013

John Chapman’s Setting hearts on fire: A guide to giving evangelistic talks is the book that I wished I’d had when I started out as a preacher. It’s clear on the Bible and it’s clear about preaching the Bible. It offers a … Continue reading →

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The pop-up cancer book. WARNING – this post contains cancer jokes!

Posted on May 6, 2013

A few weeks back I was engaging in a little banter on Facebook. The topic was the book I hoped to write and one friend quipped that I should write a pop-up book. What a great idea, I thought! And … Continue reading →

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Made to Stick

Posted on May 6, 2013

Over summer some of our tents got damaged. We had a major windstorm blow through the campground, causing trees and branches to come down everywhere. Two major rips in one tent and a dozen minor tears in the shade tarpaulin. … Continue reading →

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Wednesdays were pretty normal

Posted on May 6, 2013

Great title. Great cover. Great book! Wednesdays were pretty normal: A boy, cancer, and God by Michael Kelley has given me plenty to think about. It’s an open and honest story of a father wrestling with faith questions, after his boy … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Journey with Cancer | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Hope beyond cure

Posted on May 2, 2013

‘Cancer free to no hope in less than two weeks.’ This was the headline to the post I read on a cancer forum yesterday. How could things change so quickly? The truth is, they hadn’t. There’d been a bad case … Continue reading →

Posted in Journey with Cancer | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Trust me I’m a Cancer Patient

Posted on April 29, 2013

Trust Me I’m a Doctor Cancer Patient by Wesley Finegan is a detailed manual for understandings symptoms of cancer, and it’s various treatments and side effects. Finegan worked for a number of years as a doctor with an interest in … Continue reading →

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Journey with cancer 29 April – Hopeful

Posted on April 29, 2013

Dear family and friends, Chemo number 24 today. I’m becoming part of the furniture in the chemo ward. The time still seems to stand still while I’m there. But today’s visit was made quicker and more enjoyable by my friend … Continue reading →

Posted in Journey with Cancer | 14 Comments

Faith, hope and tears

Posted on April 23, 2013

The shortest verse in the Bible is filled with empathy. Jesus, the author of life, understands what it feels like to experience grief and loss when a loved one dies. It hurts. It aches. We cry tears of sadness. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Investigating Christianity, Relationships | Tagged , | 7 Comments

humble ORTHODOXY

Posted on April 23, 2013

Humble orthodoxy: holding the truth high without putting people down by Joshua Harris is a potent little book. I think it should be recommended reading for all ministry trainees, all theological students, all pastors, all Christian academics. In reality, every … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Christian living | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments