July 22, 2004
Volume 2: Issue 7
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with Brent Crowe
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The Hero
Within
Therefore do not be
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share
with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in
Christ Jesus before time began… 2 Timothy 1:8-9
“I
believe there is a hero in all of us,” Aunt May said to Peter Parker by
day and Spiderman by night. The theme of this summer’s blockbuster,
Spiderman 2, has much to do with the inner battle that takes place in
Peter Parker over his choice on whether or not he wants to be
Spiderman anymore. At one point in the film he throws the Spidey suit in a
dark alley trashcan, walks away and says, “I am Spiderman no more!” What
had happened to our friendly neighborhood Spiderman?!? How could he
abandon such a high calling as saving little old ladies from burning
buildings, children from oncoming traffic and innocent bystanders from
brilliance gone mad! I mean it doesn’t get more heroic than saving
lives! His life revolved around the one choice of answering his calling to
be Spiderman. As I reflect upon the life of our Lord Jesus, the greatest
leader of all time, I am comforted by who He is and what He has done in
redeeming mankind. Nowhere in the gospels do we read of God slipping out
of his deity, throwing it to the curb and saying “I am God no more!” And
why? The answer is simply that we do not worship a comic book made up god
but rather we worship and follow the one who spoke all of creation into
being and conquered death, hell and the grave. Never will you read of Him
cowering down or feeling sorry for himself; instead you will hear from His
mouth as He prays to the Father, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” In the
above verses we read that the Lord has saved us and called us with a
holy calling. Just as Peter Parker’s life revolved around answering a
high calling, our lives revolve around answering our holy calling. We
answer this when we give our lives to the Lord. As Christian leaders we
must always live with the realization that the one choice to follow Christ
determines many of the choices for the rest of the adventure.
A leader’s bad choices
could:
Distract the focus
The greatest tool of the enemy is to
distract the leader from the pertinent. A laser-like focus determines
everything about the effectiveness of a leader. “Concentrate all your
thoughts on the task at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to
a focus.” -Alexander Graham Bell
Distort the mission
“Why am I here?” is probably the most asked
question in all of history. As Christians we are never to be confused
about why we exist on planet earth. “Let me tell you why you are here.
You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this
earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve
lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
-Matthew 5:13 The Message
Discourage
the messenger
While still a
mid-western lawyer, due to tragic circumstances, Abraham Lincoln wrote, “I
am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I
cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not.” Discouragements in life are
inevitable, great leaders choose not to drown in the sting of tragedy but
to rise above and soar in the face of adversity.
Destroy believability
So many leaders disqualify themselves due
to poor decision-making. People will not believe in a message until they
can believe in the messenger. “Leadership
is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be
without the strategy.”
-Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
Determine effectiveness
There
is a strong disdain in every Christian leader for the average. No leader
desires just to do the status quo and die, rather there is an innate sense
of purpose and mission hardwired into our DNA. It is the consistent
success in the ordinary that will open the gates to the extraordinary. A
leader’s effectiveness is not found on the mountain top decisions of life
but rather it is in the success of the valley that we earn the right to
climb and have our influence expanded.
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with
Luke Lin
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Choice and Consequence -
there's no doubt that these two go together, hand in hand. Although it
seems like a basic enough principle, it seems to go practically ignored in
our culture-at-large. Just a brief glance at the news over these past few
months reveals that even celebrities are not exempt from the consequences
of their choices. Martha Stewart, Kobe Bryant, and Republican Senate
candidate Jack Ryan (along with many others) have all faced the spotlight
recently because of the choices they have made.
Our efforts to be effective as
salt and light to this world could be critically undermined by unwise or
irresponsible choice-making. After all, as Christian leaders, we cannot
fully expect to successfully lead others in making good choices if we
cannot lead ourselves in the same regard! On the other hand, we could
comprise an incredible force for the Kingdom of God if we would discipline
ourselves to make informed and wise decisions on a daily basis.
A key component of genuine
leadership is integrity. Remember that everything rises and falls on
leadership! Be known as someone who will do the right thing every time,
regardless of situation, circumstance, or criticism. Don't allow the heat
of the moment to distract you from accomplishing your goals, rising to
leadership, and making choices that will leave a significant legacy for
others to follow. If we learn to discern what's right and commit to
consistently making good choices as leaders of integrity, we will be
enabled to contribute much to the Kingdom of God. |
featuring Candi Finch
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“God desires our
excellence in every area of our life, and churches are
filled with mediocre Christians who settle for going halfway
up the mountain and then quit, thinking that God is pleased
with their half-hearted efforts.” I heard this statement close
to nine years ago as I sat in Orlando at SLU 101. A year later
I went to 201 in Washington, DC and then 301 in Israel, but
nothing has impacted me more than Dr. Jay’s challenge that
first year to pursue excellence in all areas of my life. I
realized that while I was faithful in “church-type”
activities, I really let the ball drop and settled for less
than my best when it came to schoolwork because I did not view
it as an opportunity through which God could be glorified. 1
Corinthians 10:31 states, “Whatever you do, whether you eat or
drink, do it for the glory of God.” True leaders pursue
excellence in all areas of their lives because it glorifies
God—He desires our best in the church house, in the classroom,
on the sports field, at that minimum wage job, or wherever He
has placed you.
Now, looking back
over the past nine years, I realize that God has given me some
pretty cool opportunities because I have tried to be faithful
wherever He has placed me. In college I had the opportunity to
work on staff at my home church as an intern with the youth
group; I have worked as intern for SLU 101 and 201; and I even
spent a summer in Wales as a student missionary through the
International Mission Board. I am currently in seminary
getting my Masters of Divinity because I believe God has
called me to full-time Christian service. God continues to
open doors for me that I never would have thought possible,
and each day He calls me to pursue excellence—not for my
glory, but for His.
I will be
forever grateful to Dr. Jay and what he taught me through
Student Leadership University. I learned not to underestimate
my youth and learned to dream big dreams, set goals, and
manage my time. SLU is not just some camp or conference; it is
an encounter with God as He uses men like Dr. Jay, Richard
Land, and Bob Reccord to call students to live the Christian
life in the way it was meant to be lived.
Candi Finch is currently a student at Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where she is
pursuing her masters degree. |
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Hard to believe
another season of Student Leadership University programming is
almost finished! We only have one more week left in our summer
sessions. Currently, we have almost 600 students at our
nation's capital for SLU 201! And our 101 program is going
strong! By the way, to check out the current week of SLU and
to see some pictures of 101 students and events in action,
check out our
website, where you can keep up with the latest happenings
at SLU!
Next week we will also be featuring our all-new Creative
Outbreak Workshop, designed for those interested in working
either behind of or in front of the camera. We aim to inspire
the creative juices in students by giving them first-rate
instruction and motivation by key speakers such as Mark Goff,
Derric Johnson, Eddie Carswell, and Roger Breland in
incredible settings such as Full Sail University and Walt
Disney World. It will truly be an incredible week! Learn more
about our Creative Outbreak Workshop at our
website.
Do you have a
testimony or a story about something you've learned or
experienced at Student Leadership this summer?
E-mail it to us! We want to hear from you! Thanks to many
of you who have either called in, written, or e-mailed us to
let us know how SLU has affected your life. We are truly
blessed to be a part of God's work in your lives!
Feel free to give
us a call at any time to let us know how you are doing! Our
toll-free number is 1-888-260-2900. By the way, we will be
rolling out the SLU Season Dates for 2005 in just a few weeks.
Stay tuned to our website for the latest news and
developments. Enjoy the rest of your summer - stay cool!
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This month's funny
link: The Trunk Monkey,
a funny commercial about how having a monkey in our vehicle
trunks could help us out a lot!
*Please note: Student Leadership University is not responsible
for content or links of third-party websites.
Have a weird,
funny, crazy, or wacky link?
E-mail it to us!
To view past
editions of The Edge, check out our archive
here.
Questions or comments are always welcome. E-mail us at
edge@studentleadership.net |
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July 2004
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On the
Edge
Brent Crowe,
Dean of Students for SLU, discusses the
importance of making right choices and warns us
about some of the dangers of making bad choices as
a leader. |
Edge Ledge
Your section
for culture and Christianity takes a look at the
importance of integrity and the making right
choices. |
Life on the Edge
The challenge to pursue
excellence in all areas of life was one that
challenged an SLU alum to soar to brilliance
as she went through our program. Nine years later,
read about how this lesson is still impacting her life.
Have an SLU story? Send your story to us at
edge@studentleadership.net
This month, we feature Candi Finch. |
Cutting Edge
What's up at SLU? Get the latest scoop on
what's happening here at Student Leadership University. |
Featured Articles
Check out the featured
articles of the month, including articles about Martha
Stewart, God's Will for your life,
Relationship Choices, How to Defeat Lust, the
late great president Ronald Reagan. By being
informed of these critical events, we can begin to shape
an effective response to culture. Stay informed by reading
this month's featured articles. |
Over the Edge
In this new section of The
Edge, we will feature a crazy, funny, usual, or just plain
wacky link for your viewing pleasure. Check out this
month's wacky link! |
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Follow the links for the
full article. |
Relationship
Choices
You are clear about the
reasons for wanting a relationship. You are willing and
able to put in the work that creating a committed, loving
relationship requires. How do you know he or she is,
indeed, the one for you?
How do you make the right relationship choices?...
Read full article |
Ronald
Reagan's Legacy
Recognized
across the board as one of our nation's greatest
presidents, Ronald Reagan's administration was
characterized by the choices he made. Read how his choices
have impact on American even today ...
Read full article |
Martha
Stewart
This
famous American icon is now heading to prison. The story
of her choices...
Read full article |
What's God's
Will for Me?
Ever wonder about God's will for your life? The choices we
make in life are extremely important. Being informed about
God's will can impact our lives and our choices...
Read full article |
Online
Choices
A majority of today's teenagers and youth are spending an
increasing amount of time online. Here's what they're
doing while online...
Read full article |
The Battle of
Lust
For guys, what we choose to look at will impact our
thought life and our actions. Here's how to win the battle
against lust...
Read full article |
Prevention
and Choices
Once a teenager becomes pregnant, there are no easy
choices. Choosing preparation and prevention can make a
world of difference...
Read full article |
Choosing to
Be Good
Can we truly be good without God? Find out how to know
what's good but more importantly how to choose to do
what's good...
Read full article |
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"The
strongest principle of growth lies in human choice."
George Eliot
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"Destiny is no
matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to
be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
William Jennings Bryan |
"As human
beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot
shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or
nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is up to us."
A. J. Toynbee |
"But if serving
the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves
this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers
served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose
land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will
serve the Lord."
Joshua 24:15 NIV |
"He who chooses
the beginning of a road chooses the place it leads to. It is the
means that determine the end."
Harry Emerson Fosdick |
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We want to hear from you! Do you
have a thoughtful response to the articles here? Have you
written a paper on one of the issues we're discussing this month
or have discussed? Send it to us at
edge@studentleadership.net |
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Established in 1994, Student Leadership University's
purpose is to empower students to conquer the future!
Combining hands-on experimental learning with a dynamic
classroom setting, students are equipped to influence
their generation for Christ with confidence.
For more information, visit us at
www.studentleadership.net or call us toll-free at
888-260-2900.
Edge Executive Editor:
Chris Crowe
Edge Associate Editor:
Luke Lin
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