Books Recently Read - "Axiom" by Bill Hybels

Last week, I finished reading Bill Hybels' book, "Axiom" which is a book on Christian leadership. It's a new book that was published in 2008.

Hybels has been pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois for over thirty years and "Axiom" lists seventy-six leadership principles that he has implemented with success over the course of his ministry.

He divides these leadership principles into four major categories:

• Vision & Strategy
• Teamwork & Communication
• Activity & Assessment
• Personal Integrity

Here is a very brief sampling of my highlights from reading the book:

• Don't be afraid to ask people to do something great for God
• Remember that vision leaks. We need to constantly fill the vision bucket and remind ourselves of God's preferred future for our church/ministry.
• Churches typically lose 10% of their membership each year which means leaders/congregations need to be very intentional if they want to see the church grow.
• Hybels uses a "rapture" theology reference which is incidental to his point, not that this surprised me, but it's not my understanding of the second coming of Christ. For my perspective on the 2nd coming, read the post, "Where's Jesus."
• The most important parts of a meeting are the beginning and the end. The last thing that happens in a meeting room will be what people remember. We tend to give the greatest focus to the middle of the meeting.
• I like the "umbrella of mercy" concept which encourages creative brainstorming so people know to not offer their personal judgments or criticisms too quickly when they hear an idea expressed.
• Every church leader should respond to people's requests/inquiries within 24 hours. There's no excuse for delayed responses.
• When beginning a ministry, always plan for making it sustainable. Most of us are so focused on getting a ministry off the ground, that we don't plan for it's long term sustainability.
• Studies show that if you work more than 10 hour days, your effectiveness will dry up and you will experience diminishing returns.
• Effective leaders read. Read a variety of books, periodicals, etc. that will help you to be effective in ministry.
• I like this leadership principle which is very Wesleyan. Don't be late for meetings. Show up ahead of schedule. Lead by example.
• Hybels references a personal story of seeing the great tennis player, Martina Navratilova working out in a gym at the crack of dawn, the morning after she had just won a grueling match in a different state! I've heard similar stories about Tiger Woods. Effective leaders are disciplined.