In his seminal book, Developing The Leader Within You, John Maxwell says "Leadership is influence". I believe this. In fact Nigel and I have felt it so important that we have ensured that it has been a key lesson that we have taught in the Ignite Leadership Academy. Earlier, this month I also began a talk on "Leading with a different mindset" at a conference arranged by a friend of ours, James Galloway.
Judging by the response the assembled audience this rang true for the young people attending.

Today, I have started to reread this book and in God's inimitable way, he has illustrated this as truth. Tonight I went out for dinner with Christoph and the local Burgermeister (mayor).
The mayor is a great man of God and immediately, people recognise him and engage him in conversation. Very quickly the conversation will turn to a problem they have that only he can help them with. With pleasure he avails himself to solve their issues. There is no doubt that he has influence. However, influence in and of its self is not necessarily a good thing. It is subjective and its value is only revealed when it is partnered with an object. Adolf Hitler was influential but this was clearly not a positive thing. How will you use your influence to effect change something relatively insignificant or to advance the Kingdom of God? This is not only a question I ask of you but one that is at the top of my agenda during this retreat period.

Christoph and I walked up a local mountain today. A number of years ago, the Mayor had offered him a present for being an effective parish priest. Given this offer, I wonder what I would have chosen? A holiday perhaps, an ipod maybe. Christoph, typically, could not think of anything. Then he decided that he would like a number of pieces of art depicting visitations of God to be placed in a wood on the mountainside so that people walking there would think about God and his desire to visit with them.

It was a good time. We looked at the art and discussed what we thought it told us about the nature of Christ. Other discussions included the difference between catholicism and pentecostalism, the pareto principle, celibacy, the nature of prayer, defining character and much much more. We were only out for a couple of hours but as usual on our return my legs and my brain hurt! All that to say, I wouldn't swap this experience for the world!