Five (5) Lessons That I Learned from Dr. Thomas Chung Kim Sun a.k.a. Tommy (16 August 1942 - 28 April 2023)

The late Dr. Thomas Chung Kim Sun (80 years old, 16 August 1942–28 April 2023) is widely known as Dr. Thomas Chung and, for those who are close to him, as Tommy. I think I'm close to him, not in the sense of the frequency of meetings but in the sense of emotional and spiritual intimacy. You see, Dr. Tommy has the ability to make us — those who have known him long enough - feel special. I feel like I'm his favourite staff in FES, but I know that that is NOT entirely true. I've observed his casual interactions with Timberland Hospital staff when he was a laboratory chief there. He would speak professionally at times and then turn into a father figure, asking about their well-being, interests, and family members. I've witnessed how people in the church were so comfortable sharing their lives with him and thanking him for the spoken word he preached. He would suddenly burst into laughter, then cry, then sing, then encourage, then end with prayer. The whole thing was fascinating for me to see. Some people might think it's an old man's behaviour, no doubt, but more than that, he is a man "who had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). He loves all of us genuinely (although not equally; he was just a man), just like the Master he serves.

Before I share further, I would like to first share his weaknesses and shortcomings, just to demythologize some ideas about him. Here are some: He was not a good Monopoly game player, he was easily distracted, perhaps not the best driver in town, and some jokes were not funny but delivered with confidence (that's funny!), forgetfulness (where are the books that you promised to give me?), overcommitting, over-giving, being physically weak, keeping most of his struggles to himself, impatient, having self-doubt at times, his Bahasa is bad, a bit secretive, and more. These are what make me identify with him. If we were the same age, maybe we could be best friends forever (BFF). Except I'm the dumbest one. Now, here are five (5) lessons that I learned from Dr. Tommy:

1. Loving God and His Word. He was a biochemist, a gemmologist, and a doctor. But first and foremost, he was a preacher, expositor, and teacher of the Word. He was a man of God on the pulpit as well as in the workplace. There were a couple of times when I visited him in the laboratory office, and once I asked if I could take a look at his personal Bible. It was a very worn-out Bible, and it reminds me of Charles H. Spurgeon's quote, "A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." Full of notes and quotes. He would read some and ask, "What do you think of this, Richard?" I said a few words, and then he immediately launched into a mini-sermon. Once I told him about my doubts about the existence of God, he would just listen, ask questions, and then proceed to encourage me through the Word and personal stories based on his experience with God. There are many things that I don't know about his personal life, but I know that he knows God not just intellectually but also emotionally and personally. He speaks from the depths of his heart. "Knowing God," writes J.I. Packer, "is a relationship calculated to thrill a man's heart."
   
   
2. 
   Passion to Preach the Gospel. It was in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, during the FES 5th National Conference in 2010, my first year as a staff, he was the main Bible expositor and speaker. Honestly, I don't remember much about the conference except for the fun I had in the swimming pool during leisure time and the burning within me when Dr. Tommy preached the Scripture from 2nd Timothy. As if he were Paul talking to me, Timothy, urging me to "preach the word!" (2 Timothy 4:2 has become my life verse and also for LEGASI.tv ministry). Out of the pulpit, he was like a lamb, but in the pulpit, he was a lion. "Light yourself on fire with passion," said John Wesley, "and people will come from miles away to watch you burn." Literally, I heard testimonies, some people came from miles away to hear him preach — and burn. I'm confident that others can also testify to the same thing about his passion for Christ. The power doesn't lie in his rhetorical skills or the wisdom of man, but in the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit.
   
   
3. A Man of Prayer and Tears. His opening prayer is like his closing prayer, and his closing prayer is like an open conversation with God. He cannot do what he does—fierce preaching and teaching many times a week—unless he is also disciplined in prayer on a daily basis. His favourite words to me are, "Bathed in prayer"; "Soaked in prayer"; "Love and prayers always"; "With you in prayer"; "Pray for His blessing and enabling." I believe they are not only words of comfort. They were his genuine prayers. He was a spiritual giant and a man of intellect, but he was also an emotional, sensitive, and compassionate man. He was man enough to weep for the lost and the brokenhearted.
   
   
4. Always Read Books, especially the Classics. I've figured there is only so much that can trigger Dr. Thomas's interests: God, the Bible, the Church, preaching, Bario Revival or Revival stories, classical music and hymns, gems and beads, our concerns and prayer requests, and books (or lately, YouTube videos!). "What book are you reading now, Richard?" he would ask. "John Stott's Between Two Worlds," and then he talked about his relationship with John Stott back in London. "Martyn Lloyd-Jones's Preaching and Preachers," and then he recalled his memories of sitting under the Biblical preaching of Dr. Jones. "David Pawson's Unlocking the Bible," and then he reminisced about the day Mr. Pawson invited him to dinner during the student's day. There were times when I would just mention names such as Calvin, Tyndale, Spurgeon, John Sung, J.I. Packer, A.W. Tozer, Michael Green, and William Barclay and sit back to listen to his takes on them. This was his WhatsApp message to me back in 2019: "The Lord continues to bless all you do to promote the reading of spiritual classics as well as books that inform and broaden the sphere of thinking of young people in the work of FES." One of the last times I met him, he said to me that he was reading the Christian mystics. I didn't get to know how it was going, and I'm curious about his book recommendations.
   
   
5. Last but not least, the Simplicity of Living. I'm not really sure exactly why he was so thin. Probably due to a health problem that I'm unaware of. But I sensed that he was practicing prayer and fasting continuously. Maybe, maybe not. Every time I would ask him about this, he would quickly change the subject (taking seriously Jesus' warning in Matthew 6:16–18?). Regardless, he was the embodiment of "godliness with contentment" (1 Timothy 6:6). He can be famous (he is!) but he doesn't want to; he could write books or compile all his sermons (someone should do this!) into books, but he didn't; he could just stay in London and pursue a high-income medicine career, but he returned home to Malaysia and became a humble itinerant preacher. In Christ, Dr. Tommy has two things that comprises inward simplicity (as Richard Foster puts it): the Divine Centre and Holy Obedience.

There are many things that I've learned from him. These five are the most impactful for me. I was shocked when I received the news about his sudden death, but somehow it didn't surprise me. Expected. I have no regrets or am sorry for any words that I said to him. Nothing but love, admiration, and respect. He was somewhat of a father figure, a grandpa, a mentor (actually, this year we planned to meet one-on-one every two months. So, we've met twice already), a teacher, a brother in Christ, and a friend to me. Like I said, he can make those who are close to him feel special. I feel special. But so do others - even more - who are closer to him. As for the living, I have words of wisdom from Dr. Tommy for all of us. In his slightly annoying British accent, the Queen's English says, "Press on, bebeh!" I think he was referring to Philippians 3:14, "I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." If you received it, type AMEN.

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #DrThomasChung #MyEulogy #FESMalaysia #HeroOfFaith #Preacher #ManOfGod #JesusIsLord #GodOfTheLivingAndTheDead #Goodbye

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The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009) by Ken Robinson, Ph.D, Book Review

The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009)

by Ken Robinson, Ph.D. (with Lou Aronica)

"My aim in writing [this book]," writes the late Sir Robinson (1950 - 2020) in the introduction, "is to offer a richer vision of human ability and creativity and of the benefits to us all of connecting properly with our individual talents and passions." This aim resonates with my own belief and probably that was why I bought the book when I first saw it (or subconsciously I was influenced by his most popular TED talk of all time, Do Schools Kill Creativity? Check out his other TED talks too). As a student of the Word of God and a temporary citizen of the world, I firmly believe in the depths of human depravity and at the same time, I have a high view of human ability and potential. The lens of which I read this book is from the Biblical worldview but let me write this review from the humanistic worldview as it is written.

What is the Element? Sir Robinson defines it as "the place where the things we love to do and the things we are good at come together." I find that this concept is not unique. For example, Jim Collins' The Hedgehog Concept consists of these two factors and another one, namely, what drives your economic engine. And the Japanese Ikigai is more detailed which consists of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. But what makes Ken's Element interesting is that - besides its simplicity - it takes a holistic approach not just from an individual perspective (like Ikigai) or from the business standpoint (like Jim Collin's Good To Great) but the discovery of the Element will not only makes us more fulfilled "but because, as the world evolves, the very future of our communities and institutions will depend on it." In The Afterword, he is making a good case about this. Of all the inspiring stories told in the book about how people like Richard Branson, Paul McCartney, Arianna Huffington, Paulo Coelho, etc. from very different backgrounds and circumstances found their Elements and self-help antidotes permeate throughout the pages (I love the chapters on Think Differently, Beyond Imagining, Finding Your Tribe & What Will They Think?), one subject that sparks my most interest is on EDUCATION (the last chapter Making the Grade focus on this).

"Many of the people we've met in this book didn't do well at school, or at least didn't enjoy being there," emphasized Sir Robinson. "Of course, many people do well in their schools and love what they have to offer. But too many graduate or leave early, unsure of their real talents and not knowing what direction to take next. Too many think they're not good at anything." This is exactly the problem that I see in most of the education systems in the world today especially in Malaysia. In school and university, I was an average student based on the system standards. My teachers think I'm smart at mathematics because I get an A and dumb in English because I get a D but in my job now it doesn't require my math skill to succeed but my ability to communicate well that is more important. My parents gave me approval when I get a B+ for history and disappointed when I get a C for science but as it turns out I'm more interested in the wonder of science now than the history lessons of Kesultanan Melayu Melaka. I studied civil engineering in the university to secure a good future vocation but God ends up calling me to be in the full-time Christian ministry. I appreciate every experience and education that I've learned when I was in school and university but truth be told I only discover my Element - what I love to do and the things that I'm good at - years after I left that 'cage' and enter the real world.

I'm not anti-education (as you can see from the volume and variety of interests that I have and the books that I read) but I'm against standardizing education. "One size does not fit all," said the author. For example, in school, the measure of our smartness or intelligence is based on our test or exam results. If you have a good memory, are very intellectual, and know the 'right' answers, you will definitely get good grades. But human intelligence is not limited to knowledge-based or one-right-answer for everything. Our human intelligence, explains Sir Robinson, is extraordinarily diverse, tremendously dynamic, and entirely distinctive (or unique). The question we should ask is not "How intelligent are you?" which suggest limitation but "How are you intelligent?" which suggest many possibilities. By schooling standard, culinary arts is probably the secondary subject (if any) but look at what Datuk Chef Wan has accomplished and sports or PJK may be seen as a recreational subject but see what Pandelela Rinong has become. Both of them have discovered their Elements in the less known (or order of importance) subjects in school. How about others who have these talents too but are unable to express them because they are stuck in a mathematics group study, language class, and science tuition to get good grades at school which may or may not be relevant to them in the ever-changing future?

"The fact is that given the challenges we face, education doesn't need to be reformed - it needs to be transformed." Sir Robinson continues: "The key to this transformation is not to standardize education but to personalize it, to build achievement on discovering the individual talents of each child, to put students in an environment where they want to learn and where they can naturally discover their true passions. The key is to embrace the core principles of the Element. Some of the most invigorating and successful innovations in education around the world illustrate the real power of this approach." Yes, I agree wholeheartedly! There are other gems and aha moments that I get from this book. I haven't mentioned another subject that I'm very interested in, namely, CREATIVITY. But enough for me to say: if you're still in search of your Element and you want to be inspired and if you are in the business of helping others to discover their Elements, read this book!

[Note: There is a follow-up book after this one, Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life (2014). I suggest, if you already read The Element, you don't need to read this one because the contents are apparently not that good. Average. Just find his keynotes and talks on this subject online. Try YouTube videos.]

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #KenRobinson #TheElement #EducationSystem #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other reviews of #1Book1Week CLICK HERE

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I Desired to Be a Bible Bookworm

 "Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16, NKJV). The prophet has to "eat" the Word of God before he preaches it #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #EatTheWord

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Total Commitment to Christ: What Is It? (Updated Edition, 2020) by A.W. Tozer, Book Review

 Total Commitment to Christ: What Is It? (Updated Edition, 2020) by A.W. Tozer

When I was having a crisis of faith a few years ago, I pressure myself to make one of the most important decisions in my life: If Jesus Christ and Christianity are false, I must leave everything that I believe and quit as a full-time worker (with my skills and talents, I can fairly earn more money!); but if He is truly God, Lord, and Saviour, then, I must give up everything, commit and follow Him and preach the Word for the rest of my earthly life (with humility, I will be His joyful-slave). I read lots of books on Christianity, against Christianity, other religions, atheism and - the Bible - and pray with even little faith that I have at that time and sometimes with zero feelings. To cut the story short, after about 4-6 months (I'm not sure exactly when the doubt appears) of struggling, the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, increases my faith even more than before. Somehow, without God-speaks-to-me-audibly, the joy of knowing Christ is flooding in my heart as I read the Gospel of Matthew. There and then, with no moon-splitting miracle but perhaps what I perceived as the work of the Holy Spirit's illumination and assurance, only by grace, I returned home to Him. In fact, He already runs toward me and is ready to embrace me. While I was "still a long way off, [The Father] saw [me] and was filled with compassion for [me]; he ran to [me], threw his arms around [me] and kissed [me]" (Luke 15:20, bracket mine]. I was lost and now was found. So, when I saw the title of this book on YouTube - Total Commitment to Christ - I immediately found and read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. This book (or booklet, to be exact) is a good reminder of why I'm called to commit and follow Christ until today. I recommend this book to you, for, what's the use of being a nominal, passionless and powerless Christian? We are either cold or hot, no in-between! A.W. Tozer, who is called a 20th-century prophet (not the kind of OT or NT prophet, but his writings were deemed as 'prophetic.' I think we should avoid the charismatic idea of a prophet altogether): "Christ is preeminent. He is above all things, underneath all things, outside of all things, and inside of all things. As the old bishop said, 'He is above all things, but not pushed up; He is beneath all things, holding it all up; He is outside all things, embracing it all; and He is inside all things, filling it all.' Our relation to Him is all that really matters. A true Christian faith is an attachment – a devotion – to the person of Christ. The attachment of the individual person to Jesus Christ is intellectual, volitional, exclusive, and irrevocable." Are you committed to Christ? Take up your cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24) #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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There Are Worse Crime than Burning Books... (#1Book1Week February 2021)

Currently, I read 4 to 5 theological books as references to prepare for my Teologi Kristian 101 (BM) Series and so I managed to finish only 2 books and listened to 1 audiobook last month By the way, let me talk about book burning... If you read history, there are dozens of well-known events of such evil. For example, when Mao Zedong took power in China and implemented the Cultural Revolution, any book that didn’t conform to party propaganda, like those promoting capitalism or other dangerous ideas like The Bible was destroyed. During Adolf Hitler's time, the Nazis also set books by Jewish, liberal, and leftist writers on fire that doesn't gel with the Nazi ideology. When al-Qaida Islamists invaded Mali and Timbuktu, among their targets were priceless books and manuscripts. And don't forget about the ancient Roman Catholic church during the Dark Ages. They don't just burn books but humans too!

Why? To put it negatively, books are dangerous; to put it positively, books change lives. And in my view, good* books are dangerously good because they will positively change your life. Have you read the novel The Book Thief (2005) by Markus Zusak? If you have, you'll know what I mean. If you haven't, I fully recommend you to read it. You will see how Liesel Meminger discovers the power of reading and writing in times of difficulties (ah yes, she steals books from the Nazi). Of course, the story is fiction and not just about books However, the key that I want to say is that Liesel is so desperate to read that she has to steal it! Nowadays, although new books are not that cheap, we don't have to steal books. We can borrow books from friends or go to the library. Joseph Brodsky, a poet, rightly says: "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." I say, read books for your good and if the books are right, they will change your life

Here are my #1Book1Week for February 2021 CLICK LINKS to read my reviews:

1) Words of Counsel: For All Leaders, Teachers, and Evangelists (Updated 2018) by Charles H. Spurgeon [https://www.facebook.com/968130456714198/posts/1556217501238821/]

2) Kingdom Come, Kingdom Go: Luke & Acts (2007) by International Bible Society [https://legasitv.blogspot.com/.../kingdom-come-kingdom-go...]

3) The Preacher's Portrait: Some New Testament Word Studies (1961) by John Stott [https://legasitv.blogspot.com/.../the-preachers-portrait...]

#LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #BookBurning #TheBookThief #ChangeYourLife 

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Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace (2019) by John C. Maxwell, Book Review

 

Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace (2019) 

by John C. Maxwell

I've read this book twice. One during my travel to Peninsular Malaysia last year; and then I read again this year. John Maxwell has been my distant mentor ever since I started my first job after graduating from university. One quote from John that I will never forget is this: "Everything rises and falls on leadership." Core principles of leadership like competence, courage, consistency, character, etc. will never change but the world around us changes rapidly. It is not a call to compromise but to adapt - to shift our leadership. John highlights a study that was published in The Flux Report reported that "91% of future recruiting in the workplace will be based on people's ability to deal with change and uncertainty." Change or die!

What is leadershift? John defines it as an ability and willingness to make a leadership change that will positively enhance organizational and personal growth. "Leadershift is not easy," John reminds us, "especially when you first start doing it. Often you leave behind something that has worked to pursue something untested. You'll have to deal with the tension between the stability that gives security and the adaptability that opens up the opportunity... The desire to improve will drive you to keep learning. But here's the good news: learning to leadershift will make you a better leader!" I want that for myself - and as I share this short review - I want this for you too. We all can be highly benefitted from a good leadership paradigm. We all can learn and grow to become a leader we are meant to be. We all can be a better leader.

Here are the 11 shifts that we have to embrace, learn, and practice to be more effective (and relevant) as a leader in the fast-paced world today. I'm good with some, okay with a few, and there are a lot of improvements that I have to make. How about you? Check this out 👇👇👇

#1 The Focus Shift - from Soloist to Conductor
#2 The Personal Development Shift - from Goals to Growth
#3 The Cost Shift - from Perks to Price
#4 The Relational Shift - from Pleasing People to Challenging People
#5 The Abundance Shift - from Maintaining to Creating
#6 The Reproduction Shift - from Ladder Climbing to Ladder Building
#7 The Communication Shift - from Directing to Connecting
#8 The Improvement Shift - from Team Uniformity to Team Diversity
#9 The Influence Shift - from Positional Authority to Moral Authority
#10 The Impact Shift - from Trained Leaders to Transformational Leaders
#11 The Passion Shift - from Career to Calling

Buy this book (or ebook or audiobook). If it's too expensive for you, eat only once per day and save your money. Hey, you need to improve your leadership. Change or die! 😊📖💪 #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #Leadership #Leadershift #JohnCMaxwell

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The Coming Chinese Church (2013) by Paul Golf, Book Review

The Coming Chinese Church: How Rising Faith In China Is Spilling Over Its Boundaries (2013) by Paul Golf with Pastor Lee

While I'm away for an Instagram break (https://www.instagram.com/legasi.tv/), I finished three other books but didn't get to share it. It’s okay, end of this month I will write a short summary for each book 😉

Now about this book: Wow! God really works in China as more and more people are turning to Him for salvation and hope. In the past, the West send missionaries who were willing to sacrifice themselves (even die) to preach the Gospel to the Chinese people. The minorities that become Christians were being persecuted and just like in the Book of Acts, they strive and prosper during hardship. As they grew in numbers, God moved their hearts to bless other nations too by sending missionaries to preach the Gospel back to the West and to the rest of the world. They do this to honor their spiritual heritage and driven by the vision that God has called them to, namely, Back to Jerusalem.

As always, I'm inspired by how simple and trustful their faith is. Admittedly, their knowledge of the Scripture (in the past) was not that good but with what they know, they really believe in God with all their hearts and souls. Two main weapons of the Chinese Church are 1) praise & worship and; 2) strong prayer life. No wonder God can do so many miracles in their midst! ⚡ (Personally, I think the coronavirus pandemic that started in Wuhan last few months is both natural and spiritual warfare. Just like how people are 'programmed' to hate the Jews in the past and even today; in the same way, this pandemic causes people to stigmatize the Chinese from China)

The believers work hard, the Devil works even harder, but God's will always win 💪 Are you ready? The Chinese Church is coming! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Power of Positive Leadership (2017) by Jon Gordon, Book Review

The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World (2017) by Jon Gordon

Jon Gordon is famous for his bestseller, The Energy Bus, his first book about a man whose life and career are in trouble until he learns great lessons from a unique bus driver and colorful passengers how to overcome adversity and be positive in his outlooks, leadership, relationship, and teamwork. The Energy Bus’s main character is based on Jon’s own life, and if you already read that book, you’ll appreciate this one because The Power of Positive Leadership is a book about how to turn from a negative zombie to a positive leader. As a leader, we will surely face obstacles, failures, and test daily and there are times when it seems as if everything in the world is turning against us. But take heart, we don’t have to be bitter and become losers. We can choose to be positive. “We are not positive because life is easy,” writes Jon Gordon, “We are positive because life can be hard.”

I love this one: “Positive leadership is not about fake positivity. It is the real stuff that makes great leaders great. Pessimists don’t change the world. Critics write words but they don’t write the future. Naysayers talk about problems but they don’t solve them. Throughout history, we see that it’s the optimists, the believers, the dreamers, the doers, and the positive leaders who change the world.” So true! I read lots of leadership books and dozens of biographies of the great (and worst) leaders and I never read about negative leaders who make the world a better place. There is no need for me to share what the research says about how positivity affects leadership, relationships, business, workplace, teamwork, emotional health, and productivity. The question is not WHY positive leadership is important, but HOW to be a positive leader. And so, with compelling stories (there are many good stories here), practical ideas and practices, Jon Gordon shares 9 Frameworks on how we can utilize and implement his positive leadership principles into action:

#1 Positive Leaders Drive Positive Cultures. “Culture is not just one thing. It’s everything” (Jon Gordon)

#2 Positive Leaders Create and Share a Positive Vision. “It is important to have a compelling vision and a comprehensive plan. Positive leadership – conveying the idea that there is always a way forward – is so important because that is what you are here for – to figure out how to move the organization forward” (Alan Mulally)

#3 Positive Leaders Lead with Optimism, Positivity and Belief. “The most important characteristic of a leader is optimism” (Bob Iger)

#4 Positive Leaders Confront, Transform and Remove Negativity. “Being positive won’t guarantee you’ll succeed but being negative will guarantee you won’t” (Jon Gordon)

#5 Positive Leaders Create United and Connected Teams. “It’s the leader’s ability to unite and connect people that truly creates great teams and organizations” (Jon Gordon)

#6 Positive Leaders Built Great Relationships and Teams. “Leadership comes down to taking care of the people in your organization and making them the best they can be, not giving up on them and never failing to be there for them” (Pete Carroll)

#7 Positive Leaders Pursue Excellence. “People think you have to choose between positivity and winning. You don’t have to choose. Positivity leads to winning” (Jon Gordon)

#8 Positive Leaders Lead with Purpose. “We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it” (Jon Gordon). This is my favorite quote!

#9 Positive Leaders Have Grit. “The number one predictor and factor of success is not talent, title, wealth or appearance. It is grit!” (Jon Gordon)

When I first read the title of this book, I think of Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking. While positive thinking will help me in my personal life, positive leadership will not only impact my own but also others’ lives such as my family, friends, Bible Study group, team and organization. As Jon Gordon ends this book, he writes, “When you become a positive leader, you will not only make yourself better, but you will also make everyone around you better – and that’s a great place to start!” I fully recommend this book not only to professionals and business leaders but to anyone who wants to be 1% more better every day. I also recommend that you subscribe to Jon Gordon’s Positive University Podcast too.  

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

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You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner (2014) by Joel Osteen, Book Review

You Can, You Will: 8 Undeniable Qualities of a Winner (2014) by Joel Osteen

"There is a winner in you. You were created to be successful, to accomplish your goals, to leave your mark on this generation. You have greatness in you. The key is to get it out," writes Joel Osteen, a beloved smiling pastor and also a controversial preacher of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. I first encounter with Joel Osteen while listening to his sermons through Podcast a few years ago. I like it because his messages are very uplifting and encouraging. They are great to listen to during my walking exercise. With his southern slang, I can hear his sincerity, positivity and love for the people. Joel is very consistent in his speaking and writing. Because I listened to Joel on YouTube too for a couple of times, I can hear his intonations and imagine his movements when I read this book. I enjoy reading it.

Long-Note: Let me share with you what I think about Joel Osteen because there are people – both well-meaning people and pure haters alike – warned about him and labelled him as preaching the health and wealth gospel or simply known as the prosperity gospel. Is it true? YES. As Christians, we all should be alert and guard ourselves against false teachers and false teachings. I'm not in ignorance, I fully aware of it. But I have this principle in my reading: Read widely and apply critical thinking (I've read half a dozen of books on atheism, but I'm still a Christ-follower today. I learned a great deal from those books). When I read and listen to Joel Osteen, I'm not coming to him for Biblical teachings and the Word expositions. I consider him as motivational speaker, period (the Lakewood Church might call him ‘pastor' and ‘preacher' but I don't call him with these titles). Not everyone can do it, I admit, but I'm very good with compartmentalizing each book/author into categories. Joel Osteen, to me, is in the same category as Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Les Brown, etc. In short: Joel Osteen is a good Christian motivational speaker but a bad gospel preacher. His message is more like Napoleon Hill rather than like Andrew Murray. If you're a Christian, I would like to suggest that you treat this book as an inspirational or motivational or self-help book and I can assure you that you can learn some valuable lessons from it.

Okay, about the book, You Can You Will, Joel Osteen believes that we are all a winner. "Winning is in your DNA," he writes, "and it's about to come out in a greater way. You may have had some victories in the past, but you haven't seen anything yet." To reach your potential and achieve new levels of success in your life, he outlines Eight (8) Qualities that Every Winner Must Have, namely:

#1 Keep Your Vision in Front of You. Dare to dream big dreams. This might trigger theological alert, fairly so, but I share this quote anyway: "If you keep the vision in front of you and don't get talked out of it, but just keep honouring God, being your best, thanking Him that it's on the way, God will supersize whatever you're believing for. He'll do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond." If you keep your vision in front of you, you'll move forward.

#2 Run Your Race. Focus on your unique course and goals. "The scripture talks about those who loved the praise of people more than the praise of God. One of the tests we all have to pass is when someone in our lives that we respect and look up to – a boss, a friend, a colleague, a relative – wants us to go to one direction when we know in our hearts that we should take another path." Be secure enough in who you are that you don't live to please people says Osteen. Run your race.

#3 Expect Good Things. Anticipate great opportunities. Read this motivational quote: "Our expectations set the limits for our lives. If you expect little, you're going to receive little. If you don't anticipate things to get better, then they won't. But if you expect more favour, more good breaks, a promotion, and an increase, then you will see new levels of favour and success."

#4 Have a Positive Mindset. Take control of your thoughts and attitudes. "Daniel and Joseph were good people, but they had bad circumstances," explains Osteen. "Unfair things happened to them. They were mistreated and faced huge obstacles. If you study their lives, you'll find one common denominator: They were always positive. They had this attitude of faith… they started each day with their minds going in the right direction, knowing that our God is well able."

#5 Commit to Excellence. Do your best and maintain high standards. "When you have a spirit of excellence, you do your best whether anyone is watching or not. You go the extra mile. You do more than you have to." I love the story when Joel struggled to either pick up trash that flew about 15 feet away due to the wind or left it there. He chooses to pick it up and little that he knows that there were people watching the whole thing. "When you are excellent, your life gives praise to God. That's one of the best witnesses you can have. Some people will never go to church. They never listen to a sermon. They're not reading the Bible. Instead, they're reading your life. They are watching how you live… You're representing almighty God." 

#6 Keep Growing. Be proactive, be intentional, build on your gifts, and continually improve. This is powerful: "Young people often get caught up in trying to be popular instead of trying to be their best." Decide to grow in some way every day.

#7 Serve Others. This is one of my favourite chapters! Invest yourself in others. "Jesus pulled out His towel, bowed down and washed [the disciple's] feet one by one. He gave us His example of service to others so we would know you're never too important to be good to people. You're never too successful. You're never too high to bow down low and serve another person." Love this phrase: You're never too important to be good to people.

#8 Stay Passionate. Light the fire within and approach life with enthusiasm. "If you want to stay passionate, you have to stay productive. You have to have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. When you're not producing, you're not growing. You may retire from your job, but don't ever retire from life. Stay busy." The word passionate is similar to the word enthusiasm which comes from the Greek word ‘entheos.' ‘Theos' is a term for ‘God.' So, when you're enthusiastic, you are full of God!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

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