When the Unsinkable Sank

Leadership lessons from the deck of Titanic

Gordon MacDonald

When the Titanic was launched from the Belfast ship yards, the world was just acclimating to electricity, the radio, and the automobile. The Wright brothers had demonstrated the possibility of fixed-wing flight just nine years before. And now here was one more mind-boggling innovation: a glorious ship that was speedy andunsinkable. What an appropriate name, Titanic (meaning great force or power), for a ship designed to triumph over nature. But as everyone who has seen the movie knows, the unsinkable sank one dark night on its first time out in the ocean.

One of the more recent and interesting Titanic-themed books is Andrew Wilson's Shadow of the Titanicwhich focuses less on the ship itself and more on the people who were aboard for that maiden voyage to New York. How did they handle themselves when the abandon-ship order was given? And what happened to them in the years that followed?

Read more at Leadership Journal

10 Tips for Counting Cash

Plus, best practices for making cash payouts

by Laura Brown 


When churches receive tithes and offerings, there’s more going on than meets the eye. Along with physically collecting people’s money and bringing it to the bank, you should be tracking how much comes in, who it comes from, what it's used for, and how much each individual gives during a year.


Read more at Manging Your Church

Walking Like Steve

When my friend was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he taught me about dying, and living, well.

Dan Cooley

While visiting at the hospital I told Steve that I didn't know how to pray for him.

"Just pray I will walk the walk God has for me," he replied. Throughout the days that followed, Steve never asked for healing. He didn't mind us praying for it, but he seemed to believe it wasn't the path God had for him.

Steve didn't fear death. He feared dying. He was afraid of the difficulties that cancer and its treatment might require. His greatest desire was that he would "walk the walk." He wanted to die well, to leave a strong legacy for his boys. He did, and he left one for me too.

Read more at Leadership Journal