About Leadership Nexus

I created Leadership Nexus to help the church. After serving as pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma for over 30 years, I realized that what helped me to be effective in developing that church was what I had learned from others. Networking is the best means of learning how to be effective. I had the opportunity to serve as chair of the Large Church Initiative of the United Methodist Church, and for 13 years I helped organize training events across the denomination for over 3,000 larger United Methodist churches. The key to the success of these events was sharing and learning from each other about our accomplishments and our mistakes. Out of these lessons we can do a better job for God. I served as chairman of CUGM, which is an organization founded by Dr. Robert Schuller and others for pastors of larger churches of many denominations. The great power of this fellowship is what we can learn from each other no matter our denomination. I have created Leadership Nexus to continue this network of peers sharing and learning from each other.

The definition of “nexus” is a link, a means of connection, a core or center. That is exactly what we hope to be – a link and a central core to connect leaders in training events, support and networking. Leadership Nexus exists for the local churches and Christian organizations seeking to develop excellence in doing the work of the kingdom of God.

As I have served as leader of these organizations and other program development organizations within the church, I have realized there are so many things we need to learn in order to face the contemporary American culture. We need to understand not only the culture but also how to communicate within the culture. We need to understand what it takes to be effective at sharing the gospel today.

The second focus of Leadership Nexus is on effectiveness. To put it simply – how can we do a better job? When I reflect on my early education for the ministry, there was so much that I just did not understand, and so much that I was never taught. We need ways to equip ourselves for effectiveness. That is the purpose of Leadership Nexus, networking together for effectiveness in God’s work.