People are watching.

And we know that the Church (which our ministries ultimately fall within the framework of) is in the midst of a publicity nightmare within North America.

We live and serve within an increasingly post-Christian nation — and I think a lot of it has to do with the ways we as Christians in leadership have traded in God’s ways for the world’s.

Too many of us in leadership within the Church have allowed relevance, popularity, and power to take us (as leaders), as well as the ministries we have been asked to shepherd, in the wrong direction.

So my question is this: As you prepare to start a new year of ministry with students — how do you need to hear these words from Henri Nouwen? How about your student leaders?

The temptation to be relevant, to be popular, and to abuse whatever power and authority we’ve been given will be undeniably present.

So how can we prepare — and as best we can, safeguard — our own leadership, as well as those leaders and ministries we’ve been called to shepherd?