The old English proverb says, “He who makes no mistakes, never makes anything.” If you want to build an organization in which leaders can develop, it’s vital to create an atmosphere where people aren’t afraid to make a mistake. Fear creates paralysis.
But when reasonable, honest mistakes are embraced as evidence that innovation is taking place, new leaders thrive and grow. Using a metaphor from the farm, Proverbs says, “Where no oxen are, the stable is clean, but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.”
Are you engaged in the messy, but rewarding business of cultivating leaders?
Mac Hammond Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Mac and Lynne Hammond are senior pastors of Living Word in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which they started in 1980. Many outreaches and ministries have launched from Living Word since that time, including Maranatha Christian Academy, a Pre-K through grade 12 school with nearly 900 in attendance, and Living Free Recovery Services, a licensed outpatient treatment program.
Most recently, Mac and Lynne have launched a vision to plant fifty churches across the globe in the next five years. As of August 2024, nine churches have been planted in the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, and Guatemala with construction underway for seven more churches in El Salvador, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Prior to becoming a pastor, Mac was a pilot. He served in the Air Force, served two tours of duty in Southeast Asia, and was honorably discharged in 1970 with the rank of Captain. Between 1970 and 1980, Mac was involved in varying capacities in the general aviation industry, including ownership of a successful air cargo business serving the Midwestern United States. A business acquisition brought the Hammonds to Minneapolis, where they ultimately founded Living Word. Currently, Mac is the host of The Winner’s Way and The Winner’s Minute broadcasts and the author of several internationally distributed books. Mac is broadly acclaimed for his ability to apply the principles of the Bible to practical situations and the challenges of daily living.