Nick Chellsen's Blog

Empowering Young Leaders: Setting an Example

1 Timothy 4:12 is often quoted to encourage young people to step into leadership: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young…” (NIV)

But the second half of the verse is just as important: “…but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity” (NIV)

Your lack of experience, education, or expertise shouldn’t disqualify you from leadership opportunities. But with leadership comes responsibility—you are called to set an example for tho...

Experience vs Education: What Matters More?

People often debate which is more important: experience or education. But the truth is, both matter.

Experience is learning from your own successes and failures.
Education is learning from someone else’s.

And education doesn’t have to be formal—it can come from books, webinars, mentorship, or even intentional conversations with those ahead of you.

How will you invest in your education this week?

Read this next: The 3 Learning Styles

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St. Patrick’s Breastplate: A Leader’s Prayer

St. Patrick’s Breastplate is a traditional Christian prayer attributed to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It emphasizes God’s presence in every part of our lives—before us, behind us, within us, and all around us.

Many Christian leaders still recite this prayer today, seeking God’s guidance, strength, and protection. Though the full prayer spans over 400 words, its most well-known lines are:

“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, ...

Why Mentors Matter: Turning Hindsight into Foresight

You’ve likely heard the age-old adage, “Hindsight is 20/20.” Meaning, clarity often comes after a decision is made. But what if we could have that same clarity before a decision is made? This is why having a mentor is so important.

A mentor, simply put, is someone further along on the same path as you. If you lead in a workplace setting, a mentor might be someone who has worked at your company longer. If you are the leader of your family, a mentor could be someone who has been married or ...

Seek Understanding Before Sharing Opinions

The Book of Proverbs regularly contrasts the actions of the wise and the foolish. Many passages say something along the lines of, “The fool does ____, but the wise does ____.”

While Proverbs 18:2 doesn’t present a direct contrast, it does reveal a key difference: “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” (NIV) From this, we can infer that a wise person should seek understanding before sharing their opinion.

As a leader, you will often be called...

Think Twice Before Sharing That Quote Online

 “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” —Abraham Lincoln.

Wait, no. That quote is actually attributed to Peter Drucker.

What he really said was, “You cannot predict your future, but you can create it” (as cited in Drucker on Leadership, 2009).

I have a love/hate relationship with my quote-a-day leadership calendar.

On one hand, it provides bite-sized wisdom from a variety of past and present leaders that I can reflect on throughout the day.

On the other hand, i...

The Importance of Accountability in Leadership

If you’ve ever led a team, you’ve likely conducted a job review. This process holds team members accountable for the expectations that were set and the decisions they made. When we look at the leadership of Jesus, we see He held people accountable. An example of this is His interaction with the rich young man (Matthew 19:16–30; Mark 10:17–31; Luke 18:18–30).

When the man asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus listed the commandments. The man claimed he followed them all, yet...

Find Out What Type of Leader You Are

Leadership Strength Quiz

Introduction:

Curious about your leadership style? Take this quiz to uncover your leadership strength and see which of the 33 principles from A Leader Worth Imitating resonate most with you

TAKE THE QUIZDOWNLOAD PDF VERSION

Questions:

When leading a team, what is your primary focus?
A. Inspiring others with a clear vision
B. Empowering my team to reach their full potential
C. Getting things done efficiently and with integrity
D. Ensuring the we...

Connecting with God Through Worship

Photo: Canva

In my book, A Leader Worth Imitating (Principle 2: Presence),  I explain that there are five ways for people to connect with God and encounter Jesus: scripture, prayer, worship, community, and service.

In this article, I will explain how people can connect with God through worship. 

While worship is about glorifying God, it is also a way that He communicates to us. In his book, Reflection on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrote, “It is in the process of being worshiped that God co...

A Leader Worth Imitating | Audiobook Excerpt

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Igq9ymnyP7M

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