PLI is devoted to empowering leaders for wider influence for the sake of the gospel in their communities and effective leadership in their ministries. Learn more about our vision and process here.
Life is better connected. Connect with others to experience life-giving community and build authentic relationships. We have several learning communities. Find the best fit for you.
We provide a number of resources and materials to educate both our participants and the general public on effective leadership principles.
Interested in how PLI can impact your ministry? We'd love to get to know you and learn how we can empower your ministry.
By: Jock Ficken
Remember when we all shut down and scattered back in March…for two weeks? Remember when whatever it is that you lead adjusted…adapted…zoomed…went online…got creative? And remember when you started talking about “going back to normal?” Do you remember the first time it occurred to you that “back to normal” would not be “normal”—maybe similar but … Continue reading
By: Gail Ficken
Many of you know that I grew up in suburban Washington, D.C. Our neighbors changed based on who was ushered in by the most recent presidential election. To say that “I work for the government” was oftentimes code for CIA or FBI, or someone who wanted to appear important or mysterious. As a child I … Continue reading
By: Jock Ficken
Here are 5 courage killers that any leader, woman or man, needs to know and confront. They’re embedded in who we are. (And they’re adapted from Heifetz, Grashow and Linsky’s book The Practice of Adaptive Leadership.) 1. LOYALTIES TO PEOPLE WHO DON’T BELIEVE YOU’RE DOING THE RIGHT THING It’s an unstated social contract that a good … Continue reading
By: Jock Ficken
Get yourself in the mission game if you’re not there already! Don’t wait for all those folks to one day wake up and decide they should ask you about Jesus. (You’ll wait a long time.) PLI Entry Paths It was incredibly difficult when I started down this path. I didn’t know how to have a … Continue reading
By: Jock Ficken
As a leader…think women and men here…it’s your job to be looking out into the future of your congregation, your ministry, your organization! Seeing the bigger picture Looking at your stated mission. Have we drifted? Are we aligned? Thinking more than most 20 years ago PLI’s founders saw the big picture and started to train … Continue reading
By: Jock Ficken
… the spirit told me to have no hesitation—Peter (Acts 11:12) It was part of Peter’s explanation/defense of the landmark visit to Cornelius, equally buttressed by… So if God gave them the same gift he gave us…who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way? (v. 17) No doubt that Peter’s vision … Continue reading
By: Kyrie Klopke
We all desire authenticity, yet it’s hard to find in our culture today AND — dare I say? — even harder to find among Christians or in the church. It’s difficult to share Jesus with your friends or co-workers without coming across as judgmental, hypocritical, or religiously irrelevant. So how do you live an authentic … Continue reading
By: Sarah Greiner
“I’m in church work so I’m around christians all day. It’s not possible for me to meet people who don’t know Jesus.” Sound familiar? We often perceive roadblocks to living missionally and feel stuck in the circles of the church world. PLI believes that God opens up possibilities for relationship with lost and broken people … Continue reading
By: Jock Ficken
Every church leader I know risks fastening their identity to the wrong thing. Identity might be the most fundamental of leadership building blocks. The Flourishing in Ministry study funded by Lilly Foundation interviewed thousands of pastors. It’s one of their four fundamentals to avoid a lifetime of life depleting ministry. True for the rest of … Continue reading
By: Jock Ficken
I don’t do endings well. As a leader I tend to perceive ending something I’m leading as tantamount to failing…especially if it’s a big thing. How ironic to talk about necessary endings after Dare to Dream Again and Sharing Your Dream. Here are 4 keys to remember with Endings: Endings can (should?) create opportunity for what’s next. Endings are natural … Continue reading
PLI enews is a weekly publication containing our leadership and ministry blog as well as free content and important news.