Blog Posts by Courtney McBath

Hi Friends,

Anyone that knows me or reads my weekly letters knows that I am passionate and committed to community leadership.

I’ll tell you why. It’s because I have seen the power in having a strong community, which can come in several forms, family, church, or just your neighborhood. I have seen and experienced the power of quality companionships in communities.  However, this doesn’t just happen. Deliberate leadership and passion for community is a requirement for this type of leadership, which I define as “called-out leadership.” It’s demanding yet so rewarding when results are achieved!

Honestly, it can get overwhelming, and having worked as a community leader, I know that it requires close mentorship, the kind that Calvary Leaders Network offers! With our program, you’ll be investing in the leadership of you and your team and ensuring your effective impact on your community! Those who partner with us have access to all of our...

If you are a parent—or really, anyone, because we’ve all been children—you’ve probably said or heard things like, “If you want to do this, you’re going to have to be more responsible. If you want a car, you have to prove you can be responsible with it. If you want those sneakers, you must show me you can take care of your possessions.”

The truth is that we really don’t know what’s best for us all the time. We may pray, “God, I want this right now.” And God may release it to us just to let us experience what a blessing given prematurely feels like. On the other hand, if He sees we’re not ready, He may withhold it. Anyone who’s lived for just a little while knows to thank God for withholding what we cannot handle—that withholding is an act of love. If God steps into your situation and performs a miracle, often, in order for the miracle to fulfill what it was sent to do, you must respond. The miracle...

When our journey in friendship with God seems to lead us to prison, we have to process our way through a storm of emotions. “What happened?” we want to know. There we were—we made ourselves vulnerable to God. We committed to being His friend. We opened our hearts to Him. We asked Him to help us learn to love Him better. We were doing our part, cultivating that first Next Level heart attitude—a heart for His friendship and leadership style— now, suddenly, we find ourselves alone, arrested, thrown into a cell, locked down in chains, and slapped with a trial date. We don’t see our prison as a “springboard for spectacular beginnings.” We wonder if we will ever fulfill the dreams and plans in our hearts.

When I was 13 years old, I found myself in this very position. There I was, walking in friendship with God—getting to know Him, even involved in ministry and leading others to Christ at a young age—when suddenly, the life I had...