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By Tom Lane

Empowerment

Our family enjoys boating. It has been a family activity that has provided enjoyment and a variety of experiences. When you boat but don’t live on a lake the process of getting to the lake can be challenging; getting kids, coolers, towels, friends, food and last but least the boat to the lake has given us a list of exciting experiences and funny family stories. After years of lake experiences and hundreds of boat launches and boat trailering my son Todd and I had an experience one day that pointed out a powerful parenting principle.

Todd is now in his thirties, married, with three children. He is a wonderful husband, parent, and provider for his family. We had gone to the lake and were preparing to launch the boat. Launching the boat involves a a process that includes taking the tarp off, undoing the clips that keep the boat secured on the trailer, and making sure the drain plug is in before you back the boat into the water. All this preparation had been made and we were ready to back the boat in the water. Todd asked me if I wanted him to back the boat in and without thought I asked him if he thought he could do it. It was an insult to his maturity and experience and he responded with, “are you kidding me?” His reaction registered his insult and reflected my response as a father seeing him not as he is today, a mature responsible, man with experience but as he was many years ago an inexperienced son developing under my oversight.

One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to empower our children. The process of empowerment begins when they are in their teens. We empower them by giving them responsibilities and allowing them the possibility of failure. Wise parenting provides for controlled failure as a part of their preparation and move into adult living. It continues as we acknowledge their growth, experience, and maturity as adults.

Failure to empower our children in the stages of their development will leave them unprepared for adult living. Failure to acknowledge our adult children’s maturity by recognizing their experience and accomplishments will leave them resentful and unfulfilled.

I realized my mistake with Todd that day and quickly apologized asking him to back the boat in while I drove it off the trailer and over to the dock. Big or little items of response it doesn’t matter we must empower our children for them to develop into the mature and fulfilled adults that God intends them to be.

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Marilyn Wedige

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND COORDINATOR

Marilyn Wedige serves as the Executive Assistant to Tom Lane and Coordinator for the Executive Leadership Institute. She and her husband Mike moved to Texas in 2013. She has served as Pastor Tom’s assistant since 2017. Marilyn is honored to serve in assisting the ELI to help leaders develop a: healthy lifestyle, enriched spiritual walk, and tools to increase their success and influence.

Marilyn was blessed in being raised in a godly Christian home and church. She graduated from Oral Roberts University with a double major in mathematics and computer science. Due to her husband Mike’s advancement in corporate management, they have had the privilege of serving in many churches across the United States and in New Zealand. Together they have led many small groups as well as served in prayer and youth ministries. Marilyn has led and taught in women’s and youth Bible studies as well as volunteered and tutored in her children’s schools.

Marilyn and Mike have been happily married since 1985 and together they have 3 children of which 2 are married, and 2 grandchildren. One of Marilyn’s greatest joys is serving her family.

Todd Lane

Chief Executive Officer

Todd Lane began his business career with a multi-national corporation who provided outsourced customer services. He developed through corporate management while moving across the United States and New Zealand. During his tenure in the corporate sector, he also served in several churches in the areas of youth ministry, worship, and small groups.

He transitioned to vocational ministry in 2002 as the first Business Administrator of Gateway Church. Over the following 20 years of ministry, he has led the development of business operations, new ministry launches, the methodology behind extension campuses, and guided overall staff alignment and implementation of the church vision. He has led small groups, taught classes, and has spoken at various churches, conferences, seminars, and events. He has also served as an elder of the church.

Todd holds a business administration degree in finance from Baylor University. He and his wife, Blynda have been married since 1995, and have three young adult children: Olivia, Harrison, and Evelyn.

Tom Lane

Founder & Chief Content Officer

Tom Lane began his career in business. He spent five years working in a residential Plumbing, Heating & Cooling business owned by his father-in-law. He then worked for seven years as a regional sales Representative for his dad’s wholesale paper distribution company based in the mid-west with 13 locations from Montana to Texas.

In 1982, he made a shift to vocational ministry and served as executive senior pastor both at Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo, Texas (22 years), and Gateway Church (18 years) in Southlake, Texas. Throughout his more than 40 years of vocational ministry he has held many different roles including: business administrator, administrative pastor, executive pastor, executive senior pastor, senior pastor, and executive director.

Whether leading in business, ministry, or in his family Tom has lived his life to be the greatest influence for God and to impact people. He has always known that influence affects leadership at home or work.

Tom has written many leadership books including Tested and Approved, Heritage: A Father’s Influence to the Generations, Influence of a Father, Healthy Church Government, He Still Speaks, He Still Speaks to Kids, Strong Women and the Men Who Love Them, and Letters from a Dad to a Graduate. He has also written articles for Ministry Today. Tom and his
 wife, Jan, have been happily married since 1972 and have 4 married children and 15 grandchildren.

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Step 1 of 7

This assessment is intended to give you an understanding of the emotional and spiritual health of your life. First think through each question and determine a quick placement on Health Indicator Scale (ranging from Never to Always.) This assessment is only as credible as the authenticity of the answers. Your first instinct is usually the most honest and accurate response. Most leaders are inclined to post the “best answer” but we want honest, raw, and vulnerable responses to these questions.

In the box to the right place the number from 1-5 that best describes your feeling today. Tally each section and place the numeric score on the total line for each category. Add the tallied scores from each section to get the overall total score.

Health Indicator Scale (HIS):

Select the appropriate answer for each question.

Each answer has a numeric value from 1-5 based on these indicators:

1 - Never    2- Seldom    3 - Ocassionally    4 - Often    5 - Always