Jack Welch and his wife, Suzy, do a regular column in BusinessWeek which is full of wisdom, particularly regarding management. Their column in the November 17 issue is titled, "Three Reasons Obama Won."

They begin by saying that in their view, McCain's economic platform "made better sense for business, especially in terms of free trade, tax policy, and job creation." But at the same time, they are hopeful about the Obama presidency.

They then cite three things Obama did right. Pastors can take these principles to heart, because they can apply as easily to church life.

1. Obama presented a clear, consistent vision, which Welch calls "the granddad of leadership principles." "If you want to galvanize followers, you simply cannot recast your message. Nor can you confuse or scare people....Over and over, he painted a picture of the future that excited people. He also set a perfect example for business leaders: Stick to a limited number of points, repeat them relentlessly, and turn people on."

Does your church know what it's about? Do you try to provide a full slate of ministries, or do you focus on ministries specific to the mission you've identified?

Lesson 2 coming next.