Month: January 2020

Leadership Preparation…

Preparation today makes a difference tomorrow.

What are we preparing for today?

1) God’s guidance in seeking the right priorities.
2) Focus on what is important, not urgent.
3) Trust that if tomorrow doesn’t arrive, we accomplished what matters most.
4) Never miss an opportunity to tell someone, “I love you.”
5) Do something nice for someone who will never find out.
6) Be the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
7) Close the day with prayer giving thanks for the good and bad.

These are a few ideas, but regardless of what happens, if we follow them we will live a full life.

Leading With The Future In View…

How will we lead when we consider the future of…

Our children? The choices they make? Their friends? Their work ethic? 

Our church? The confidence of the church? Their hope? The promise of eternity? 

Our neighbors? Who they turn to during trials? Their spiritual questions? How they see Jesus?

Our friends? Their spiritual focus? Their approach to relationships? When they face temptation? 

Our co-workers? Their knowledge of biblical principles? Their character? Their home-life? 

When we consider their future, it is worth giving thought to how we lead.

What Are We Seeking?

As a leader, what do we see in others?

John Lubbock said, “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.”

Do we seek the best…or the worst?
Are we seeking truth…or are we satisfied with preconceived ideas?
Do we seek just enough to get by…or do we seek ways to excel?
Will we seek to provide compassionate and understanding leadership…or will we seek our own way? 

The attitude of others reflects the leadership they seek to follow. What we look for in others is exactly what they will look for in us. Are we leading with this in mind?

The Last Word In Leadership…

Do we ever feel like we need to have the last word? 

As spiritual leaders, we need to understand who, or perhaps what, should have the last word.

Many disregard, neglect, avoid, abuse, change, or rewrite it, but God’s word remains THE source for leadership.

It provides everything for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).
It remains the light to direct our steps (Ps. 119:105).
It instills hope when life is filled with doubt (Ro. 5:1-5).

His word never changes! 

If we use His word in our leadership, we will always change the lives of those who follow.

Who Shall We Lead?

What do followers look like and where do leaders find them? Consider those who live on the fringe and are often overlooked.

They live everywhere, but often have nowhere to live.

They have nothing to give, yet often give all they have to help someone else.

They scrape by with little hope, yet hope is often all they have to scrape by.

Our leadership is needed to give hope for a life that is better now and in the future. We must provide genuine friendship without ulterior motives, where we develop an intimacy that goes beyond the surface.

Guaranteed Leadership…

“There are no guarantees.” We’ve all heard it. Yet, a guarantee simply involves a promise or assurance that certain conditions will be fulfilled.

The problem we often face is that we want to use and abuse a product with the guarantee it will still look and function like new. If this is our thinking, then there are no guarantees.

Sadly, we do the same with leaders. We use and abuse them expecting them to look and function like new, but it will not work.

Leaders need support and encouragement. When they receive it they tend to function in the best interest of followers.

The result provides a guarantee worth following.

Who Leads?

At a very early age, children learn how to manipulate (for a lack of better words) situations within their family. They learn how to get what they want or need.

The question for parents is, Who is really leading who?

We know parents are responsible for leading their children, but in many situations children lead their parents.

We often see the same within the church.

Leaders often allow followers to do the leading. Why? Leaders may be afraid someone will be offended. It may be they lack the knowledge to address the situation appropriate. Perhaps they do not understand their role.

We could speculate all day, but leaders must approach this God given task with the earnest desire to lead, and lead as God has directed.

Lead to Freedom…

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Nelson Mandela

Mandela spoke about the physical freedom from oppression and poverty, but consider a spiritual application.

Our freedom from the consequences of sin is not about casting off our own chains. We need to live in a way that demonstrates respect for others and assists them to enjoy the same level of freedom.

This is leadership.

The death of Jesus is foundational for our life and for all who come to Him. Let us lead others to the true freedom.

Surviving Leadership…

Few areas are more significant than the need for and priority of survival.

Leadership survival is a matter of extreme urgency for the church today.

Leaders struggle to survive challenges in matters of faith and practice.

Leaders must survive false accusations to their character by dissenters.

Leaders must develop survival skills against forces that would divide Christians.

The idea is often expressed, “Its lonely at the top.” While spiritual leadership is not about being at the top, leaders in the Lord’s church still face a measure of loneliness.

Perhaps this is why so few are willing to accept the role and responsibility.

Leading Unconditionally…

Reaching out and leading with unconditional love is difficult. 

We must be vulnerable emotionally, mentally, and physically. We must develop a compassion for the pain of others and a greater desire to get involved. 

The difficulty is learning to be genuine in our care for those who are not like us..

Loving unconditionally means there is nothing you can do or say to make me love you more and there is nothing you can do or say to make me love you less.

Unconditional love is what leads others to the Savior! When we demonstrate it, we lead with a God-given example.