We want patience, and we want it now! It is not uncommon for someone to pray for patience and wonder why they have so many challenges. Hmmm

Recently, I spent several days with Steven Ashcraft; missionary, evangelist, coordinator, and much more for the work in Ghana, West Africa. I observed a great deal about the patience of a man working to help the church mature.

The task is far from easy. Seeing it first hand was impressive. Steven works gently to guide, ask the appropriate questions, and allow the time necessary for the present leadership to find the answers.

The demonstration of his patient nature is a powerful lesson for all spiritual leaders.

In the American culture it is easy to expect growth and maturity to occur like ordering a meal at the drive through. We place our order on one side and expect to have it waiting for us when we reach the other side. No patience required. Sarcasm intended.

Church growth requires leaders to be patient. In time, the demonstration of such patience and gentle guidance will yield fruit to the glory of our God.

Have you ever played a form of the guessing game? “If you know what I am thinking right now, without guessing, I want you to tell me.” Well, we can’t, so we have to guess.

How many times in relationships do we expect the other person to read our minds? I have heard of spouses arguing over what the other person should have known regarding what they were thinking.

Really?

We often take for granted one another in relationships. We begin to assume the other person will naturally know what we are thinking, as if they are mind readers. Leaders can make this mistake if not careful.

Keep in mind, others do not know what we are thinking, unless we tell them.

Do not expect others to respond unless we tell them they need to respond.

Disappointment can be avoided if we will adequately communicate the vision in our minds.

People find contentment in following leaders who keep the exact direction before them.

It will do us well to stop playing games. No one can read our minds. Communicate the direction and others will follow.

A few years ago my father gave me the following advice. “Stand up to be seen. Speak up to be heard. Sit down to be appreciated.”

The application to his advice reaches into many areas, but it certainly has relevance for spiritual leaders.

Leaders should be accessible and approachable. Questions need to be answered, plans discussed, and vision communicated. However, if leaders cannot be found, followers begin to doubt in who they are following. Worse yet, they will find another leader.

Leaders must also be clear. Far too many leaders speak vaguely, in generalities, politically correct, and with uncertainty. Leaders need to be decisive, but they must also be clear and precise.

Leaders need to know their limitations. Leaders will not be appreciated when they continually over-extend themselves and fail to achieve the goal(s). Leaders must know the proper balance and limits of their time and talent.

Followers will value leaders who are visible, understood, and working within the boundaries of their ability. So, stand up, speak up and sit down! The rest will take care of itself.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

I loved this quote the first time I read it. It speaks to the character of spiritual leadership.

Too many today have sold out to the highest bidder. Too many allow the pursuit of greater numbers to alter their position on truth. Too many seek popularity and profit rather than address challenge and controversy.

If we are to overcome the problems of immorality and indecency, we must make a stand.

If we are to help the church grow and mature as God designed, we must make a stand.

If we are to help those who are lost find the true hope of salvation, we must make a stand.

It is not an easy task. Conflict and controversy will arise. Trying to avoid it, sweep it under the rug, deny it exists, or hope it just goes away and resolves itself, will not work.

The world and the church need men ready to lead. Will you answer the call today?

The antithesis of this statement is when you’re down, you’re down. Being down usually means a level of discouragement. What is it that brings discouragement to leadership?

Failure? Inability? People?

Discouragement causes us to lose confidence and enthusiasm. We can work to discourage others by our words and our actions. We can also allow others to discourage us in our efforts to reach the goal(s) before us.

So, how do we prevent discouragement?

1) Focus on higher priorities and a greater cause.
2) Work to create confidence and enthusiasm in others.
3) Develop a work ethic of diligence and integrity.
4) Determine to do “what” is right and not just “be” right.
5) Remember we are going to make mistakes. Deal with them properly and move ahead.

Discouragement is really a state of mind we allow or choose to accept. Following a few simple ideas can help us encourage others and bring a greater level of encouragement to our leadership. Then we will see more times when we are up rather than down.

Intriguing title? Throughout the Bible we read about the dread of leprosy. It was contagious and often terminal in nature. Lepers lived outside the city in their own commune rejected by others.

However, we can learn several lessons from lepers. One particular situation involves four men. This is the “cliff notes” version. Read the whole story in 2 Kings 7.

Amidst a famine, these four lepers decided to go to the enemy. They figured death was eminent either way. Perhaps the enemy would have mercy. When they arrived at their camp, the enemy was gone. God caused the Arameans to hear the sound of an army and they fled, leaving everything.

The lepers began to enjoy the spoils, but then realized how wrong it was to do so while their people were dying. It was a day of good news. To remain silent was wrong and would result in punishment.

What a great lesson for us! This day is a day of good news. The message of Jesus is too great to remain silent. If we do, surely punishment should overtake us. THINK SOULS!

It seems everyone these days is offering a rewards program. The intent is to win our business and loyalty. Companies believe if they offer customers reward benefits they will purchase their products.

If you read my posts very often, you are probably already ahead of me.

The benefits God has provided to the world are far greater than anything invented or intended on the part of the world.

We cannot fly enough miles, buy enough electronics, eat enough food at the same restaurant, or burn enough gasoline to earn what God has given through His Son.

The power of God’s grace is about receiving what we do not deserve. Now there is reward program were looking into.

From a leadership point of view, we are not trying to win anyone’s business. We are simply trying to help others see the magnitude of God’s love. The natural result should be our desire to follow Him.

The reward will be found in the words of God, “well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things…”

Each time I travel overseas, I am reminded of the challenges of communicating. Linguistics is not a strong suite for me. I struggle with trying to communicate in English. You can imagine the difficulty of listening to the multiplicity of languages around the world.

The key to communicating adequately is understanding. Obviously, understanding is unattainable when we are not speaking the same language.

However, the same can be true even when we speak the same language. It is not always easy to communicate in an understanding manner. The ability to communicate so others understand is vital to our leadership.

Goals must be communicated so everyone understands.
Plans for reaching the goals must also be communicated adequately.
Roles and responsibilities must be understood.
Above all, leading others to Christ demands communicating the message of the cross in ways others understand.

This is the power behind training men in their own language, in their own country, to preach the message to their own people. Extension training is making a difference. You can read more at our website.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” John F. Kennedy

If there is one thing I can say about leadership, it would be that I love learning about it. I love reading about leadership, listening about leadership, and observing those who are leading.

When I first read this quote by John F. Kennedy, I thought how appropriate and applicable to spiritual leadership.

Our life is about learning. We must hunger and thirst for righteousness. We must be diligent to present ourselves approved to God. We must always be ready to make a defense and give an answer for the hope within us. We must grow up in all aspects. We must press on to maturity.

There is no question about our leadership. We are going to lead. Now we know how vital learning is as part of our leadership. As we grow in our learning, we gain a greater understanding of others.

Effective leadership should be immersed in learning. Read any good books lately? The Bible would be a great place to start. I recommend it!

Nearly 2,000 years ago this question was asked by a governor with the power to deliver or destroy. Sadly, the influence of the Jews and fear of allowing a threat to Rome go free caused Pilate to crucify Jesus.

We must all answer the question.

Our answer provides a foundation for our influence as spiritual leaders.

Family: Leading our family to heaven should be the number one task. Being consumed with self causes us to lose sight of leading as God directs.

Job: Our conduct on the job must be driven by Paul’s words to the church in Colossae. We work to please Christ, not men.

Worship: We need to understand worship. Worship is a meeting with God where we bring a gift. Too many approach worship to “get” something. Worship is to God, not from Him.

World: Jesus explained we are in the world, but not of the world. Our lives should never be influenced by the world. Rather, we are to influence the world.

What will we do? Our answer makes the difference in others seeing the influence of Jesus.