One down and fifty-one to go. Weeks clip by amazingly fast, and before you know it we will face another new year. But, before we get ahead of ourselves, lets consider the next fifty-one weeks.

Most of us are adjusting to routine again after the holidays, and that is good. Take a deep breath and relax for a second.

Instead of adding another activity, responsibility, or assignment to our full-plate, what if we considered ways to eliminate something that helped simplify our lives?

The thought can be frightening, because it is challenging. However, if we prioritize life just a bit, we might find that removing areas on the fringe not only simplify life, we also de-stress it.

Imagine the benefit to our leadership.

I love a thought expressed by Henry Ford, “Don’t find fault; find a remedy.” In the sports world, we find more than a few “arm-chair” quarterbacks, coaches, and officials. We seem to believe we have a better understanding and view of how the game should be played in the comfort of our home, as opposed to the heat of the battle on the field.

The church often follows the same pattern. If we are not careful, we can easily find more faults with the church than can ever be solved. However, recognizing areas of concern or fault does not change anything. It is time we stand up and present a solution. Perhaps, we might modify the thought by saying, “Don’t find fault, unless you plan to present a remedy.”

“In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.” Les Brow
As leaders, how will we use our time? Make the most of influencing others for the cause of Christ. We might just bring hope to someone in a hopeless world.

Everyone knows the value of good planning. Leaders will especially appreciate the need to make proper plans to reach established goals.

Sunday night we say goodbye to a year through which we will never walk again. We cannot relive it. We cannot change it. All we can do is examine it and make plans to create a difference for the future.

Plans are not New Year’s resolutions.

Plans are not goals.

Plans involve the activities necessary to keep our resolutions and reach our goals.

How vital is it we have plans? There is an old adage, used by several, that says; “those who fail to plan, plan to fail.”

We all need personal, short, and long-term goals. The same is true at every corporate level. However, how we plan to reach our goals makes a difference.

Before we commit to our New Year’s resolutions, before we set up goals for the year ahead, let us sit down and establish the details of a proper plan to ensure success for 2018.

As spiritual leaders, it is important to take a backwards look on the past year.

This Sunday night represents the time people celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. Generally, we tend to look at areas of life we want to change and make a resolution to improve in the year ahead.

Rarely do we examine the year and consider the whole of our influence in leadership. When we look back over 2017 we need to ask a few questions.

Were we good stewards of our time in leadership?

Are the lives of others better because of our influence and example in leadership?

How many souls did we reach with the gospel?

Were we able to accomplish the necessary goals for the year?

What changes should be made to better improve our leadership?

These five questions represent a few of many we should consider as we close out this chapter in history. As we set the stage for the year ahead, take a backwards look over the past year, ask a few questions, and make the needed adjustments for 2018.

Anyone with children knows the question, “Are we there yet?” The idea of traveling for hundreds of miles and hearing the question one more time can be frustrating.

However, when we consider the basis for the question it might change the perspective we have toward spiritual leadership.

The idea screams of anticipation. The excitement of reaching the destination coupled with the struggles of waiting through the journey.

Spiritual leaders, above all, should know the excitement of reaching the destination. The journey will be filled with struggles, but also rewards.

What is it in our life that we anticipate? What is it we are so excited about we cannot help but ask “are we there yet?”

The thrill of spiritual leadership is found in knowing the destination that awaits us.

In addition, there is the joy of leading others who share the journey.

Can we see it? Is there excitement? Are we there yet?

Today, our families either think about returning home, or they are on their way. We think about storing Christmas decorations for another year. We may have returned to our regular work schedule.

However, chances are some were up early today and are headed out for the “after-Christmas” specials. There are long lines, and we consider how crazy it is to do this every year, and perhaps, entertain the idea of going back to work just to rest and recover from the holidays. You and I are probably not the first to think this way.

What does all this have to do with spiritual leadership? Remember to rest.

Personally, this is not my strong suit. It would not be a stretch to say I am a workaholic (it’s sad the word passes spell check). The thought of taking a full day off without checking e-mail, carrying and answering the cell-phone, writing a thought for the leadership post, or something work related is strange.

Maybe you do not suffer with this mindset. If this is the case, then you can stop reading here. But, if you do share this mindset, then consider the following.

Time to rest and recover is valuable to the overall work performance of everyone.

Rest helps create greater enthusiasm and energy to reach the goal.

Our family life improves. Work performance increases. It is a win – win situation.

Whether a crazy holiday season, or the stress of a work related project, remember the value of time to rest and recover.

We wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.

Thank you for another great year in leadership.

The Leadership Project

The holidays are always special when shared with family. Although it is sad to see everyone return home, nothing compares to being together.

Even though many families are characterized as dysfunctional, there is still much we can learn from the family unit to help our spiritual leadership.

Families must be skilled in problem resolution. No family is free from problems: financial, personality, health, communication, rivalries, etc. How problems are resolved determines the success of the family.

The same is true in leadership. Problem resolution must be a priority in leadership development, because there will be problems.

Families must learn to cooperate. The idea of parents and children sharing one bathroom, rationing the food supply, and taking care of household chores, demands working together. Dysfunctionalism results when people are unwilling to work together.

The leadership connection is powerful. The ability to lead in such a way to get along and work side by side, cooperating for the common goal, is indeed rare.

Families also need a common purpose. There will always be different personalities, opinions, objections, conflicts, and the list goes on. However, when families understand and strive for a common purpose, they can resolve problems and work together for the greater good of the family.

Leaders should be diligent in directing others toward a common goal. We need to promote the purpose and provide the leadership necessary to reach it. Why? Because, spiritually speaking, we are family.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” We are familiar with the words of the song. We also know the words of our Lord: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Certainly, it is the time of year when our minds are focused on giving and receiving gifts.

What gift is best suited for an individual on our list?

As we consider the nature of this time of year, spiritual leaders need consider the words of Paul: “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.”

Paul was willing to give of himself in every way for the benefit of others. Specifically, he desired their salvation. In a self-serving and self-driven world, it is challenging to find those who desire more the nature of giving than receiving. However, as spiritual leaders, our focus must be on giving ourselves to others so that they might be saved.

I pray our spiritual leadership is of such nature that we look for ways to give of ourselves to help direct people to heaven.