Tag: Follow

Whatever It Takes

Is leadership worth it? Are we not better off to let someone else lead? Why not focus on ourselves and our family? Would life not be easier?

Think about how it affects us on a personal level.

Will the long-term results be worth the decision?

If we relinquish the opportunity to lead, will we be content for our children to follow someone or something else?

If brethren decide to follow the path of error, will we accept the consequences for our choice not to lead?

When we weigh it all out, we will probably find that leadership is worth whatever it takes!

Duality of Purpose

The concept of leadership involves two key components: 1) We follow someone else, and 2) We carry a responsibility to influence those who follow.

Without understanding what it means to follow someone else, we lack the humility needed to influence those who follow.

True success is not determined by the number of people who follow us, but by the one we choose to follow.

There are leaders who led masses to destruction because they followed a self-glorifying purpose.

Of course, there are those who led a few, but led them to victory because they followed God.

Knowing the duality of our purpose aids the direction of our choice.

Leaders are Followers

If someone plans to serve as a leader, they must first be a good follower.

If we are unable to follow, then how can we measure the success of our leadership?

Jesus called people to follow Him before He sent them into the world to lead others to Him.

When someone decides they know a “better” way than to follow the plan of our Lord, problems are on the horizon.

The better we follow the example He has provided for our leadership, the greater our success will be in the kingdom. Take the time to listen, learn and lead.

Josiah

What was it about Josiah that made his leadership stand out?

Josiah did right in the sight of the Lord. Josiah brought powerful application to his leadership. Throughout his lifetime he did not turn from following God.

Josiah walked in the ways of his father David.
In contrast to the leaders of Israel, he followed David’s desire to be obedient to God, not turning to the right or left.

Josiah began to seek God. Josiah was active in learning and following God. When the book of the Law was found and read, his reaction was one of humility and inquiry.

A simple formula with life long application and amazing results.

Noah

Noah never led a large group of people: just his wife, three sons, and their spouses. Take a closer look at his leadership.

Character: “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” Very few in scripture matched his character.

Ability to follow:
Noah did all the Lord commanded. Noah followed God. Before anyone can lead they must learn to follow.

Fortitude: He was a preacher of righteousness. His tenure was approximately 120 years. No one was converted, but he never swayed from the course.

These three qualities identify a great biblical leader. The same is true today.

Leading Children

Life changes with each heartbeat. When raising children, these changes in life raise questions.

What will happen? How will we raise them? There are times we ask, “Why did this happen?”

These are questions we tend to ask when facing moments of uncertainty. Our faith is challenged.

Leadership begins here, in the home. The foundation of a mother and father who are dedicated to make sure their children are loved and raised to trust, honor, know, and follow God.

We pray from the moment we learn of a child’s conception. When they enter this world, we pray for the wisdom to lead them all along the way.

The Right Leader…

Solomon was certainly right when he said, “The writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (Ec. 12:12).

God’s word reveals information sufficient for what is right and the right leader to follow.

No greater leadership qualities are identified than those in God’s word.

No greater example can be found than the example left by Jesus.

The best way to honor and glorify God is by leading with our eyes focused on Jesus and our hearts devoted to following His word.

When followers have this example in spiritual leaders, they will follow the right leader.

What’s Missing in Leadership?

Mike Maddock, a writer for Forbes online, claims, “Great leaders are open to the fact (and it is a fact) that they are missing something.”

What is missing can range from the most simple of ideas to the most complex of leadership teams.

Let’s start with humility, the kind of humility great leaders need in their leadership.

When humility is part of the equation of leadership, along with an openness to the possibilities, then people follow.

A sense of creativity, innovation, and motivation will provide a stronger morale in achieving short and long-term goals.

We cannot underestimate the power of humility in leadership.

Following the Right Leader…

When we question our leadership, consideration should be given to the followers. Have we really considered where others end up when they follow our leadership?

The choices are limited.

1) Closer to or further away from God…
2) More spiritually or more worldly focused…
3) Stronger or weaker in faith…
4) Growing or declining in knowledge of God’s word…

There may be more possibilities, but the point is the same. Our leadership should be important enough to consider the destination reached by following our leadership.

Blaze a trail that when others follow they end up following the right leader.

Popular Leadership…

God told Israel, “You shall not follow the masses in doing evil” (Exodus 23:2). He understood the problems associated with following the majority.

We’ve all heard this thought, “What is popular may not always be what is right, and what is right may not always be what is popular.”

Simply because the majority is involved in something, does not mean the minority should follow.

Christians will always be in the minority. While spiritual leadership among the minority will face its challenges, it is necessary.

As the church, we have a responsibility to stand up for what is right, even though it may not be popular.