Tag: Heaven

Knowing The Way

Several years back, I was introduced to the weather rock. It worked quite simply.

If the rock is wet, it is raining.
If the rock is white, it is snowing.
If the rock casts a shadow, it is sunny.
You get the point.

It could not forecast the future, but was great for the obvious.

Jesus told the Pharisees and Sadducees they were able to state the obvious regarding the signs of the weather, but were blind to the signs from heaven.

Leaders need an eye for the obvious, but they also need a vision for the future. They must know the way and point people to it!

A Contrast in Leadership

Throughout the Bible we find numerous contrasts made by various people.

Jesus talked about the contrast of light and darkness, building on sand or the rock, dividing the saved from the lost.

James talked about the rich and poor, wisdom from above with earthly, natural, and demonic wisdom.

Paul also contrasted the flesh and spirit, the strong from the weak, along with life and death.

These are only a few of the contrasts seen throughout the New Testament.

Our leadership needs to be strikingly different from everything else. When the Word is our foundation, Jesus our Lord, God our Father, and heaven our focus, then our leadership will be strikingly different.

The Heart and Mind of Leadership…

Continuing education is beneficial for personal growth and development. The drive behind the educational process is to dig a little deeper into the storehouse of knowledge to gain a better understanding of the wisdom others have gained.

The challenge is learning how to balance knowledge with application.

The thought of application should move us to dig deeper in order to understand the implications of what we have learned.

The information we gain will increase our ability to lead and help others reach our heavenly home.

The heart of leadership must be connected to the mind of leadership.

Spiritual Companionship…

“No matter what stage of development, we need spiritual companions – mentors and guides, friends and peers along the journey” (Reese and Loane, Deep Mentoring).

The need for spiritual companionship should be obvious. In Matthew’s gospel, we find a significant word, behold. Matthew wants the reader to pay attention and observe. One observation is in the name Immanuel, God with us, the power of His presence. The true nature of spiritual companionship involves being present.

If God left the glory of heaven to be with us––to be present––then we should recognize that spiritual companionship necessitates our being present and involved in the journey with others.

A Spiritual Guide…

Where do followers go when they meet with difficult challenges?

Where would leaders have them go when needs outweigh the balances of monetary ability?

Spiritual leaders will always face questions from those who follow. 

Jesus once asked the apostles if they were going to walk away, to which Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).

When followers turn to leaders, will they receive words of eternal life? Will they learn how to get through life and gain eternity?

Where else can they go if not to spiritual leaders who desire to guide them to know God and a home in heaven?

A Choice of Leadership…

Colin Powell once said, “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”

When leaders make choices for others, it can lead to resentment. An increase in certain expectations develops when leaders make decisions for others. Making choices for others also leads to an unhealthy dependency.

Leading is about relationships and leading others involves helping them make the right choices, not making choices for them.

Leadership has the potential of influencing others for a greater purpose. Let us always lead with the desire to help others see and make the choice of heaven.

A Tribute to a Great Leader…

Tributes to great leaders are numerous. From those who are famous to those who are personal, great leaders exist everywhere. 

My father demonstrated great leadership by the kind of friendship he demonstrated. All his friendships involved pointing people to heaven.

Nothing was more important to him. He was one of the best personal workers I have ever known. His approach and style to studying the gospel with others was one of kindness. He was gentle and patient, and his ability to lead others to an understanding of God’s word was unmatched.

May we all learn from his leadership and point others to heaven.

How Leaders Communicate…

Communication is critical to successful leadership. Lady Dorthy Nevill says, “The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

A couple of thoughts can help.

Always consider who is listening. This includes the person to whom we are speaking and others who may be in ear shot.

Think before speaking. A minute of good thought can prevent saying the wrong thing, even though we are tempted to appease our own desire.

Remember the greater cause. Our goal is to help others get to heaven. This thought should help us speak more beneficially.

If… Part 3

Even though the English often reads if, a first class conditional sentence structure in the Greek language demands greater certainty, since.

Transferring this into areas of leadership carries an interesting thought.

Since we influence a minimum of four people a day, we should study greater levels of leadership and the opportunity to make a greater difference.

Since we work to help souls get to heaven, we should prepare ourselves with a greater understanding of God’s word.

A number of areas could be considered, but the idea is the same. Let us lead with the certainty needed to make the future of the church stronger.

Successful Leading…

Success is linked to a vision, goals, and plans. 

A daily “to-do” list provides great value as we check off each item accomplished, and leaders understand that success is built upon daily achievement over an extended period.

What is the point? 

The only way we can enjoy true success is when we know where we are going and what we must do to get there.

Talking about a checklist for life and leadership has little meaning if we are not aware of both. We must determine where we want to go and develop a plan/checklist to help us get there.

If we desire to help people reach heaven, then think about how we will lead them there.