Tag: Kingdom

Leadership at the Bottom-Line

What is the bottom line in our leadership?

Are our goals self-serving, or are we striving to bring about what is best for those who follow?

Is there an agenda behind our actions, or a simplistic, pure love for the betterment of God’s kingdom?

When we study various subjects, are we striving to learn the truth, or find a way to justify our position?

We have to ask hard questions, examine ourselves honestly, admit mistakes, act Christ-like, and pray for God’s strength to do what is right.

This is why it’s called the bottom line!

A Tenacious Leader

A tenacious leader possesses a certain ability to hold on to something tightly with an incredible determination.

Look around. It does not take much to see how tenacity affects all areas of life, from recreation to religion. When we examine our priorities we generally find our tenacity.

How can we become more tenacious?

1) Be passionate and remove the impossibility factor.
2) Know what is worth dying for.
3) Have a clear vision of God.
4) Challenge yourself and others to do something great!

These ideas can create a whole new approach to our leadership and move others to greater heights of fulfillment in the Lord’s kingdom.

Statistics

Statistics often provide value when collected and used correctly.

Once information is collected, statisticians categorize and examine the information to determine statistics that describe a broader section of people within a geographical location, gender, ethnic, social, economic, or religious base.

Before we write off the negative view of statistics, let us consider how these numbers can be a tool to motivate and inspire greater work for the Lord’s kingdom.

We can learn valuable information that assists in the development of our influence as leaders. Statistics help us learn more about the people we want to influence.

Leading by Priority

Kingdom priority relates to the church Jesus built.

How much priority do we place upon God’s kingdom? When we look at our brothers and sisters in Christ, what priority do they see in that relationship?

When a need exists among our family, do we place an urgency upon that need?

With all the negativity surrounding the church today, where do we rank our response to kingdom priority?

As we read about unity, forgiveness, and demonstrating compassion, how are our priorities seen?

The way we treat people establishes how our priorities are seen and it demonstrates the reach of our influence as leaders.

Leading with Influence

We all have influence. John Maxwell claims we influence a minimum of four people everyday. Knowing this moves us to think about how we can influence others for the cause of Christ.

Our influence is either good or bad, for or against the Lord. If we knew that our words and actions would make the difference in someone’s eternity, would we think more first?

Proper influence is based on preparation. We must prepare our minds and discipline our lives to be the kind of influence that leads others to an eternal goal.

We need to focus on providing influence that changes lives for the Kingdom.

An Expanding Leader

Expansion is the action of becoming larger or more extensive. Unless we are able to think bigger, plan larger, trust more, and implement options to achieve expansion, we will not grow beyond the shadow of our own leadership.

The challenge for leaders today is to eliminate the “status quo” and move forward to greater heights.

Expansion, whether we like it or not, is a part of God’s plan and we are privileged to participate in that plan.

Let us set our eyes on a greater horizon, a more global mindset, and implement plans to expand the borders of the Lord’s kingdom.

Alienation

When someone is isolated from a group they belong to, we tend to identify it as alienation.

Leaders have an opportunity to influence others for the Lord, for the betterment of life, and growth in the kingdom.

When we are driven to prove a point or advance our agenda, we can alienate those we try to influence, and we lose credibility.

When we lose our credibility and influence, two things happen: 1) a wall of defense is erected, and 2) we drive the other person deeper into their convictions.

The cause of Christ is too great to alienate someone from the greater good.

Learning From Failure

Is it possible for failure to provide benefit or value when developing leaders?

Winston Churchill is credited with saying “success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

No one wants to fail, yet it is necessary to help grow our leadership in ways that benefit the good of God’s kingdom.

While no one desires failure, or looks for it in order to benefit, knowing that failure can and will occur helps prepare us with an expectation that when it happens we can approach it from a posture of learning its value.

Phases of Leadership

The planning phase is where we dream, research, and organize everything involved in reaching specific goals.

The activation phase is where we implement the activities needed to accomplish those goals.

The evaluation phase is where we examine what has been accomplished to ensure we are on target.

The completion phase is where we reach the end of the project, the goals have been completed, and the rewards enjoyed.

These four phases have application for nearly every area of life, including our relationship with God and leadership in His kingdom.

A Snapshot of Leadership…

A snapshot in time displays a visual image of more than we can often express in words.

A compliment to any Christian is found in the reflection of Jesus, as represented in our words and actions.

Paul wrote it this way, “Be an imitator of me as I am of Christ” (1 Co. 11:1).

When leaders focus on demonstrating a Christ-like image, the greatness of God’s kingdom is exemplified and the common good of humanity is met.

A few minutes each day prepares a lasting image that is a picture worth keeping.