Tag: Paul

Why Lead?

Why do people lead?

Some lead for the power. They simply want authority over others to direct them.

Some lead out of a crisis. When crisis strikes, individuals are often forced into leadership.

Others lead because no one else will. When godly leaders do not rise up, others will, but not always in the right direction.

Still, some lead for the joy of it. They strive to develop godly and Christlike character, and desire to lead others to Christ.

Paul referred to those who led with both wrong motives and the right one. Examine why you lead, and learn to lead for the joy of an eternal outcome.

Godly Confidence

Nothing is more powerful than knowing we have the greatest Ally defending us. Paul asks,“If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Our challenge is living out the reality of this thought. When we hold to this truth it can change the direction of our leadership.

Leaders need to demonstrate confidence: the type of confidence that is not based on one’s own abilities, but a confidence built upon a relationship with God.

Paul understood there was no need to fear anyone or anything. God will defend us and fight for us. This is how we lead with godly confidence.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

If you are like me, this is one of those lessons learned by experience.

While it extends into the field of carpentry and medicine, we find an application fitting for most areas of life, especially leadership.

Leadership credibility increases when decisions are based on additional information gained or counsel received, indicating the time taken to measure twice.

How different would the outcome have been if biblical leaders like Saul, David, Peter, and Paul had taking time to investigate further before making a decision compromising their relationship with God and His people?

Measuring twice makes it possible to ensure accuracy before making decisions with great consequential impact.

Mentoring…part 3

A 2013 documentary, “Inside Chipotle,” highlighted a very important area regarding leadership. Managers in the company are promoted on the basis of how they develop leaders among their employees.

The concept of leaders developing leaders is a highly known principle in most all leadership models.

How amazing would it be for spiritual leaders to consider developing other leaders?

Jesus demonstrated this in developing the apostles for the task of evangelizing the world.

Paul instructs older men to set an example of a godly life and for older women to teach younger women matters of the home.

We influence others everyday. Let us mentor them to lead.

Love

One of the greatest needs in our world and one of the greatest challenges involves love.

As Christians who grow and nurture our relationship with God we can easily lose sight of our past life, a time when we were described as helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies. In this condition, Paul says God demonstrates His love toward us.

Paul did not say demonstrated, as in past tense. The word is present active showing that God demonstrates His love now and it continues with no thought of coming to an end.

To lead others to the love of God, we must demonstrate the nature of God’s love.

Ambitious Leadership

Defining ambition is not difficult. The difficulty arises when we consider where our ambition lies.

Is our ambition driven by financial security, power, or authority?

Would our ambition be characterized by selfish and physical priorities, or a spiritual focus?

Paul identified an ambition that was spiritually and eternally developed, because we make it our ambition to please the Lord.

When our leadership is driven to please the Lord it changes our approach to every area of life, and the church will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is unique, meaning to “send away.” When God forgives, He sends our sin away. As David wrote, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12).

While the arsenal needed to get through this life includes listening to God (study) and speaking with God (prayer), the promise of His strength keeps us focused. This is how we learn contentment, as Paul identified, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).

When leaders learn to practice the difficult task of forgiveness, their ability to influence others increases.

People-Centric

Our world is geared to satisfy self. A quick Google search or a tour through Amazon’s book selection reveals the magnitude of the problem. Book titles such as, Love Yourself, Celebrate Yourself, Self-Esteem: You’re Better Than You Think, and The Art of Learning to Love Yourself highlight the challenge before us.

Leaders must be people-centric, others-centered, if they desire true fulfillment. Even more interesting is the fact that the entire concept is biblical.

Jesus explicitly identifies the first step to discipleship as one of denying self (Lk. 9:23), and Paul caps off the thought with regarding others as more important than self (Phil. 2:3-4).

Someday

Janet Dailey is credited with saying, “Someday is not a day of the week.”

When we consider the urgency of leadership within the church today, one has to wonder if years ago the thought was, “Someday I will lead.”

Apathy and indifference has influenced the church to the point we now have a generation that lacks the desire to lead.

Where is the passion that drives us to excel as Paul instructed? What happened to the desire to improve who we are in order to help others grow?

The time is NOW! We must not delay to meet the urgency of the situation.

A Great Responsibility

When Paul wrote Timothy, he used an interesting word translated entrust. The idea was to take what was entrusted to him and entrust it to others.

At the root of this word is the concept of placing before or into the hand of another. It represents responsibility. Whatever was placed into the hand carried a responsibility of placing into the hand of someone else that it might be perpetuated into the future.

When we apply the concept to leadership, this principle indicates a succession that leaders must consider for the future. How seriously do we take this responsibility?