Tag: Preparation

Prepare Future Leaders

Too many congregations struggle with poorly equipped and, at times, unqualified leaders, or no leadership at all. Most leaders have no idea who will fill this needed role in the days ahead.

Each congregation needs a plan for training, equipping, and developing leaders to prepare for the spiritual warfare facing the church.

God’s people need to recognize the challenges before us and the current leadership must rise up to prepare leaders for tomorrow.

We currently suffer the consequences of past generations that failed to plan. We need a vision related to who we can be as the Lord’s kingdom in the next generation. This will impact our children!

Practice Makes Perfect

Regardless of the application, the idea is to do something over and over again, until perfect.

Olympic athletes are trained from a young age. Drills, routines, and exercises are perfected through hours of practice every day. Their life is dedicated to one purpose: perform perfectly without yielding to pressure.

Doing, action, application, and preparation are all terms associated with practice. This is no longer about theory, but method. Details are worked out for implementation.

Developing the ability to lead is a work in progress.

We need to be focused, dedicated, diligent, and steadfast to the one purpose we are called to do, and lead others in that cause.

Preparing More to Lead

The need for leadership continues to be urgent.

While we understand the primary role of elders to involve the work of a shepherd, we also find that part of this role points to the responsibility of maintaining purity in teaching.

However, the lack of leadership development in years past has created a vacuum where the majority of congregations do not have elders and congregations with elders have too few to deal with the challenges.

Most locations recognize the problem, but what should be done? The answer lies in our return to God’s design, which means we need to initiate a plan for encouraging, promoting, and preparing more to lead.

Preparation

Preparation is essential in every area of life. The lack of preparation often results in consequences that damage our influence and leadership.

God designed leadership to be self-sacrificing, one of self-denial where others are more important than self.

Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi is a quick read, but one filled with depth about the type of influence leaders were intended to have through an “others-centric” style of leading.

The right mind (humility), the right example (Christ), the right design (interest of others), and the right motive (abounding love and grace).

With this combination, leaders prepare themselves to lead with significance. The result makes an eternal difference.

Humble Leaders

Life constantly changes.

Preparing our minds for all the possible changes in life is significant.

If you knew the one secret to prepare for those changes, would you seek it, take it, and apply it in your life? Of course. We all would.

Humility is the one secret to make this preparation.

Developing humility is a lifelong endeavor to achieve.

Humility recognizes our need for God.

Humility works each day at putting the needs of others above our own.

When the changes of life come along, humility enables us to approach change with the wisdom to deal with it appropriately.

Preparing for Leadership

Expect the best, but prepare for the worst.

Every leader needs to possess and portray a level of expectation as well as preparation.

Sadly, the opposite mindset often exists. Leaders expect the worst, while preparing for the best.

Leaders must always expect the best because the result instills hope in all who follow. Therefore, the key element is preparation. Consider a few questions:

1) Who will be affected if the worst happens?
2) What actions need to be taken to prevent the worst case scenario?
3) How will we respond to our leadership role if the worst case occurs?

Preparation minimizes the opportunity for the worst.

A Leader’s Response

How will leaders in our world respond to the tragedy in Ukraine?

How will leaders in the Lord’s church respond? Tragedy tends to bring opportunity, opportunity most often met with physical provisions. Will we be satisfied to send money, food, water, and clothing?

These are needed, but this tragedy should remind us of the opportunity to help people prepare for something the future holds.

Many lives have been lost and more injured.

Spiritually, the opportunity is ours. Jesus warned us of a great day coming. All will stand before Him. Are we prepared? Are we preparing others?

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.

The Finish Line

The idea of focusing on the finish line at the beginning of a race does not seem realistic.

Yet, the finish line is what we must have in mind. Without knowing where the finish line is and keeping it in full view, the following occurs:

1) The motivation to start and endure is eliminated.
2) Preparation suffers because there is no purpose.
3) Without a finish line, we have no direction.

Leaders have the incredible task of helping others see the finish line. When this is accomplished, people are motivated, they prepare, and they have direction.

Missional Leaders

Being prepared is foundational to influence. When challenged or questioned, we must be ready.

Peter reminds Christians to always be ready (1 Pe. 3:15). Ask yourself, “Am I ready?

Preparation is connected to a few key principles.

1. Understand the urgency of the situation. Preparation can make the difference.
2. Recognize that answers are found in the Bible. God provided a tool to prepare us. Know it!
3. Ask others for assistance. The wisdom of others can improve who we are and what we do.

Are you ready? A few simple steps will help you get there.