Tag: Religious

Culture

Culture was originally connected to cultivating, or gardening.

Among many technical definitions, basically, culture is the way things are done around here.

Our world is a multi-cultural place, even sporting cultures within cultures: work cultures, educational cultures, religious cultures, age and gender specific cultures, etc.

Leaders can work to understand the culture, but changing the culture is far from easy, if not impossible. The idea has been presented that leaders must create new cultures to draw people into a new way of thinking, believing, or behaving.

Jesus followed this approach to a first century culture, leaving us to consider how we will lead in a twenty-first century culture.

Leading Like Jesus

Jesus was not one to focus His time on the rich, popular, political or religious leaders of the people.

Jesus spent time with the outcast, unwanted, and unlikely of society.

He did not participate in or condone their activities. He worked to influence them and show a better way. He gave them hope.

We must consider who we focus our time on, if we seek to be like Him. This does not mean we shun or avoid the wealthy. We may not always be comfortable with the outcast, unwanted, or unlikely, but history and experience indicate they are the most receptive.

Vision and Leadership…

A majority of leaders in the political, educational, corporate and religious arenas quickly admit that vision is essential to leadership.

In construction, leaders demonstrate an ability to see the finished product in their mind. Only when they see it will they follow the blueprint accurately.

Spiritual leaders must do the same. To help Christians reach the goals before them, leaders must first see it in their mind.

Casting this kind of vision helps them stay focused and energized for the journey.

Mistakes are easily made when there is no vision. Solomon wrote, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained” (Pro. 29:18).