Tag: SALT

Wisdom and Courage

Wisdom and courage are both critical to the development of leaders.

Mark Amend increased our understanding when he said, “Wisdom is learning to let go when you want to hang on. Courage is learning to hang on when you want to let go.”

How many projects have we held on to that were destructive, when wisdom said we should have let go long before?

How many times have we let go when the courage to hang on one more day or week would have delivered success?

We need to develop a posture of learning. Wisdom and courage provide great benefit when we learn from them.

Lead Like Jesus

Jesus taught, encouraged, admonished, and equipped twelve men in preparation for the work He commissioned them to fulfill.

Teach: Teaching often falls short when it comes to application. Information is good, but how to use that information is better.

Encourage: The power behind encouragement motivates people to work harder than before. When criticism is tempered with encouragement, people change.

Admonish: Warning, advising, or even reprimanding others is needed to prevent harm. The attitude behind admonition determines the reception.

Equip: Providing the necessary tools to fulfill a given task and responsibility leads to the success of followers, especially as they are prepared to lead.

Suffering Leaders

At the hands of Rome, Jesus would encounter suffering beyond imagination, as He was beaten, ridiculed, mocked with a crown of thorns, spit upon, scourged, and nailed to a cross.

Suffering is not often seen as greatness, but rather a stumbling block and foolishness. However, to those who are saved, it is the power of God.

The purpose of His suffering makes this an act of great leadership.

As leaders today, the higher we go in leadership the greater the sacrifice we must make. What leaders willingly suffer becomes a mark of great leadership today also.

Preparation

The disciples constantly questioned Jesus about matters of the kingdom.

Jesus answered their inquisitions, but He directed their attention to deeper, more spiritual matters.

One example involved the concern of the disciples over the destruction of the temple, the sign of His coming, and the end of the age.

While Jesus addressed their concerns with signs prior to this event, He took them further into the details surrounding the event surrounding the judgment day.

Something greater than the destruction of the temple was coming and He taught them to prepare themselves and others for that day.

Our leadership is the same, preparing others for that day.

Compassion

One of the qualities Jesus demonstrated, instrumental in drawing others to Him, was compassion.

Several times throughout the gospels, the compassion of Jesus is identified. He was compassionate to those who were in need both physically and spiritually.

His compassion was more than a feeling of sympathy aroused by the distress of others. It moved Him to act in ways that met the need.

Leaders who follow the example of Jesus, realize the value of a compassionate approach. An awareness of the pressing needs in the lives of others is an important component, but compassionate leaders seek ways to get involved to help meet the need.

ALD

The formation of an approach to adult leadership development (ALD) is essential for the future.

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

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

We should all be aware of the consequences of failing to plan for ALD. What we need is a vision for leadership development in the Lord’s kingdom that will be experienced in the next generation. This will impact our children!

A Leadership Sequel

A prequel refers to the stories or events preceding an existing work.

The sequel involves what shows up as part two. It is about what happens next.

The ideas associated with both are fascinating and raise several thoughts about leadership.

Prior to assuming responsibilities in our present work, what events in our past have shaped who we are now?

The question we may need to consider is: What are we expecting to happen next? Have we determined the appropriate sequel to where we are now?

Wisdom is built upon remembering the past to understand the present, but vision is cast to prepare for the sequel in our leadership.

Strategy

Strategy is a plan of action to achieve a desired aim or goal.

While character is the core and must hold higher value than strategy, at the same time, strategy is needed.

Without strategy, who is going to do what, for whom, and when? Without strategy, there are no plans to reach a goal, regardless of the goal set before us.

We would be hard pressed to find an area of life where strategy is not involved at some level, especially in leadership.

Leaders need to establish goals AND a strategy for how to reach those goals, leading with the future in mind.

The Future of Leadership

What are we doing to address the present condition of leadership? What are we doing about the future of leadership? What are we doing to develop biblical leaders?

Challenges face every move to improve the situation. Efforts to make a difference are viewed with skepticism.

Enthusiasm to learn and implement something new or different is sequestered off in the halls of youth and familiarity.

What are we doing to change eternity if the only thing we do is exactly what we have done for the past 50, 75, or 100 years?

At some point, we need to recognize where we are, where we are going, and what we must do to get there.

Adversity

Few people like adversity. Actually, no one enjoys it. However, adversity challenges us to reflect on who we are, why we are here, and how we will endure.

Walt Disney once said, “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

Reflection can lead to doubt and negativity, but it can also remind us of how God is working to strengthen and shape us.

Leaders who understand this are better equipped to help others when they face adversity.