Tag: Spiritual

Average

An average is reached when we put a group of numbers or items together and then divide by two.

However, when we examine someone’s ability, what do we mean when we say they are average?

When it comes to spiritual leadership, we need to strive for more than average.

Paul urged the church to “excel still more.” Peter encouraged Christians to “keep their behavior excellent.”

How much more should spiritual leaders exemplify the same?

We are not trying to earn anything. We follow the example of Christ and encourage others to follow. Such leadership points to our Savior.

An Eternal Matter

When we boil it all down, what really matters?

We often make life complicated. We get caught up in trivial pursuits and do not focus of what really matters.

Please do not misunderstand. We must work to provide for our families. We need time for rest and recreation. There are also family responsibilities.

If, however, we believe that spiritual and eternal matters are the priority, then why do we often spend our lives focused on areas that are temporary in nature?

As we end 2025 and begin 2026, a new year, let us lead with our priorities firmly established and influence the major areas of life in ways to make heaven that much sweeter.

A Place for Leadership

Where is your place? Do you have a place?

Does leadership have a place? When we evaluate all the people and activities that fill the places in our lives, where does leadership fit, or does it?

Regarding our influence, we need to consider the following:

Should immoral activities have a place in our life?
Do we allow inappropriate language to have a place?
Will we welcome questionable conduct into its own place?
Is there a place for hypocrisy in our lives?

There is no place for worldly behavior in the life of God’s spiritual leaders. We need to exemplify the place of spiritual leadership.

A Following Leader

If we are going to lead, we must learn to follow. Without an understanding of following the leadership of others, our own leadership is hindered.

Sam Rayburn said it this way, “You cannot be a leader, and ask other people to follow you, unless you know how to follow, too.”

Consider the necessity of following Christ. We are striving to lead others to Him. The success of our efforts are affected by our following Him.

Learning to submit to the authority of Christ and follow Him makes us a great vessel in spiritual leadership.

Payoff

As a leader, a question needs to be answered. What is the real payoff for our leadership?

There are several answers, but here is a thought.

The real payoff comes when the lives of followers change. This is what our leadership is all about. We are trying to change lives, eternally.

When we examine the work of Christ at the cross, the payoff is witnessed in the lives changed around the world.

Spiritual leadership is not about seeking fame, popularity, and wealth. The payoff is summed up in the people who will see heaven because of our leadership.

Perspective

Apart from academic definitions, perspective brings several thoughts to mind when viewed by two different parties.

A Christian perspective views life from a biblical foundation. When we contrast the physical versus spiritual, what God says provides hope in an eternal promise.

However, a worldly perspective tends to view life with uncertainty, fear, and doubt. The world’s philosophy can only paint a picture that is temporal and hopeless.

This is why spiritual leadership is so important.

Regardless of the pleasant or unpleasant possibilities in life, a Christian perspective always leaves us with the courage to face uncertainty with hope!

Picture Perfect

We all love pictures. In times past, we kept pictures in hardcopy photo albums. Now, everything is done electronically – in the cloud. Either way, at times we look at a picture and think, “It’s perfect.”

We seem to know something is just right when we see it.

Does our spiritual leadership look picture perfect?

Perhaps the question we need to ask is how can we know if our leadership is picture perfect?

When we look at our leadership through the lens of scripture, we discover the standard wherein our leadership must be measured.

To be picture perfect, we will need to look deeply and make application.

Summarizing Leadership

To summarize is to use fewer words to encompass the whole of a previous message.

If we were to summarize our leadership in a few words, what would we say? Could we express it in a word or two? A sentence or two? Would our leadership be summarized by…

An “others interested” or “self interested” perspective?

A spiritual or physical focus?

Our past, present, or future?

In reality, the fewer words we use the more challenging it can be to summarize leadership.

It is worth your time to think about how you would summarize your leadership.

Leaders Needed

Leadership is a gift best given, not received. Calvin Coolidge said it best, “No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.”

The Western mindset generally leans more toward what we receive. After all, “What’s in it for me?”

True leadership and honor are connected to giving.

When we give ourselves to the task of leading others, then the spiritual outcome saves souls.

We need leaders. We need spiritual leaders. Will we give ourselves to leading others today?

This is where honor is rewarded.

Immortal Legacy

We live in such a self-centered world. Our efforts and concerns are primarily structured around a “what’s-in-it-for-me” mentality.

This mindset is subtly developed and so difficult to overcome. Albert Pike said, “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

Think about the significance of this thought in relationship to spiritual leadership. We fail miserably and our legacy is meaningless unless we learn from this thought.

All we do should be done for others. This is what truly lasts.