Tag: Sunset

Developing Others to Lead…

Managers within the Chipotle food chain are promoted on the bases of how they develop leaders among their employees.

Instead of being consumed with the fear of being out-performed, shown-up, or otherwise replaced, imagine the growth of the church where leaders constantly develop others to lead.

Imagine what would happen within the church.

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

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

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

Define, Destroy, or Strengthen…

The reality of bad things happening is inevitable. No one is immune to the negative, discouraging, or bad that occurs, even if it is a matter of perspective.

However, regardless of one’s perspective, the choice of what is done when these events happen is what makes the difference in life.

While we do not know who said it, the following thought is powerful: “When something bad happens you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you.”

When difficulties come, let us always use them to better prepare us to lead.

One Minute…

What is the value of one minute if it means catching or missing a flight?

Would one minute mean more if we knew it meant missing an accident?

When we sit around doing nothing, minutes pass by quickly and we give little thought to them.

If we are anticipating the arrival of friends or loved ones, that minute can feel like an eternity.

Every minute is a gift from God.

The treasure connected to one minute can make a difference of eternal consequence.

For leaders, the value of one minute is worth what we put into it, even if it is the first minute of eternity.

The Moment of Truth…

One of the greatest challenges leaders face involves an uncompromising conviction of truth.

The moment of truth is not measured by what a leader hopes, desires, or thinks.

The moment of truth is measured by what a leader does, the stand they take, and the demonstration of character when it is unpopular with the majority.

A time comes in the life of every person when they must decide how they are going to act or react to the circumstances surrounding them.

Leaders are needed who hold to and lead by the truth delivered by God to the world, a defining moment of true leadership.

Reliance…

Spiritual leaders understand the need to rely upon God. They are reliant upon His guidance, direction, strength, and provisions.

Spiritual leaders are also aware of the fact that followers are also reliant upon them for the same.

Guidance provides advice and instruction in how to live.
Direction shows the way, primarily the way to heaven.
Strength is needed to keep moving toward the right goal.
Provisions are given to continue, even when all else fails.

These four areas are all directly related to our reliance upon God and leading His people. May our role never be taken lightly.

Spiritual Companionship…

“No matter what stage of development, we need spiritual companions – mentors and guides, friends and peers along the journey” (Reese and Loane, Deep Mentoring).

The need for spiritual companionship should be obvious. In Matthew’s gospel, we find a significant word, behold. Matthew wants the reader to pay attention and observe. One observation is in the name Immanuel, God with us, the power of His presence. The true nature of spiritual companionship involves being present.

If God left the glory of heaven to be with us––to be present––then we should recognize that spiritual companionship necessitates our being present and involved in the journey with others.

Photographic Leadership…

Each day we have an opportunity to live on the stage of life. Others witness every move and word. Images are embedded in their minds, just like a photograph. They remember these images and the impact left by them.

We do the same with others. We need to ask, “What would the photograph others take of us look like?”

Think about the words of David Nicholls, “I want to live life in such a way that if a photograph were taken at random, it would be a cool photograph.”

We may only have a moment for others to take that perfect picture that changes their lives forever. What will it look like?

Your Last Day…

What would you do if you knew today was your last day on earth? Spend time with family? Express your love for someone?

Would you give away your possessions to someone less fortunate?

Would you settle a disagreement with an estranged friend?

Would you help someone reach their potential?

From a Christian perspective, the value of one day makes leadership much more vital. Nothing would be more important than making sure others knew about Jesus.

The reality is neither you or I are guaranteed tomorrow. Today may be our last day. Make this day valuable and seek a way to lead someone to Christ.

The Right Motive…

Paul emphasized that slaves are to render obedience to their masters with sincerity, as though they were serving Christ, not by way of eye service, simply to please an earthly master.

We live in a society that thrives on image. We have a great concern for appearance, because of how we think others see us.

Godly leaders seek to please the Lord. To the church at Corinth, Paul expressed that pleasing the Lord should be our ambition.

Our family, people at work, neighbors, and fellow Christians are all watching. When we consider our conduct, is it because we want to please those who watch or is our motive to please God?

Qualified Leaders…

When someone is qualified, they are recognized as someone trained to perform a specific job or task. A level of competency is associated with this recognition.

The Bible speaks about qualities all Christians should strive to achieve. We may not achieve all of them, but we can still lead others.

Leadership is about influence. We strive to influence others for the cause of Christ. As a Christian, our qualification to lead others is built on the blood of Jesus.

The stronger our faith becomes, the more our confidence grows, and the greater our influence. This type of leadership is needed in the kingdom.