Tag: Sunset

A Model of Leadership…

A model provides an example to follow or emulate. Spiritual leaders must model several areas for others.

Model a Christian life. We are not perfect, but we can portray an example of those who work with our imperfections and improve how we approach life.

Model leadership. Not only should we love to lead, but we should live for it. We need to dig deeper and speak often about helping others learn to lead.

Model grace. The one word others need to hear from us is grace. We must believe in, live by, and trust completely in God’s grace. Hold on to God’s promise. 

May we always live the model of Christ before others.

Believing in Others…

Everyone needs someone to believe in them, especially a father. Jim Valvano once said, “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”

I am thankful my father believed in me and my ability to do ministry. In some ways, he spent his life preparing me for this work.

While I am thankful for the foundation he laid, knowing he had confidence in me to accomplish the work was encouraging. 

No one achieves anything of value alone. We need others to believe in us and express confidence in our abilities. 

Great leaders see it and know how to build that confidence in others.

Faith and Leadership…

Great faith is always amazing. Leaders need great faith. They need faith that is so big the only answer is God.

I’ve met a few leaders like this over the years. Recently, I was blessed to meet an elder that shared a moving story about how God showed up in incredible ways to provide a Christian Camp. 

The most impressive aspect of his character was his humility. While others expressed thanks for his role, he never accepted it. He knew only God made it happen. Over and over he said, “It was God’s dream. It was God’s work.” 

When leaders possess the kind of humility to acknowledge the power of God at work in this way, we are privileged to see great faith in action.

What if…

In a recent interview with Brandon Edwards, we discussed concepts about vision. 

Brandon shared a powerful thought about how to dream. Often times, people hear a big idea and tend to say, “Yes, but…” What follows is usually a reason why it cannot be done.

However, imagine what happens when we have an opportunity to dream and begin with, “What if…”

“What if” implies something big. When we think of a future so big that it can only be accomplished with God’s help, we are laying the foundation for the right kind of vision.

We need leaders who know how to say, “What if…”

A Legacy to Remember…

My father’s legacy consisted of the following.

For 30+ years he read the New Testament every month and the Old Testament twice each year.

He preached the gospel for over 50 years.

He was married to the same wonderful woman for 60 years, father to 4 children, grandfather to 9 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

He developed a series of lessons to share the gospel in a simplistic way with others.

He lived in and by God’s Word. He knew THE book!

He died with his Bible opened to the passage he was studying for his next sermon. Take a moment to read Philippians 2:16. 

He led untold numbers of people to know Jesus.

These are a few ways his legacy leaves an incredible example to follow.

A Tribute to a Great Leader…

Tributes to great leaders are numerous. From those who are famous to those who are personal, great leaders exist everywhere. 

My father demonstrated great leadership by the kind of friendship he demonstrated. All his friendships involved pointing people to heaven.

Nothing was more important to him. He was one of the best personal workers I have ever known. His approach and style to studying the gospel with others was one of kindness. He was gentle and patient, and his ability to lead others to an understanding of God’s word was unmatched.

May we all learn from his leadership and point others to heaven.

Measuring our Leadership…

One thing about leadership, everyone is watching. Children, spouses, coworkers, neighbors, friends, and the world. They are all watching. 

Andrew Carnegie once said, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

People listen to what we say, but they watch what we do and measure. How does our leadership measure up? 

God measured the leaders of His people to show them how they did not measure up to the standard He had given them. 

If God were measuring our leadership, how would we measure up?

While others are watching, God also watches. Will we measure up?

Consistent Leadership…

We’ve all heard, “If you don’t like the weather, stick around. It will change in five minutes.” 

Inconsistency appears to be consistent when considering the weather. What about our leadership?

Do people see us one minute in perfect form and the next cold and stormy, leaving everyone wondering what they should do or say?

Often times, uncertainty exists among followers because inconsistency reigns among their leaders.

Leadership involves a process by which we learn to demonstrate the consistent qualities of godliness so followers know exactly what to expect.

When we do, the strength of our leadership will shape the lives of others with the same standard.

Leadership Attitude…

What if everyday were like a holiday?

While we will not explore all this means or could mean, we need to consider the attitude behind it.

Life is about our approach. If we make up our mind to approach life with a negative attitude, then all we see is negativity.

However, if we choose to approach life with the “everyday’s a holiday” attitude, then what we see is positivity.

The biblical concept of being blessed is a mindset that cannot be affected by outside circumstances. If we look closely, we will also find that being blessed is a choice. Maybe everyday can be a holiday.

Goal-Setting Leaders…

Goals are one of the most needed areas of leadership, yet one of the most overlooked and misunderstood.

Our approach to goal-setting is often an exercise in wishful thinking and generalities.

Goals must be specific in nature. What are we seeking to achieve, exactly?
Goals must be measurable. What gets measured gets done.
Goals must be achievable. In other words, they are something we can accomplish.
Goals must be relevant. They must mean something and have value to us.
Goals must be time-bound. Without a time factor, it is just a wish.

As leaders, we need goals on a personal and congregational level, long and short-term. Success comes to those who set SMART goals.