I am always frustrated when I hear people joke about the ministry as a being a job for soft headed slackers. This perception may have been caused by the thrusting of ill-prepared people into the ministry who possessed a nice heart and little else. I believe that Christian leadership is the highest calling and therefore deserves the highest calibre of people available!
History tells us that the Egyptians held the role of priest in such high regard that a person for this role could only be chosen from the most learned of their philosophers. Further to this, when the nation chose their kings they would select from the priests. They recognised that the best of the best should be given to the work of God!
I love the fact that Kings is filled with some of the most outstanding young people in our community. As Christians, let's be of such quality that should our government want leaders they could do no better than look to the church.
Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
October 15, 2008
October 14, 2008
Self Watch
1 Timothy 4:16 writes: "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."
On this verse Spurgeon commentates:
"We are, in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order. If I want to preach the gospel, I can only use my own voice; therefore I must train my vocal powers. I can only think with my own brains, and feel with my own heart, and therefore I must educate my intellectual and emotional faculties. I can only weep and agonise for souls in my own renewed nature, therefore must I watchfully maintain the tenderness which was in Christ Jesus.
It will be in vain for me to stock my library, or organise societies, or project schemes, if I neglect the culture of myself; for books, and agencies, and systems, are only remotely the instruments of my holy calling; my own spirit, soul, and body, are my nearest machinery for sacred service..."
On this verse Spurgeon commentates:
"We are, in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order. If I want to preach the gospel, I can only use my own voice; therefore I must train my vocal powers. I can only think with my own brains, and feel with my own heart, and therefore I must educate my intellectual and emotional faculties. I can only weep and agonise for souls in my own renewed nature, therefore must I watchfully maintain the tenderness which was in Christ Jesus.
It will be in vain for me to stock my library, or organise societies, or project schemes, if I neglect the culture of myself; for books, and agencies, and systems, are only remotely the instruments of my holy calling; my own spirit, soul, and body, are my nearest machinery for sacred service..."
September 21, 2008
The Worst Type of Luxury
I love this thought taken from Steve Penny's Leadership for Life lecture on Thursday night at Kings Training College.
"Successful leaders do not allow themselves the luxury of defeat."
"Successful leaders do not allow themselves the luxury of defeat."
September 13, 2008
Activating Drive & Desire
I'm currently reading 'Developing the Leaders Around You' by John Maxwell.
Here's a great excerpt on activating the drive and desire in team members:
Great leaders know the desires of the people they lead. As much as potential leaders respect the knowledge and ability of their leaders, these are secondary matters to them. They don't care how much their leaders know until they how how much their leaders care...about their needs, their dreams, their desires.
Once a leader is genuinely interested in the well-being of those around him, the determination and drive of the people in that group are activated in a remarkable way. The starting point of all achievement is drive, determination, and desire.
Napoleon Bonaparte is known as one of history's greatest leaders. One of his leadership secrets was knowing the needs of his men. He first determined what his men wanted most. Then he did everything possible to help them get it. He knew this was a key to successful motivation. Most leaders do the opposite. They first decide what they want. Then they try to persuade others to want the same thing as much as they do.
Here's a great excerpt on activating the drive and desire in team members:
Great leaders know the desires of the people they lead. As much as potential leaders respect the knowledge and ability of their leaders, these are secondary matters to them. They don't care how much their leaders know until they how how much their leaders care...about their needs, their dreams, their desires.
Once a leader is genuinely interested in the well-being of those around him, the determination and drive of the people in that group are activated in a remarkable way. The starting point of all achievement is drive, determination, and desire.
Napoleon Bonaparte is known as one of history's greatest leaders. One of his leadership secrets was knowing the needs of his men. He first determined what his men wanted most. Then he did everything possible to help them get it. He knew this was a key to successful motivation. Most leaders do the opposite. They first decide what they want. Then they try to persuade others to want the same thing as much as they do.
September 11, 2008
Leaders & Teamwork
American college football coach Bear Bryant is legendary in his sport for his incredible winning record as a coach.
I like his view of leadership and teamwork:
'If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes real good, they did it.'
It's little wonder why he won people and games.
I like his view of leadership and teamwork:
'If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes real good, they did it.'
It's little wonder why he won people and games.
June 23, 2008
10 Questions Leaders Ask
Pastor Rick Roberts of Gympie Christian Church spoke at Kings Training College last Friday. He passed on to me 10 questions that leaders ask themselves, helping to take stock of their progress.
1. Am I investing in myself?
- This is a personal growth question
2. Am I genuinely interested in others?
- This is a motive question
- Mature leaders motivate by moving people for mutual benefit
3. Am I doing what I love doing and loving what I do?
- This is a passion question
- If I go to work only to fulfill processes and functions, I am effectively retired
- Passion gives you the energy advantage over others
4. Am I investing my time with the right people?
- This is a relationship question
5. Am I staying in my strength zone?
- This is an effectiveness question
- I don't have to be a jack of all trades
- Delegation frees me to focus on what only I can offer to the organisation
- The church needs more genius and less average
6. Am I taking others to a higher level?
- This is a mission question
- Longterm influence is determined by the seeds I sow
- My mission is to add value to leaders who will multiply value to others
7. Am I taking care of today?
- This is a success question
- Success is determined by my daily agenda
- Are my habits utilizing my time or frittering it away
8. Am I taking time to think?
- This is a leadership question
- A minute of thought is greater than an hour of talk
- Taking time to think allows me to live life purposefully
- I author my life by clearing my schedule for thinking
9. Am I developing leaders?
- This is a legacy question
- Am I striving to create successors who go beyond myself
10. Am I pleasing God?
- This is an eternity question
- Is my conscience clean before God and man?
1. Am I investing in myself?
- This is a personal growth question
2. Am I genuinely interested in others?
- This is a motive question
- Mature leaders motivate by moving people for mutual benefit
3. Am I doing what I love doing and loving what I do?
- This is a passion question
- If I go to work only to fulfill processes and functions, I am effectively retired
- Passion gives you the energy advantage over others
4. Am I investing my time with the right people?
- This is a relationship question
5. Am I staying in my strength zone?
- This is an effectiveness question
- I don't have to be a jack of all trades
- Delegation frees me to focus on what only I can offer to the organisation
- The church needs more genius and less average
6. Am I taking others to a higher level?
- This is a mission question
- Longterm influence is determined by the seeds I sow
- My mission is to add value to leaders who will multiply value to others
7. Am I taking care of today?
- This is a success question
- Success is determined by my daily agenda
- Are my habits utilizing my time or frittering it away
8. Am I taking time to think?
- This is a leadership question
- A minute of thought is greater than an hour of talk
- Taking time to think allows me to live life purposefully
- I author my life by clearing my schedule for thinking
9. Am I developing leaders?
- This is a legacy question
- Am I striving to create successors who go beyond myself
10. Am I pleasing God?
- This is an eternity question
- Is my conscience clean before God and man?
June 16, 2008
Example and Leadership
I was reading 1 Timothy 4 this morning and reminded of the imperative of leading by example. Paul is writing to Timothy, his disciple and now young pastor in the city of Ephesus, about personal conduct and leadership in his life and ministry. In chapter 4:12, Paul writes, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers..."
Paul's advice to Timothy is that a life of example will silence any critics who believe that he is too young for the responsibility of leadership. Leadership credibility is earned through example, not received with a title.
Why is example so important in leadership?
1. Example is more readily followed than instructions
The most helpful instruction manuals contain more than just points and principles, they contain pictures. In my experience it is the pictures that I look to first and that are most helpful to me (maybe it's a guy thing). The same is true in leadership. People follow the example of other people more readily than they follow a set of principles or teachings.
Robert Grosseteste, bishop of Lincoln, England, from 1235-1253 once wrote, “The life of the pastor is the book of the laity.” Leaders are readers and leaders are read.
34th President of the USA, Dwight D. Eisenhower said it this way: "Pull the string, and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all."
2. Example joins people to the leader
Paul writes in Philippians 3:17, 'Brethren, join in following my example...' It's interesting that Paul doesn't simply say 'follow my example', but instead includes the word 'join'.
The leaders who (by his words or lifestyle) says 'Do as I say, not as I do' creates a great divide between himself and his followers, creating a 'them and us' scenario. The leader who says 'join in following my example' creates an 'us' environment.
Command based leadership alienates people from their leader. Example based leadership inspires people toward their leader. It is interesting that when Jesus wanted some fishermen to be joined to Himself, He did not say 'Obey my teaching', but instead declared 'Follow me'. The disciples joined themselves to the person of Jesus before they did the principles of Jesus.
Command based leaders sit above their followers and give directions. Example based leaders walk amongst their followers and give inspiration. People obediently follow those who direct them; people willingly follow those who inspire them.
3. Example creates a pattern to follow
In Titus 2:7 Paul writes, '...in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works...' Forgive me for returning to Primary School arts and craft time, but the most simple feature of a pattern is its element of predictability. Patterns allow people to predict a future action by reason of past habits.
The beauty of example in leadership is that it affords followers the confidence to guess how their leader would act in a given situation. Therefore, when their leader is not around the follower can confidently answer the question 'what would my leader do in this situation?' and act accordingly. This comfort is reserved for the followers of predictable, exemplary leaders.
This does not remove from leaders the responsibility to be creative, rather it reinforces the leaders responsibility to be consistent. Creativity and consistency in leadership are not at odds with each other, but instead are indispensable to each other.
4. Example recognizes an entrustment
1 Peter 5:23 says, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, nor for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being masters over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock..."
Leaders who view their followers simply as 'employees' or 'resources', care little about the example that their leadership provides. Why? Because this type of leader is not concerned with building people, but is only concerned with building their own empire.
On the other hand, when the Christian leader knows that their followers are an entrustment from God they live in such a way that provides a positive example, which followers can emulate to bring good success to their own lives.
In committing to build people, leaders of example attract people to themselves who willingly fulfill the common vision. Why? Because the leader's vision has become the followers vision. Why? Because the follower recognises more than just vision in their leader's heart; they see themselves in their leader's heart.
Renowned officer of the US Navy, Admiral James B. Stockdale once said:
“Leadership must be based on goodwill…It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping followers…What we need for leaders are men of heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away.”
I agree emphatically! From my experience, the leaders who I follow most devotedly are those who I know are committed to my wellbeing. Although this can appear to be a relationship based on selfishness, it's actually a relationship built on trust.
My commitment to an exemplary life is proof positive of that fact that I view people as an entrustment from God; I care too much for them to give them a bad model to emulate.
Paul's advice to Timothy is that a life of example will silence any critics who believe that he is too young for the responsibility of leadership. Leadership credibility is earned through example, not received with a title.
Why is example so important in leadership?
1. Example is more readily followed than instructions
The most helpful instruction manuals contain more than just points and principles, they contain pictures. In my experience it is the pictures that I look to first and that are most helpful to me (maybe it's a guy thing). The same is true in leadership. People follow the example of other people more readily than they follow a set of principles or teachings.
Robert Grosseteste, bishop of Lincoln, England, from 1235-1253 once wrote, “The life of the pastor is the book of the laity.” Leaders are readers and leaders are read.
34th President of the USA, Dwight D. Eisenhower said it this way: "Pull the string, and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all."
2. Example joins people to the leader
Paul writes in Philippians 3:17, 'Brethren, join in following my example...' It's interesting that Paul doesn't simply say 'follow my example', but instead includes the word 'join'.
The leaders who (by his words or lifestyle) says 'Do as I say, not as I do' creates a great divide between himself and his followers, creating a 'them and us' scenario. The leader who says 'join in following my example' creates an 'us' environment.
Command based leadership alienates people from their leader. Example based leadership inspires people toward their leader. It is interesting that when Jesus wanted some fishermen to be joined to Himself, He did not say 'Obey my teaching', but instead declared 'Follow me'. The disciples joined themselves to the person of Jesus before they did the principles of Jesus.
Command based leaders sit above their followers and give directions. Example based leaders walk amongst their followers and give inspiration. People obediently follow those who direct them; people willingly follow those who inspire them.
3. Example creates a pattern to follow
In Titus 2:7 Paul writes, '...in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works...' Forgive me for returning to Primary School arts and craft time, but the most simple feature of a pattern is its element of predictability. Patterns allow people to predict a future action by reason of past habits.
The beauty of example in leadership is that it affords followers the confidence to guess how their leader would act in a given situation. Therefore, when their leader is not around the follower can confidently answer the question 'what would my leader do in this situation?' and act accordingly. This comfort is reserved for the followers of predictable, exemplary leaders.
This does not remove from leaders the responsibility to be creative, rather it reinforces the leaders responsibility to be consistent. Creativity and consistency in leadership are not at odds with each other, but instead are indispensable to each other.
4. Example recognizes an entrustment
1 Peter 5:23 says, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, nor for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being masters over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock..."
Leaders who view their followers simply as 'employees' or 'resources', care little about the example that their leadership provides. Why? Because this type of leader is not concerned with building people, but is only concerned with building their own empire.
On the other hand, when the Christian leader knows that their followers are an entrustment from God they live in such a way that provides a positive example, which followers can emulate to bring good success to their own lives.
In committing to build people, leaders of example attract people to themselves who willingly fulfill the common vision. Why? Because the leader's vision has become the followers vision. Why? Because the follower recognises more than just vision in their leader's heart; they see themselves in their leader's heart.
Renowned officer of the US Navy, Admiral James B. Stockdale once said:
“Leadership must be based on goodwill…It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping followers…What we need for leaders are men of heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away.”
I agree emphatically! From my experience, the leaders who I follow most devotedly are those who I know are committed to my wellbeing. Although this can appear to be a relationship based on selfishness, it's actually a relationship built on trust.
My commitment to an exemplary life is proof positive of that fact that I view people as an entrustment from God; I care too much for them to give them a bad model to emulate.
February 28, 2008
Learning from Leaders
Some members of our team were talking yesterday about the privilege we have in regularly spending time with a leader of the calibre of Steve Penny. In comparison, a number of people on staff at Hillsong Church have never had a one-on-one conversation with Brian Houston!
However, more important than simply having time with great leaders is learning to effectively use the time with them that you are given. In his book The 360 Degree Leader, John Maxwell shares seven things you can do to maximize your time with someone you wish to learn from.
1. Invest ten minutes in preparation for every minute you spend with them
2. Don’t make them think for you
- don't expect them to solve your problems
- always present possible solutions for any problems posed
3. Bring something to the table
- take something that you think they will find enjoy, e.g. a gift, a book, a box of chocolates!
- have an attitude to enrich them, instead of expecting them to simply enrich you
- the people you learn from should be strengthened by your visit
4. When asked to speak, don’t wing it
- do your homework and know your stuff
- some people talk because they have to say something, others talk because they have something to say
5. Learn to speak the language of your leader
6. Get to the bottom line
- if they given you an assignment they don’t want to hear the details of how you completed it, they want to know the results
- cut to the chase and clearly communicate the facts
7. Give a return on your leaders investment
For instance:
"Here’s what you said last time we met"
"Here’s what I learnt from you"
"Here’s what I did with what I learnt from you"
"Did I do it right?"
"So can I now ask you more questions?"
- If you can remind someone of advice they gave you 12 months ago, it speaks greatly of the value which you place upon their advice and their time.
January 31, 2008
On Followship
Many who take courses in leadership in the hope of attaining it fail because they have never learned to follow. They are like the boys who were playing war in the street. When a passerby inquired why they were so quiet and were doing nothing, one lad replied, "We are all generals. We can't get anyone to do the fighting."
- J. Oswald Sanders in 'Spiritual Leadership'
January 15, 2008
Chris Hill "Adullam Discipleship" Part 2
3. Elah - The Place of Exhibition
> Elah is the defining moment when we go from obscurity to popularity; from playing a harp to running down the enemy.
> Elah is awesome, when God puts you on exhibit. In Elah, Jonathon will see you and fall in love with you, and the King’s daughter will fall in love with you. In Elah you move from chump to champ.
> Elah is the place of exhibition, but it is also the setup for execution
> It’s better to stay underneath the radar because when you get above the radar, then the enemy can see you. For example, Jesus was safe for thirty years while He was hidden in God, but the moment John the Baptist put Him on exhibition He became a target for the enemy.
> Exhibition is married to execution. The same voices that say "Hosanna" on Sunday, will say "Crucify Him" on Friday.
> Elah is a great moment, but a dangerous moment unless you have a strong relationship with God.
4. Nob - The Place of Salvation
> David’s whole world flips over. He was rejected by his biological father, and finally says ‘My father in law loves me. I’m going to be accepted and endorsed." and before he knows there is a spear coming at his head, from the very father he thought would replace the father who had overlooked him.
> What do you do when they promised you it would be ‘this’, but you got there and found out it was ‘that’? You run to Nob, the city of the High Priest, the place of salvation.
> David asks the High Priest for three things, which you need when in crisis:
1. A word from God for you
2. Bread from heaven for you
3. A weapon that you can fight with
> You need a spiritual leader who can lay down his own agenda to get bread from heaven for you
> Church needs to be a place where people can run to, to get the bread of life that gives them the strength to keep running. People don’t need three points and a poem, they need the bread of life that gives them the strength to fight the good fight of the faith.
> There’s a sword in the temple; it’s Goliath's sword.
> The weapon you take from your enemy will always be yours. When you have a victory, keep the monuments of that victory. You need to bottle that good feeling so when going through bad things you can take a sip of the joy juice!
5. Gath - The Place of Humiliation
> If you walk with God long enough, He will put you in a situation that makes you feel like you are knee high to an ant.
> David runs to Gath but the Philistines recognise him. David starts scratching the wall and acting crazy, so much so that the King says ‘…that dude; he’s not a threat.’
> “Aren’t you the mighty man of God?”
“Yes, but not today. Today I’m just scratching the wall and dribbling on my beard.”
> The Place of Humiliation – where you have to disguise your true nature and come out of your comfort zone, because that’s just where you are right now...but if you can walk through it you can get to Adullam.
6. Adullam - The Place of Cooperation
> David says "I can’t stay in Gath, so I’m going to make my place in a cave...It doesn’t look nice or pretty and it’s not the palace, but I’m going to be happy here."
> "It’s not what I wanted or what they promised, but I’m going to dig in here and treat this cave like it’s my palace. I’m going to treat this situation like it’s the very fullness of the promise of God."
> Dance in the cave. Sing in the cave. Worship in the cave. Decorate the cave. Put carpet in your cave!
> E.G. Bishop Jakes put a chandelier in his storefront church in West Virginia. Why? Because he had chandeliers in his spirit.
> If you can decorate the cave, others will be attracted to the vision you’re seeing, even though they can’t see it.
> 3 categories of people come to David at Adullam: 1. Distressed; 2. In Debt; 3. Discontented.
>The best place to disciple is in mean situations, in the cave; that’s the time to begin to call people to yourself. And don’t wait for Superman to come, because he’s not coming to the cave. At the cave you get the broken, busted and the disgusted.
> You get the messed up people in the cave. But if you can disciple them in the cave, they go from being the rubble to being the mighty men that will change the whole complexion of a nation. And you don’t have to wonder about them, because they’re not coming for the fish and the loaves because you didn’t have any fish or loaves in the cave.
> David works with 400 of the most messed up people. He turned the messed up into mighty.
> Stop looking at your situation and start zeroing in on their situation.
> Find a kid who nobody is patting on the head, who nobody is saying ‘I see a legend inside of you…You’re going to be somebody great.’ Just a drop of love makes them blossom, because nobody has given them any moisture at all. At the smell of moisture they will blossom and bloom, because they’ll appreciate you, so much so that they will run through troops to get you a cup of water.
> What you build today will fight for you tomorrow.
> The cave that you’re in becomes the creative place from which they will emerge. The situation that’s driving you crazy – God has put you there to slow you down long enough that you can disciple somebody else, because you really don’t have anything else to do anyway.
> Discipleship is working with what you’ve got. It is seeing what God is saying and speaking that, training that and raising that up until it emerges from the cave as a mighty army that cannot be stopped.
> Youth ministry is discipling what comes to the cave.
Apologies that the 'outline' became extensive in parts... Some things are too good to paraphrase!
January 14, 2008
Chris Hill "Adullam Discipleship" Part 1
Delegates at this year's Planetshakers Conference Brisbane enjoyed exceptional messages from some of the world's best preachers. I was fortunate to get a copy of Chris Hill's leadership session titled 'Adullum Discipleship'. It's an amazing message on the leadership development of David. Do whatever you can to get hold of the CD. In the meantime, here are some of the key points.
The leadership development of David can be tracked in six places:
1. Bethlehem - The Place of Initiation
> Bethlehem is a small town, but God calls forth His choice champions from small beginnings
> In this first city we see the beginning seeds of everything that God will do through David, because God doesn’t start in the big, He starts in the small.
> God puts the whole of a thing in the seed of that thing
> The Devil seeks to destroy people in the place of initiation because he sees what we will be; i.e. the lion and the bear are in the place of initiation
> God crystallizes the character of his choice Christians in the crucible of isolation.
> In dark places He develops the picture that you will become. In the dark room of the divine He dips you in process after process until He perfects the image that He wants, and then He shows you to the world.
> In Bethlehem he receives a prophetic word that he would be a king. God says things to us despite what we see. When we see our situation it’s hard for us to receive His revelation. You cannot allow your situation to speak louder than the revelation.
> In Bethlehem you receive a revelation of who you will be, before you get to be.
> He is Alpha & Omega, and lives outside of time. In David's life there’s a 20 year gap between the prophecy and the fulfillment. This is called 'process'.
> God speaks things as though they’ve already happened, because to Him they’ve already happened. But I live in time, so I have to walk all the way to the fulfillment.
> Process prepares me for what He has called me to be. When God deals with us He must do it through process. If He makes us immediately into what we will be, we mess up. For example, Saul was chasing donkeys and then became king - it messed him up. God didn't do that to David; He gave him twenty years to become what God has said.
2. Gibeah - The Place of Introduction
> David was faithful in Bethlehem; someone heard about it and then he was promoted
> Be faithful with what God gives you. Rock what you have here and other people will feel the ripples!
> David does something so powerful in Bethlehem that it opens the door for him in Gibeah
> Gibeah is the place of introduction, because David gets to serve what he will one day become.
> Gibeah is the place of exposure. God gives you opportunity to be exposed to people who are already doing what you will one day do.
> God has called David to be a king, so He exposes David to a king. God has David there not to rule, but to serve.
> At this point in his life, David has already killed a lion and a bear; he knows how to fight but God does not give him a sword, He gives David a harp.
> If God gives you a harp, just play. Shut up and play. Don't tell Saul what to do and don't impose your prophecy and your calling. Just shut up and play.
> Don't try to exert authority that God hasn't given you yet. God has you here just to expose you, to be a fly on the wall, to see how kings operate, to see how leadership is set in array, to see the palace.
> Don’t come in with your own agenda; who cares what you think – keep your opinion to yourself. If you have an opinion don’t give it yet, because your opinion hasn’t been processed by time.
> You don’t have any right to lead what you did not build, until God gives it to you.
> In Gibeah, God puts you in 'undercover' to be exposed to what you will become.
An outline of points 3-6 still to come!
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