I am a learner. Especially when it comes to leadership. I want to keep on growing and learning to the day I die. Throughout all my victories and defeats, times when I do things really well and times when I don't, I know that God has called me to be a leader in His kingdom. My prayer is that I make my heavenly father proud.
I read a quote today from Bill Hybels (actually it's a prayer) that summarizes my desire today:
"Oh God, give me David’s optimism. I need David’s capacity to perceive what might happen when you are in the mix.
God, give me Jonathan’s capacity to love.
God, give me Joseph’s personal holiness, uncorrupted by power. I want to finish my assignment like Joseph finished his, without bringing reproach on you. Please give me the integrity of Joseph.
God, give me Joshua’s decisiveness. Leadership is about making right decisions and calling others to make them as well.
Oh God, give me Esther’s leadership courage.
And, Oh God, if you would just grant me a portion of Solomon’s wisdom/godly sober-mindedness that I will discern Your mind on every matter.
God, give me the emotional authenticity of Jeremiah, so we can experience the authentic faithfulness of God.
God, may I never forget how important parties are. Like Nehemiah, help me remember to celebrate, because, all service and no celebration is a formula for wearing people down and draining their joy.
God, make me like Peter. God, make me the kind of leader who knows how important it is to take initiative, one who has the willingness to step out and take action.
And finally, please give me Paul’s intensity. Make me like Paul. Give me his intensity so I will have the power of your Holy Spirit, strength in the middle of the battle and courage to endure."
I trust this is your prayer as well.
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It wasn't before but it sure is now. We can learn so much from the people detailed in the Bible. I would say that if leadership development is your desire, re-read Nehemiah often. Not only did he understand about celebration, he understood how to motivate people to support him and how to keep them motivated even in the midst of negativity. Great leader, that Nehemiah. Of course, he's not alone in the Bible being a great leader...he is following the direction of God and following the path that God has set for him. All of those people that you mentioned went to God often and sought His direction and His guidance and His Word on their lives and the lives of those they were entrusted with. I know that you do that as well and I trust God to keep you focused on doing the best you can do with this crew you've got. Every ship has a great captain when they're sitting in port...it's when they get into rough seas that the real captains step to the front and save the cargo. You're a great captain George...we pray for you daily and love you and support you. Hang in there...and keep praying like you are. We all can continue to learn through out our lives...those who refuse to learn will eventually get left behind or find that they are out of touch. Every day, God shows me something deeper in His Word and I move from milk to bread to meat as I learn. He's good, so good, to let us learn at our own pace and in His time. He's Good All The Time!!
Love God, love people.
Jon
The Lord, grants the desires of our hearts. Pastor desires to attain the attributes of some of the greatest servants of God in scripture. We need to be as desirous of these things also. God will grant the desires of our heart, but as I’ve learned this week, God only answers half of our prayers concerning matters such as these.
On Wednesday nights my wife and I have been going through a great series entitled “A Heart Ablaze” by John Bevere. One night, after the video portion of the class was over, we had a discussion on how to reach the spiritual potential that God has for each of us. Someone brought up the life of a man called Smith Wigglesworth. Wigglesworth was a great man of God, and he was used mightily by God in his day. As we discussed this man’s life and you can read about him yourself, we found a pattern of living. Like other great men and women of God, these lifestyles beg to be imitated. Wigglesworth, like Paul and many other spiritual leaders had a life style that pleased God. A life totally devoted.
When we pray and ask God to bring theses attributes into our lives, like Pastor has, God expects us to meet Him half way. As we dedicate ourselves to Him and put 100% effort into our walk, like these men did, God will do the other half. Paul made a state worth repeating. Follow me as I follow Christ. Like Paul we are to be imitators of Christ.
Two types of leadership in the church of Jesus Christ today, need to be looked at and see where they stand scripturally. Jesus stated. That if ones desire’s, to be great in the Kingdom, he/she must become a servant. Jesus went on to say, that if one desires to become chief in the Kingdom, he/she must become a servant of all. That’s Jesus definition of leadership. We can see this modeled in the Apostles and in life styles of every major figure, in every move of the Spirit in the last 2000 years.
The other type of leadership is organizational. Organizational leadership can be sterile, insensitive, exclusive, elitist. Notice! I said can be. We can see what this type of leadership (Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes) did in Israel during Jesus day and what this type of leadership has done in the church of Jesus Christ in our modern day. No wonder we have so many out of church Christians.
This is not what Jesus had in mind. He wants his church to be an Organism. One in which all the body is working together for the common good. Where there is inclusiveness, oneness and unity. Where everyone is nurtured and encouraged to attain their full potential in Christ.
Jesus proved that one doesn’t need a title, to be recognized as a leader. One day he asked his disciples, who the people said he was. They replied, some say your John the Baptist, some say Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets! Then Jesus asked. Who do you say that I am? Peter stated. You are the Christ. Jesus life style set him apart as being someone, that the people recognized as being very connected to God. Some probably recognized the spiritual traits of one of the past prophets from hearing the scriptures. Peter recognized him as the Christ, because the Father revealed it to him. Why? Peter (with all his baggage) was seeking the Kingdom with all his heart. His lifestyle pleased God. God granted the desire of his heart. God will do the same for us.
We’re all servants of the most High God. Some, like Pastor, have a position of responsibility. With position always comes responsibility. All of us have our portion in the Kingdom of God. We all have a purpose and a ministry to fulfill. We need to take our portion and the responsibility that comes with it seriously. The local body of Christ here at First Assembly, has organization and organism walking hand in hand. To Love God and Love People, this fulfills all the Law and the Prophets.
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