Spiritual Leadership – Missions Tips

Spiritual Leadership

By J. Oswald Sanders

Chapter 1 – An Honorable Ambition

When the motive is right, there are great rewards ahead.

Leadership is not wrong, but when there are wrong or selfish ambition (fame, power, etc), the leadership is wrong. Jeremiah 45:5

Jesus had no time for these self ambitios people

He announced a new type of leadership – whoever wants to be first must be servant of all (Mark 10:42-44)

True leadership and greatness is found in giving yourself to others

True leaders are focused on giving self to God and others

History shows no importance of the position, rank or title of a man rather what the man is.

“I have one passion, it is He, He alone” – Zinzendorf – and it was this Zinzendorf that became the leader of the Moravians, a group that had 3 times more churches than those at home. One of every 95 left as a missionary.

Chapter 2 – The Search for Leaders

God brings one down and exalts another – Ps 75:6-7

Real leaders are in short supply. Throughout the Bible, God looked for men (I Sam 13:14; Jeremiah 5:1; Ezekiel 22:30). But when God does find a man that person is used to the limit.

Strength and faith is needed to be a spiritual leader.

If world is going to hear about God, they need leaders that are:

Authoritative – knows where they are going and can get there
Spiritual – without a strong relationship with God, even the most competent leader can not lead people.
Sacrificial – this follows the model of Jesus who gave Himself and commands for us to follow His example.

Churches with spiritual leaders go forward.

Leaders must pass on the torch to younger leaders

Many think that leaders must have certain outward qualities, and although they help, spiritual leaders are made by God.

God can show how strong He is thru men – II Chronicles 16:9

Chapter 3 – The Master’s Master Principle

Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all (Mark 10:43-44)

KJV uses word “leader” only 6 times, the Bible word used more frequently is “servant” – Moses my servant, etc.

Servant is always used as a term of low respect, but when Jesus used it, it was important.

Serve one another in love – Galatians 5:13

In most churches, only a few people carry the load

Matthew 19:28; Matthew 20:22

Many want the role of master, not servant.

Christ chooses, we don’t choose the role ourselves.

Christ washed the disciples feet – John 13:31.

I Peter 2:21 – example of suffering. Serving and suffering go hand in hand.

Luke 22:27 – He said he was amongst them to serve.

Is 45:15 – He chose to hide himself. As cheribums hide their face, so should we (Isaiah 6:2).

We many times see the need and cross to the other side because we don’t seek a service of lowly helping and lifting up, but we are told to.

God’s servant is optimistic until every task is done.

Chapter 4 – Natural and Spiritual Leadership

I Corinthians 2:1-4

Leadership is influence, the ability of one person to influence others to follow their lead

Military leader Billard Montgomery said that leadership is capacity to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence

Leadership is quality that supplies sufficient confidence that one accepts another’s views and commands.

There are only 3 kinds of people:

Those who are unmovable
Those who are moveable
Those who move them

A leader is the man who knows the road, can keep ahead and can pull others along with him

Spiritual leadership combines natural and spiritual qualities for the blessing of others.

The personality of the spiritual leader influences others because it is radiated, penetrated and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As leader gives control to Spirit, his influence helps others. And he influences others spiritually only because the Holy Spirit is influencing through him.

We can only lead others as far as we have traveled, we cannot just point others in the way, we must be walking.

Are leaders born or made – both. It comes from God and developed along the way.

If deacons were to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6), how much more are those who preach the Gospel. Churches would be changed if we fill are pulpits and pews will Holy Spirit people.

Dependence, approval, empathy and Optimism are a few mentioned – but none of these will help without the touch of the supernatural, these qualities are dry as dust.

Jesus’ ministry began with the descendant of the Holy Spirit at His baptism

Chapter 5 – Can you Become a Leader?

Jesus chose leaders and ignored the rules of what the world would suggest for leaders. He chose from the ranks of workers. He saw in them something that no other saw.

If we see leadership potential, use it for the Lord.

Here are some ways to check your own leadership qualities:

If can’t keep my control, work on it. Think independently, learn to make up my mind
Can I handle criticism – I can learn from it
Can I win respect from others
Do I have discipline
Am I a peacemaker
Can people trust me
Can I accept opposition, make friends, hold stable and not fall at disappointment, not stand on praise, anticipate how words can affect others, can I forgive, am I optimistic,

How I handle other people largely determines how I lead – RE Thompson suggest this test:

Do you use people or cultivate people?
Do you direct people or develop people?
Do you criticize or encourage people?
Do you shun or seek out the person with a special need or problem?

Begin to check my weaknesses and pray to the Spirit to mold me and better in the weak areas. If make excuses, easily offended, not flexible, etc., … it must go

Chapter 6 – Insights on Leadership from Paul

I Timothy 3:2-7

Reputation of a great leader grows with the years – and so it did with Paul as we look at his life through Scripture.

Social Qualifications

Good reputation
Faithfulness to spouse

Mental Qualifications

Disciplined mind not going to one extreme or the other
Respectable
Life of leader should reflect beauty and organization of God

Personality Qualifications

If would rather pick a fight, I shouldn’t try to pastor a church
I should always seek a peaceful solution and able to diffuse an explosive situation.
Show hospitality – not looked at a burden, but an opportunity
Covetousness and love of money disqualifies us from being a leader

Domestic Qualifications

A person who is married should demonstrate he can manage his own house well and see his children obey him with proper respect (I Tim 3:4).
Paul orders a well ordered home, but lack of this has kept many a man from being a pastor or missionary
A spouse should be willing to help carry the load – many have failed or quit because of a disagreeable and difficult spouse.
How can you show hospitality with children and spouse is not in agreement? How can you minister to other families if your own is in disarray?
While leading a ministry and church, we can not neglect the family – caring for one area of God’s Kingdom is no excuse for neglecting another.
Paul implies that a person’s ability to lead at home is his readiness to lead in ministry.

Maturity

A novice or non mature leader could fall and be in trouble – I Tim 3:6
A deacon must be tested – I Tim 3:10
We must be mature to help others
Not advanced too fast or puffed up and not too slow or discouraged.
It is a mark of a spiritual leader to be satisfied where he is at and with what he has – and this is a difficult characteristic

Chapter 7 – Insights on Leadership from Peter

I Peter 5:1-7

Peter was the leader of the 12 – his influence was strong amongst them

Feed the flock – this is our responsibility of the leader. Maybe coming from what Peter was told to do from Jesus (John 21:15-22).

Peter did not approach his letter as one above everyone, rather as a fellow minister, one alongside others. He writes as one who has failed many times and learned, one broken by Calvary’s love. He writes alongside, not down to the others.

The Leader’s Motivation

Don’t faint, but don’t serve out of just a duty either
Shepherd them like God does – the forgiveness of God, love of God, limitless service of God.
Don’t work for money, personal gain (maybe thinking of Judas). Don’t preach for money or work for applause

Not dictatorial, lording over others – I Pet 5:3

We are examples of our Savior

A Leader must be a Worthy Example – I Pet 5:3

Like what Paul says to Timothy – in life, love, faith and purity (I Tim 4:12)
People need the shepherds help. We must not forget we are under shepherds, working for the Chief Shepherd.
Done with excessory prayer

The leader must be Clothed with Humility – I Pet 5:5

Referring to a slave tying on a white apron
As the Savior putting on the towel to wash the disciple’s feet.
Pride keeps others from this attitude and service – pride lurks at power, but God will not let pride in His service, rather He will oppose and destruct it.
Act humbly in working with others (vs. 5), but also act humbly to the discipline of God.

Vs. 7 – he ends this section talking about a crown. An athletes crown rusts or fades, but no such loss comes to the Christian who places treasures in Heaven over comforts of earth. We can transfer the weight and worries on the shoulders of one much bigger and greater.

Chapter 8 – Essential Qualities of Leadership

I Timothy 3:2-7

Jesus taught His disciples in the highways of life (Luke 10:17-24; Mark 9:14-29), He delegated authority and responsibility to them as they were able to bear it.

God prepares leaders with a purpose and plan in mind and gives the training necessary for their job

Discipline

Without this, all other things remain as dwarfs
Before we can conquer the world, we must first conquer self
A leader is a person who has learned to obey the person without and then taken on a more rigerous discipline within – those who rebel against authority and shreek discipline, are not prepared to lead.
Many that fall from ministry have physical qualities, but are free from areas where the Spirit does not control
Lazy and disorganized people do not rise to leadership
You can not lead until you follow
The disciplined leader will work while others waste time, study while others snooze, pray while others daydream.
He accepts rebuke or will practice the discipline
He will not procrastinate but hit the hardest tasks first
Your time, your sleeping habits, use of time, food,

Vision

Those who have done more in their generation are usually those who can see more than the average guy, men of faith – faith is vision.
Elijah’s servant saw the enemies, but not the angels – that which was there and which Elijah could see
Vision involves forsight as well as insight
Vision looks ahead to see how these things can affect others – look at the end thing instead of the next step.
Carey saw India and Henry Martin saw the Muslim world while the church at home was squabbling over petty doctrines.
Eyes that look are common, eyes that see are rare.
Fanny Crosby (?) said what is worse than not being able to see is seeing and not having vision
The world saw Peter as a fisherman, but Jesus saw Peter as a preacher and leader who could help turn the world upside down.
Vision requires optimism and hope – the pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity, the optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.
Caution has a role to play, but the person who sees the difficulty in every situation can not help others have or see the vision.
Vision leads to venture – not playing it safe, but not taking foolish jumps
Leaders take lessons from the past, but never sacrifice the future for sake of mere continuity.
A vision without a task makes a visionary; A task without a visions is drudgery; A vision with a task makes a missionary

Wisdom

Wisdom is making faculty the use of knowledge – a combination of discernment, judgement, sagacity and similar powers. But in Scripture it is right judgement concerning spiritual and moral truth. It is heavenly discernment.
Knowledge comes by study, wisdom comes by Holy Spirit filling.
Wisdom was one of the requirements for leadership in the early church – Acts 6:3
“Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much, wisdom is humble that he knows no more” – author unknown
As Paul prayed in Col 1:9 – that God fill you with wisdom

Decision

A swift and clear decision is the mark of a true leader. A visionary may see, but a leader must decide.
A impulsive person may be quick to declare a preference, but a leader must weigh evidence and make his decision on sound premises.
Once sure of the will of God, a spiritual leader springs into action not worried of the consequences.
Once Paul was converted, his first question was “what shall I do Lord” (Acts 22:10) and then without hesitation he acted upon what he knew.

Courage

That quality that allows us to confront danger firmly without fear or discouragement.
Paul said he knew fear (I Cor 2:3), but he did not let that fear stop him.
II Cor 7:5 – conflicts on outsid and fears within, but they did not stop him from the Master’s work.
Not all are courageous by nature. Fear is a way of life, but God gave us the Holy Spirit that fills us with power which overcomes that fear.
They saw the courage of the disciples (Acts 4:13) – the difference in fear and not is the filling of the Holy Spirit that gives us spirit of power (II Tim 1:7).
Joshua 1:9
People always face fear, but courage carries us through to complete the task. Leaders stay the course while others turn back.
II Chron 32:7-8 – this is leadership active and strong

Humility

Mt 20:25-27 – Christ told the men to turn from worldly way and to humility.
John the Baptist said “he must increase, I must decrease” (John 1:30).
“I am the least of the apostles” (I Cor 15:9; Eph 3:8; I Tim 1:15)
I am, we are nothing without Christ. An axe can not brag on how he cut a tree, if thrown to the side, it is only useless metal – and so is the Christian, only useful when He uses us.

Integrity and Sincerity

II Tim 1:3 – he served with sincerity – II Cor 2:17
Deut 18:13
God wants His people to show clarity in their service.

Chapter 9 – More Essential Qualities of Leadership

I Timothy 3:8-10

Humor

Will release tension and help
We should cultivate mind and play
Humor is a great asset – the ability to stand outside oneself and laugh. It is a great release.
Should know the place for a joke and not

Anger

Jesus had this quality and when used right, we follow Him (Mark 3:5; Mt 21:13)
Great men have been angry at injustice and wickedness
Anger can be our downfall – and we should be very careful
Ephesians 4:26 – this is a anger that is not selfish

Patience

The queen of virtues
Not meaning sitting with hands folded, but Christian steadfastness
The Lord’s patience with doubting Thomas, impulsive Peter and wicked Judas
A leader must not run so far ahead of his followers that they can not reach him – forward when the followers are ready.

Friendship

You can judge a leader by his friends
Love men around you and love mankind
Paul had faithful friends – yes many hated him, but had faithful friends.
John 13:1 – Christ loved His followers as friends

Tact and Diplomacy

Ability to deal with others without giving offense
Reconcile without offending or compromising
Negotiate differences and leads to harmony

Inspirational Power

Your inspiration and drive should be contagious
Nehemiah built people into a great team and it was said they “had a mind to work”.

Executive Ability

A leader must have way to organize and carry out
God is orderly and those that follow must be so

Therapy of Listening

To get to the root of problems, a leader must learn to listen.
Understand without pre-judging
Listen long and talk short
Time spent listening is time well spent

The Art of Letter Writing

Leadership requires a deal of corresponding
We know much of Paul because of his letters
Paul’s letters abounded in encouragement, were gracious in complement and rich in sympathy. But he also could correct (Gal 4:16, 20)
Letters must be in right spirit since you can not see the writers smile
It was said that after George Whitfield would preach, he would stay up late at night writing letters to new converts.

Chapter 10 – Above all Else

Acts 6:3, 5

Spiritual leadership requires spiritual men, spirit-filled men.

You may have good qualities, but if have no spirituality, cannot really lead.

Holy Spirit will not take or use one against his/her own will

Leaders who have made a difference in the past were spirit-filled men. Christ told the men to wait until the Spirit came (Acts 1:8). The men were filled in the upper room (2:4), Peter was filled with the Spirit (4:8), Stephen was filled with the Spirit (6:3-5; 7:55), Paul was, Barnabus was… and those who will be used must also be

Throughout his life, Paul obeyed and followed the Spirit.

To be filled, controlled and guided by, the Spirit – and then the fruit of the Spirit can flow through us.

Spiritual Gifts

Holy Spirit gives us gifts to serve with. When one is saved, he doesn’t receive a new brain, but a new mentality – now to use what he has under control of the Spirit.

Chapter 11 – Prayer and Leadership

I Tim 2:1

The spiritual leader should exceed the congregation in prayer.

We do not find it easy to pray and fail to, but need to and should – we should use discipline to pray.

We should pray more when we have more on our “to do” list.

Prayer was our Lord’s habit. It is a wonder that the Only begotten of the Father would spend so much time in prayer – it was His habit – Luke 6:12; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; Mark 6:46; Luke 9:28

True prayer is a spiritual exercise.

We all need more teaching in prayer and the Holy Spirit is our teacher

Effective prayer is praying in the Spirit

Uses the body, mind and spirit

The devil tries to keep us away from prayer

We must walk daily in prayer

Prayer is spiritual warfare

God opens authority thru prayer and we can access

It is possible to move men by prayer alone – Hudson Taylor

Thru prayer we have the key to the complicated lock

It is not prayer that moves people but the God to whom we pray.

To move people, the leader must be able to move God – and prevailing prayer that moves people is a result of a relationship with God.

Great leaders of the Bible were men of prayer

Chapter 12 – The Leader and His Time

Make the best use of your time – Eph 5:16

Quality of a leader is how he uses his time, character of a leader is how he/she uses spare time. We cannot regulate work or school time, but what we do with the time before or after will determine if we are mediocre or not.

Each moment is a gift from God.

Life is not its duration, but its donation – how we use it

If we are careful about days, the years will take care of themselves.

If we say we don’t have time, we prove we are inefficient people. Our problem is not the use of time, but the use of time.

President of the US and any successful person has just the same amount of time as we do – we all have the same amount

We are not responsible for our abilities, but we are responsible for our use of time. As in the parable of the talents, those who were faithful received more

Time is opportunity

If we prevail in using time wisely, we prevail, but if we fail in this area, we fail in every other area

Time lost can not be retrieved

A day must be planned, items selected and rejected and then focused on the most important items.

It is helpful to keep records of how each hour is spent and then look back over them.

Use time wisely – read when have to sit and wait for a trip; answer letters when between other jobs;

We are only responsible for that which is in our control, the rest we must leave in our Father’s hands.

Procrastination is the thief of time and used by the devil – the habit of putting off is harmful to the spiritual leader. Learn to set deadlines and make them

Chapter 13 – The Leader and Reading

II Timothy 4:13

Reading maketh a full man, speaking a ready man, writing an exact man – Francis Bacon

The leader who desires to progress must read constantly. As a lawyer must read to keep up on cases and doctors for the newest medical updates, so the spiritual leader must do so.

We can not use the excuse that there is no time

Wesley told his students to read or get out of the ministry

Leaders should spend 30 minutes a day that feed the soul and stimulate the mind.

The leader should read to be well informed, have fellowship with great minds, feed the mind and grow.

One man said, if I read as many books as most people, I would know as much as most people – little.

Don’t be afraid of new ideas and don’t be carried away with them either.

By reading we learn – reading without thinking is in vain

We will get more out of one book we master than 20 that we just skim through

Motto of reading should be “much”, not “many”

Some rules for reading

Read with a pen and notebook in hand
Develop a system of note taking, it will help your memory
Have a common place book and a book to get new ideas out of
Vary reading to not bore your mind – varying is as fresh to the mind as it is to the body
Every good book needs three readings – a general reading, another reading for note taking and thinking and a third writing a brief summary of the book – which will thus make a impact on your mind

Chapter 14 – Improving Leadership

Romans 12:8

Every Christian should be the best he could be and a leader should work on improving.

1^st step to improvement is to recognize weaknesses, make corrections and cultivate strengths

Exert yourself to lead – Rom 12:1, 8 – if given the opportunity, do it with zeal. Romans 12:11

Personal relationships – in handling people, the oil can is much more important than the acid bottle.

Warm relationships among team members is vital

Problem solving – to amend what is defected. Anyone can create a problem, but few can solve a problem.

Perform – plan and perform

Chapter 15 – The Cost of Leadership

Mark 10:38

To aspire leadership is to be willing to pay a price others are not willing to pay. The toll of leadership is heavy and the more effective the leadership, the higher the cost.

Self-sacrifice – this must be paid daily. Christ laid down his life for us and we should be willing to lay down ours for our brothers – I John 3:16

Whoever wants to be 1^st must be servant of all – Mark 10:44-45
Those God uses must be willing to give up personal gain

Scars

When Christ arose, He showed His scars (John 20:20).
Scars are the marks of leadership.

Alone

There will be times you must walk alone. We enjoy the company of others, but there will be times to pay the price of being alone.
Moses was alone in the plane and mountain, misunderstood and criticized. Enoch walked alone with the Lord. Jonah was alone in the wicked city of Nineveh. Paul was misunderstood and deserted (II Tim 1:15).
Leaders must be one who, while welcoming friendships, must be willing to stand alone with God.

Fatigue

Fatigue is the price of leadership, mediocrity is the result of never getting tired.
The world is ran by tired men, but Christians know where to find strength (II Corinthians 4:16).
Even Jesus stood alone – John 4:6; Mark 5:30
If a Christian is not willing to rise early and stay up late, that Christian will not change a generation.

Criticism

No leader lives without criticism and humility is never more on trial as when criticism comes.
It is not as important as what happens to us but rather how we react to what happens to us.
Criticism can help us if we will only learn from it – it can be an asset
Criticism is like gum – you can chew on it, but don’t swallow it
Our goal is not to please men, rather God, and as Paul took criticism and said, we will respond to God – I Corinthians 4:3-4. He was fearless to human criticism because he knew he would stand before a higher judge – II Corinthians 8:21

Rejection

The leader who holds high standards may be alone following His Master with rejection of others.
He came unto His own and His own knew Him not – John 1
No man is fully accepted until he is fully rejected
Rejected by people you may be accepted to God
It is said that often men do not realize the leader they have and then when he is gone they build a monument for him with the stones they threw at him

Pressure and Complexity

We naively think that the more we grow as Christians, it will be easier to know the will of God – but God often treats the mature Christians as more mature adults.

Chapter 16 – The Responsibilities of Leadership

II Corinthians 11:28

Jesus defined leadership as service – whether secular or in a church

Sympathy

True spiritual leaders many have problems but show sympathy for others in their problems
We should be sympathetic and patience

Discipline

In doctrine, morals and conduct
Galatians 6:1
Discipline in love – II Thessalonians 3:15 and II Corinthians 2:8
A best person who is disciplined in his own life can help others as well.
Meekness is better than criticism

Providing Guidance

The spiritual leader must know where he is going before he can lead others.
Spiritual leader must go before his flock – and the Chief Shepherd gave us the example – John 10:4
I Corinthians 11:1 – Paul knew whom he was following, where he was going and could challenge others to follow him there.
Leader must be venturous as well as visionary

Initiative

Not looking for others to start, rather jump start it.
A self starter
Greatest leaders are those close to God that have taken courageous, calculated risks
A spiritual leader must take the counsel of others, but not let the caution keep him from not moving or from the vision – God is still in control

Bear the blame don’t shift it.

Give thanks to others.

Chapter 17 – Tests of Leadership

Genesis 22:1; Matthew 4:1

All entrusted in leadership will be tested

Compromise

Lowering is a backwards step
As Pharoa did with the children of Egypt:
- Go, but don’t leave Egypt – In other words, religion is ok, but don’t be narrow about it, no need to isolate yourself from the world
- If must go out of Egypt, don’t go far – In other words, religion is fine, but no need to be fanatical about it, stay as close to the world as can
- Lastly affection was used – Let the men go, but the women and children stay here. In other words, if you must take drastic steps, no need to force it upon other members of the family.
- Last plea was greed – Ok, go, but let your cattle stay here – in other words, don’t let your religion get in the way of business and work.

Ambition

Numbers 14:12 – a test Moses was given to get rid of the people and start over, but instead of personal ambition, he showed genuine compassion for God’s glory and the wayward people.

Impossible situations

When the people were in front of the Red Sea they had the enemies behind, sea in front and mountains on both sides and the people was getting edgy – what was Moses to do? Complaints began to fly, but Moses stood strong on his belief in God as he cried out “do not fear, stand still and see the hand of God”.
God delights to lead His people and show Himself strong
Hudson Taylor confronted many difficult situations and counted 3 phases in most tasks undertaken for God: Impossible, Difficult and Done
When you come to the Red Sea place in your life where there is no way back and no way to turn just go through, then just wait on the Lord, He will send the wind and move the waves so you can go through.

Failure

Many men who have done much for the Lord has experienced failure
How a leader handles failure will set much of the agenda for the future
Peter appeared a failure after his denial of Christ
Refuse to lie in the dust and moan – get up and fix the problem
Successful leaders realize that failure is not final and do not have to quit a failure.

Jealousy

Most leaders face a jealous rival at some time and jealousy is a common instrument of the devil.
Moses faced jealousy of his own family – Miriam and Aaron – but he maintained a dignified silence (Numbers 12:3) and God took care of things (12:10). Moses’ only response was to pray for his sister.
We must learn to not let God take care of business and not try to get vindication.
We don’t need to worry about defending our rights or office, God will take care of it.

Chapter 18 – The Art of Delegation

Exodus 18:25-26

DL Moody said he would rather put a thousand men to work rather than do the work of a thousand men.

Thoughtful delegation will allow the leader to avoid the frustration of putting square pegs in round holes.

One may be able to do it better than another, but without giving the task to another, how is the young leader to gain experience?

How a leader is able to delegate is the measure of his success.

The leader must support the one given a job to and breed confidence.

Exodus 18:18 – Moses was at his limit, the work was going to slow, so Jethro gave a two part plan – continue judging the harder cases and allowing others to help.

Moses was better at judging than any other but had he continued alone, he would have cut his ministry short.

A missionary must give responsibility to the men he trains and then stand by willing to help but reluctant to jump in – the sense of being watched could destroy confidence.

Know what people can do and leave them to do it – only investigating when things go wrong.

Chapter 19 – Replacing Leaders

Joshua 1:2-5

The true test of an organization is to measure the health of it when the leader is gone.

Acts 5:38-39

Death of a great leader is not a shock to God, He knows. Mark 10:40 – God prepares leaders.

No man is indispensible to God’s kingdom – God is always at work even though we cannot see it.

God’s greatest gifts to Israel were not the land, but men such as Moses and David and Isaiah. His greatest gifts for the church were twelve men. His greatest gifts are always men.

Only after death is one’s gifts and attributes truly seen – so it was with Moses. But the death of a leader makes room for others to stand up – no on is indispensible.

Only one leader holds his office forever and has no need for replacement – our Lord Jesus Christ.

Changes in leadership should not shake or alarm us.

Chapter 20 – Reproducing Leaders

II Timothy 2:2

Leaders must multiply themselves by developing young leaders and then giving them full play and outlet for their abilities.

They must be trusted.

The role of a missionary is to be less of a performer and more of a trainer.

We must help leaders of tomorrow develop their full potential – this requires endless patience and genuine love.

Our Lord developed the majority of His 3 years to preparing the men.

Paul allowed Timothy to travel with him, gave him opportunities to preach, a group of people to pastor and much confidence.

No work is more rewarding for a missionary than developing leaders and the development of new churches will be determined by the caliber of these Christian leaders.

We must allow room for the “irregulars” – those we think will not be the leader. God has used many “irregulars”

Leadership training cannot be done on a mass scale – it must be done with patience and personal guidance over an amount of time. Disciples are not produced wholesale, they are produced one by one.

Chapter 21 – Perils of Leadership

I Corinthians 9:27

Pride

When one arises into leadership, pride is a temptation
The Lord detest pride and does not allow it in His Kingdom
Proverbs 16:5
Pride makes God a secondary element
To become proud with spiritual gifts is to forget that all we have is from God
There are 3 tests that help us identify the problem of pride:
- Precedence – How do we react when another is given the position we expected to have or wanted to fill?
- Sincerity – How do feel when reflect
- Criticism – Does it lead immediately to self-justification and resentment? Do I rush to criticize the critic?

Egotism

Seeing only self instead of God and God’s people
How do we listen to the praises of others – we must not indulge in

Jealousy

It is a near relative of pride describes the person of rivals
Numbers 11:27-28 – stop them said Joshua because they are prophesying in the camp. Vs. 29 – Moses responded correctly

Popularity

What person does not want to be liked by peers and others, but popularity has a very high price.
Sometimes a leader begins to like his pedestal
Paul had this problem in Corinth where Christians began to splinter off because of liking certain camps – Paul, Apolos or … but Paul saw the danger in this.
Leaders must reflect all credit to the Lord. There is nothing wrong with being appreciated, but the spiritual leader must reject being idolized.
Popularity leads to pride and drowns many
Success will pump up a man unless he realizes that God can continue the work without him and can cut him down to size at anytime.

Infallibility

Even the apostles made mistakes that caused divine correction.
We must stand for what we believe, but believing we are infallible and never are wrong will not make us more in the eyes of others rather less.

Indispensability

Many a Christian leader has fallen because of this.
The missionary who has raised a church to think he is indispensible has done the church an injustice. From the earliest days of the work, the missionary should work himself out of a job. National leadership has to learn how to depend upon the Lord, how to train up its own leaders and how to take responsibility for the work.

Elation and Depression

There will always be days of joy and frustration
Bad things happen but the spiritual leader should determine the reason and not fall into depression.
Many times before a great victory, depression lurks.
When success comes, place it on the Lord who deserves.
If successful don’t crow, if defeated don’t croak – Samuel Chadwick

Disqualification

I Corinthians 9:27
It should be a warning for every Christian leader
Paul was a competitor, but also the one who heralded – and he did not want to herald, setting the standards and then not meet them him self.

Chapter 22 – The Leader Nehemiah

Nehemiah 13:31

His Character

He was a man of prayer – he was no stranger at the throne of grace – 1:4, 6; 2:4; 4:4, 9; 5:19; 6:14; 13:14, 22, 29
He showed courage in the face of danger – 6:11 – such courage would impact any man.
His genuine concern was so sincere that even his enemies noticed it – 2:10
He expressed his concern in fasting and prayer – 1:4-6
Identified with his people in their sins – 1:6
He made plans and made provisions
He could make clear decisions
He sympathized with others
He carried the confidence of his people

His Methods

He raised the moral of his colleagues, an important part of a leader’s work.
He built up the people’s faith
Look at how he encouraged the people – 2:20 and 8:10
Faith builds faith – we are to build the faith of others
He led them to repentance, encouraged tithing, helped the family, built the temple, made surveys of the situation, delegated wisely (7:2), entered with prayer, took precautions, kept faith in God and finished the task.

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