Author: admin

History is replete with tales of young men and women who rose to spectacular heights of leadership. Yet Scripture cautions us in being too quick to enlist novices into important leadership roles. This is in part because spiritual leadership is based on character. Our character takes time to develop and mature. Young adults may not yet have had time to be fully seasoned. Likewise, experience teaches us many things, humility being one of the most important. As young leaders, we don’t yet recognize all that we do not yet know! Being elevated quickly has led to the ruin of many a potential leader.

At times people are promoted too quickly because their organization is desperate for talented leaders. At other times they are enlisted prematurely because the people themselves are consumed with ambition. We are doing no one any favor by elevating someone into a leadership role for which they are ill-prepared.

One of the best measuring sticks for choosing leaders is their track record. Are they leading their own home well? Have they been faithful in small things? Have they completed earlier tasks? Have they developed a solid reputation in the lower ranks? If leadership candidates have no previous track record of success, be cautious in elevating them too quickly.

Perhaps one of the most hotly debated qualifications for godly leaders is that they rule their own household well. We are often informed today that it is none of our business how people lead in their home. If their marriage is struggling or their children rebelling, that has no bearing on their effectiveness as leaders.

Yet Scripture, which thoroughly understands human nature, asks how people who cannot lead effectively in their home can be expected to lead people whom they presumably care even less about. If we cannot keep our vows to our spouse, how will we honor our promises to our associates? If those who know us best do not respect us, how can we expect to win the loyalty of those with whom we work?

Scripture is clear that, if we are faithful in a little, we will prove to be faithful with much. It is entirely reasonable to estimate peoples’ possible effectiveness in leading an organization by first examining how they lead their own family. If our family loves and respects us, we may well be leaders for whom love and affection follow us to work. But if our home is presently in turmoil, we would do well to put it in order first, before actively seeking leadership roles farther afield.

Leaders must demonstrate self-control. If people cannot control themselves, they cannot lead others. Those under the control of alcohol cannot be trusted to lead Christ’s church. Willingly placing ourselves under its power demonstrates a lack of self-control. True leaders are always composed, so they are prepared to lead. Godly leaders aren’t bullies. They have no need to resort to threats or intimidation to get their way. True leaders are free from the love of money. It is always dangerous to place someone who loves money into a position of leadership. It can be too tempting to compromise their ethics in an effort to accumulate wealth.

Leaders that please God are also gentle, not quarrelsome. They draw people together rather than driving them apart. They are long suffering. They don’t lose their tempers when they fail to get their way. They also are not covetous. They are satisfied with what God has given them, without desiring what does not belong to them.

Such qualities are particularly important in leaders in an age when the media bombards us with messages that assure us we deserve to have what we want. Today’s leaders are continually tempted to grasp at pleasures for themselves while neglecting their duties to others. Godly leaders are God centered, and others-focused, rather than self-centered. God’s standards for leaders is much higher than the world’s!

God has standards for those who lead, especially in the church. The Greek term translated “bishop” has also been translated as “overseer, superintendent, and pastor.” It was a recognized leadership position in the early church and a role to which it was acceptable to aspire (1 Timothy 3:1).

What is significant is that Scripture tells us more about the qualifications of church leaders than it does about the activities. It would seem that by enlisting the properly qualified leaders, it was almost assumed they would do the right things. Unfortunately many churches today focus more on performance than character. If leaders “get the job done,” we aren’t so concerned about their Christ-likeness.

Perhaps the single, most challenging qualifier of leaders is the first: blameless. This doesn’t mean perfect. It does mean that such leaders have handled their successes, as well as their mistakes, properly. Such leaders are also faithful to their spouse. Their hearts are not divided. They are temperate. That is,they do not go to extremes. They do not allow their passions to get out of control, whether they are promoting or opposing something. They are sober-minded. They think clearly! They also exhibit good behavior. They live the kind of lives you would wish others to model. Interestingly, they are also hospitable. They love people and they enjoy caring for others. Some people enjoy leading, but they don’t enjoy people. This ought not to describe a church leader. Finally, the only skill that is listed is the ability to teach. It is perhaps interesting that if you are going to lead God’s people, you must be able to teach others to live as you are. You must be able to duplicate yourself.

At times we can become more concerned with attaining office than we are with qualifying for it. Strive to be qualified for service and you will never lack things to do!

Sometimes we can feel guilty for desiring leadership roles. It would seem that proper Christian humility would preclude us from seeking any office that gave us influence over others. Yet, as with most aspects of the Christian life, the key is motive. Spiritual leaders are people who serve God and bless people. Who would not want to do that?

Yet if we lose focus of the purpose for leadership, we can become self-focused and filled with pride. Leadership is never about achieving a position, but about gaining a fresh opportunity to serve Christ. The danger is when we move from desiring such a position in order to serve Christ, to coveting the office so others must serve us. We are in danger when, instead of allowing Christ to grant us leadership roles as He sees fit, we grasp at and politicize for them through our own carnal efforts.

God has “wired” some people to lead. We long to make organizations stronger. We love to solve problems. We delight in helping others achieve their best. If God has prepared us to lead, it will be a natural desire of our heart to do so. Just as a cheetah loves to run; so leaders thrive when leading. Only check your motives. It is good to lead. It is best to lead with noble motives.

In the politically correct society in which we live today, we are continually being reminded that there are many ways people can find their way to God. Christians are judged to be intolerant, bigoted, or worse, if we appear to disparage any one else’s views on reality or God. As a result, we can be bullied into silence or compliance or even heresy.

A Christian’s views are not determined by the opinions of newscasters or public opinion polls, but by God’s word. On this subject Scripture is clear: there is no other way to God but through the mediation of Jesus Christ. We must believe what Scripture tells us. If we begin to assume that people who are sincere can discover other paths to God, we will never be driven by the missionary impulse God expects of us. We will not have the sense of urgency that drove the First Century Christians to lay down their lives to spread the Gospel. If we truly believe what the Bible says, we will not be able to live with ourselves if we have not told our friends and colleagues how to embrace the Person of Christ.

There is only one God and one mediator between God and people, and that is Christ. Are you telling people about Him?

When you spend time with God, He will invariably lay His heart over yours. You cannot remain long in His presence without developing a growing concern and love for those who do not yet know Him.

God desires all men to be saved. This includes “good” people who simply need to hear the Gospel message to find salvation. It also encompasses hardened sinners who appear to be infinitely removed from repentance and salvation.

In the course of our busy days, we can occasionally lose sight of the fact that God desires every person to receive His salvation and to surrender to His lordship. In fact, some people appear so far away from God, it doesn’t even cross our minds that God loves them too. But He does.

At times we must remind ourselves that the people we are currently dealing with are people whom Christ desires to save from their sin. When the customer angrily berates us, we must remember, God wants to deliver them from the bondage of their sin. When a neighbor lies to us, we must remind ourselves that Christ longs for that person to know Him. We know in our minds that this is so. But are we living that way?

It has been said that we will get the leaders that we pray for. If true, that could explain the caliber of many of our current government officials!

Our society is extremely polarized. Everyone seems to be in a camp. People pick sides. They cheer on their own leaders and disparage and ridicule those opposed to them. Yet Scripture is clear that we are to pray for our government leaders and anyone in authority over us, whether we like them, or voted for them, or not.

There are many reasons to do this. For one, it is what Christ would do. He loved all people, not just those who agreed with Him. Second, by praying, we seek God’s will to be done rather than our will. God is above politics. His objective is for His purposes to be accomplished on earth. Third, God cares more about eternity than about the next election. He cares about people’s souls, not their political leanings. Finally, praying for government leaders brings good to the country in which we live. Christians ought always to be seeking the well-bring of their nation and the people around them.

Christians ought to bless whatever company, or neighborhood, or country to which they belong. Their prayers ought to transcend their own personal preferences to the higher level of God’s activity. Would God be pleased with the way you are presently humbly, sincerely, praying for the leaders over you?

Seemingly straightforward verses in the Bible can sometimes provide us our greatest challenges. Pray for the people in your life. Seems simple enough. The apostle uses four words to describe the kind of prayer we should be offering. Supplications involve asking God to meet specific needs in peoples’ lives. Prayers refer to every kind of prayer we can lift to God. Intercession can describe what we do for other believers. It is standing in the gap for others. Finally, giving thanks is giving gratitude to God for His work in someone else’s life. Paul claimed we should do this for every person in our life.

Praying for some people is easy. I am happy to ask for God’s blessing upon my spouse and children. My friends at work or church can be a delight to intercede for. But then there are others. What about that colleague at work that continually offends me? Or that customer who is never satisfied? That overbearing boss who is making my life miserable? Praying for God to do anything good in their lives would be challenging enough, but thanking God for them? That seems impossible.

The truth is that spiritual leaders rise above their own grievances and complaints to gain a higher view of God’s activity in the world around them. God is always at work around us. Some of the people we may like the least, could well be the ones in whom God is working most significantly. The only way we can thank God for some people is if we see them from His perspective. If you can’t find anything to pray for some people, you may need God to give you a fresh vantage point.

The Christian message is the same for everyone. It offers the power to overcome sin. It can make us holy. It offers every heavenly resource with which to give us victory and to transform us to be like Christ. Nevertheless, despite all that God makes available, there are many whose spiritual lives ultimately end in ruin.

There are two ways to protect yourself from suffering spiritual shipwreck. The first is faith. Faith is not blind. It is based on truth. It grows as you experience God. It strengthens as you practice it and witness firsthand that God’s word is true. Faith is not something others do for you. It is your responsibility to cultivate it. A robust faith does not happen automatically. The danger comes when you neglect your faith. A crisis comes. A tragedy occurs. A temptation arises. Suddenly you crumble, because you never nurtured your trust in God.

The second source of protection is a good conscience. This results from living with integrity. As you seek to live your life without regret, you find that you avoid those moments that could harm your walk with God. Having faith and a clear conscience is a wonderful thing. It is freeing to your soul. To be without them is to live in bondage and despair. What is the condition of your faith and conscience, today?