Category: Spiritual Leadership

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

For generations it had been considered impossible. Despite rigorous training and competitions throughout the world, no one had ever run a mile in under four minutes. Some claimed that the human body was not capable of the exertion that would be required for such a fete. Others had striven to achieve it but had always fallen short.

There is something within humanity that is inspired by the impossible. Certain people, rather than being discouraged, are energized by overcoming a seemingly insurmountable barrier. Although the time for running the mile had been decreasing, people viewed running the mile in less than four minutes as physically impossible. Then on May 6, 1965, Roger Bannister did the seemingly impossible. He ran a mile in 3.59.4 seconds. People were astounded. Generations of athletes had pushed themselves to the limit and yet had been unable to reach that milestone. Now it became clear that it was indeed possible. Forty six days later, someone else ran the mile in under four minutes. Others soon followed. What had seemed impossible became the new standard.

There have been many discussions about the difference between managers and leaders. Warren Bennis claimed that managers do things right, while leaders do the right things. Another way to view it is that managers administer what is, while leaders envision what could be. Managers ensure things run smoothly. Leaders solve problems and create new things.

One of the most famous stories in the Bible is that of David and Goliath. Goliath posed a giant problem for the Israelites. The Philistines were encamped on a mountain in Judah. Their champion, Goliath, would taunt the Israelite soldiers each morning and evening. This massive soldier stood nine feet nine inches tall. His massive armor seemed impenetrable. Or so the Israelites thought. For forty days Goliath humiliated the Israelites yet no one had an answer for him.

King Saul was the leader of the Israelites, but he acted more like a manager. He saw the problem but he had no answers. He could not imagine any way of defeating such an enormous foe. It seemed that all they could do was to hunker down on their hilltop and wait it out.

Then one day a shepherd boy arrived bringing food for his older brothers. As soon as he heard Goliath’s taunting, David wondered why someone did not respond. When David volunteered to fight Goliath, Saul assumed he would use traditional means and began loading his heavy armor on to David. Instead, David envisioned an entirely new way of engaging the enemy. Rather than standing toe-to-toe with a bloodthirsty behemoth, David travelled lightly, using a slingshot while staying just out of reach. Goliath commanded; “Come up to me!” (1 Sam. 17:44). Of course, Goliath wanted David to follow the conventional rules of battle, since they clearly favored him. Instead, David devised a band new strategy, one relying upon airpower. The rest, of course, is history. The Israelites saw that day that giants are not invincible after all.

There is an interesting sequel to that famous story. David fought ongoing battles against the Philistines. Apparently Goliath had family members who served in the Philistine army as well. The biblical record tells us that Abishai, one of David’s loyal lieutenants killed the giant Ishbi-Benob, the son of Goliath (2 Sam. 21:15-17). Then Sibbechai killed Saph, another of Goliath’s sons (2 Sam. 21:18). Then Elhanan killed Jaare-Oregim, Goliath’s brother (2 Sam. 21:19). Finally, Jonathan, David’s nephew, killed another of Goliath’s sons (2 Sam. 21:20-21). What had happened? David had simply proven that what people thought was impossible was in fact, quite possible. Once David led the way, others were eager to follow.

We live in an age when giant problems are creating havoc in society and in the Church. Crises always distinguish managers from the leaders. Managers are good at identifying the problems. Leaders are expert at devising the solution.

Over the years I have worked with both managers and leaders. If in a meeting I had someone identify all of the problems, I knew he was a manager. If someone explained why nothing could be done to solve our current problem, she was clearly identifying herself as a manager. If, however, someone came to my office excited about a possible solution to a problem we were facing, I recognized she was an emerging leader.

This contrast is visible in many different sectors. A pastor complains that his church is located in a difficult neighborhood with an outdated building with which to grow a church. After five years of decline, the pastor moves on to greener pastures. His successor immediately begins to grow the church and see new life return. Or a church planting missionary claims that starting churches is extremely difficult in his field. As a result, few churches are planted. His successor arrives and soon new churches are popping up everywhere. What is the difference? One person sees the problems; the other sees the possibilities.

The Israelites saw a giant with impenetrable armor. David saw an immobile target who was a sitting duck. It was all a matter of perspective.

At times people assume they are leaders, when, in fact, they are managers. They assume because they are dealing with difficult problems that they must be leaders. However, worrying about, complaining about, and losing sleep over problems is not the same thing as dealing with problems. Dealing with problems means you assume there is a solution and you confidently explore the possibilities until you find it.

I remember years ago when my father was a director of missions. He was in a meeting with another director of missions from a different city. This man complained that nothing was happening in his city. My mother began to say, “Well you should come work with us. There are lots of things happening where we are!” But she refrained from speaking (no small fete for my mother!). She and my dad realized that if this man could not generate any exciting ministries in the city he was in, a change in address would not alter his fundamental issue. This man clearly was not a leader. He kept waiting for someone else to solve his problems. If only the denomination would provide more funds. If only the churches would initiate more ministries. If only other people would come with solutions to his problems. But no one did. This man was content to calendar and organize what others were doing but he had no ability, or desire, to initiate anything himself.

I am believe leadership can be learned. I also realize that some people are naturally wired to be leaders while others naturally think in terms of management. If you are wired to be a manager but you have a leader’s responsibility, there is hope! Here are a couple of things you must do:

1. Stop expecting other people to solve your problems!
2. Stop blaming other people or circumstance for your problems.
3. Remove the word ‘impossible” from your leadership vocabulary.
4. Assume there is a solution to your problem and begin to search confidently for it.
5. Cry out to God and listen to what He tells you about your circumstance.
6. Put aside any fear, laziness, or timidity that might be holding you back from the solution.
7. Boldly move forward with the answer God gives you.
8. Don’t quit until your problem is solved.

The truth is that there is much at stake for you and your organization. If you will take the lead, you might be surprised how those working under you begin to kill their own giants in the days to come!

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

During biblical times, your life depended upon watchmen. Enemies abounded. Foreign armies would sweep across the country leaving villages and cities in smoldering ruins in their wake. People did not have amber alerts going off on their I Phone when Assyrian hordes were spotted crossing the Jordan River, not did they have radios or 24-hour news channels to keep them abreast of world events. Your life depended upon the diligence of watchmen.

Watchmen were posted at the highest points along the city walls. They would peer out on the horizon watching for the first sign of a threat to the city. What might appear to only be a tiny spot on the horizon might in fact be a cavalry detachment racing toward the city before the gates could be closed. Or it might be the advance guard of a massive army that was steamrolling across the countryside. What appeared to be a speck in the distance could ultimately result in the city’s destruction.

From the time the watchman first noticed something unusual on the horizon, there might only be minutes to respond before people began losing their lives. The watchman would have to hurriedly discern if the distant object was nothing more than a shepherd bringing his flock to market, or a caravan bringing exotic goods from the East for sale in the marketplace. However, if the watchman discerned that the approaching object was a military force, every minute was critical.

Once the watchman sounded the alarm, nothing was more important than racing inside the city walls. Sentries would begin the laborious process of shutting the gate before the enemy arrived. People living outside the walls had precious little time to make it inside before the gate was shut tight. If left outside the walls, villagers could expect no mercy from the rapacious hordes thirsting for loot and murder.

Not just anyone could be a watchman. Those with poor eyesight were disqualified. People who dozed off on duty or who were easily distracted were poor candidates for the position. It mattered not that such volunteers were nice people or well intentioned. Too many lives depended upon watchmen for the responsibility to be entrusted to anyone but those who were the most trustworthy and perceptive.

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The prophet Isaiah lived in a tumultuous time. His nation, Israel, was surrounded by nations who were prepared to pounce upon them at the first sign of weakness. Many of Israel’s neighbors had age-old grudges they intended to repay at the first opportunity. The aging power of Egypt seemed to be continually lurking, waiting for the right moment to sweep into Israel, dispensing destruction once more. Then there was the colossal Assyrian Empire that was gobbling up smaller states like Israel and inflicting horrific torture and punishment to its unfortunate victims. Isaiah lived in an age when an enemy might appear on the horizon at any moment. Isaiah stated: “I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime; I have sat at my post every night . . . He calls to me out of Seir, ‘Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?’” (Is. 21:8, 11).

God appointed Isaiah to serve as a watchman for his people. Someone needed to stay alert. The people needed someone who could gaze into the darkness and detect an enemy approaching. Isaiah was to be that person.

Despite the fact that Isaiah was one of the most eloquent and insightful prophets of any age, many of his contemporaries refused to heed his warnings. People saw him as reactionary or overly worrisome. Isaiah warned that the source of the people’s greatest concern was not the dreaded Assyrians, but holy God. For God could destroy the people far more quickly and thoroughly than any of their mortal enemies could. Isaiah continually proclaimed that the people had forsaken their covenant with God and that, if they did not return to Him with all of their hearts, judgment would be forthcoming. Few listened.

Nevertheless, God commanded the prophet to keep his spiritual senses alert and to report to the people everything he saw. Some of what God called him to do was extremely difficult. At times his home life and even the way he dressed became a divine sign to his society (Is. 20). Isaiah’s long life served as a continual reminder and warning to his nation that God would surely hold them accountable for their actions. At times his nation’s leaders, such as the godly king Hezekiah, listened to him. At other times they did not (Is. 7:10-13). Nevertheless, Isaiah faithfully remained at his post, on his nation’s watchtower, always prepared to issue a warning when he knew danger was near.

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Throughout history, God has assigned people to serve as His watchmen for their society. However, God has a strong warning for those who serve in that role: If you hear a word from God and neglect to issue a warning, God will hold you accountable (Ezek. 3:16-21). It has always been an awesome assignment to be appointed a watchman.

In our day, society needs watchmen more than ever. Dangers abound. Terrorists desperately plot to bring widespread destruction to America. Violence can suddenly erupt in ordinary, seemingly safe places such as public schools, movie theaters, marathons, and shopping centers. Though medical breakthroughs are occurring, illnesses such as cancer and heart attacks continue to fell people by the thousands.

Even more pervasive than the threats to our physical lives is the plethora of dangers to our moral and spiritual wellbeing. Pornography insidiously pervades every corner of the land. Corruption, infidelity, and falsehood permeate society at every turn. Marriage is under attack both by infidelity and self-centeredness as well as by those who adamantly demand the right to redefine the very nature of the institution. Today everyone from atheists to the morally perverted insist that they have the right to blaspheme God and His standards, all the while becoming furiously indignant when anyone questions the appropriateness of their own conduct.

We live in a morally and spiritually darkened world. Many live in fear as well as in moral ambiguity. There are many today who are asking “What of the night?” People wonder how long and how far society can degenerate before God sends judgment. Everywhere people are seeking answers. To fill that void, society offers 24-hour new channels filled with self-proclaimed experts who eagerly present their view of reality. The Internet teems with blogs and websites promoting answers and viewpoints to every possible question. Social media has reduced common wisdom to convenient sound bites for those who do not feel inclined to do any heavy cognitive lifting.

More than ever, people need a word from God. They must hear from those who are faithfully at their post, watching for danger. They are depending on watchmen to fearlessly wound the alarm, even if what they are saying is politically incorrect. We live at a time when a word from God has never been any more needed, or any less appreciated.

The key question is: has God called you to be a watchman?

Perhaps you work in the marketplace or in the professional world. You may have colleagues who have no idea what spiritual peril they are in. Perhaps your boss is so concerned with financial and personnel issues that she has not given attention to the danger her marriage is facing. Perhaps you have customers or clients who are struggling to stay afloat financially, but who are unaware of their spiritual bankruptcy.

Or perhaps you serve as a leader in your church. It may be that while your fellow church members vehemently debate a theological fine point, or a denominational oddity, darkness is inexorably creeping into your neighborhood. Or perhaps while church committees debate for hours whether to paint the sanctuary light green or beige, a dozen marriages in your congregation are at the brink of ruin.

As watchmen, you do not have the luxury to be caught dozing. There are no vacation days for watchmen. Watchmen do not get to pick and choose which messages they will deliver and which ones they pass on. Furthermore, the message is never about the watchman. The warnings issued aren’t determined by the watchman’s preferences, likes or dislikes. It matters not if the watchman feels comfortable delivering certain messages. The watchmen’s task is to keep their spiritual senses alert and to be quick to issue a warning when danger approaches.

How safe are your children, having you as a watchman on the walls of your home? How secure are your colleagues at work or congregants at your church, having you peering into the darkness on their behalf?

Could it be that you have been distracted? Have you been slumbering when you should have been alert? Has the enemy made inroads into your family or church or neighborhood on your watch? If so, be aware that if evil destroys someone under your care, that person’s life may be ruined, but God will hold you accountable for your dereliction of duty.

It is a high calling to be a watchman. Make certain that you perform your duty well.

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

Leaders aren’t necessarily the ones with all of the answers. They are often the people with the best questions.

We live in a society that has been grossly dumbed down. We don’t need to think any more. There are others who will gladly do that for us. Just turn on your television to any of the news channels. It used to be that newscasters related the news while you formed an opinion. Now they do that for you too. Armed with a battery of self-proclaimed “experts” sitting on panels, these pundits freely express their opinions to an increasingly gullible and undiscerning audience.

That is why leaders must think. And the best way to think is to ask good questions and to refuse simplistic answers. How do leaders do this? Let’s look at some basic questions:

Who? That is a question commonly asked by crime detectives. But it behooves leaders to ask the question as well. For example, who should take on this assignment? Should it be me? Should it be someone else? Just because I could do the job, should I? Will assuming responsibility for something I could do, distract me from the tasks I must do? And what about those I enlist to work with me? Will any qualified person suffice? Or will carelessly enlisting someone on to my leadership team throw the entire group out of sync? Many a great effort has been thwarted because the wrong people were recruited to help. Leaders must regularly ask the “who” question.

Why? That question puts me in mind of some four-year-olds! But leaders routinely neglect to ask this. Many leaders could have avoided burnout if only they had asked this crucial three-letter-query. “Why am I doing this? Is it because I should be, or because I feel needed and appreciated when I do?” “Why am I working late again? Because it is necessary or because I am addicted to making money and accumulating the possessions associated with success?” Leaders have exhausted themselves undertaking tasks that were unnecessary simply because they never took time to ask this question. Leaders cannot behave like George Mallory who quipped, “Because it’s there” when questioned why he was attempting to climb Mount Everest. Rather, they must relentlessly ask “why” before they invest their time, money, or human resources into a major project.

What? This is the compelling question. “What must we do?” God created each person for a reason. We have a divine calling, that, when we pursue it, brings God glory. Yet for many people, they have never found the “divine what.” So they default to merely earning a living, or staying busy, or building a comfortable life. As leaders enter each new day, they must ask, “And what should I do today?” Incredibly, Jesus confessed that He did nothing on His own initiative (John 5:19). Rather, He trusted His Father to reveal to Him what He should do. Jesus never assumed He knew. He was constantly watching for any heavenly signal that revealed what He should do next. It matters not how effectively or efficiently you are doing the wrong thing!

Where? It is generally wasteful to do the right thing in the wrong place. Many leaders have faithfully toiled in the wrong organization. Perhaps God led them to their position years ago, but these leaders never checked to see if they were meant to remain there indefinitely. At times God calls us to new assignments, in new locations. Some pastors would never entertain the possibility that God might ask them to relocate to a county or state different than the one in which they were raised. Where to invest your effort, as well your organization’s resources are questions of paramount importance. Effective leaders focus. Outstanding leaders focus where they can be most productive.

How? It is quite possible to do the right thing the wrong way. Just ask Moses or King Saul. They both sought to serve God; they just did it in an unacceptable manner. God made it clear that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We cannot assume we know how things ought to be done. Too many leaders strive to know what they should do, but then do not stay in God’s presence long enough to also learn how they are to do it. You sense God wants your church to build a new auditorium? Great! But doing it the incorrect way could cost you a third of your membership. Better to do it God’s way. The only way to accomplish that is to ask Him how. Don’t assume because God led you to accomplish a task a certain way last time means He wants you to do it that same way the next time (Once again, check with Moses).

When? It is also quite possible to do the right thing, the right way, but at the wrong time. Great leaders have an instinctive sense of timing. Being a little early or late can completely undermine an otherwise great effort. If you are going to approach God to ask about “what” and “how,” stay before Him long enough to also learn “when.” Timing is everything.

Any questions?

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

I love history. I can’t help myself. Whenever I see something old and dusty my heart starts to race! My daughter claims this fact makes me about as exciting as asparagus. But for me, history is not primarily about meaningless dates and boring documents. It involves people and the struggles that perennially plague them. There truly is nothing new under the sun. There is merely this year’s model. So when I examine society’s present condition, I naturally look to history (especially that found in Scripture) to find answers.

What history reveals is that in every generation, society has tended to drift away from God and toward moral and spiritual relativism. If left unchecked, society can descend to shockingly low levels of depravity and irreverence. Even the godliest of generations produced prodigal children in the next. And, when this inevitably happened, God would generally respond in one of two ways: He would send a prophet or a spiritual leader.

We live in an age that desperately requires prophets and spiritual leaders. Both are crucial, but they are far from being the same thing. Many people are called to be leaders, at least at some level. Far fewer seem to be commissioned to speak prophetically. We need both. But we also must understand the significant differences between the two divinely appointed roles.

The Role of the Prophet

Despite popular misconceptions, prophets are not simply long-bearded, bombastic preachers who predict the future. (Otherwise people like Elijah would have won the company football pool every year!) Rather, biblical prophets were people who delivered a word from God to the people. Usually a prophet would show up in Scripture after God’s people had seriously departed from His standards and commandments. Many Christians today are praying for God to anoint a prophet for our day. But as my father always points out, don’t be too quick to pray for a prophet. They are God’s last line of defense before He metes out judgment. Generally by the time a prophet came on the scene it was too late. The people’s apostasy was already too advanced for them to be restored without more drastic measures being applied.

Typically a biblical prophet was someone who spoke an unpopular message to a morally and spiritually bankrupt people. When King Ahab and his wicked queen Jezebel infested the land with idol worship, Elijah appeared on the scene and declared that God was sending a drought. He later came to Mount Carmel and called fire down from heaven before he had the popular priests of Baal slaughtered. The public at large didn’t generally enjoy having Elijah show up because he usually came with unwelcome news.

When you read the biblical prophets such as Amos and Hosea, you see the heart and holiness of God. Through His spokespeople, God condemned the exploitation of the poor, unethical business practices, and extravagant, selfish lifestyles. He also challenged behaviors and attitudes that contravened His righteous standards. Most importantly, God used prophets to alert people to how far they have drifted in their relationship with Him. While society tends to be blind to its shortcomings and sins, prophets shine a bright light on society so its transgressions cannot be hidden.

It takes courage to be a prophet. Just look at the manner in which many of them met their end! Kings and powerful leaders were constantly angry with them and trying to silence them. Religious leaders often mocked and imprisoned them (There is a reason Jeremiah is called the ”Weeping Prophet”). It is generally much easier to turn a blind eye to societal sins or loose morals than to stand out as the only one who has a problem with the behavior. Ironically, it is even more difficult to challenge the complacency, secular creep, and sinful attitudes that permeate God’s people. Jesus did so and it infuriated the religious leaders of His day.

In recent days it has become increasingly evident that we live in a society desperate for a prophetic word. The suffocating pressure of “political correctness” has muted many a Christian voice. When Dan Cathy of Chick-fil-A commented that God’s standard for marriage was being abused and redefined by society, the cacophony of angry voices denouncing him was deafening. When people speak up about abortion or biblical compromise, they are angrily shouted down. At the same time people can go on television and chronicle any number of graphic, depraved experiences and be praised for their authenticity. It would seem the only politically correct, approved target these days to assault with impunity is the Christian church. To point out discrepancies or inaccuracies in anyone else is to commit the unforgivable sin of intolerance.

It is in fact, a documented strategy of the homosexual agenda to loudly attack and intimidate anyone who questions their lifestyle or moral views. When they can’t win a debate with reason and facts, they simply shout louder. As Dan Cathy discovered, in our morally charged society, even when you affirm a traditionally held value such as heterosexual marriage, you are castigated as a bigot and hatemonger. We live in a day when there are plenty of job vacancies for prophets.

Is a Prophet Enough?

The problem is that by the time a prophetic voice is required, society is already in deplorable condition. And, generally speaking, while prophets condemned people’s moral and spiritual condition, they rarely led people to where they needed to be. Elijah preached a thundering denunciation of Baal worship on Mount Carmel. Then he ran for his life! Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and others spoke magnificently on behalf of God, but they were largely limited by what the reigning king did with their message. Jeremiah was one of the greatest of biblical prophets. When he served under the righteous King Josiah, his message was largely heeded. After Josiah was gone, the prophet found himself in prison. Even a spectacular fireworks display could not bring about changes under Elijah if the queen was determined to have his head.

That is why a prophet is never enough. Prophets are great at pointing out what is wrong. They are not necessarily hardwired to move people to where they need to be. Don’t get me wrong. I think it takes great courage to be a prophet. It can be a lonely, and even dangerous calling. But it is never enough. I spoke with someone recently who told me about his frustrating years of ministry as a pastor. While the man gave evidence of a prophetic calling, the only paying jobs available had been pastorates. In every church this man came to lead, he would inevitably find himself condemning sin and challenging ungodly leadership. And, just as inevitably, the cleric would find himself unemployed. I don’t doubt the man’s courage or integrity, but over the course of his ministry, he had never been able to successfully lead people. He had only denounced them. And that is the problem for many prophets. There aren’t many paying jobs these days for those with the prophetic gift. That’s why many assume the role of pastor (Which calls for shepherding skills rather than prophetic ones).

It is never enough to merely denounce what is wrong. Someone must stand up and lead the people to where people ought to be. With the proliferation of blogs and Twitter these days, it is easy to issue public condemnations. The church does not lack analysts or critics! Condemning what is, while often necessary, is only half the job. At times it is easier to wax eloquent in the pulpit, or in a blog, than it is to take people by the hand and draw them to their divinely appointed destination.

Perhaps that is also why prophets are primarily for God’s people, and not unbelievers. While no one particularly enjoys a thundering denouncement, at least believers have the Holy Spirit convicting them that what is being said is true. But unbelievers have no such Spirit dwelling within them. When Christians denounce unbelievers, it does not generally draw them to faith (Jonah is an obvious exception). Unfortunately modern society often views Christians in terms of what they denounce rather than what they affirm. To exert a significant impact on society today, someone in addition to a prophet, is required.

Spiritual Leaders

There is an intriguing story in Judges Chapter Six. We all know the account of the Midianites who swept into Israel like a plague of locusts, devouring everything in sight. But what is less known is that before God called Gideon, He sent a prophet. In Judges 6:7-10 we are told:

And it came to pass when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. Also I said to you, “I am the Lord your God: do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not obeyed My voice.’”

This incident is unusual because Samuel is generally viewed as the bridge between the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. But in this chapter a prophet appears and draws a direct connection between the people’s difficult circumstances and their sin (Never a popular sermon topic). The prophet arrives. He delivers his message. Then he is gone, lost in the annals of time. The prophet may well have accomplished some good, but none is recorded.

What happened next? God raised up a leader. Gideon. At first, he’s anything but a sterling example of statesmanship. But God chose him anyway. Through a God-appointed leader, God’s people are liberated from their oppressors. As long as Gideon lived, there was peace. What a prophet had been unable to do, a youngest son, in an insignificant family, who was divinely appointed to lead, accomplished. Unfortunately, immediately after Gideon’s death, it became clear that the people’s hearts were not wholly committed to God. Perhaps events might have ended differently had that prophet preached more during Gideon’s rule. It would seem that the best combination for keeping a society walking with God is a partnership between prophets and leaders.

In our book, Spiritual Leadership, my father and I describe the task of spiritual leaders as “moving people on to God’s agenda.” If people have not moved, you have not led. You may have pointed out what is wrong; you may have castigated transgressors, but if people remain where they are, you have failed to lead.

What we need today is not only to condemn moral laxness and biblical apostasy. We also require leaders who will rise up and show their people the way. I greatly appreciate pastors who not only refuse to compromise biblical truth, but also lead their congregations to make a positive difference in their community. I enjoy working with Christian business leaders who realize that God has gifted them to lead, not to preach. These men and women are using their business skills to be salt and light in society just as Jesus instructed them to (Matt. 5:13-16). Christian parents are taking their leadership role in the home seriously and consequently are rearing a superb generation of bright, articulate, accomplished defenders of the faith for the next generation. While today’s spiritual leaders may never mount the pulpit with a fire and brimstone message, they are quietly going about their workweeks making a profoundly positive difference on everything they touch.

Where are you? Have you been cowed by liberal and secular society to tone down your convictions and to focus on less controversial subjects? Or, have you found it easy to condemn, but not to lead? The Church is crying out for positive, effective, godly leadership. And, though it is not calling for them, the Church desperately needs prophets too. If you are a leader or a prophet, be certain you highly value your counterpart’s gift. Perhaps you may even collaborate with others to ensure that your people receive everything God has for them.

Where are the prophets and spiritual leaders for our day?

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

In March 2006, I was in my office at the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary. My calendar was filled with people who needed to see me. At that time, I had served as the president of the school for almost 13 years. Overall, they had been good years. We had added numerous buildings to the complex as well as significantly increasing our student body, endowment, staff, and faculty. There were ongoing challenges that had to be faced, but I had a good leadership team and the strong support of my board of trustees. Furthermore, my family had grown up in that beautiful town in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and we had a great church. Life was good.

My last appointment for the day was with a student. He had earned several degrees at our school and had often come by to seek my advice or mentoring as he developed his sense of God’s call on his life. This day he seemed unusually nervous. In the next few minutes he explained that God had given him a strong sense that my time at the seminary was done and that I needed to go and work full time with my father Henry, sharing the truths of Experiencing God with people around the world.

His message shocked me. For one, I have not received messages from God in that manner. This was a first. Second, I respected this man’s walk with God. I had never known him to deliver such a message to anyone before and I knew he would not do so unless he was certain he had indeed heard from God. Third, the thought of leaving my seminary position to work full time with my father (who had been officially “retired” for five years) had never crossed my mind. Finally, and perhaps most disturbingly, as soon as my visitor spoke those words, my heart began to race and my spirit became exceedingly agitated. As much as I wanted to brush off his comment as ludicrous or unfeasible or impractical, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I sensed I had just heard something that would change my life.

The following month I announced my resignation and ended my service at the seminary that July. I began serving as the president of Blackaby Ministries International. That next year I flew 200,000 miles in speaking engagements and submitted six book manuscripts for publication. My life was swept up into a brand new role that would challenge me in fresh, new ways.

I have reflected much on what happened. This is what I have concluded:

1.         We are called to grow, not to hold a comfortable position.

I had grown comfortable in my job. It wasn’t that there weren’t ongoing challenges to raise money and recruit students every year, but after 13 years, I knew what to do. It was work, sure, but work I had learned to do successfully. I had a good, and important job, but I was no longer growing in it. The areas where I had been growing were in the endeavors I undertook with my father. I was writing books and speaking to new and diverse audiences. I also had begun discipling Christian CEOs of major companies in corporate America. It was the first discipleship I had ever conducted where some of the participants flew in on company jets! To say I felt challenged to be at my best is an understatement!

Our natural tendency is to seek a job that is comfortable and stable and to begin putting in our years until retirement. Yet such an approach to life is anathema to our Creator. He designed us to grow. When we stop growing, we start dying. Unbeknownst to me, I had begun dying in my role as president and, when leaders start dying, so do their organizations. I clearly needed a fresh challenge if my life and leadership were to go to another level.

I need to insert a caveat here. You can grow and go to another level in leadership, yet remain in your same church or organization. I just think it is more difficult to do. I had naturally surrounded myself with staff and faculty with whom I could work well. My trustees liked me and supported me. I had good relations with our denomination. It was just too easy to coast on yesterday’s success than to achieve fresh, new ones. For me, I needed to move on.

2.         After ten years leaders must reinvent themselves.

When I had been president of the seminary for about eleven years, I was asked to speak at a national gathering of Campus Crusade leaders in Canada. One of the staff was driving me back to the airport and he made an intriguing observation. He noted that in his estimation, after ten years, leaders have probably made their greatest contributions to their organization. That is not to say leaders cannot continue to work hard and to contribute. However, their most important contributions, a fresh vision, new ideas, innovative approaches, are generally made in the first decade. After that, leaders tend to transition into maintenance. At the time I remember musing that this man’s theory did not apply to me . . . Yet looking back, I realize that my greatest contributions, and arguably my greatest successes, came in my first decade. Of course, if after ten years you have not made a significant impact, odds are high that you won’t ever do so.

Again, this dos not mean that people cannot stay for two or three or even four decades in the same organization and make enormous contributions. But such leaders only do so when they are constantly growing, innovating, learning, and maturing. If you don’t keep growing in your role, your organization will outgrow you.

3.         Our calling in life is to glorify God and abide in Christ.

The American dream is to build a large retirement account, pay off your home, and enjoy your golden years in style and comfort. Your measure of success is how high you made it on the organizational chart during your career. Not so with God. His desire for you is that you develop an intimate, growing, transformational relationship with Him. He calls you to abide in Him continually (John 15:5). He wants to keep us in a position of utter dependence upon Him that leads us to live a life of faith. For, without faith, it is impossible to please Him.

I remember when I first walked in to the seminary as a thirty-two-year-old president. I was the youngest person on the entire staff! People were concerned that I was too young and inexperienced to handle the job. I knew every eye was watching. I was keenly aware that if I failed, I might bring the fledgling institution crumbling down upon my head. So I prayed! I read. I sought counsel. I attended workshops. I worked hard! But, after thirteen years, I had built a strong team around me. Rather than being the new kid on the block, I had hired most of the staff. I was the veteran, with a track record of success. However, Scripture declares that without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It wasn’t that I still didn’t need faith. I just didn’t need as much! (Or so I thought). Unknowingly, my success and leadership team had caused me to rely on them for some of what I should have been relying upon God for. So God removed them from me. Once again I was in a position where I knew how much I needed God if I were to experience continued success.

Summary

In recent days I have been struck by how many people are experiencing some degree of transition. Some have been laid off, due to downsizing as a result of a volatile economy. Others have been asked to leave by management. Some of simply felt that their time in their current job had come to an end and something new was coming. I’ve never seen as many people in transition as I have in recent days. Why is that?

In some cases, people had grown complacent, or even lazy. When the economy tanked, the first people to be laid off were the ones who were no longer making significant contributions. It was a wakeup call that there is no such thing as a lifetime job any more. People must keep growing and enhancing their ability to contribute.

For others, I believe it has been God moving them to a new level. By providing new challenges, God has forced these people to grow, to develop new skills, to depend more on Him. For many, this has been invigorating. While no one likes to go through the pain of job and income loss, or relocating, or uprooting family, or having to learn new skills, it has at the same time, awakened people to the thrill of personal growth. Our problem is that we often have no idea how stagnant we have become, until we have our lives shaken.

I also believe that we are clearly nearing the end times. The muscular secularism of today is seeking to force Christianity out of every corner of society. Terrorists are fervently seeking nuclear weapons with which to bring about a global holocaust. Violence and hatred seem only to increase as society becomes more educated and modernized. Could it be that in such times, it is an affront to our Creator to remain comfortably where we are, and who we are? Could it be that God is shaking up many of His people so they are divinely nudged into becoming all He designed them to be?

I don’t know what your current status is. Perhaps you are one whose job has been lost or significantly changed in recent days. Or perhaps you are in the same role, but you sense that God wants to do more through your life than He has of late. It may be that your past success doesn’t cut it today. If that is the case, let me urge you to be sensitive to the fresh new thing God may be introducing into your life. Don’t fear it. Embrace it. Life is too short to play it safe.

Behold the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them . . . Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 42:9; 43:18-19)

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

In 2008 I sensed God relocating me from where I had been serving in Canada, to Greenville, South Carolina. I had held three different leadership roles over the nineteen years I had lived in Canada, but I sensed it was time to relocate to the Southeast. It was a hectic, demanding time, as I had to sell and buy a house and organize my life in an entirely different part of the continent.

One day I received a huge shock. It made the day my dentist told me I needed a root canal look like a walk in the park on a sunny day . . . It was from the IRS. According to their calculations, I owed them a lot of money. The interest was mounting. The fines were substantial, and only the beginning if I did not pay them immediately. I couldn’t believe it. I contacted the person who had done my accounting in Canada and who had filed my returns. They did an extensive review of all of my earnings and tax payments. The process was extensive. But, when it was done, it was clear I did not owe IRS the massive sum. You can imagine my trepidation the day I received a return letter from IRS. I had to pour myself a cup of coffee and sit in my most comfortable chair (so I was prepared in case I passed out!) before I opened it. To my great relief, IRS agreed with my accounting and informed me I now owed them nothing. Wheeew! There is enormous freedom that results from taking careful inventory of our lives.

One of the great concerns I have developed over the years in ministry is that so many people underperform their potential. God has so much He could do in their lives, but we often settle for far less. I believe one of the major reasons for this is that we fail to take regular inventory of our lives. Let me suggest four ways you take at least an annual audit of your life as a leader.

First, take an inventory of what God initiated in your life. Scripture indicates that what God begins in us, He completes (Philippians 1:6). Review your journal. Are there things God has said to you? As you listened to sermons this year, or read your Bible, or prayed, or met with your accountability group, did you sense God impressing upon you things He intended to do in you?

For example, perhaps you hurt a colleague’s feelings through your gruff comments. God later convicted you that you need to learn to be gentle when dealing with others. Or perhaps you boasted about an accomplishment or stole the credit from someone. The Spirit subsequently convicted you that you need to be more humble. When God initiates a new work in your life, He is determined to bring it to fruition. Your response will either be to embrace His work or to resist it. Reflect on whether God has completed what He began in you this year.

Second, God completes tasks He initiates (Isaiah 46:10-11; 55:11). God is a God of completion. He doesn’t leave loose ends. He doesn’t make idle promises or half-hearted commitments. When He commits to a task, it is as good as done. What tasks did God set before you to do this year? Perhaps He led you to pay off a debt. He may have led you to read certain books, or to conduct a study on a particular doctrine. Perhaps He impressed on you that you should organize your files, or catch up on your e-mails, or spend more time with family, or apply for a doctoral program, or commence writing a book. Did you do it? The problem for many Christians is that, in their heart they know what God wants them to do, but they have been making excuses and allowing other commitments to distract them from getting the job done.

My father can be more than a little absent minded. My mother is constantly finding checks in his suit jackets that he neglected to deposit at the bank. Or business cards of someone he meant to contact. He does manage to get a lot done, but at times his failure to follow through costs him!

Likewise, at times we pay a high price for not following through with what God asked us to do. Because we never organize our files, we fail to find that illustration that would have done so much to enhance our sermon. Or we can’t locate that contact that could have greatly benefitted us. Some people have known for years that God wanted them to enter a doctoral program. Because they have never gotten around to it, they have never moved on to the next assignment God would have led them to, had they completed what He asked. It costs us, and others, when we do not follow through with what God asks us to do.

Third, God wants to bring closure to our life. There are seasons of sowing and seasons of reaping. There is a time to be born and a time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Loose ends severely hamper our life! I know people with so much unfinished business in their lives that they are totally immobilized from advancing any further. They have broken relationships that they have never reconciled. Or, they experienced failure previously in their life but never processed it, or cleaned up the mess. Or, they have accumulated crippling debt and now are in bondage to it. Some people never address their critical attitude and, over time, it closes opportunities they might otherwise have enjoyed. Life is too short and our calling by God too critical to squander it by not bringing God’s work in our lives to completion.

Finally, we need to audit those behaviors, attitudes, commitments, and behaviors that are preventing us from completing what we started. Perhaps it is an unwillingness to take the time to organize our lives. Perhaps it is laziness that prevents us from doing what it takes. Perhaps we have allowed numerous time wasters to creep into our lives until we have no time to do what is essential. We may have held on to roles and responsibilities long after we should have released them and now our calendar is far too cluttered to add important new activities to it. Each year we must ask ourselves the difficult question: What is it I have allowed into my life that is preventing me from doing and becoming all God intends for me?

Some leaders seem to be constantly accomplishing important achievements. Others, however, continually complain about how busy they are even though they accomplish little of significance. Take time to take an audit of your life. Is it ordered, uncluttered, and prepared for the next new work God initiates in your life? Or, are you burdened with unfinished business that is robbing you from going to new levels in your service of God?

by Dr. Tom Blackaby

There are two parables of Jesus that can be very disturbing to those who read them. They are about a ruthless businessman or ruler, who leaves on a journey, but before going, he gives several of his servants money to invest while he is gone. In Matthew 25 the master give five talents to one servant, two talents to another and one talent (about 3 months wages) to the third servant, each one according to their ability. When he returns, the first two servants have doubled the investment, while the last hides it and returns it to his master just as it was given. The first two servants were rewarded with increased responsibility and were invited to “share in their Master’s joy.” The third servant was soundly rebuked, disgraced, and punished by being thrown “into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In Luke 19, the nobleman gave 10 servants about one day’s wage each to invest.  When he returns the first servant has increased his investment and gives back 11 minas from the one he was given. The next servant has made five from the one he was given. The third servant did just as the faithless servant described in Matthew did. He hid the money and gave only the principle back to the owner with no gain whatsoever. The nobleman soundly rebuked the third servant (we hear nothing of the remaining servants), takes the money that was entrusted to him and gives it to the first reporting servant.

In both cases the servants were at least intimidated by their master, if not afraid. And, in both cases the servants were rewarded according to how much gain they had achieved on the investment. Those who showed no growth on the principle were considered lazy, slothful, unintelligent, and were duly punished by their master. Those who demonstrated an ability to invest wisely, work hard to increase the principle, and did what their master expected of them, were duly rewarded and praised, and they were able to share in their master’s joy. In the Luke account, the faithful servants became rulers themselves, according to their ability.

Although parables can be over-analyzed, and often twisted and used for a wide variety of purposes, the consensus among scholars is that they generally represent one main thought or idea. The rest of the details are given in support of that truth. The key for both stories is that the master expected an increase in his investment. The last thing the master wanted was to receive back the same amount he had entrusted to each servant. Perhaps it was a competence test to determine which of the servants were worthy of greater responsibility, or which of the servants had a heart like his master. In any case, both masters expected a substantial return on their investment.

I believe Christ did not have commerce in mind when he told these parables. Money was never his focus nor do we have any record of Christ multiplying gold coins or precious stones for his portfolio. So what is the spiritual application?

I believe Paul said it best, “Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet able to receive it. In fact, you are still not able, because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and living like ordinary people?” (1Cor 3:1-3). And in Hebrews it says, “We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, since you have become slow to understand. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of God’s revelation. You need milk, not solid food. Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature–for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil” (Heb 5:11-14)

As a leader in a church, I wish I were able to be a little more like the two masters and cast people out when they show no spiritual growth over time! They are like the lazy servants who are content to play while the master is gone and avoid any resemblance of hard work in the kingdom. I remember when my sister was hired by a church in the South to be their summer youth leader. She planned a mission trip to the northern United States that was of great interest to the youth because they loved to travel. But when they saw the work schedule for the trip, they were aghast! Where were the amusement parks, waterslides, and shopping malls? Why was there so little free time to play and relax? Even their parents were upset that more recreation time was not included. My sister tried to explain that the mission trip was to help underprivileged children and not to entertain their own church youth. Several youth dropped out from going on the trip, and my sister was forced to modify the schedule to include at least one day at the amusement park along the way.

The term “vacationary” is now commonly used to describe Christians who use their vacation time to go on a mission trip. But it seems many only want to go somewhere safe, with good food, a nice place to relax at the end of the day, and where there is good shopping nearby. I am told of certain “desirable” locations, where the same church is being painted three and four times a year by visiting “vacationaries” as a make-work project so they can say they accomplished something. After all, you wouldn’t want to go anywhere where you might have to sacrifice your comfort or have to boil your water before you drink it. Reminds me of when I lived in Europe and saw American children overseas who will only eat lunch sandwiches made on white Wonder bread, Skippy peanut butter with Welches grape jelly. Nothing else is acceptable regardless of what the country has to offer. This was non-negotiable to them. They would not try the local bread (even though it was incredibly tasty and healthy) or the local cheeses and lunch spreads. In other words they were unwilling to grow and expand their palate and experience new things. They wanted to bring “home” with them wherever they went. Sad really.

So what kind of return should a leader expect on his spiritual investment in the lives of his followers? According to these parables, the return will vary according to the ownership and initiative people assume for their personal growth. Some grow exponentially, others more modestly, and others not at all. But what I find too often the case is that leaders have given up expecting anything at all. They will teach Bible study after Bible study, preach sermon after sermon, lead home group after home group, and their only criterion for success is if people show up. There is no expectation for growth in their lives. There is no anticipation that marriages will be stronger, youth will more decidedly avoid temptations, members will more quickly volunteer in ministry, and that new ministries will be started because of the investment in their lives.

What do you expect to see as a return on your investment? Is it even measurable? I should hope so. More people going on meaningful and challenging mission trips (not vacationaries), more young people being called into ministry, fewer break-ups in marriages, fewer disputes among members, more people being brought into church, more people being saved, and so on. What changes do you expect to see in the lives of your people? I hope you have SOME expectations, some goals, some measurable objectives.

If your people are not praying more, not studying their Bible more, not responding more to the Spirit’s activity in their lives, then you will have to ask the hard question about what it is you are actually doing as a leader. Maybe the fault for the lack of response is not found among the people. Maybe it is with their leader who has no plan, no expectations, no goals, and is happy coasting along. But then, you will one day stand before YOUR Master who will ask for an account of what you did with the investment He put in you!  Something to think about.

by Dr. Richard Blackaby

Countless books and articles have been written on the subject of leadership. Leadership gurus often utilize metaphors such as comparing leadership to warfare (using terms such as strategy and tactics as well as phrases such as “rallying the troops,” “capturing the high ground” etc.), or a sporting contest (using terms like “winning,” “competitors,” “goal line”) or various other parallels such as terms from the jungle, evolution, medicine, or mechanics. Each of these images emphasizes particular aspects of leadership. I’d like to use a different metaphor with you. I would like to talk with you about leadership mathematics.

At the outset I must confess that I have been less than stellar in this particular discipline in my education. I escaped my senior year in high school with a shaky “D!” I did fine in the early years of learning mathematics, but somewhere between long division and algebra, I began to feel like I had been thrown into the deep end without my water wings. The only thing I was always confident in was my ability to add and subtract. As I have spent the last number of years speaking and consulting with people about leadership, I have increasingly become convinced that we need to return to simple math when examining our leadership.

Here are two simple, yet profound questions that could dramatically impact your leadership: First, what is one thing you could subtract from your character or behavior that would make you a more effective leader? Second, what is one thing you could add to your character qualities or leadership skills that would enhance what you are currently doing? The reality is that you may be one healthy decision away from being a much better leader than you presently are.

There is a fascinating dynamic found in John Chapter 13. We immediately recognize that passage as highlighting Jesus modeling servanthood as He washed His disciples’ filthy feet. But there are other important dynamics taking place in that chapter. Jesus had called the twelve disciples to walk with Him several years earlier. He had spent a great deal of time teaching and guiding them. Jesus had added much to these men’s lives over the course of their training. But by the time we find these men celebrating the Passover in the upper room, they had reached the end of themselves.

Beginning in verse 18, Jesus identified Judas as His betrayer. Despite knowing that Judas would one day turn against Him, Jesus had always treated him as lovingly as He had the other eleven. On that night, Jesus washed Judas’s feet with the same loving attention with which He had treated the others. Commentators speculate that Jesus must have placed his traitorous follower in a seat of honor at His right or left hand since He was able to pass him a piece of bread while reclining at a table. Jesus even made it clear to Judas that He knew what he was intending to do, perhaps so he might entertain second thoughts.

Jesus understood the crucial principle that spiritual leadership is grounded in character. If you have a small character, God generally will not assign you a large assignment (God of course can do whatever He chooses. He has made use of donkeys and unbelievers to accomplish His purposes, but this is generally a short-term solution and often done in the absence of a more sanctified instrument). A large assignment could overwhelm a small character. Your leadership can only go as far as your character can sustain you. When Judas began following Jesus, he had been a greedy thief. Over the next few years, he had been given the opportunity to preach and had been assigned to serve as the group’s treasurer. But now, at the conclusion of his time with Jesus, Judas was still a materialistic thief. Nothing had changed, despite his constant proximity to the Messiah. Judas had advanced as far as his character could take him. He inevitably encountered a temptation he could not refuse. Judas could go no further with Jesus apart from a radical change in his life.

Likewise, that evening Peter reached the limit to his character also. Despite his bravado, he suffered major weaknesses. He was proud, boastful and unashamedly ambitious. He liked to compare himself with others and cared too much about what others thought of him. These character issues would bring about his greatest failure later that night. Both men desperately needed for sinful attitudes and behaviors to be removed from their lives if their leadership was not to be derailed.

Of course, despite all Jesus did to reach out to him, Judas never addressed his greed and cynicism. Such neglect would cost him dearly. Conversely, Peter would be rudely confronted with his character issues later that night and suffered the most grievous failure in his life. Ultimately Jesus would restore him and remove the pride and boastfulness that had dominated his life. Peter would subtract sinful qualities from his life and eventually become a great apostle. Judas would not remove his sinful values and attitudes and would go on to commit the most infamous betrayal in history.

Oftentimes leaders focus too intently on what they need to add to their leadership tool kit to the exclusion of the important question of what they ought to subtract. They attend the latest conference, read the current leadership best seller, or adopt the latest fad. Yet if they harbor pride or lust or envy or unforgiveness in their heart, no amount of leadership seminars will enable them to overcome its downward pull on their life and ministry. Some leaders need to jettison their negative or critical attitudes. Others are hindered by fear. I know one worship leader who was fired by his senior pastor after he attempted to do something innovative. In his next position, this man did no more than required so he could avoid putting his family through another abrupt transition. By choosing to “play it safe,” this man was allowing fear to dominate his life. If the man were ever to advance as a leader, his fear had to be crucified. What these people must do is make their way to the holy altar and allow Christ to crucify their pride or greed or pettiness or fear so they are freed to lead at a higher level.

Organizations can face this same dilemma. They hold special meetings, reorganize their staff, and expand their facilities. Yet they are rife with prayerlessness or divisiveness or worldliness. They think that by ramping up their activity for God that they can overcome the debilitating consequences of their sin and dysfunction. They are like a cancer patient who hopes that by volunteering to serve on numerous committees and going on various mission trips that he can ignore the consequences of having a terminal disease. No amount of new responsibilities and activities we add to our life can compensate for that which we must subtract.

The second aspect of leadership math is addition. The truth is that there are skills, perspectives, and character traits you could develop that would greatly enhance your leadership effectiveness. There are numerous helpful books that could benefit you (I could suggest a few). There are conferences that could challenge you. There are people who could mentor you. There are scores of people who could offer you valuable feedback. And, preeminently, the Holy Spirit remains constantly prepared to transform you to be more like Christ as you lead.

But herein lies a dilemma. Despite multitudinous opportunities to better themselves, people in leadership positions often remain unchanged. There are various reasons for this. Some leaders battle insecurity. They cannot bring themselves to ask others for advice or feedback for fear it might rock their fragile self-esteem. Others are too lazy. They are unwilling to make the time or to forgo their favorite sitcom to read that challenging new book  . . . I once met with a young pastor who led a church of twenty people. I asked him what book he was currently reading. He impatiently informed me that he was too busy to read books. I responded that if he did not find a way to read, he would not hold a leadership position for long. He didn’t, and he didn’t.

Others grow complacent. They feel like they are doing “good enough.” The truth is that ten years ago their leadership skills might have been adequate. But they aren’t now. Times have changed. New issues have developed, but these lethargic leaders continue to function as they always have. They are like the parent who did a great job with her preschooler. But now that child has matured into a teenager. Nevertheless, the parent has not grown in her leadership skills. She still treats her offspring like a small child. The leadership techniques that were successful with her preschooler are grossly inadequate for her adolescent. It may not be a sin to be where you are today. It is inexcusable, however, to remain in the same place year after year. There are too many resources available today for anyone to neglect to grow personally.

I find this particularly telling in how seldom struggling leaders will humble themselves and ask for help. I have spoken with numerous denominational leaders who bemoan the fact that ineffective or discouraged pastors often refuse to ask for assistance from others. It is all but unheard of for struggling preachers to invite colleagues to give them constructive feedback. Likewise, rarely will you hear of parents who are failing with one of their children who enlist the advice of parents who are enjoying success. Too many leaders of churches, families, and businesses would rather suffer mediocrity or failure than ask for help.

The truth is that often, leaders need only add a new perspective, or adjust their approach, or enhance their skills to enjoy greater success. The most effective leaders are those who are willing to pay any price to become better at what they are doing.

So the two crucial questions I leave with you:

What could I subtract from my life that would make me a more effective leader?

What could I add to my life that would make me a more effective leader?

Once you find the answers, what you do next is entirely up to you.

The Christian leader constantly fights the battle for who is in charge of your life. Who should have the last say in what a person does, whether it is in the corporate office or in the home or in the church?  We might quickly give the “churchy” answer, “Of course God has the ultimate say.” But is that really the case in your life?

We like to think that we are “Spirit –led” in our decision, but are we really? I often come across individuals who spend much time in prayer seeking the Lord, reading in His Word for guidance and direction, and sharing with other believers what they sense the Lord has told them. These people, in my estimation, are doing their utmost to be led by God in all they do.

There are many others who choose to go through life with the mindset that since we prayed some months ago for wisdom, we can go about our daily business with confidence that every decision we make is going to be a wise decision, whether or not we have ever stopped to breath a prayer to the Father or crack open His Word or a devotional book. Such people are good people, well-meaning individuals, hard working and diligent in their jobs. They have a good reputation, high respect among their peers, a track record of success, and are often asked for advice from others.  But are they being God-led or are they simply well educated, experienced, principled and thoughtful individuals?

Now perhaps we need to address one other matter before we get into the core issues. Some think that they need to be spiritually minded only when they are at church or doing “Kingdom” work, whereas while they are in the secular world, they should function with the same drive, determination, and ambition as everyone else employing the same methods and means to accomplish their goals. The problem with this thinking is that when we are saved, we are taken out of the kingdom of this world and put into the Kingdom of God. Though we live in the world, we are no longer “of” the world. We have been bought with a price, we no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to Christ who purchased us with His blood. So there is no longer any differentiation between secular and sacred in our life, because everything now pertains to the sacred as Christ lives in us and now guides us from the inside out.

Several Scriptures come into play here.

1.  Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (HCSB).

This verse tells us that there is no way of knowing God’s perfect will unless we allow the Spirit of God to transform our heart and mind. This means we can no longer live by the world’s ways, the world’s standards, and the world’s expectations as a Christian. We have a much, much higher standard to hold to. This is not a once for all event, it is a constant activity in which we must cooperate with the Spirit of God. We can give in to the world’s way of thinking quite easily, and soon we are no longer thinking as Christ would have us think, but seeking our own gain, our own selfish ambitions, our own interests and completely forget about everyone else around us. We must constantly seek the Lord in order for our minds to be renewed and transformed out of the world’s ways and into Kingdom ways.

2. John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.”

I believe when a Christian honors God in what they do, that God will in return honor them, bless them, and cause them to prosper in what they have been asked to do. We must not forget our job, our house, our family, and our skill, attributes, and gifts were all given to us by God. He is our boss, our enabler, our teacher, our controller, our source of strength, our reservoir of wisdom and grace. Even though we may want to think we got where we are by our own intelligence, skills, and drive, God can certainly take it all away in an instant. It is God we need to please and from whom we need to receive accolades, not the world around us. Sure people can appreciate what we do, they can give us honors and awards for our good and timely work, but it is God who first needs to be impressed with our obedience to Him and our desire to serve Him. If we seek first to please God, then the fickleness of the world will not phase us in the least. God will vindicate us in the face of slander, misrepresentation, hostility, and opposition. Christ felt it all the time and won the victory despite his detractors and enemies. If the world hates you it is because they see you are no longer playing the game by their rules, and you are setting a much higher standard according to values, principles, integrity, honesty, and truth – things that are in short supply in today’s corporate world. It is not a bad thing to be disliked by some people. If evil people speak highly of you, there is something wrong. If you are the poster boy/girl for Workaholic of the Year in the staff room, there is a problem. If you are used as an example of how an employee should sacrifices their family and personal  goals for the sake of the company, you have not made the impact Christ wants you to make.  If the Company rules your life instead of the Kingdom you need to have a serious look at your life and seek God all over again.

3. 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle–is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.”  (HCSB)

When we forget we were never created for time and space and this world, that we were created for eternity, to enjoy God’s creation and His presence, we begin to have a distorted perspective on the world and all it has to offer. When we begin to desire the world and its trappings more than God and His Kingdom, we are in danger spiritually, emotionally, psychologically and even physically. To “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” helps us realize the foolishness of chasing after the dreams the world has to offer in light of what God has to offer. If you want to see clear examples of the result of “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” open your newspaper or business magazine and look at those whose address has changed from the corporate office to the prison cell. They were enticed by lust for power, lust for wealth, lust for influence, pride in their position, and felt they were above the law until the law caught up with them and showed them differently. The final words of this verse says, the “world with its lust is passing away”. You’ve heard the statement, “The one who dies with the most toys wins”, well,  it seems the multiple failed marriages, the estranged children, the paranoia and desire for more that many of the wealthy and influential exhibit would indicate what they had been chasing all their life turned out to have captured them in the end.

1 Corinthians 2:16  says, “But we have the mind of Christ.” This is no light statement. The implications of this are far reaching, or at least they should be. It should impact all our choices, our actions, our thoughts, and our goals. Somehow, though, there is a disconnect between our work and our relationship with Christ. We too often shut Him out of our daily agenda and decisions preferring to handle things on our own. This, of course, will result in achieving only those things we can achieve, and prohibits God from accomplishing all that He had intended to do through us.

If we choose to leave Christ at home when we go off to work, then we also choose to function according to our own wisdom, our own strength, our own insight, our own limitations rather than having access to the wisdom, insight, vision, power, and knowledge of God who sees the future, the past, and the present and can guide us through safe waters to achieve amazing results if we allow Him to. Who is leading you? Who is in control of your heart and mind? What results do you see in your life, family, and business? Do  they look like God has had His hand in it, or do they look more like you have been working hard on your own strength? Bring God into your workplace and let Him have His way in your heart and you will begin to see lives transformed and not just the bottom line looking good.

by Tom Blackaby

There are a lot of great things we do at church, but not all of them are beneficial to the overall direction and program of our ministry. We can be so busy putting out fires, preparing for the next meeting, salvaging damaged relationships within the body, and visiting the needy that we actually neglect the fundamental priorities of ministry.

Some pastors focus on caring for the sheep, making sure they are all well protected and well fed to the neglect of the infrastructure that facilitates church programs and ministries. Others focus so much on the programs, the goals, and the direction that often the individual sheep feel neglected and disenfranchised.

Moses was so caught up in the details of his ministry to the people that he forgot the big picture. He was getting worn out as a leader and though he was doing a lot of good things, everyone was frustrated; the people, the community leaders, and Moses himself. It took a wise elder (Jethro, his father-in-law) to devise a workable solution for managing ministry and to preserve Moses as a leader. You can read about the infrastructure implemented by Jethro’s plan in Exodus 18-13-23, but I want you to look specifically at one verse in particular that may revolutionize your ministry.

“And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and shall make them know the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do” Exodus 18:20.

Here we see three components, three priorities for ministry, each of which are integral to a successful ministry.

1. Teach them the ordinances and laws
2. make them know the way in which they must walk
3. make them know the work they must do

Let’s flesh this out in practical terms.

1. You shall teach them the ordinances and laws

• Statutes – khoke an enactment; an appointment, commandment, decree, law, measure, ordinance, task. These would pertain to the rules for worship, for how to treat others and how to care for animals. They outlined exactly what God expected of His people. The statutes set out the parameters for what was acceptable in society and how each person was to live in relationship to others.
• Laws –to-raw’; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch. We know these as the Ten Commandments or the first five books of the OT written by Moses. He was establishing a community and a society out of a bunch of runaway slaves. They had no system of government, no legal system, no police or judges, no structure or infrastructure to guide daily life. So this was what Moses was asked to present to the people.

Moses was probably one of a handful of people who could even read and the only one who knew all that God expected for His people.  He could not be the only repository of information. They people needed to have God’s laws in their mind and written on their hearts. He had to “get the word out”. They needed the INFORMATION in order to make wise choices with their resources, time and talent.

It seems that in the church today, that the Word of God is not nearly as important as other things. The amount of money spent on design, entertainment, productions, mission trips, good works, and buildings versus the amount spent on helping people know and understand the word of God is hardly comparable. What percentage of your members are involved in Sunday school, home Bible Studies or personal Bible study? How many of your people bring their Bibles to church on Sunday? How many people turn in their Bibles to follow along with the pastor in his sermons?

2. shall make them know the way in which they must walk,

Philippians 3:17 “Join together in imitating me, brothers, and pay close attention to those who live by the example we have given you.”

 

Way – deh’-rek a road (as trodden); a course of life or mode of action, journey

Walk – haw-lak’ to walk, behave, follow

I think it is nice to preach good sermons about how to live the Christian life. I think it is great to lead good Bible studies that talk about how to live the Christian life. I think it is great to read devotional books about how to live the Christian life. But I think it is far better to walk with someone and SHOW them how to live the Christian life. People need the APPLICATION of scripture in their daily life. They need to know how to implement it in their real – life circumstances for it to have any real meaning for them personally. After to TELL them what they need to know, you must SHOW them how to use it daily in their relationships, in their workplace, in their worship, and in their attitudes.

As a pastor, I have made it my goal to get into every business of my church members. That means going to the cafeterias at the oil companies, taking a pizza to the automotive shop were another deacon works, visiting in the staff room at the schools, checking in at the X-ray department at the hospital, sitting with a member in the corporate office, even riding along with a bus driver. This way I know the context of where my church people live out their Christianity. .

• Are there teenagers who could use some one to walk with them and show them how to live out the Christian life? Many teenagers are without fathers in the home right now and the only examples of fathers they see are in the movies or on TV. Some have godly coaches to will take time with them. Many don’t have anyone.
• Are there single dads who struggle to have relationships with their children who need someone to walk with them?
• Are there young men trying to make a go of it with a new company and a young family who need someone to walk with them and show them how to honour God in their businesses and family?

3. And the work that they must do.

Do – aw-saw’ A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application: – accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

Every person wants to accomplish something of significance with their life. God has planned long ago very important and special things for each of His people to do with His power and with His guidance. It is not enough to have INFORMATION and APPLICATION – we must give our people IMPLEMENTATION. In other words, 1. tell them what they need to know, 2. show them how to use their new-found knowledge and truth in their daily life, 3. then provide them with ways to use this in ministry through the church.

 

Ephes 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

It is not enough to be saved as a Christian; that is only part of the equation for eternal life. When our people are well fed and well taught, they need to get off their sofa and put it into practise by impacting other people’s lives.

1. Teach them what God expects from them. Give them the information they need from the Scriptures to live a productive, meaningful Christian life.
2. Walk with them, or have your deacons, elders, home group leaders, Sunday school teachers, mentors and coaches walk with them to demonstrate how to use their information and truth.
3. Put them to work. Give them a job to do. Involve them in a ministry, a mission, a means to impact other people’s lives.

I guarantee that you will see a transformation in the lives of those sitting in front of you week after week if you use this 3-fold strategy in your ministry. You can do all the work yourself at church, or you can multiply your army of ministry personnel and see your church flourish so that your community will never be the same inside and outside the church.