Sunday Quote: Face Our Problems

"When you ignore problems, you relinquish a place of truth.  When you ignore obstacles, you communicate a lack of confidence that God can overcome obstacles that have debilitated or even paralyzed God's people.  Identifying the clear problems is not expressing pessimism or negativity.  It is not judgmentalism or condemnation. It is standing to face whatever Goliaths stand before God's people and speaking with confidence about a future gained after Goliath's defeat.  Identifying the clear problems is the beginning point of spiritual warfare in leadership.  It gives the spiritual leader an opportunity to call God's people to prayer and usher in the promises of God, promises of a future and a hope." ~ Erwin McManus; An Unstoppable Force, p. 191

Loyalty and Leadership

William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible: the letter to the Hebrews wrote; “The real leader, if need be, dies in loyalty. He shows men how to live and is prepared to show them how to die. Jesus, having loved his own, loved them to the end; and the real leader have loved Jesus, loves him to the end. His loyalty never stops halfway.” (p. 195)

Wow! What a thought. The best Christian leaders are people who are so loyal to Jesus that they are willing to die for Jesus. These leaders also have an understanding that their lives are examples for others to follow. Great leaders know they are showing other people how to live and how to die.

Am I prepared to show other people how to die? In a way that is what life is about, showing people how to make the most of the life God has given them, so they can approach death with faith, confidence, and hope. Yet, there is a part of me that isn’t ready to think about death, and if I haven’t wrestled with the subject who can I be an example to those who are?

The concept that I want to focus on is the idea that loyalty is an element of faith. The true leader in the Church is the person who is loyal to Jesus. Doubts may come, hardships may arrive, and persecution may be present, but the leader remains committed to Jesus. He or she is an example of what it means to live by faith, even if that commitment takes them to their death. They will not forsake the King who has constantly shown His love to them.

If I am to be a leader then I have to remember that I need to be an example of loyalty and faith not matter what happens in my life. A good leader realizes that his/her life is on display and that their actions are a powerful testimony for their faith. The leader’s life is evidence to the truthfulness of what he/she says and teaches.

We Need Holy Leaders

Last Monday I attended a minister’s meeting for the Nebowa Camp area churches. There was something that greatly disappointed me. Ray Boltz was brought up, who has been a contemporary Christian music singer and has recently revealed that he is a homosexual, and the rest of the meeting little jokes and snide comments were made. I don’t know what disappointed me the most, that a group of ministers found that to be funny or that I didn’t say anything about it. The Ray Boltz situation is a sad situation because of the temptation and struggle he faces on a daily basis has allowed him to be deceived that homosexuality is not a sin. Instead of praying for a fellow brother we decided that it was appropiate to make fun of him.

That experience reinforced something that Henry Blackaby wrote in Holiness:

“I believe there will be no revival without holiness in the leadership. None. Cry unto God all you want. He will not hear you. Pull together all the phrases that revivalists of other generations have all quoted, and it will not make an ounce of difference to the heart of God. God is looking for holiness!” (p. 72)

It is not surprising to me that the Church has lost influence in the United States. We are so compromised, and it begins at the leadership level. This is so clearly seen by the percentage of ministers who look at pornography on a regular basis or the percentage of pastors who have affairs with people in their congregations. As leaders we may be committed to many things, but being holy is not one of them.

The Church in the United States will continue to decline, not because atheism and liberal university professor, but because of unholy leaders: preachers, elders, and teachers who are more influenced by this world than by God’s Word. There will be no revival until church leaders commit to holiness and truly seek to be separate from the world

And for that to happen there is only one place to start: with the man in the mirror. While I can call people to holiness, the only person I have control over is me. Regardless of whether or not people will follow, I have to choose to be holy, to be a good steward of the miracle of transformation God is working in my life through the blood of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit. If I don’t choose to be holy, why should I expect other people to be holy?

Good Leaders

I believe that of all the problems that we face as the Church the biggest problem is a lack of good leaders. This leadership void has led to numerous church families who are in decline. Not only are they getting smaller, but their influence in their communities is gradually being reduced to nothing. On the other end of the spectrum we have churches who have given themselves away to a cult of personality. So there is a form a leadership that exists in these church families, they are not being built up in God’s Word, and because there is no accountability for THE leader, he gets away with it and the body suffers.

The apostle Paul started a church family on the island of Crete. He did not stay, but Paul left his companion Titus to complete the work. What was the work Titus was to complete? To establish a godly and competent leadership to guide this new community of believers. These are the guidelines Paul gives to Titus to help him complete this task:

5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God's work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. 8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it. (Titus 1:5-9; NET)

Paul’s emphasis is not on talent, but on character. Too often in the church we appoint people to be leaders: teachers, preachers, decisions makers, based not on their character, but on their talent and personality. We judge them on their ability to teach and preach. We judge them on whether or not they are a “people person” and whether or not they are a “go-getter”. How much trouble have we brought into our church families because we settled for talent and personality rather than character?

In God’s economy talent is worthless without character. God can do more to a person is dedicated to Him who has minimal talent, than He can with the person who is load with talent but is not committed to Him. Good leadership (when it comes to the Church) then is founded, not on talent and personality, but a person’s commitment to God that is reflected in his/her character.

What does this have to do with us? First, we have to remember to support people who demonstrate Christian character (reflect Jesus in their lives), rather than the person who is talented. It is easy to be wowed by person with talent, especially if that person has a charismatic personality, but we have to look beyond the personality to see what their life is saying.

Second, it means that we, as followers of Christ Jesus, need to continue to be faithful. We may never have the leadership position that we want, but that doesn’t mean God will not use us to influence the lives of other people. When we are committed to God and when faithfully follow Jesus, God will use us to impact other people’s lives regardless of our lack of talent. It is who we are, not what we can do, that God is most concerned with. After all, if God can use a donkey to speak His truth, then He certainly can us me to touch the life of someone else.

• Point to Ponder: In God’s economy talent is worthless without character.
• Passage to Remember: Titus 1:5-9
• Prayer to Pray: Lord God, help me not to be discouraged by the talent or personality that I don’t have, and help me see how I can be a leader in this world for Your Church. Provide me with the wisdom and understanding so I can live a life that is worthy of Your Son Jesus and may my life reflect Him to the world.

The Need For Leadership

The Environment for Growth: Part 4

Did you know that rainforests make up 6% of the land on the earth but account for more than 50% of the animal and plant life? Why is that? Because the environment of the rainforest makes growing and surviving easier than it is in the desert or the tundra.

The right environment is so essential to our spiritual growth. If we get in the wrong environment it can quite literally kill us. God has given us the Church to provide the right environment for us to grow. And to make sure the local church is the right environment God Provide Leadership for that church family.

11 And it is he who gifted some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, and still others to be pastors and teachers, 12 to perfect the saints, to do the work of ministry, and to build up the body of Christ 13 until all of us are united in the faith and in the full knowledge of God's Son, (Ephesians 4:11-13a; ISV).

On a football team the coach provides leadership. This leadership is seen in giving the team a sense of direction, goals to achieve, and a game plan to execute. Because of this unity exists and the members of the team understand what their responsibilities are.

Not only does God send people to the Church to equip people for service, but He also sends people to the Church to provide leadership. For unity to exist and for the right environment for growth to develop in the Church then those members need to have a common sense of purpose. Good leadership is able to communicate to people a vision, to help fit people in the right places to accomplish that vision, and give them the tools and resources they need to accomplish that vision.

The leaders God sends are to foster unity and bring people to a broader understanding of God and His will for the church. I think that we have had many great preacher and teachers in the Church over the years, but we have lacked great leadership. A great leader is able to put his or her agenda behind them and lead according to God’s will, even if that means offending people. Sometimes the best way for unity to be achieved is knowing which people need to leave.

Another aspect of great Christian leadership is continually pointing people to Jesus. Giving people a knowledge of who Jesus is and how He wants us to live will help foster unity and excitement in any church family.

I know that we all know of church families that are not the right environment to grow. The majority of the time I think it is due to a lack a good leadership. Corrupt and/or immature leaders will not have what it takes to nurture the right type of environment that is ideal for people’s spiritual growth.

A Christian leader needs to strive for unity and give people a better understanding of Jesus.

• Point to Ponder: Good leadership is essential in producing the right environment for spiritual growth.
• Passage to Remember: Ephesians 4:11-13a
• Question to Consider: Why is good leadership so vital for growth?