Leadership

Leadership

I have a masters in family therapy and so I have some knowledge about human ideas, how people heal and grow and now I have an opportunity to work with clients in a Christian environment. I am able to integrate some of the things that I've learned from school but more importantly, I've seen the power of the Gospel work in my clients lives and transform them. 

One of my students, a DV victim, has had her children taken away, was suicidal, and homeless, is now a transformed person. One day I sat with her and she asked me, "are you saying that I need to put all my eggs in one basket and believe all this?" I responded YES! Slowly she began to believe and accept the word of God as truth and she grew in a community of other believers. She said that she can't believe she has joy, hope, and contentment. She went from trying to kill herself to finding joy in the Lord and strength from His word. My students amaze me. She is still homeless, without a dime to her name, her children are still gone, and yet she smiles, and has kindness toward other people. She is one of the most impacting persons that I know. Her life is a testimony to the power of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is a great work of God- this is a miracle. 

The worlds view of success is that people have to have it all together, that they have to be strong and financially sound, popular, but what a contrast to what the Word teaches;

1 Corinthians 1:27New King James Version (NKJV)

27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

My motivation- The most rewarding part of my job is seeing God transform people. As I was praying I was thinking about my goal for the people that God has placed in my life- (and its always my prayer that God would give me the desires of His heart) and one of the things that I want most is for people to Know Him. The more that I learn about Him, the more my students will learn about him. 

Set an example- My students look to me as an example on how to respond, react, and handle difficulties.  Sometimes they even ask me, "are you like this at home too?" Meaning, do I live a life of integrity? Many people have grown up with lots of hypocrisy and they want to know if the Gospel is real and how that is acted out in the life of a believer. So being in a position of authority- I press in to follow Christ and if I am not following Him- his direction, his leading, then I will not be able to pour into other people. 

Have Discernment- I need to know who I am following, and what I am reading. Is it of God or is it of the world? What is the fruit of their ministry? Is it all about fame, and fortune? Are they teaching the truth of the Word, or are they trying to get a large audience? God warns about such shepherds;

The Shepherds of Israel Ezekiel 34

34 Then this message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? ³ You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. ⁴ You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. ⁵ So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. ⁶ They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.

Its not about what the "church" can gain from the people. Its about the Shepherd laying his life down for the sheep! This passage stresses; the weak, the sick, the injured, and the lost. 

Contend for the Faith Jude 1:3-4 

³ Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God^[b] and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The men who creep in are people influencing the church and leading the country. They often blend in with culture and they are  refined, attractive, influential, and popular.  When we think of the devil and those who do his work I think that the picture that pops up in our mind are images of a little man running around in a red suit with a pitchfork and horns. We think that we can easily recognize him but he is deceiving, like Judas. Judas fit in and no one suspected him. These people, they are popular because they teach people what they want to hear but they don't teach the truth. Because their authority comes from the devil who subtly leads people away. Our authority comes from the Word of God and if anyone teaches otherwise they are an anathema. Jesus had many followers until he went to the cross, and even those closest to him fled! The Christian life is difficult, the road is narrow, and there are few who find it. Christianity, real Christianity is not at all popular. Why isn't Christianity affecting our culture, this country? Because most of it isn't real. We are living in the last days- things will only get worse, people will become more evil. This is a promise of scripture.

Accept criticism and correction When students come into our program I am able to see if they are going to complete the program based on several characteristics;

Are they teachable? 

Are they willing to listen and obey?

Will they accept correction and change?

The students who don't listen and continue to do things their way- don't last. 

As a leader, working in Christian environment with others I need to continue to be teachable and accept correction from others. When king David was fleeing from his son- a man was throwing rocks at him and cursing him. Davids men asked if they should kill this guy but this is what David said;

2 Samuel 16:11-14

11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction,[a] and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

Obviously we won't have rocks thrown at us but there will be others who criticize us and we have to stop and consider that maybe this is from the Lord. What can we learn from this person? Is there any truth to what they are saying? We have blind spots and there are those in the body who are gifted in other ways than we are. 

Accountability- If there is no one who can tell you the truth- your in trouble. 

Proverbs 27:6New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

We all come from various backgrounds and so we need to relearn how the truth is lived out and many times I will confront those who are acting in ways that don't line up with following the example that Jesus sets. I will also ask my students how I can help to keep them accountable. Many times its about an attitude, or false belief, unforgivness, strife, slander, pride and envy. They know that they need this and it helps them to grow. We challenge people to act out their faith in their lives. We are not politically correct. We tell people the truth- motivated by love.

Humility- Those in leadership receive a lot of praise for the work of the ministry are we in turn able to give the glory to God? 

Proverbs 27:21-22New Living Translation (NLT)

21 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.

Conclusion 

When we are following the Lord we don't have to worry about the results. We give people the life saving Word of God and He changes them. It is the power that works within us that that impacts and saves this dying world. 

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 3:20-21