The Leaders Challenge

Spiritual Leadership
LTCi course 602 EBI courses 115 & 224
Wednesday 2 November 2011
115 - This course focuses on how to teach and practice the principles of spiritual leadership. Topics include the leaders challenge, role, preparation, vision, character, goal, inuence, decisions, schedules, pitfalls, and rewards.
Required Textbooks
115 Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby. Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to Gods Agenda. J. Oswald Sanders. Spiritual Leadership: A Commitment to Excellence for Every Believer.
115 Spiritual Leadership Learning Outcomes

The student who successfully completes this course will be able to: 1." Describe the leaders challenge. 2." Describe the leaders role. 3." Describe the leaders preparation. 4." Describe the leaders vision. 5." Describe the leaders character. 6." Describe the leaders goal.
6." Describe the leaders goal. 7." Describe the leaders inuence. 8." Describe the leaders decisions. 9." Describe the leaders schedule. 10."Describe the leaders pitfalls. 11."Describe the leaders rewards.
Section 1 - The Leaders Challenge

Group Activity: Create a one-page visual summary of the leaders challenge. Study the Preface and chapter 1 in Blackaby Study chapters 1-2 in Sanders Subscribe to the free online Leadership Journal Newsletter: http://www.christianitytoday.com/lyris/ subscribe/leadership.html
The Leaders Challenge

Section 1 Preface and chapter 1 in Blackaby Chapters 1-2 in Sanders
All Christians should desire to be leaders in the church. It is better for the position to seek out the person than for the person to seek out the position Discuss which position a Christian should take
The book was originally a series of lectures delivered to leaders of the Overseas missionary Fellowship at conferences in Singapore in 1964 and 1966 Language, illustrations etc. have been updated
Chapter 1: An Honorable Ambition

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 1 Timothy 3:1 Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. Jeremiah 45:5 Jesus called them together and said,You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high ofcials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be rst must be slave of all Mark 10:42-45

Summarise from these verses what the Bible really, and consistently, says, about leadership

Is it right to want to be a leader? Isnt ambition a cause of pride, and of falling, in the life of many leaders? What of Samson or Saul - called by God yet dependent upon their own esh and abilities For Christians, what is the difference between right and wrong ambition?
Think of some leaders who have failed (they should be in the Bible and Christians in ministry) - why did they fail?
Is it right to want to be a leader? Isnt ambition a cause of pride, and of falling, in the life of many leaders? What of Samson or Saul - called by God yet dependent upon their own esh and abilities For Christians, what is the difference between right and wrong ambition?
Godly ambition must carry a great desire to be effective in serving God - to realise Gods highest desire for our lives - and ultimately to bring the greatest glory to God. Sanders illustrates the difference in understanding what leadership meant in Pauls day and ours: Today - leaders get prestige and respect, honour Previously - hardship, contempt, rejection, even death. It was dangerous and likely to be the rst persecuted. (Still faced by some today!)
Leadership was not for the faint hearted, it needed great courage and was not easily undertaken - no wonder Paul said it was an honourable ambition. Motives for leadership must be right In Pauls day only a deep love for Christ and genuine love for the church could motivate people to lead. Be careful not to desire leadership for the wrong motives.
Jeremiah in speaking with Baruch made sure he knew selsh ambition was wrong - dont desire it for yourself. Your motivation will determine your ambitions character. A leader must: Develop their talents: Make the most of their lives Develop to the fullest their Godgiven powers and capacities.
Jesus taught that ambition that centers on the self is wrong. Ambition that centers on the glory of God and the welfare of other believers is a mighty force for good. Ambition comes from a Latin word meaning campaigning for promotion - it has the desire for social visibility, popularity, approval, peer recognition and a desire to exercise authority over others. It will lead to a desire for money, power and authority. This is not the way of Jesus - a true spiritual leader will never be like this.
Jesus shows the standard for ambition in Mk 10:42-44: Jesus called them together and said,You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high ofcials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be rst must be slave of all. True leadership, true greatness is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you.
True service costs you - it is a cup full of challenge (Mk 10:38). Real spiritual leadership focusses on the service to God and to people not on the perks of the ofce or title, they put in more than they ever take out. The nal estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the ofce he has held, but only the quality of his deeds and the character of his heart and mind Samuel Brengle
Let it once be xed that a mans ambition is to t into Gods plan for him, and he has a North Star ever in sight to guide him steadily over any sea, however shoreless it seems. He has a compass which points through the thickest fogs, the ercest storm and regardless of magnetic rocks SD Gordon
I have one passion; it is He, He alone. Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf He founded the Moravian church - a group which had three times as many members overseas as they did at home - 1 in every 92 Moravians left home and became a missionary.
Ask yourself: Is your ambition self centred or God centred? Is your ambition holy? Who is the most inuential example of godly leadership in your life, that you have read of, in the Bible?
Chapter 2: The search for leaders

No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
Psalm 75:6-7
Real leaders are in short supply

God searches for leaders too: 1 Samuel 13:14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORDs command. Jeremiah 5:1 Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can nd but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
Ezekiel 22:30 I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. God looks for leaders who are fully committed as disciples, prepared to take on responsibility for others and then uses them to the limit - in spite of failings, they are still spiritual leaders! Leaders require strength and faith beyond the average.
The church is painfully in need of leaders. I wait to hear a voice and no one comes. I would rather listen than speak - but there is no clarion voice to listen to.
William Sangster (Methodist preacher)
For the church to be heard today we need leaders who are: Authoritative - know where they are going and how they are getting there. Spiritual - a strong relationship with God is needed in order to lead people to God. There is a need for the supernatural to pervade our leadership. Majesty and spiritual power should be part of our proclamation. Sacricial - following the same sacricial model of Jesus Christ.
For the church to be heard today we need leaders who are: Authoritative - know where they Authoritative are going and how they are Spiritual getting there. Spiritual - Sacricial a strong relationship with God is needed in order to Do you exemplify these lead people to God. There is a qualities? need for the supernatural to pervade our leadership. Majesty Where do you need to and spiritual power should be grow in your leadership part of our proclamation. Sacricial - following the same sacricial model of Jesus Christ.
High intellect, personal forcefulness, enthusiasm qualities expected of leaders today - but they do not dene a spiritual leader. True leaders must be willing to suffer for the sake of objectives great enough to demand their wholehearted obedience God makes leaders - not letters of appointment, or taking a course, or being chosen by people.
Often you see true leaders have made decisions years earlier to seek the Kingdom of God - as they mature physically and spiritually God puts them in a leadership position. God nds the person and then confers upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable them - Acts 9:17, 22:21
Samuel Brengle, a Salvation Army ofcer, said this of the road to spiritual authority and leadership, It is not won by promotion, but by many prayers and tears. It is attained by confession of sin and much heart searching and humbling before God; by self surrender, a courageous sacrice of every idol, a bold uncomplaining embrace of the cross, and by eternally looking to Jesus crucied. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but like Paul, by counting those things which are gain to us as loss for Christ. This is a great price, but it must be paid by the leader whose power is recognised and felt in heaven, on earth, and in hell.
2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war. Will you pay the high price required for leadership? The price is paid in the secret place of your heart long before you take ofce. God will search your heart, and only then, will he call you to leadership.
Sanders nishes with a warning,
If those who hold inuence over others fail to lead towards the spiritual uplands, then surely the path to the lowlands will be well worn. People travel together; no one lives detached and alone. We dare not take lightly Gods call to leadership in our lives.
God prepared Moses for 80 years - how has he been preparing you? What do you think are the primary traits of godly leadership? What do you think of the nal warning from Sanders?

The Leaders Challenge

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Spiritual Leadership

LTCi course 602 EBI courses 115 & 224

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Wednesday 2 November 2011

115 Spiritual Leadership Learning Outcomes

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Section 1 - The Leaders Challenge