LEADERSHIP?

The world is lacking and in desperate need of effective leaders. Leaders who are not driven solely by ego or profits. But the leader who is driven to improve the lives of others.

1.  The heart of leadership is serving others first, before yourself.

God Centered:  Matthew 20:28  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Secular Self Centered:  Here’s the problem, most organizations operate from a hierarchical leadership structure. Leaders “move up” the ladder in an organization, and, once there, see themselves “above” their team. Despite its trending status – as well as its undeniable success – most people do not equate leadership to service. Rather than epitomizing humility, influence and meeting people where they are at,  too many leaders think being a leader means power and authority – (John Maxwell on leadership)

It is repugnant when Church leaders or pastors act this way, and some do act just this way!

2.  Servant-hood is valuing others.

God Centered:  Philippians2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,”

Matthew 6:24  “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Secular Self Centered:  A self-described Servant-Leadership model is used by some the of the top performing companies like Chick-fil-A, Best Buy, UPS, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Ritz Carlton and Southwest Airlines. Their leadership qualities are people-centric, modeling servant leadership behavior and valuing service to others. They are humble – allowing their behavior to communicate their values and their appreciation for their people – and they are vigilant – in promoting the right attitude and belief systems that encourage others to succeed.

Just because someone has the title of leader, doesn’t mean they are a leader. The greatest reflection on a leader being a true leader is whether or not they are influencing anyone. And, of course, the first place you’ll see that is in the leader’s people. An organization is only as great as its people. If the people aren’t following, the leader isn’t leading. Too often leaders get too focused on the bottom line financial results instead of growing their people and the company. –( John Maxwell on leadership.)

It is repugnant when Church leaders or pastors act this way, and some do act just this way!

3.  FUNNY THING, The word, LEADER. as found in the New Testament isn’t complimentary:

Matthew 23:10  “Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

Luke 22:26  “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.

Acts 18:8  Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.

Acts 18:17  And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

In the Old testament the word “leader” always refers to a political or secular position except in the Temple then it refers to an official.

4.  THE WORD “LEADER” is NEVER connected with being a SERVANT of CHIRST (DOULOS).  So, the word servant-leader is a manmade concoction, an aberration and a deviation from what Jesus and the Bible teaches.  Period.

5.  So, how do I serve God to succeed and prosper?

1. Joshua 1:5  “No man will be able to stand before youall the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
2. v6  “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
3. v7  “Only be strong and very courageous;be careful to do according to all the lawwhich Moses My servant commanded you;
4. do not turn from it to the right or to the left,
5. so that you may have success wherever you go.
6. v8  “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,
7. but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; forthen you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

1. Proverbs 3:9  Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce;
   1. v10  So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.

1. 3 John 3:2Beloved, I pray that in all respectsyou may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

Deuteronomy28:1“Now it shall be, if youdiligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today,

1. the LORD your God willset you high above all the nations of the earth.
2. 2“All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God:
3. 3 “Blessed shall you bein the city,and blessed shall you bein the country.
4. 4 “Blessed shall be the offspring of your bodyand theproduce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.
5. v5“ Blessed shall be your basketand your kneading bowl.
6. v6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
7. 7“The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeatedbefore you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.
8. 8“The LORD will command theblessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to,and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
9. 9“The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10“So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you.
10. 11“The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
11. 12“The LORD willopen for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shalllend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
12.   13 “The LORD willmake you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully,

14and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Let’ remember that there is no greater love for others than to lay down your life for a friend. (John 15:13)  So, let’s ask ourselves,

One: What can I do for people to help them succeed?

Two: What do people need from me daily that they may not want to ask for?

Three: What can I work on that will help me serve people better?

Four: How will I know that I am serving people well?

Five: What is it like for the people who work (or live) with me?

Six: How can I gain value while adding value to others by serving?

Seven: What do I do best that allows me to serve people better?

Eight: How can I serve people in a way that will inspire them to serve others?

(- John Maxwell on leadership.  My comment added within parentheses.)

“All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS:  Not surprisingly, the void of effective leadership presents an opportunity for someone to come on the world scene and capture the world’s attention, garner the world’s adoration and captivate hearts. Should this happen, pray it is a good person and not one who would victimize the world. (The Antichrist)