Dr. John Strubhar - A Leadership Motive Check Up

Today's Guest Writer

Dr. John R. Strubhar is the Senior Pastor of Maywood Evangelical Free Church of Rockford, Illinois.

Periodically, it is good to do a “motive check-up” as a servant leader. In 1 Thessalonians 2:3 Paul explains: “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.” Paul’s leadership motives are neither fraudulent nor deceptive. To the contrary, his leadership is stamped with integrity! King David’s leadership in Israel is marked equally the same. Asaph, reflecting on David’s leadership records in Psalm 78:72 “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands, he led them.”

Servant leaders of integrity refuse the art of double speaking. They say what they mean and they mean what they say. They put personal and vested interests behind them. Dwight Eisenhower, one of America’s greatest presidents put it this way, “To be a leader, a man must have followers, and to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence, the supreme quality for a leader is unquestionable integrity...If a man’s associates find him guilty of phoniness, if they find the he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teaching and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose.”

Integrity means telling the truth all the time and not altering the truth for personal manipulation or advantage. It means that we do not change our stories when communicating with people face to face as opposed to when we are speaking about them in the presence of others. It means we “shoot straight” at all times and encourage others to hold us accountable to the “blind spots” which may exist in our own personal lives. Integrity is a life lived by principle, not personal expediency. It is a life totally open before God!

Instead of resorting to deceptive motives, authentic servant-leaders have one agenda...the approval of God (1 Thessalonians 2:4). They are driven by an overwhelming desire to please Him! Not only do authentic servant-leaders seek to avoid “deception,” they also avoid “flattery.” Again the apostle Paul models this transparently... “You know we never used flattery...” (1 Thessalonians 2:5). The late John Stott, quoting Milligan says that “flattery” is a word which describes “the torturous methods by which one man seeks to gain influence over another, generally for selfish ends.”

Chuck Swindoll in his excellent book Leadership sums it up well: “There is a fine and very definite line tween being a leader who gets along well with people and being one who must please people. Few characteristics reveal one's insecurity more than this. And talk about losing respect! Not only do others fail to respect the people pleaser, he doesn’t even respect himself. By fence-sitting, by hedging with the truth and attempting to keep peace at any price (an absolute impossibility), the leader forfeits the right to lead and becomes, as a consequence, a follower who still tries to call himself a leader.”

Authentic servant-leaders will never be able to please all of the people all of the time. Paul found this to be true in his interaction with the Thessalonians, “We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.” (1 Thessalonians 2:6) When our leadership is aimed at people pleasing, we lose our decisiveness in responding to issues. We become a slave to people rather than bond-servants of Christ. I remember during my first pastorate being jolted by Paul’s statement in Galatians 1:10 after a skirmish with people who were never satisfied with anything any pastor or church leader ever did and discovering that no matter what was said or done, it never seemingly got through, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me of Paul’s words, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Someone put it this way: “I don’t know the secret of success, but I do know the secret of failure: trying to please everybody.” Swindoll is again right on... “No successful leader maintains the respect of others without making decisions that will prove unpopular to some.” Flattery in leadership leads to a dead end. So also does double-speaking and people pleasing. By God’s grace, lets strive to be authentic servant-leaders driven by absolute integrity, unbiased transparency and welcomed accountability!

Do Leaders Need to Be Holy?

This is an encore TCL article by one of our TCL board members. Its message so important and timeless, I must post it again, though a year later.

By Pastor Chris Carr     (Executive Pastor of Ministries -  Bethel Church - Crown Point, Indiana

I have to admit from the get-go that writing this article was a little daunting. What do I have to add to the discussion on leadership? A simple search at Amazon.com shows almost 350,000 available resources on leadership. It would seem that perhaps everything there is to say about leadership has been said at some point.

"And yet I do find something missing from most discussions on leadership today – the necessity of personal holiness."

We must pray for God to help us achieve personal holiness.

And yet I do find something missing from most discussions on leadership today – the necessity of personal holiness. There are plenty of books and articles about rules or laws of leadership, keys to leading an effective team, how to be not simply good but great, and how to use your gifts to their maximum potential. But there appears to be few people discussing the vital issue of personal holiness in the life of a leader.

How important is personal holiness in the life of a leader? Before I answer that with my thoughts on the matter, answer it for yourself – how important do you view your own holiness to your success as a leader?

The Importance of Personal Holiness

My answer to this question is that personal holiness is the most important issue to leadership success. I realize that this is a fairly bold statement, so let me take a moment to back it up. My belief in the importance of personal holiness comes from the foundational truth that, as believers, our ultimate goal in life is to bring glory to Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 10:31, Col. 1:18). Flowing from that, our goal as leaders should be to lead in such a way that our followers are influenced to pursue Christ’s glory as well. Our ability to glorify Christ is in direct proportion to how holy we are becoming (2 Cor. 3:18).

"Our ability to glorify Christ is in direct proportion to how holy we are becoming."

Robert Murray M’Cheyne, a Scottish pastor in the mid-19th century once stated, “what my people need most is my personal holiness.” I couldn’t agree more. Without personal holiness, a Christian leader has no foundation from which to lead.

"If your integrity or morality is in question (which they likely will be if you aren’t pursuing holiness), you cannot be an effective leader."

You might not consider personal holiness to be a vital issue if you aren’t a pastor or a ministry leader. I would challenge you to reconsider. If you are a business owner and your employees (or customers) know you are a believer, you will be unable to lead them effectively if you aren’t living out what you claim to believe. If your integrity or morality is in question (which they likely will be if you aren’t pursuing holiness), you cannot be an effective leader.

How to Pursue Holiness

So, how do we pursue holiness? First and foremost, we begin by focusing on Christ. Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us that as we look at Christ, the Holy Spirit transforms us into His image, with ever-increasing glory. Something about simply focusing on Christ makes us more like him (1 John 3:2).

Second, we must be faithful in our study of the Word. In John 17:17, Jesus prays, “Sanctify them by truth, thy word is truth.” We become holy as we get into the Word and the Word in turn gets into us.

Finally, we become more holy through prayer. As we pray and seek the Father’s face, He pours out the Spirit and draws us closer to him (Acts 4:31, Jude 20).

As God is holy, let’s continue to strive to be holy in all we do (1 Peter 1:15), setting an example for our people to follow.

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Assurance in Times of Economic Uncertainties

“After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." Genesis 15:1 (NIV)

By Guest Writer Harold Biswas

Harold Biswas

Harold is the  Marketing Manager, Strategy & Business Intelligence Leader at Wanted Technologies, Quebec, Canada. Wanted Technologies is a publicly traded company in the Canadian Stock Exchange.

As the media keeps rolling out the news of credit downgrading of the U.S. sovereign debt and implications for the nation, I wonder what lies ahead of us. With about 15 million people still unemployed, where is the bottom?

The credit downgrades is likely to be followed by high cost of borrowing for businesses and consumers which is adding salt to the wounds in hard times such as this. How a Christian should find an assurance?  Where they should seek? The IRA and 401(k) funds are experiencing the same fate. Job security is fragile. I heard from a former colleague the other day that “everyone is walking on an egg-shell” at his office. It was just last week that I was spared too, from a massive cut in my company in Canada.

Psalms 107 in v.23 talks about the merchants who went out on the sea in ships on the mighty waters. A storm came, and the sea waves were lifted high. Verse 26 in the same chapter says “they mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away”. Such is the time now, where current situations are akin to the tempest in the ocean. The people are on their wits’ end, staggering and reeling like drunken men (v.27) with job insecurities, depleting household wealth, low savings, high debts, unpaid bills, mortgage delinquencies, etc.

As fathers, husbands or women who are bread-winners for our families how are we to respond to this crisis? Are we acting alone the same way as the World behaves? Frantically trying to find a solution, or losing our mind and blaming each other in the family?

Psalm 107: v 28-30 “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.” All of us are looking for a safe haven now. As Christian leaders we are to guide and shepherd our people to seek the Lord fervently. It is going to be Him only, only He who can bring us to our safe haven and helps us reaches the shore that we see now from far.

What is our primary reward in this World? Is it our wealth, regular income, home equities, retirement savings? When God was making a covenant with Abraham, he received as benefits silver, gold, wealth, livestock, etc. (Gen 13:2). The Lord in Genesis 15:7 also explicitly expressed that Abraham was brought out of his homeland to give this vast land to take possession of it. Sure, these are the rewards from God, but they are all secondary in life.

God wants us to dwell on the thoughts of our primary reward that is not the wealth or possessions.  Gen: 15, v.1 “the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."  While promising lands, possessions and other benefits of covenantal promises, God wanted Abraham not to forget what his primary reward going to be ultimately. The practical assurance in this life comes from the primary reward, it is the primary reward that gives the security, safe haven, it is the primary reward that quiets down the stormy seas, that guides us in this turmoil, it is GOD Himself as our very great reward!

Never lose the sight of the fact in good times that it is He, He only is our very great reward, and everything else is secondary to that. He is our shield, who protects us. In Him, as Christian leaders our trust should abide and in whom we should always seek refuge. This statement has never been truer when I realized just last week in my own work-place that many will return homes that evening jobless.

As Christian leaders, are we sufficiently anchoring our safety into our primary reward, our very great reward?  

Harold Biswas
Quebec, Canada

Are You Happy at Your Work?

 By Harold Biswas

You will be happier at your work if you truly work for the Lord.

For most people, one of the most dreaded questions about work is, “Are you satisfied with your job?” In this deep and long recession, even Americans who are fortunate to have jobs are becoming unhappy with them. In fact, only 45 percent of American workers were satisfied with their jobs in 2009, down from 61 percent in 1987. This statistic was the lowest ever recorded by the Conference Board Research Group in more than 22 years of studying the issue, according to a recent Associated Press news release.

As per our scripture reference, happiness at work is a gift of God. Absent that gift, the work turns into a “job,” something that most Americans don’t look forward to each day. Whether it is stress or pressure, deadlines, or meeting goals, many professional men and women grow weary and tired at work. Although they strive to do everything in their power, they manage to do nothing more than simply get by every day.

Looking at the Biblical philosophies of work, every Christian worker should ask these two vital questions: 

1. What is the source of my talent and expertise, 
2. Do I do what I do, ultimately, for the Lord.

What is the Source of Your Talents?
James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights....” In this day and age, where there is no lack of management or leadership training offered by the employer, it is very easy to develop a self-sufficient attitude or independent mind-set. All the “how-to” books are even a bonus for that attitude.

"However, it should be a fundamental belief for Christian workers that the source of any strength, skills, expertise and talent is God Himself."

However, it should be a fundamental belief for Christian workers that the source of any strength, skills, expertise and talent is God Himself. Nothing pleases the Lord more than when His children acknowledge that source and work passionately to please the Giver of their gifts. Forget the source, and you are inviting unhappiness at your work because, on your own strength, you will not be able to stand the everyday pressure of work.

Are You Working for the Lord?

Secondly, ask yourself, whatever you are doing, are you doing it for the Lord? The Bible, in Colossians 3: 23-25, tells us, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Yes, in most cases, my boss asks for my work, and yes, the department head will assess my performance, but do I have that recognition as a Christian believer that I am serving my Lord Christ through my work? When the recognition is missing, it gives rise to unhappiness, because you fail to find the real meaning of work. 

"Yes, in most cases, my boss asks for my work, and yes, the department head will assess my performance, but do I have that recognition as a Christian believer that I am serving my Lord Christ through my work?"

A “job” turns into “work” for someone who understands and practices this personal leadership principle, which is to acknowledge God as the source of everything and to serve Him ultimately at work. Work is a greater call to fulfill; it is being able to see how God sees things, being able to introduce everybody around you to your Heavenly Father in a subtle way, something that a mere “job” is not able to provide.

Can you say today: “I am excited today because I am going to work. I know who is the giver of my gift at work, and I know who am I doing it for.”

Integrity: Don't Leave Home Without It

 By Dr. John Strubhar

Integrity is an issue of the heart. King David demonstrated it in his leadership of the people of Israel. In Psalm 78:72, NIV, we read, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”

In our world, integrity is the missing gem in many corporate, political and even religious settings. Indeed, it has been the undoing of many who have adopted the leadership mantra of “lead, follow or get out of my way!” 

"In our world, integrity is the missing gem in many corporate, political and even religious settings."

A good leader does what is right even when no one is looking.

As I have mused on the above Scripture passages, I’ve come to the conclusion that integrity is that “indispensable ingredient,” that “unqualified extra” that sets a leader apart, puts the leader on the cutting edge of spiritually. Take away integrity, and we are left with the numbing reality of our own hypocrisy.

What is Integrity and Why is it Important?

Warren Wiersbe sums it up succinctly in his book, The Integrity Crisis: “Integrity is to personal or corporate character what health is to the body or 20/20 vision is to the eyes. A person of integrity is not divided (that’s duplicity) or merely pretending (that’s hypocrisy). He or she is ‘whole’: life is ‘put together,’ and things are working together harmoniously. People with integrity have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Their lives are open books” (21).

Integrity is not born in a crisis, it emerges firm in a crisis. A leader of integrity does not have to convince others of his work ethic or lifestyle. It is self-evident. Even under closest scrutiny, the leader of integrity delivers. He does not betray his trust. Our Lord is a great leadership model in this regard. 

"A leader of integrity does not have to convince others of his work ethic or lifestyle. It is self-evident."

In the heat of heavy confrontation, his greatest critics had to acknowledge the “integrity factor” in Christ’s life: “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth...” (Mark 2:14, NIV)

The Key to Integrity

The key to integrity is self-discipline. It is birthed within us only as we are totally transparent and honest with God, ourselves and our peers. It passes us by when we are more focused on the actions of others rather than being consistent in our own lives. 

"Integrity misses us completely when we are consumed with role playing spiritually, rather than being spiritual leaders."

Obediance or Expedience

The higher we move up the corporate ladder, the more responsibilities we have.

By Jim Killgore

I was driving from Columbia, SC to Raleigh, NC with my father-in-law, and although I was ot relishing time in a closed confine with my in-laws, this three hour trip with Ben proved to be a great leadership lesson.  

I had just moved back from overseas to become the leader of a struggling non-profit.  Ben was a leader of some repute in his field (having served in the Reagan administration).  Feeling proud to be the “Pres” in my new position, and feeling for once on equal footing with my father-in-law, I asked a peer level question, “Ben, what would you say is the key to effective leadership?”  I was not prepared for his godly wisdom.

"I found that the higher I went the more responsible and accountable I became.  Today, I have more ‘bosses’ than I did on the lower rungs.” 

“Jim, leadership is not as great as people think,” He said. “I couldn’t wait to ‘climb the ladder’ and finally be in a place where I could create lasting change without interference.  Instead I found that the higher I went the more responsible and accountable I became.  Today, I have more ‘bosses’ than I did on the lower rungs.”

The  Higher our Position, the Greater our Responsibility

Over the years, I’ve played the video of that scene in my mind many times.  Ben was right; the higher we go in leadership, the more responsible to others we become.  David faced this issue in I Chr. 13.  He had just become king.  His heart for God was passionate as he worked out a plan to return the Ark of the Covenant after Saul had allowed it to be captured by the Philistines (I Sam 5-7). The new king followed a great leadership principle.  He consulted with his leaders and the people to get their buy-in for bringing the Ark to Jerusalem.  Everyone agreed this would be a great way to show their passion for God.  They had a great spiritual encounter as they transported the Ark; they worshiped the Lord with all their might (I Chr 13:6).
 
Then the unthinkable happened. One of the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, causing the Ark to shift.  Uzzah was walking alongside of the cart.  Out of instinct, he reached out to steady the tipping Ark, bringing about a scene reminiscent of Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark- the Ark “blazed,” and Uzzah died.

What was supposed to be a celebration turned tragic. David’s joy in the Lord turned into anger directed at God (vs. 11).  He must have thought, “God, I was doing this for You!  What were You doing?” David’s heart was right, but his methods weren’t.  In his exuberance to bring back the Ark he failed to follow the details.  As a result, a man under his care died.  Those details had been clearly given by Moses in Ex. 25 and Num 4.  God said that the Ark was to be moved by poles (not an ox cart).  It was to be carried not by any Levitical tribe, but by the Kohathite clan.  David should have known this.

"Motives and methods are both imperative to God.  Yet, many leaders choose expedience over obedience."

Method is Important Too

Many times I’ve said, “It must be OK, I’m doing this for God.”  Earnestness is important, but so is method.  It’s not just “that” something is done – it’s also “how.”  Motives and methods are both imperative to God.  Yet, many leaders choose expedience over obedience.  It’s easier to “just do it.”  At some point in time, expedience becomes a higher value.  

Leaders should be asking “Lord, show me what to do and show me how to do it.” God is a God of details.  They matter to Him – that is why we have a book full of worship details called “Leviticus” and a book given over to particulars called “Numbers.”  If it matters to God, it should matter to His leaders. 

God is a God of details.  They matter to Him – that is why we have a book full of worship details called “Leviticus” and a book given over to particulars called “Numbers.” 

David learned a hard lesson – leaders are more accountable, more responsible.  People’s lives depend upon us.  

Later (I Chr 15), David decided to bring the Ark back again.  This time he tells the Levites to follow the details, “because you Levites did not carry the Ark the first time, the anger of the Lord burst out against us. We failed to ask God how to move it in the proper way. . . then the Levites carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with its carrying poles, just as the Lord had instructed Moses” (vss. 13-15 NLT).  

Ben was right, the higher we go in leadership, the more responsible to others we become. Let’s be careful to choose obedience not expedience.

What is Your Leadership Paradigm?

By: Roger L. Parks, Psy.D.
 

Whose leadership model are you following?

Diverse leadership theories abound in today’s culture.  An examination of the leadership literature reveals a plethora of viewpoints as to the nature of leadership, including trait theory, behavioral theory, contingency theory, transactional leadership, charismatic leadership, and transformational leadership, to name only a few. 

What many of these leadership theories have in common is a focus on leadership style or behavior; that is, what must the leader do to maximize his effectiveness with followers? 

"If your honest response to the question is –'I’m really serving my own interests,' then you’ve likely adopted our culture’s value system, in which power, status, and wealth are the primary motives of one’s behavior."

Although leadership style or behavior is worthy of study, I believe we need to examine a broader, more substantive issue which has to do with one’s paradigm or mindset of leadership.  Specifically, I am proposing that the key question to pose be this:  Whose interests are you serving as a leader? 

As I will discuss, how you answer this question will determine not only your effectiveness as a leader, but even more importantly, your spiritual standing with God. If your honest response to the question is –“I’m really serving my own interests,” then you’ve likely adopted our culture’s value system, in which power, status, and wealth are the primary motives of one’s behavior.

Autocratic Leaders

A leader who embraces this paradigm is known as the autocratic leader.  The autocratic leader uses power to coerce followers into complying with his/her own needs.  In effect, the leader is the dictator who treats his/her followers as servants.  Autocratic leaders devalue and even abuse their followers, resulting in devastating consequences such as loss of trust, low morale, decreased productivity, suspiciousness, and fear.  We’ve all heard of leaders who abuse their power and whose organizations or ministries suffer tremendous hardships as a result.  On a spiritual level, autocratic leadership is incompatible with Christ’s admonition in Matthew 20:25-26, in which He states: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.” 

In light of Jesus’ words, one has to conclude that autocratic leadership in not an option for Christian leaders, and has no place in the church or Christian ministries.

Paternalistic Leaders

I will now discuss a second paradigm for leadership that is typically less harsh and more benevolent toward followers. 

According to research conducted by Dr. Jim Laub, a Professor of Leadership Studies at
Palm Beach Atlantic University, there is a large number of organizations that can be categorized as fostering paternalistic leaders.  By paternalistic, Laub is referring to those leaders who view themselves as parents and their followers as children.  They tend to place the needs/interests of the organization first and those of their followers second.  Paternalistic leaders can either be nurturing or critical, but what they share in common is their belief that followers are not adult partners in the leader-follower relationship. Paternalistic leaders are willing to delegate responsibility for some tasks but they retain the right to make the most important decisions for the organization.  According to Dr. Laub, paternalistic leaders are quite common in Christian churches and ministries.

Servant Leadership

I now turn to the third paradigm of leadership known as servant leadership.  Simply stated, servant leaders place the needs/interests of their followers above their own self-interest.  They treat their followers as adults who are trusted to make important decisions for the organization.  Servant leaders are willing to collaborate, share their power, and are committed to the growth of their followers.  

When you put others first you follow Christ's model.

"Simply stated, servant leaders place the needs/interests of their followers above their own self-interest."

Although they have a clear vision for their ministry or organization, they elicit input from their followers in order to foster a deeper sense of commitment and ownership of the vision.  Servant leaders also display authenticity and value honesty, integrity, and accountability in their relationships.

The Scriptural case for servant leadership is quite evident in Jesus’ own words as previously mentioned in Matthew 20.  Christ has given us a mandate to be servant leaders – it is not an option if we truly want to be His disciples.

So, the question is:  “What is your leadership paradigm?” 

Photos courtesy of Zonie Zambonie and Maya Maya

The Need for Leadership Development

By Rev. Ebenezer Oke
Executive Director of Life Development Centre – Akura, Nigeria

Tel: +234 806 235 0532 

The grace we have in Christ is more than our emphasis on evangelism, church planting, church health, etc. We need a strong Church that is comprised of pastors, business leaders and others who share the vision to reach every sector of our society with the understanding of biblical leadership. Without developing biblical leaders for every aspect of life, the harvest in Africa, Asia, China and other parts of the world would not be sustained for long. We need effective leaders to secure the future of the Church.

Training for the Harvest

In the passage above, the apostle Paul gave Timothy the method for developing four generations of leaders. This generation extended from Paul to Timothy, and from Timothy to faithful men and women who will be able to teach others.

This principle also applies to all other aspects of life. There are no human activities in which God is uninterested or uninvolved. The Scripture clearly states: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the
Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality” (Colossians 3.23-25, NKJV).

We need strong Christians in all industries.

I learned more about this concept from the presentation, “Contrasting the Philosophy of Your Two Leadership Choices” (Marketplace Leadership Training Conference, Nigeria, July 2007), by Ron Porter of thechristianleader.org. The presentation showed me that the leader’s worldview at all levels of work must be rooted in the Scripture. This will provide direction and opportunity to become the Church God intended us to be. We need Christian men and women in the worlds of business, commerce, finance, technology, education, medicine, industry, government, law, communication, transportation, the military, agriculture and a hundred other legitimate segments of the society. We need men whose calling or vocation in life is in the marketplace.

Like many other participants of the leadership conference, I feel much better equipped to achieve God’s purpose for my life – as a Christian leader in business, at home, in my community, and all spheres of my influence. We need the Christian community to invest more into training men and women, to practice the biblical principles IN and OUTSIDE the Church. As a result, the gap between the secular and sacred work will be bridged and Christ’s will will be done in the earth (Matthew 6:10). 

"The leader’s worldview at all levels of work must be rooted in the Scripture."

Therefore, the Timothy of today needs to, as a matter of urgent call, train “faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Training the next generation of leadership in God’s kingdom is a great privilege. John Maxwell said, “A leader who reproduces followers limits his success to what his direct, personal influence touches...A leader who produces other leaders multiples his influence, and he and his people have a future...” (Maxwell, 1995, 197-198). True success in life and ministry comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation. 

“I teach, therefore, I touch the future.”

Christians  faiths must intersect all aspects of their lives.

Not only do I have strong convictions about training the next generation of Christian men and Women in and outside the Church for ministry multiplication through reaching and
teaching others, but also in passing on the baton of truth and leadership to future generations. I wholeheartedly agree with this saying, “I teach, therefore, I touch the future.”

The Challenges of Today’s Church

The challenges of today’s church are enormous. There was a time in our history of existence as a Church that we succeeded in transforming every sector of our society with biblical principles. During this time, a Christian was not only a Christian in the church building but was also a Christian in His work life. We lost this because we failed to develop leaders who are capable, anointed and hungry for the revival and church growth that God has promised in the end-time.

James G. Poitras described the Jesus example of leadership development: “Jesus spent time training others. He left twelve qualified workers to carry on the vital tasks that He had started. Jesus knew that His work would not fail. Why? He had trained the next generation.

From the beginning, Jesus told these men that He would not always be with them. He trained the most successful team of all time. As a result, once their Leader departed, they continued to experience revival and growth as they followed His example by effectively training future workers. Their success after Jesus departed is strong evidence of His ability to teach” (Poitras, 2005).

In His Footsteps

Is it not a great honor to be privileged to work in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ as the apostles Paul, Timothy and the host of other church fathers have done? As a leader, do you want to be like Him? We should stop shifting the blame of our inactivity to anyone as Adam and Eve did in the garden. It is time for us to take responsibility for doing the right thing, according to the principles laid down for us in the Scripture.

The Master in Matthew 28: 19-20 said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (NKJV).

We call this passage the Great Commission. Our generation has succeeded in winning more souls for Christ than any other generation. There is no doubt about this, but we have not adequately trained them as Jesus commanded us “to observe all things that have commanded you.” We need to intentionally train all Christians to integrate their faith with where they spend the majority of their time interacting with the majority of unsaved people. Is it in the local Church or fellowship centre? No, it is where we spend 60-70% of our walking hours. The primary responsibility of every Christian leader is to reproduce ourselves in faithful men who will be able to reproduce themselves. If we fail in this responsibility, our work will die when we die.

The early Church obeyed the Master as, “they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mark 16: 20, NKJV). What is the effect of this? The Gospel message gets to us in Africa, Asia, Europe, and all other parts of the world. However, in our generation, we are very slack in our responsibility of making more leaders for the future of the Church.

A Pledge Before God and Man

The Church leaders are responsible for the reproduction of quality leaders that will
represent Christ at all levels of our society with biblical principles. I have a conviction that the solution to life’s problems are in the hand of the Church and her leadership as we teach and apply biblical values into every aspect of life.

Let us therefore pledge before God and the host of His witnesses that have gone ahead of us that we will not fail Him and our generation. Amen. 


Capitol photo courtesy of Fibonacci Blue