We are addicted to leadership. Everything in the Church seems to be geared to developing good leaders. Seminar after seminar, conferences, books, internet teaching all centered around leadership. We have developed quite the industry on just this one subject.
We seem to have this compulsion that when we find an intelligent or gifted person we fling the leadership mantle around them, whether they are gifted leaders or not. We don't look for the anointing. We don't examine God's calling. We don't see if God's hand is on that person. As long as they are educated, intelligent, gifted and good looking, they fit the bill. We will even overlook the last two as long as the first two are in place. Sometimes, if we are desperate enough, it is sufficient that they are educated.
What happened to the training of the warriors? You know, those guys who are not anointed for leadership but are anointed with God's gifts as workers in the Kingdom. Those guys who take the anointed vision of God, laid on the hearts of the leaders, and put it into action. Those guys who are anointed with energy, enthusiasm, intelligence, strength, determination, and a servant's heart.
We all consider King David to have been a great leader and we often lift up leaders with the same hope that they possess a David's heart, but what would David have been without his mighty men? There is a reason God took time to make sure that all their names were recorded for us. These are the men who responded to David's love for God, his vision and his compassion for the people of the nation. They chose exile with him. They chose to face death with him. They chose to defend him. They chose to give up the right over themselves to obey him as their chosen leader.
We all consider Peter, John, James, Paul as great leaders of the Church but Stephen was not any less anointed by the Spirit. He was a leader but not of the variety that we think about. His was a supporting role. He took the pressure off of the Apostles by looking after Church affairs so they could preach and teach. He was still full of the Holy Spirit, powerful, standing out in a crowd, but he was a warrior, carrying out the vision of the leaders. He was a mighty man.
I don't think it's leaders we are lacking in the Church but rather the warriors to follow the leaders. We are missing the Jonathans, Stephens, Timothys. All leaders in and of themselves but also mighty men who stood with and fought for the anointed leaders of the day. I mention Jonathan here because, even though he was the crown prince according to the flesh, he knew he was not God's appointed leader. In fact, he told God's appointed leader (David) that he would gladly serve him as one of his mighty men. That takes more guts than what a lot of people realize.
This is a call to my fellow mighty men. Let us not be tempted to take on a mantle that does not belong to us. We know, we can see for ourselves, where God's anointing lay. Let us pledge ourselves to these imperfect, chosen, anointed leaders of our day. Let us not try to out due them but encourage them by standing with them in the fight. It is not easy bearing the mantle of leadership but neither is it easy to resist the flesh and take our appointed position in support of God's anointed. Know the ground you have been given, and stand.
Showing posts with label leaders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leaders. Show all posts
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Leader-Managers or Leader-Servants
Here we are, the day before the crucifixion, the day before Jesus was cruelly beaten and then nailed to the cross. Completely innocent of all charges but it was never about the charges and always about the Father's plan. Jesus' death was not a mistake but the plan since before the beginning of time. Unfortunately Jesus' disciples could not imagine what was about to happen and so missed all the foreshadowing Jesus gave them.
Now imagine that you are about to face a time of cruel torture. You know what is about to happen and you know it is not your fault but you are still going to be facing the hardest moment of your life. And while you are preparing yourself and your friends for what you are about to go through, your friends start fighting over something insignificant. Not only is it insignificant but it goes against what your life has stood for. They just don't know you at all. I wonder if that is how Jesus felt.
Here Jesus was, preparing his last meal, stealing himself for the onslaught that will take place in a few hours, and his disciples start arguing about who of them is the greatest. The argument arose when Jesus revealed that one of them would betray him. I can see how that could happen to these pre-Spirit-filled disciples.Each would be defending themselves from the thought it could me one of them which would lead to "I love him more than you" which would lead to "I am greater than you, look at all I have done." Jesus must have lost his appetite.
In his typical nature, Jesus gently corrected his disciples and reminded them what he had been teaching and demonstrating from the beginning. It is a lesson we would do well to learn and apply to our own service to the King:
Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone’s friends. But don’t be like them. The most important one of you should be like the least important, and your leader should be like a servant. (Luke 22:25-26, CEV)
We hear far too much about leadership these days. All people seem interested in is developing leaders and everyone wants to be a leader, but what we need to be doing is developing servants. "Don't be like them" is what Jesus says but we run after classes and courses that are based on best business practices in leadership development,from the world. Crazy. The only example we should be learning from is Jesus.
I have met too many pastors who act like world based leaders. They are powerful, professional, intelligent and run a well organized church. Their church is run like a well oiled organization or small business. But they act like the church owes them something, like a CEO expecting good bonuses for his hard work. Yes, they work hard but no one owes us anything, at least not in the sense the pastors think. God says that people need to take care of those who minister to them but it is a completely different sense than what these pastors were thinking.
Ministers of the gospel are servants and their purpose is to live and die for their sheep. They sacrifice in the same way Jesus did, where there is nothing held back and everything that is given is poured out. It is not a life of ease or popular vote. Pastors have to teach just as Jesus did, whether people like it or not. They have to deal with the tough stuff and if it costs them their lives to bring the truth then so be it.
Pastors are not managers. They do not manage finances, buildings or people. Pastors are servants who minister the Word of God, operating through the Spirit of God, to bring good food to God's children, to be wise in God's will and to plead for the lost to turn to Jesus. Unfortunately too many of us still have the mentality of the early disciples and try to be the "greatest" in the Kingdom. Jesus is not interested in how big the church is we "manage" but instead looks to our faithfulness in our service, regardless of where he has placed us to serve.
We who are pastors have a great responsibility to sacrifice everything to share with everyone everything we have been given by the Spirit. It is wrong for us to measure success in offering amounts, size of our building or the numbers in our congregation. The number of books we have written, the time spent on speaking tours amounts to nothing compared to setting it all aside to sacrifice all we have achieved to bring Jesus to those who need him at that moment. We are servants here, not lords. We are servants, not kings. We are willing to be abused in order to have one opportunity to help someone with Jesus.
As we consider the cross and what it cost Jesus, let's consider whether our attitude and service are pleasing to him. After all, it isn't about us and all about our King.
Now imagine that you are about to face a time of cruel torture. You know what is about to happen and you know it is not your fault but you are still going to be facing the hardest moment of your life. And while you are preparing yourself and your friends for what you are about to go through, your friends start fighting over something insignificant. Not only is it insignificant but it goes against what your life has stood for. They just don't know you at all. I wonder if that is how Jesus felt.
Here Jesus was, preparing his last meal, stealing himself for the onslaught that will take place in a few hours, and his disciples start arguing about who of them is the greatest. The argument arose when Jesus revealed that one of them would betray him. I can see how that could happen to these pre-Spirit-filled disciples.Each would be defending themselves from the thought it could me one of them which would lead to "I love him more than you" which would lead to "I am greater than you, look at all I have done." Jesus must have lost his appetite.
In his typical nature, Jesus gently corrected his disciples and reminded them what he had been teaching and demonstrating from the beginning. It is a lesson we would do well to learn and apply to our own service to the King:
Foreign kings order their people around, and powerful rulers call themselves everyone’s friends. But don’t be like them. The most important one of you should be like the least important, and your leader should be like a servant. (Luke 22:25-26, CEV)
We hear far too much about leadership these days. All people seem interested in is developing leaders and everyone wants to be a leader, but what we need to be doing is developing servants. "Don't be like them" is what Jesus says but we run after classes and courses that are based on best business practices in leadership development,from the world. Crazy. The only example we should be learning from is Jesus.
I have met too many pastors who act like world based leaders. They are powerful, professional, intelligent and run a well organized church. Their church is run like a well oiled organization or small business. But they act like the church owes them something, like a CEO expecting good bonuses for his hard work. Yes, they work hard but no one owes us anything, at least not in the sense the pastors think. God says that people need to take care of those who minister to them but it is a completely different sense than what these pastors were thinking.
Ministers of the gospel are servants and their purpose is to live and die for their sheep. They sacrifice in the same way Jesus did, where there is nothing held back and everything that is given is poured out. It is not a life of ease or popular vote. Pastors have to teach just as Jesus did, whether people like it or not. They have to deal with the tough stuff and if it costs them their lives to bring the truth then so be it.
Pastors are not managers. They do not manage finances, buildings or people. Pastors are servants who minister the Word of God, operating through the Spirit of God, to bring good food to God's children, to be wise in God's will and to plead for the lost to turn to Jesus. Unfortunately too many of us still have the mentality of the early disciples and try to be the "greatest" in the Kingdom. Jesus is not interested in how big the church is we "manage" but instead looks to our faithfulness in our service, regardless of where he has placed us to serve.
We who are pastors have a great responsibility to sacrifice everything to share with everyone everything we have been given by the Spirit. It is wrong for us to measure success in offering amounts, size of our building or the numbers in our congregation. The number of books we have written, the time spent on speaking tours amounts to nothing compared to setting it all aside to sacrifice all we have achieved to bring Jesus to those who need him at that moment. We are servants here, not lords. We are servants, not kings. We are willing to be abused in order to have one opportunity to help someone with Jesus.
As we consider the cross and what it cost Jesus, let's consider whether our attitude and service are pleasing to him. After all, it isn't about us and all about our King.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Authority Questioned
This is Passion Week, the week ending with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Christians we take a little bit of extra time to examine the scriptures and reflect on the significance of each step that Jesus took closer to the cross. But the cross was not the end, as it was only the beginning.
That is one of the most unfortunate things about Christians, we fall asleep too close to where we get into bed. It is a sure way to fall out of bed. Too many people receive salvation and leave it at that. They come to the cross, repent of their sins, claim Jesus as King but don't go any further. They fail to understand that the cross is the open door to a great adventure that lay beyond it.
Past the cross is the empty grave, the resurrection, the receiving of the Holy Spirit, the power to live an incredible life as a servant of Jesus in this place. Jesus has given us the right and privilege to serve him in his authority. That authority will be questioned at every turn, by the world and by Christians who have not gone beyond the cross. But do you know that the religious leaders at that time also questioned Jesus about his authority? Yes, days before the cross the enemy was trying to plant doubt in Jesus' mind with "Who do you think you are?"
Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23)
But Jesus refused to answer them for the simple reason that he knew they would not accept his answer. He told them he would answer their question if they would tell him where John the Baptist got his authority. These "leaders" were more interested in controlling the people than they were in the facts that lay before them. You will find the same thing.
Jesus has given you the authority to operate supernaturally but there are those who do not want the Church to look weird. They are more interested in acceptability, fitting in, and the relevance of the Church to the community. They want to feed the hungry, care for the sick, run food banks and community kitchens. These are great projects but we are called to more than this. We are here to preach the good news, cast out demons, cast out illness, bring healing to mind, body and soul. We are here to fight for people on whatever level the Spirit directs us. We are instruments for the manifestation of the Spirit of God, lightening rods for God to reveal himself to man.
The greatest opposition to the authority of Jesus is not from the world but from those who only know the cross. But you can't let that worry you. You don't have time to be defending yourself to such people. Our time is running out here and there is a lot left to do. Jesus did not waste time on such people and neither should we. Leave them be in their limited thinking and understanding as they handcuff God and move on with the work you have been given to do in Jesus' authority.
Jesus gave us the cross. Amen! He gave us the empty grave. Amen! And he left so that he could send to us the Holy Spirit, to enable us to live the example he left for us. Jesus lived those three years in ministry to set an example for those who would follow. He set an example of how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was odd and stood out from everything else around him. He stood out. Let me repeat it again:He stood out! He became a target but he pressed on. When we serve him in the power of the Spirit, in his authority, we stand out, we are odd and we may become a target. But we press on, determined to end our time here in faithful service to our King.
Do not let anyone discourage you from becoming what Jesus wants you to be.
That is one of the most unfortunate things about Christians, we fall asleep too close to where we get into bed. It is a sure way to fall out of bed. Too many people receive salvation and leave it at that. They come to the cross, repent of their sins, claim Jesus as King but don't go any further. They fail to understand that the cross is the open door to a great adventure that lay beyond it.
Past the cross is the empty grave, the resurrection, the receiving of the Holy Spirit, the power to live an incredible life as a servant of Jesus in this place. Jesus has given us the right and privilege to serve him in his authority. That authority will be questioned at every turn, by the world and by Christians who have not gone beyond the cross. But do you know that the religious leaders at that time also questioned Jesus about his authority? Yes, days before the cross the enemy was trying to plant doubt in Jesus' mind with "Who do you think you are?"
Jesus had gone into the temple and was teaching when the chief priests and the leaders of the people came up to him. They asked, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23)
But Jesus refused to answer them for the simple reason that he knew they would not accept his answer. He told them he would answer their question if they would tell him where John the Baptist got his authority. These "leaders" were more interested in controlling the people than they were in the facts that lay before them. You will find the same thing.
Jesus has given you the authority to operate supernaturally but there are those who do not want the Church to look weird. They are more interested in acceptability, fitting in, and the relevance of the Church to the community. They want to feed the hungry, care for the sick, run food banks and community kitchens. These are great projects but we are called to more than this. We are here to preach the good news, cast out demons, cast out illness, bring healing to mind, body and soul. We are here to fight for people on whatever level the Spirit directs us. We are instruments for the manifestation of the Spirit of God, lightening rods for God to reveal himself to man.
The greatest opposition to the authority of Jesus is not from the world but from those who only know the cross. But you can't let that worry you. You don't have time to be defending yourself to such people. Our time is running out here and there is a lot left to do. Jesus did not waste time on such people and neither should we. Leave them be in their limited thinking and understanding as they handcuff God and move on with the work you have been given to do in Jesus' authority.
Jesus gave us the cross. Amen! He gave us the empty grave. Amen! And he left so that he could send to us the Holy Spirit, to enable us to live the example he left for us. Jesus lived those three years in ministry to set an example for those who would follow. He set an example of how to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was odd and stood out from everything else around him. He stood out. Let me repeat it again:He stood out! He became a target but he pressed on. When we serve him in the power of the Spirit, in his authority, we stand out, we are odd and we may become a target. But we press on, determined to end our time here in faithful service to our King.
Do not let anyone discourage you from becoming what Jesus wants you to be.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Content Of Our Prayer
What is the subject of most of your prayers? Most often they are about ourselves; usually rushed emergency prayers. If they are not emergency prayers then they are about us getting closer to God, asking for our eyes to be opened, wanting to sense his presence. How often do we pray for other people? How often do we listen to what is going on around us? How much do we watch and pray? You are a power house of God's mercy and grace with the ability to affect what is happening around you. That's the authority you have through Jesus.
How often do you contend in prayer for those who have been called as leaders in the Body of Christ? You know, those men and women who have set everything aside to make people their business, for the sake of the Kingdom? Doesn't matter if you call them elders, pastors, missionaries, evangelists, prophets or apostles, they are all in great need of your prayer support. How many do you know? For how many do you pray?
Apostle Paul was not above soliciting prayer from the Body of Christ:
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. (Colossians 4:3)
All the human effort on this planet cannot even begin to budge some doors, but prayer flings the doors wide open. I can't explain why God has chosen to work through our prayers but he does. Prayer is an absolute necessity in the work of the Kingdom and people who are looking for doors to be opened so they can preach the Good News need us to be praying. But it is not just about opportunities.
Apostle Paul added:
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (v. 4)
We need to pray for the anointing of the workers. We can do a lot in our flesh but we can't do in our flesh anything that will be of any eternal good. The work of the Kingdom needs the anointing of God so it will be proclaimed "clearly", as it should. Without the anointing our words land on deaf ears. Pray for the anointing.
We should each have a list of leaders we are supporting in prayer. Let them know you are one of their prayer supporters and I am sure they will supply you with a list of their prayer needs. Fight for them every day. Make the vast majority of the content of your prayers about others and you will see things begin to change for you.
How often do you contend in prayer for those who have been called as leaders in the Body of Christ? You know, those men and women who have set everything aside to make people their business, for the sake of the Kingdom? Doesn't matter if you call them elders, pastors, missionaries, evangelists, prophets or apostles, they are all in great need of your prayer support. How many do you know? For how many do you pray?
Apostle Paul was not above soliciting prayer from the Body of Christ:
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. (Colossians 4:3)
All the human effort on this planet cannot even begin to budge some doors, but prayer flings the doors wide open. I can't explain why God has chosen to work through our prayers but he does. Prayer is an absolute necessity in the work of the Kingdom and people who are looking for doors to be opened so they can preach the Good News need us to be praying. But it is not just about opportunities.
Apostle Paul added:
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (v. 4)
We need to pray for the anointing of the workers. We can do a lot in our flesh but we can't do in our flesh anything that will be of any eternal good. The work of the Kingdom needs the anointing of God so it will be proclaimed "clearly", as it should. Without the anointing our words land on deaf ears. Pray for the anointing.
We should each have a list of leaders we are supporting in prayer. Let them know you are one of their prayer supporters and I am sure they will supply you with a list of their prayer needs. Fight for them every day. Make the vast majority of the content of your prayers about others and you will see things begin to change for you.
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