In Christian leadership it works like this: God produces the results

 

Being a Christian leader is not possible! …And other helpful words of encouragement

The dangers of Christian leadership

Getting The Basics Right Rather Than Chasing The Latest Trendy Approach

It’s very possible that most of the people who read this do not realize how much advice is now available from “experts” to people who serve as professionals in church ministry. There is a constant and seemingly endless flow of books, articles, conferences and research which purports to help those in ministry do their work more effectively.

Ironically, some of the helpful advice is contradictory. (Which makes it decidedly less helpful.)

If the advice of the experts is contradictory then what are we supposed to do?

(That’s a rhetorical question. I’m not expecting an answer. It’s pretty typical for me to ask myself questions which go unanswered all throughout the day.)

I’m not opposed to getting advice from experts and learning from others—in fact, this type of information has been helpful to me over the years—but as I get older I find I’m less interested in discovering the latest trendy approach to ministry and more interested in trying to be obedient to God regarding the basic fundamentals of being a church. 

Being Aware of The Results We Cannot Produce

In Christian leadership there is a very understandable desire to want to produce results. Good leaders have an orientation toward results. Good leaders take their leadership responsibility seriously and this means they have a concern about results.

However, it is helpful for Christian leaders to remember that we are unable to produce many of the most important “results” of faith in Christ.

For example, for a person to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit in his/her life and turn toward God is not a result we can produce.

For a person to experience forgiveness of sins is not a result we can produce.

For a person to come alive in Christ is not a result we can produce.

For a person to be filled with the Holy Spirit is not a result we can produce.

For a person to respond to God’s direction in his/her life is not a result we can produce.

It’s not that Christian leaders have no role. We do have a part to play. We can teach, encourage, provide support, provide counsel, provide correction, cast vision and lead by example. But it is helpful for Christian leaders to do those things God has called us to do and to be careful not to try to manufacture the results only God can produce.

Christian Leadership: Calling And Obedience

I'm at a Christian leadership conference and something I heard reminded me of an important thought. In Christian leadership there is a temptation to come up with our own personal plans and schemes—clever ideas we initiate for one reason or another. And we attribute these plans and schemes to God. In other words, we are tempted to dress up our own personal ideas in God language in order to make the ideas credible with those we are leading.

We tend to do this because one of the dangers of Christian leadership is the belief that it is all about accomplishment… our impressive accomplishments, to be more specific. That's what makes us feel good. Accomplishment affirms our self-esteem. I know what it's like to give in to this temptation.

What is hard for us Christian leaders to understand is that it's really not all about our accomplishments. By the way, the previous sentence you just read is actually a repugnant and ridiculous thought for many people in the world of leadership, including Christian leadership.

Please understand I’m not against accomplishment. Accomplishment is a good thing. This is not an anti-accomplishment rant. What I’m trying to communicate, however, is that accomplishment is not the most important aspect of Christian leadership. The most important aspect of Christian leadership is twofold: being called by God and being obedient to God. If a Christian leader is not called to leadership by God and acting in obedience to Him the accomplishments will, ultimately, be hollow.

I’m posting this here because my leadership efforts have been thwarted by my own ego on more than one occasion. So, I need to see this and be reminded of it: Be attentive and obedient to God and let the Holy Spirit bring the accomplishment.

#GLS15

Leadership And The Temptation To Manipulate People

There is an incredible temptation to want to manipulate people when you are in a leadership position of any kind.  Often those of us who are in leadership positions may even convince ourselves that the way in which we want to manipulate people is “for their own good.”  When we can convince ourselves that we’re doing something noble then we don’t feel guilty about it.

I’ve pulled this kind of stuff.  It has a lot to do with insecurity.

Leadership is a valid and necessary gift.  We need good leaders.  I’m not suggesting that leadership itself is an inherently flawed concept.  It’s not.  But I believe good leaders do not manipulate people.  We inform.  We instruct.  We point the way.  We encourage.  We exhort.  We pray.  We paint a picture of what could be.  We do what we are calling others to do. 

But manipulation is not necessary when we are doing what God calls us to do.  We need to allow God’s Holy Spirit to move, prompt, illuminate and convict.  And if the work of the Holy Spirit is not enough to motivate people to the actions we are hoping to see then we should not presume that we need to compensate with our own clever forms of manipulation.

(This thought is primarily directed at myself, but I thought some others might find it interesting or helpful, as well.)