Becoming a Complete Leader Part ll: Called by God

I remember when I was ten years old and I was chosen by a coach to play club soccer.  It was a special moment in my childhood and it felt amazing to think someone else wanted me.  I was recruited for a specific purpose (play halfback) on a specific team and due to my specific talents (left footed and could run forever).  I was pumped.

Leadership in God’s eyes is the same process.  He chooses specific people with specific leadership abilities in a certain time for certain people.  When we grasp this, it should bring a great sense of gratitude and encouragement to all of us in leadership. Without this type of calling, our leadership will wane.

Paul exemplifies this by starting out 1 & 2 Timothy with a reminder to his calling. In 1 Timothy 1:1 Paul writes of God's command for him to lead. Again in  2 Timothy 1:1  Paul shares that he is an apostle by God choosing him. Calling is so important that Paul repeatedly encourages Timothy (1 Timothy 6:20, 2 Timothy 1:6 & 2 Timothy 4:5) to remember his calling.

Why is calling important?  Because without it we will quit in difficulty, become timid with fear or be confused with lack of purpose.  Leading people is very difficult and draining.  Without a calling from God, we are leading in our own strength.  What helps us to lead people who have been hurtful?  When success is not apparent?  Or when the ministry feels overwhelming? By remembering God’s call on our lives.

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In 2 Timothy 1:11-12, Paul writes, "And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle and a teacher of this Good News.  That is why I am suffering here in prison.  But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to him..."

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Notice how Paul can endure hardships. What looks like defeat to the world is just part of the ministry in Paul’s eyes. Since God called him, he could entrust his ministry to HIM knowing that HE is in control and allows the trials that every leader faces.

I have led small groups for almost twenty years. Many years were great experiences.  But to be honest, there have been quite a few difficult groups to lead.  What strengthened me to persevere was calling.  What helped me to not cancel certain nights when attendance was low; calling.  What helped me to love those who barely contributed to the group; calling.  What helped me to listen when people were rambling about immature things; calling.  Calling is about honoring God in our leadership even when others don’t honor us, the ministry or God.

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2 Timothy 4:5, "Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you."

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So who does God call?  How do I know if I'm called?  Here are some biblical ways God calls people to leadership.  By the way, the more ways He communicates to us, the stronger and more clear the calling.

- Clear faithfulness to Jesus. God calls those to leadership who have already shown a love for Him and a love for people. Basic faithfulness (not perfection) in loving God and loving people gives opportunity for calling to leadership. That is why Paul writes in 1 Timothy 3:6-7 to give a person time before you put them in significant leadership.  Without faithfulness to Jesus, a person will not be faithful with his people. 

- Clear supernatural direction from God.  Billy Graham wrote in his autobiography that while at a camp in the mountains near L.A., he received a strong impression from God of what he was called to do in ministry. This type of supernatural calling happened to Moses in Exodus 3 and to Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:1-3 as God called them in very unconventional ways . God can speak through a prophetic word, thoughts and impressions from the Holy Spirit or a deep conviction from hearing/reading of the scriptures. This doesn’t happen for everyone and leaders who experience this type of calling are not more spiritual than leaders who don’t.  It’s just the way God decided to communicate.

- Clear opportunities. Sometimes becoming a leader just falls into our laps by God's will.  In Acts 1:15-26, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas as an apostle by the rolling of dice.  Matthias was ready for that opportunity and so God chose him through circumstances and a good roll of the dice.  Sometimes we don't need a supernatural experience.  If we are prepared and the circumstances are in our favor, then jump in!!

- Clear giftedness. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 says that the Holy Spirit gives gifts and that we should use them if we have them.  Paul was a leader before he was a Christian and he was a leader after he became a Christian.  The Holy Spirit can gift us by innately creating us to lead or empowering us after we become Christians.  Either way, if we have the gift of leading (meaning you can influence and mobilize people towards a goal), then God expects us to lead.

- Clear agreement amongst people. In Acts 6:1-6, the apostles told people to pick leaders who they respect and who are full of the Spirit and wisdom. Sometimes, leadership is just revealed to people and that's how someone knows they should lead. If a group of people says, “Lead us”, then it's probably God's way of calling us.

I didn’t mention this at the beginning, but when I played club soccer I had quite a few bad games.  In one championship game I missed an easy goal that would have given us the win.  What helped me to believe I could sill play the game?  My coach came up to me and spoke words into my heart that reminded me that he recruited me and still believed I was the right kid for the team.  That encouragement helped me to stay focused, keep practicing and not give up.  In the same way, my hope is for us to know with deep conviction, that God has called us into leadership which will encourage and sustain us in every way.


Take care,


Brian

Becoming a Complete Leader Part 1: Biblical Transformation

Timothy was a young man mentored by Paul in both his faith and leadership.  Over the next several weeks we will be diving into 1 & 2 Timothy to learn how we can also grow in our faith and leadership.  This is the first in a series of articles on "Becoming a Complete Leader".


2 Timothy 3:16-17 is a very popular verse and worthy of it. Paul writes (ESV), “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

What does Paul mean that we will be "complete" or as the NLT translates, "perfect"?  The word complete literally means to finish (like a finished product) and figuratively means to be furnished completely. In one way, God's word will change you so that you will be like a finished product, ready and effective to fulfill the work He has planned for you.  In another way, God's word will fill your heart and mind like a perfectly furnished home where the Holy Spirit puts every passage perfectly in place.

More than a thousand years before Paul, King David used many metaphors to help illustrate the importance of scripture.  In Psalm 119:105 he writes that the bible is like a lamp that lights the path in front of us.  As leaders, we not only are walking on a path, but we have people following closely behind us.  When we are not picking up the bible, it’s like putting down a lamp and walking in darkness. Whenever we lead in darkness, we are timid, unsure and hesitant to truly lead people.  In contrast, when we engage in God's word we gain confidence, courage and clarity in our hearts which are then poured out through the way we lead.

Our leadership capacity and ability is made "complete" as we process the scriptures (sermons, worship songs, reading, discussing, etc...), apply it to our lives and then allow it to influence the way we lead others.  The more we do this, the more opportunity the Holy Spirit has to arrange it perfectly in our lives so that we can speak it into other's lives.

To me, this makes reading the scriptures exciting.  Opening up my bible expectantly because all scriptures are useful.  But what if I struggle to understand what I’m reading?  Let's go to the scriptures!!


1. Pray and ask God for wisdom when you don’t understand a passage.  James 1:5 (NLT) says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you." 

2. Seek wise and godly people.  Call or email a trusted friend, seek out a pastor or read a website/book by an authority figure.  Colossians 3:16 (NLT) encourages us to, “Counsel and teach each other with all the wisdom he (God) gives.”


3. Meditate (think a lot!!) on scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal it in His time to you.  Write it on an index card and tape it in your car or on your mirror.  For some people, just repeating it several times each day for a week does the job.  Joshua 1:8 says, “Study this Book of Instruction continually.  Meditate on it day and night…” In 2 Timothy 2:7, Paul encourages Timothy to, “Think (Greek word is noeo: to ponder) about what I am saying.  The Lord will help you understand these things".  Sometimes you don't know why God impressed a scripture on you until an opportunity, which God knew in advance, comes up.

I have experienced this profoundly in my life. When I am consistently listening to sermons, worship music on my IPod, reading the bible or discussing scripture with someone, many of my daily decisions become clear.  I also can feel and see my leadership gain momentum as I lead with greater confidence, love and wisdom.  When I feel burnt out with leading, discouraged easily with people or just flat out unmotivated, it invariably is tied to the fact that God's truths are not penetrating my mind and heart.

A great example of how God’s word powerfully impacted someone’s life is told by Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. I hope this encourages you to fully engage with God as he guides you in leading people that he dearly loves.

The "Eye" of a Leader

We live in a time where leaders have to have a critical eye.  Evaluate, fix it, evaluate, fix it, etc... Leaders do this on a corporate level (within a church or small group) and on an individual level (personally and with others).  Jesus modeled this at times by severely rebuking his disciples and giving them clear correction in the way they were thinking and behaving.  When we lead people, we may have to do this occasionally.

Jesus did not just have a critical eye though.  He also used a "prophetic eye" and an "encouraging eye".  And this way of seeing people is just as important as a critical eye. In John 1:35-51 we read how Jesus used both of these leadership methods as he shepherded his disciples.  

Reading John 1:42, we see the first example of Jesus using his "prophetic eye".  He speaks to Peter and by giving him a new name, foretells what Peter would become.  This revelation was given to Jesus at some point by God the Father or perhaps through the Holy Spirit.  Either way, Jesus knew what Simon would become Peter or Petra, which means "the rock".  Peter was no longer just a fisherman; he was a foundational rock in what Jesus was building.  Though he would not fulfill this prophetic word for many years, Jesus already planted the seed in Peter's heart and mind.

At times, leaders should see people as what they will become, not just what they are.  As they pray for their people and read the scriptures, they speak biblically and or Holy Spirit inspired words into people's lives.  How do we see God using people who are under our care as leaders?  Can we see through their sin and foolishness, just like Jesus did with Peter?  This takes much prayer. To attempt to do this in the flesh would produce inaccurate prophetic words, which do not benefit anyone.

We see this principle repeated in scriptures.  In Acts 13:1-4, the Holy Spirit told men to send out Barnabas and Paul as missionaries (they were not missionaries at the time). In 1 Timothy 4:14, we read how Timothy became a pastor by men speaking it prophetically into his life.  Would Timothy have chosen to be a pastor?  I'm not sure if it wasn't for these prophetic words.  We know from 1 & 2 Timothy that Timothy was not the most confident man to run a ministry.  Even staying in Ephesus as a Pastor was more Paul's decision (1 Timothy 1:3) than his.  Prophetic words give great courage to those who wonder if and how God will use them.

Now in John 1:47-48, we see how Jesus does not use a prophetic eye, but an encouraging eye by telling Nathanael he is a genuine son of Israel. This did not foretell something about Nathanael, but revealed something that was already occurring in him. Nathanael was blown away that Jesus would even take notice of him.

As a leader, it is important at times to purposefully observe people's lives so that we can speak truth that encourages them.  We tell people, "I see a person of great compassion" or "I see someone who is incredibly humble".  Encouragement should always be truthful, as flattery will not be beneficial to them nor honoring to God. 

 When we follow Jesus in this example, people will be greatly encouraged that their leader noticed them and took time to speak about the virtuous qualities they possess.  I believe many of us go years without this type of encouragement yet when we receive these types of words it is like water to a parched soul.  This is just as powerful and useful as giving a foretelling / prophetic word to someone.

A critical eye is essential for building respect, a prophetic eye is important for building faith and an encouraging eye is vital for building loyalty. The wisdom of a leader is knowing when to use each spiritual discipline at the right time.

So this week, seek the Lord (prayer and scriptures) with how He may use you to speak with a prophetic eye or an encouraging eye. By seeking the Lord in how to build people up through your words, you will no doubt build up their faith in and faithfulness to Jesus.

Take care,

Brian