Section 7 - The Leader’s Influence

Group Activity: Create a one-page visual summary of the leader’s influence.Study chapter 7 in BlackabyStudy chapters 13-14 in SandersPrint an article on leadership at: http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/MTArchi ve.asp

Improving leadership

Spiritual LeadershipJ Oswald Sanders

Chapter 14

Rom 12:8 If God has given you

leadership ability, take the responsibility

seriously.

if it is to lead,[a] do it diligently;

Or to provide for others

If our leadership can be improved, as with anything we do for the glory of God, then we should see to it that we work to improve it.If leadership is influence then every Christian is a leader - it does not matter if you are in a “senior” position or not!We must:Recognise weaknesses, make corrections and cultivate strengths.

Sanders cites some reasons for poor church leadership:

The goal is poorly defined - so we do not know what we are working towards

Lack of faith - so no risk takingAre we passionate about our

salvation - is our enthusiasm contagious?

Do we avoid dealing with difficult situations - poor leaders postpone making hard decisions and gain nothing in the long run.

Are we too thin - lacking depth whilst trying to do “all things”?

1. Exert yourself to leadRom 12:1 - the word offer (a one time action) is followed by 36 present tense verbs. We look at only two of them.Rom 12:8 - Barclay, “If you are called upon to supply leadership, do it with zeal” - wholeheartedly, with energy, not in a lazy manner.Jesus was intense in his leadership:Jn 2:17 - zeal for your house...Mk 3:21 - he is out of his mind!

Jn 7:20 - his enemies think he has a demon!Are you considered zealous about the right things, or about irrelevant things?Paul was considered intense at all stages of his life - his passion and energy did not diminish - in fact even before he was converted he was full of passion, in the power of the Holy Spirit it was simply redirected.

2. Kept at boiling pointRom 12:11 -Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.Someone (Harrington Lees) has said we are only kept at boiling point by the Holy Spirit.Most people get to boiling point only on special occasions - a special event, an encounter with God, something out of the ordinary - we often struggle in the everyday things of life.

Do you have enough of the Holy Spirit to keep you aglow all the time?Lk 11:13 - If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Are you asking for more?

Improving leadership

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Island Mission, had a gift of saying tremendously significant things in a deceptively simple way. In a letter dated 1879 to the secretary of the mission, Taylor said:The all-important thing to do is to:

Improve the character of the workDeepen the piety, devotion and success of the

workersRemove stones of stumbling, if possibleOil the wheels where they stickAmend whatever is defectiveSupplement, as far as may be, what is lacking

Out of these Sanders suggests the leader has responsibility for the following areas:Administration - improving the character of the work involves finding out what is not functioning or is below standard - and then correcting it.Spiritual tone - developing the piety, devotion and spiritual success of the workers. This depends upon the leaders - do they love God, are they passionate, honest, holy...? If spiritual leaders are flat and lifeless so will the work be.

Group morale - remove stones of stumbling - when we ignore problems morale goes down and consequently performance - problems or people all have to be dealt with in the love of God, but with decisiveness.Personal relationships - try to know and understand how your people work, what they respond to

Problem solving - amend what is defective - creating problems is easy, solving them is far harder - face things realistically and then work until it is solvedCreative planning - supplement what is lacking - criticising plans is easier than creativity in planning - plan well and know what tactics to employ to achieve success.

Finally resist leading from the back - true leadership is always out in front, not behind or on the sidelines.Often people stand behind and criticise, like the Israelites when initially facing the chance to enter the Promised Land - reactionary people will stand behind and comment or criticise do not let this affect your way forward as spiritual leaders.

What are the challenges and delights you find in relating to the leaders in your life?Hudson Taylor lists six important things - which one of these might be changed in your current situation to achieve the most significant result?