Tag: Spiritual Leadership

Spiritual Leaders do God’s Work

Every day I ask for the LORD to lead me with what He would have be learn and understand and today is no different. Generally I try to stay away from defining when I am writing so that the circumstances do not dictate what would be learned. But today the LORD laid on my heart to address one man’s work in the wake of his passing. Charlie Kirk was just a man, a man doing God’s Work.

I did not know Charlie Kirk and only saw his work through the lens of social media from him directly and those who did know him personally. Everything that I saw pointed to a man doing the work God had for him and that man, Charlie Kirk, did so regardless of what others thought of or said about him. He was unapologetic about his faith and openly discussed it with anyone at any time. He let God’s agenda point him the direction he was to go.

Again, I am reading and studying in MasterWork from the fall of 2011 with respect to Spiritual Leadership as written by Henry and Richard Blackaby. These men write in the conclusion to this week’s study, “If Christians around the world were to suddenly renounce their personal agendas, their life goals and their aspirations and begin responding in radical obedience to everything God showed them, the world would be turned upside down.” They also point out, “that’s what first century Christians did, and the world is still talking about it.”

Isn’t it true that when we are doing something radical, it is something to talk about. Others take notice. Followers happen. Take that social media thing. The name of the game is “followers” and that drives more and more radical things to be done to gain followers. Our goal should be to be so radical that others will follow along, but not for our gain, for the LORD’s Glory.

How do we do that, well, following the lead of THE leader Himself, God. We are to do His will and not our own. We are to seek Him and no other. We are press forward with God’s agenda and put aside ours. And work from the words of Jesus as He taught His disciples to pray:

“10Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.”

— Matthew 6:10 (ESV)

Charlie Kirk did the work of God. He followed God’s agenda and was rewarded for it. Not without challenge, and as is possible with all of us, he lost his life in this world because of it. But, he will be remembered for the work he did to advance God’s agenda as we all should strive to be. And look for the words from God that I know Charlie Kirk heard when he arrived in Heaven:

“21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” – Matthew 25:21 (ESV)

Who’s work are you doing each and every day? Are you seeking to accomplish your own goals and agenda? What if you looked to the LORD and did His work to accomplish God’s agenda?

Look to Work from God’s Agenda

I do understand, when looking to lead, there is an agenda or a goal or a destination that is being worked. It only makes sense, otherwise what is the point, getting people to follow aimlessly. In virtually every leadership book, periodical, class, or seminar I have been exposed, leadership is almost pointless without purpose.

Jesus had an agenda, a goal, a destination as He was leading the disciples. He was aware of the mission. He understood the purpose. The thing is, it was not His agenda, but the Father’s. Jesus came, rather was sent to this world to carry out the Father’s agenda. He was set to do work of the Father and not His own. Jesus was the workman carrying out the mission.

As Jesus went through this world before He did anything, He consulted the Father to get the lay of the land and understand the mission at that moment. Before His actions, Jesus prayed to the Father. Jesus followed the agenda of the Father at every turn. He was in tune with God and knew that it was not His own will, but the Father’s for all things to happen.

“36And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’” – Mark 14:36 (ESV)

Jesus was always looking keenly for the next part of the agenda to play out. He was looking for and always willing to accomplish the Father’s plan. Jesus was not just bringing a group of people on a journey to nowhere, He was leading based on an agenda. It was the agenda of the Father.

This is to be our approach as well. As disciples we are to follow an agenda. The agenda will lead to the goal, destination, or result we are to accomplish. The thing is, that agenda is not our own but the agenda of the Father. I have to remember every day to have restless eyes as I seek to work the agenda of the Father. I am to be in communication with the Father as Jesus was to get the direction I am to take. At each turn I am to reach out to the Father to understand as much as He can and/or will give me. I am to follow the LORD’s direction and work to accomplish His agenda.

What is leading you? Are you out there working on accomplishing your own work to get somewhere you want to be? What if you were to work the agenda of the Father and followed his direction to accomplish His agenda?

Lead All People, Not Just God’s

When we think of the definition of spiritual leadership as by Henry and Richard Blackaby: “Spiritual leadership is moving people on to God’s agenda.”, notice that it is moving people, not God’s people. This is something that I do believe is missed in the application of leadership. Leadership is to move all people, and in the case of spiritual leadership, that does not change.

We are called to “make disciples of all nations” – Matthew 28:19 not just those who believe as we believe. As a spiritual leader, we take others on a journey to and through God’s agenda and not our own. We have to demonstrate the example of Christ and others will follow, and there are a number of example of this in His Word. Moses helped strangers with their flock of sheep. Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh. The Samaritan helped the stranger on the side of the road. It was demonstrated to do what is right to God’s agenda. We can do this every day. I demonstrate love to all, regardless of who I may be working with and their belief systems. I stay true to the love of God and His agenda to lead other to it.

And that is the last truth according to the Blakabys, working from God’s agenda to move people to His agenda. First, we have to know what God has for us in this world. We have to follow Him wherever He asks us to go and work from what He has in store for us. Moses chose to walk away from the plush life of the Egyptians as he saved a Jewish man from a beating and likely death. Solomon asked for wisdom from the LORD and not riches and power. Before we can move people to God’s agenda, we have to know what it is and demonstrate that knowledge in our own lives.

As we lead, we must think of God first and allow Him to lead us. God will take us to those we are to lead. He will provide the lessons needed to teach and guide them. He will provide the destination and the path to get there. And it does not matter who they are, God will place those in need of leadership in your path to lead, regardless of what world they come from.

Who do you believe is lead with/through spiritual leadership? Is it only those who are spiritual themselves? What if you just relied on God’s agenda to move people, all people, to His agenda?

Spiritual Leaders are the Tool of the Holy Spirit

This seems like an odd thing, that spiritual leaders are only a tool for another and do not do things on their own. Think about it, “Spiritual leaders depend on the Holy Spirit” – Henry & Richard Blackaby’s 2nd truth of spiritual leadership. Spiritual leaders are not asked or expected to do things on their own. They are asked to be the tool through which the Holy Spirit works.

Take Moses. He was not of greatness, yet God used Him to free the Israelites from the rule of Pharaoh. And, Moses, he was reluctant all the way. In Exodus 3:1-4:17 we see that Moses felt as though he was inadequate in station (not influential enough). He felt as though he was inadequate in voice (not a strong enough speaker). He felt as though he was inadequate in education (not a smart or eloquent enough). And, he was lacking confidence (not the right person). Yet, God would use him as the tool to accomplish the goal of leading the people out of Egypt. The Holy Spirit would be doing the work, yet needed the right tool to get it done in the sight of Pharaoh and others.

Aren’t we all similar in our approach. Each of us fall into a bucket of fear keeping us from accomplishing things (Fear of failure, ridicule, uncertainty, success). These are those items that plague us as man and keep us from moving forward. We feel as though we are not adequate enough to achieve the goal.

Now, there are also times when we may feel as though we are the right one, yet are working to accomplish our own agenda and not that of the LORD. I have fallen into this category for the longest time. At my current company, I have known that I am to be here where I am and that there is something for me to accomplish as a leader. Yet, for that same period, I have been looking for the outcome that would to be accomplished. I had been looking inn the wrong place. I was looking at what “I” was to accomplish and not what God was to accomplish through me.

It does not matter who, what, where, or when we are. We are the tool in the moment being used by the Holy Spirit to accomplish the work of the LORD. Being a spiritual leader is allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us to move people on to God’s agenda. Like Moses, we may not be influential, or a strong speaker, or smart, or right person enough to take on the task the LORD has for us. But, we are not supposed to be in our own eyes. We are just the tool the Holy Spirit uses to accomplish the work of the LORD.

What is your view of your role in accomplishing the tasks of the LORD? Are you finding yourself to be inadequate in taking on the tasks? What if you were to allow the Holy Spirit to use you as a/the tool to do the work of the LORD?

Leadership Defined

This is a noble goal and yet there are so many out there, definitions of leadership that is. This morning in my reading I have been reminded of several. I am not going to give my own definition here, but rather discuss more of the concept as I understand, knowing that there is more to it and it may not land with everyone the same.

There are soooooooo many that espouse to know what leadership is, and maybe they do. But, if you really look at each of them and their “definition” they are all similar save for the target of or result desired. In just looking at three in my reading, they all lean into persuasion and influence as a part of leadership. So the concept of leadership is to persuade and/or influence others.

This persuasion and/or influence is used to get others to do things that are wanted or desired by the one persuading and/or influencing or to reach a certain goal. And this can be done a number of ways. One can explain the positive impact of the change or reaching the goal. One can demonstrate the consequences of not achieving. And there is also the “because I said so” method. But ultimately, the idea is to get others to do that which is wanted by the one.

With this in mind, it is the goal of spiritual leadership to move others toward the goal that God has for us in our lives. The thing is that each of us is different and the goal that God has for you is certainly different than the goal He has for me. That makes the concept of persuasion and/or influence a challenge. We cannot lead to something if we do not know what that something is. And, we have to be careful in leading to our own path when those we are leading may not be interested or able to follow our path.

Here is the thing. We are to persuade and/or influence others to God’s agenda. Think about the biblical leaders. Moses, led the Israelites out of Egypt because God told Him to so that they would be established in the promised land (God’s agenda). Joshua led the Israelites to topple the walls Jericho that they would be established in the promised land (God’s agenda). Jesus, gave Himself to die for us that we would be established as saved from this world and become heirs with Him in heaven (God’s agenda).

We are to persuade and/or influence others to God’s agenda, not our own. When looked on as this, I can see that spiritual leadership is not just useful in the church. It is useful in the secular world as well. My leadership is to move others to God’s agenda and not my own or some other entity. Yes, there may be tasks to complete within the other entity, but those should be leading to the ultimate goal of aligning and completing God’s plan. Leadership therefore is moving others to accomplish God’s agenda as the statement from Henry and Richard Blackaby indicates here:

“Spiritual leadership is moving people on to God’s agenda.”

What is your definition of leadership? Are you attributing to the completion of single or defined tasks? What if you attributed everything to move others on to God’s agenda?