There are certain types of people you just do not want to be around for long. Their pessimistic and complaining attitude fails to motivate you. There are, however, people who inspire you to “Go for it” and seek to help you in any way they can. Leaders that inspire others honor Christ by empowering those around them.
Dr. Ken Coley was my faculty adviser during the three years of study at Southeastern Baptist Seminary. Simple words after my first in-class presentation began a mentoring relationship that I longed to have. Over the next few years, he spent many lunch and supper hours in a booth at the local Red Robin. He asked me hard questions, challenged my viewpoints, prayed for me often, and invited me to spend time with his family (at Red Robin, of course). Moments after my graduation ceremony, he made statements to my parents, pastor, and family friends that echo in my mind today. He empowered me to excel in ministry by exhibiting profound leadership.
“Encouragement without training is like enthusiasm without direction: You move a lot but little gets done.” (Gene Wilkes, Jesus on Leadership ) Mobilizing those whom a person leads can be the most challenging and rewarding aspect of leadership. Partnering with fellow believers accomplishes more that fulfilling the vision, since Christian fellowship brings people closer to Christ and has the potential to be an effective witness to unbelievers.
Given the fact that every believer has been given spiritual gifts for the purpose of glorifying God and edifying the Church, people are the greatest resource of any ministry. A leader inspires believers to discover their unique set of gifts, thus empowering them to lead in an area of ministry to fulfill the vision. When spiritual gifts are understood, followers begin a unique relationship with the leader.
About 500 years before Jesus came to Earth, Nehemiah mobilized people for ministry by empowering them in the way God created them to serve. After the exile of Judah, the people returned to a destroyed and desolate land. Nehemiah had a vision for rebuilding the walls. He faced many troubles, including threats of the enemy nations around Judah. “And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’
Nehemiah encouraged the people to continue to fulfill the vision of God and work even harder than before to complete the task. “So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. I also said to the people at that time, ‘Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.’ So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.” It is significant to note that Nehemiah not only gave instructions, but he led the people face-to-face, as he did the same work as those who looked to him.
Leaders inspire others by inviting them to join the cause. They provide the resources and help others see the gifts and strengths which which God has blessed them. The Christ-honoring leader values the abilities and effort of every team member and inspires him or her to do more. When leaders take a team to the next level, God is glorified and the Church is edified.
Suggestion: Read Nehemiah 4 to see the positive leadership of this man who followed God wholeheartedly- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah+4&version=ESV
Questions for consideration:
Who inspires you to do your best?
How can you use the same method/manner/techniques to inspire others?
What should you do if your leader is not an inspiration to you?
In a previous blog (http://t.co/89lWDmTco4), I defined the kind of leadership that God honors. A leader is someone who can articulate a God-given vision for ministering to people. By being trustworthy, a leader encourages others to embrace the vision. Through inspiration, a leader empowers followers to use God-given spiritual gifts to fulfill the vision. Humility allows the leader to guide others through a strategic progression of goals. A genuine love for others causes a leader to replicate leadership through intentional mentoring relationships. These aspects of integrity and their corresponding actions are both the litmus test and the definition of leadership.
Read the previous posts:
Everyone Leads Others, Somewhere (Leadership Overview)
Can You See to Lead (Leadership Distinctive- Vision)
Trust Me… (Leadership Distinctive- Encouragement)
Until we meet again, your thoughts are welcome in the “Comments” section below.
Shepherding Well 