Leadership - Will You Lead? 3

Subject: Being A Leader Wherever You Are

by Rick Welborne

Luke 6:39-42 (NKJV)

39 And He spoke a parable to them: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
42 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.
–Last week we looked at John Maxwell’s Law of Influence...as a reminder:
Maxwell - "The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less."
2. Eight Ingredients To Building Leadership Credibility or Influence

A. Character (Session 2)
B. Competence (Session 2)
C. Clarity of Direction (Session 2)
D. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Communication.
–It is imperative that leaders keep their people regularly informed about what is taking place in their church, business, or family.
–The members of any organization feel an inherent need to know what’s happening in the organization. Informed people are trusting people. Uninformed people are suspicious people.
–If people suspect that the leadership is trying to keep something from them, they will not follow them. Look at our govt and the outsider candidates right now.
–Qualifier - Children do not need to know everything going on in church or family as to do permanent damage to their relationship to God or loved ones...protect them.

–An important trust principle that pastors and boards should live by is open communication except in personal matters of confidentiality.
–Christian leadership, at least a big part of it, is communication and, yet, there seems to be a feeling of not being totally informed.
–Tricia says we never have to worry about all our stuff at the Welborne house being known because it always comes out in a sermon somewhere! Oops!
–There are so many ways of getting information to people...video announcements, bulletins, e-mail, web-sites...the idea is to over inform so that your credibility is high.
–My professors over emphasized that too much information is better than too little...I wholeheartedly agree.
E. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Conviction.
–One of the apparent needs in the church and other institutions is leadership with conviction.
–Anyone can get up and give a lecture or a speech but it is imperative that if we will have people follow us that we must communicate with conviction.
–The average speaker imparts information and that is important. The challenging speaker imparts information with such conviction that it engages the listener.
–There is something about conviction that engenders credibility and enhances your influence.
–There is nothing more grueling than listening to an hour lecture from someone who has no love or conviction about which he is speaking.
–Steven Bornstein and Anthony Smith write that conviction is the passion and commitment a person demonstrates toward his or her vision.
–Thus, conviction consists of two key ingredients - passion and commitment.
–Unfortunately conviction has become, for the church and many leaders, a list of all the things we do not do so we can judge others for doing them.
Favorite Quote of Pastor Rick: We don’t smoke and we don’t chew...we don’t go with girls that do...we ain’t got no girlfriends!
–Conviction is not a list of the things we abstain from but it is a passion, a commitment to be pro-active for what is important to the Lord.
–Passion is all about how deeply we care or how strongly we feel about our life or the vision God has given us. Listen to Paul’s passion and conviction:
Acts 20:22-24 (NLT)
22 "And now I am going to Jerusalem, drawn there irresistibly by the Holy Spirit, not knowing what awaits me,
23 except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.
24 But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love.

–The other side of conviction is commitment. Passion affects the emotions, whereas, commitment tends to be more rational.
–It involves the leader’s conscious intentional investment of time and effort to be sure that a vision or cause is realized.
–The leader’s commitment signals what is important to that leader and what ultimately will get done.
–It says that the leader will be around for the long haul to accomplish the ministry goals. This invites credibility and expands his influence.
–Changing leaders every three years is almost a sure death to an organization’s growth because how can anyone connect to the vision when it changes every time the leader changes?
F. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Courage.
Malphurs: Today’s fast and furious world has raised obstacles for leaders who desire to finish well: mind-boggling complexity, barren busyness, multiple options, overwhelming competition, relentless stress, and extreme risk. In addition to all this, a younger, increasingly cynical generation has replaced the more trusting Builder generation.
–Because of all this, expectations are very high for leaders and there are greater demands placed on them than in previous generations.
–Courage supplies the strength to lead in these difficult circumstances, meaning that courageous leaders are strong and unlikely to quit.
–The Scriptures have many examples of either a former leader or God Himself taking time to encourage the new leader...Moses and Joshua, David and Solomon, Paul and the leaders at the church in Corinth.
–Courage displays itself in leaders when they are willing to stand up for their beliefs in difficult situations, confront others, admit mistakes (be vulnerable), change their view when wrong, and not quit.
–The payoff is exceptional credibility and influence, because followers like what they see in courageous leaders.
Josh 1:6-9 (NLT)
6 "Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors.
7 Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do.
8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.
9 I command you—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
–Three reasons why Joshua and leaders should be courageous:
The Providence of God (6) - Joshua was God’s choice for the mission.
The Provision of God (7-8) - His Word, His Law, His Book.
The Presence of God (9) - The Lord will be with you wherever you go!
–The assurance of His providence, provision, and presence with each of His servants means that we can courageously carry out our service to Him.
G. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Care.
–Everybody wants to know that someone cares about them and have their best interest in mind. When people sense that someone cares, they tend to trust that person.
–In the same way, congregations and employees trust leaders who demonstrate their care.

Theodore Roosevelt: People really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
–Care is the leader’s demonstration of concern for the well-being of his or her followers that flows from love for them.
–God cares for His people and He wants us to care for them too.
Ex 4:31 (NLT)
31 The leaders were soon convinced that the LORD had sent Moses and Aaron. And when they realized that the LORD had seen their misery and was deeply concerned for them, they all bowed their heads and worshiped.
John 21:16 (NLT)
16 Jesus repeated the question: "Simon son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord," Peter said, "you know I love you." "Then take care of my sheep," Jesus said.
–In 1Peter 5:2 Peter points out that our followers are under our care. Care involves respecting them and having their best interest at heart.
–We need to try to be aware of people’s needs, hurts, and fears and be willing to help them deal Scripturally with these matters.
–When we do, we shouldn’t be surprised that these people trust our leadership and grant us the credibility (influence) that we need to lead them on behalf of our Savior.
H. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Composure.
–Unfortunately most Christian leaders (except for some Christian counselors) have largely ignored the emotional dimension of leadership in ministry.
–Because of our John Wayne culture - ‘don’t let-em see ya cry’ - mentality we have cultivated men that are not in touch with their emotions.
–Satan has convinced the average male in America that masculinity is all about being emotionally tough...men are not supposed to show much emotion except for anger.
–So what’s the big deal? This mentality can have a devastating effect on a congregation or a family.
–Because the way leaders handle their emotions creates a culture that sets the mood or climate for a ministry, business, or the home.
Malphur: A healthy composure creates a climate where information is shared, leaders are trusted, learning flourishes, and risks are taken. An unhealthy emotional composure creates a setting swarming with fear and anxiety.
–Composure is the leader’s consistent display of appropriate emotional health or maturity that sets a positive ministry mood, especially in difficult or crisis situations.
–In light of our discussion, strong, healthy composure builds leadership credibility, while poor composure, or the expression of inappropriate emotions, is the silent killer of credibility...Be angry and sin not!
–To have a composure that leads to ministry credibility and influence, a leader must develop emotional well-being that fosters a positive, healthy ministry culture.
–One of the most powerful scriptures in the Bible:
John 11:35 (NKJV)

35 Jesus wept.