Subject - Being A Leader Wherever You Are
by Rick Welborne
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.
1. Introduction - John Maxwell’s Law of Influence
Maxwell - "The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less."
–Examples of the Law of Influence: Mother Teresa and Princess Diana: Let’s look at this question of leadership in light of Princess Diana.
–Princess Diana has been characterized in many different ways but you have probably never heard of anyone describing her as a leader.
–Yet that is what she was. Ultimately, she made things happen because she was an influencer, and leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.
–We have a misconception about leadership that if someone has an impressive title or a leadership position, we assume that person must be a leader.
–Sometimes that is true, but in reality titles don’t have much value when it comes to leading.
–True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes from influence and that cannot be mandated, it must be earned.
–The only thing a title can buy you is time—either to increase your level of influence with others or to erase it.
–This is especially true in organizations that work with volunteers such as churches... without influence your ministry, class, gift, will be ineffective.
Harry A. Overstreet - "The very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate."
–Followers in volunteer organizations cannot not be forced to get on board and without influence the leader will not get them to follow him or her.
Dr. Wayne Lee - "Dwight Eisenhower defines leadership as the ability to discern what needs to be done and then get others to do it. Therefore, leadership has to do with accomplishing goals through people. It is the ability to instill confidence and inspire followers. Most leaders agree that leadership is tested by what one leaves behind in others."
Example: Abraham Lincoln’s struggle with the Law of Influence.–In 1832 he gathered a group of men to fight in the Black Hawk war...whoever starts a group became their captain...he could not lead...example of the gate...ended as private.
John Maxwell’s favorite leadership proverb: "He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk."
–If you can’t influence others, they won’t follow you. And if they won’t follow you, you are not a leader. That’s the Law of Influence!
2. Let’s Look at Eight Ingredients To building Leadership Credibility or InfluenceA. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Character.
–Godly character is the foundation of Christian leadership, the essential qualifying element...the right character will give you something to build on.
–Unfortunately, in our society, charisma is more important than character (politicians).
–Because it earn’s people’s respect and, most important, produces trust, character is the most crucial factor in all relationships.
–This may be hard for some to swallow but...Your vision for ministry, your strategy, even your ability to communicate the Bible, are less important than your character.
–The truth is...people do not follow the ministry’s mission or vision statement—at least not for long. They follow you, the leader.
–Only after they are convinced that you are a person of good character who is worthy of leading will they follow the mission and vision you are promoting.
–To be a leader, you do not have to be the sharpest pencil in the drawer, but you do have to display godly character.
1 Tim 4:8 (NIV)8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Aubrey Malphurs - defines character as the sum total of a person’s distinct qualities, both good and bad, that reflect who he or she is (being) and affect what he or she does (behavior). Who we are affects what we do—being impacts doing.
–Jesus said that you can recognize people by their fruit. Good trees bear good fruit and bad trees bear bad fruit.
–We must all be careful not to become fruit inspectors because nothing hurts good character like being too judgmental.
–McIntosh and Rima in their book Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership reminds us that we all have some degree of personal dysfunction. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
–Character tells me that I must not attempt to get the tooth pick out of my brother’s eye when I have a telephone pole in mine. We all have our junk!
B. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Competence.
–According to the research of Kouzes and Posner (two of the premiere authorities on Christian leadership) says that competence is one of the attributes that people look for and admire most in leaders.
–This helps us to understand the first law of leadership, "If you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message."
–Malphur says that competence is the leader’s capability to perform well in a specific context, having the expertise and ability to get things done.
–He says competent Christian leaders have the gifts, the knowledge, and the skills needed to perform well in their service to the Savior.
–A competent leader will have confident followers...true with family, church, and business. Without competence...insecurity tends to be the result.
–When God calls us to a place of leadership we can be assured that He will give us the needed gifts to accomplish His will...make sure our dependence is on Jesus.
–Can these gifts be developed? Yes, through experience and discipleship. People want their leaders to not only know what to do but how to do it.
–Knowing what to do is only half of the battle, being able to carry it out assures us of the victory.
–A competent leader is a confident leader as long as he depends on the Lord instead of his gifts, knowledge, or skill. Every good gift comes from above!
Malphur: "Finally, our competence has limits (Mat. 25:14-30). Though we can grow and increase our level of competence by using our gifts, expanding our knowledge of ministry, and further developing our ministry skills, most leaders will eventually reach the limit of their competence. That is when servant leaders are willing to step aside or move to another ministry so as not to hinder God’s work.
C. An Ingredient To building Leadership Credibility or Influence is Clarity of Direction
Quote: Kouzes and Posner in their book Credibility says, "We expect our leaders to have a sense of direction and a concern for the future of the organization.
Leaders must know where they are going. They must have a destination in mind when asking us to join them on a journey into the unknown."
–I often tell new people to come and talk to me about the direction of our church because I tell them that I would not get on a bus unless I knew where it was going.
–Kouzes and Posner say that clarity of direction is only second to honesty when it comes to leadership credibility.
–In the uncertain times that we live in people are looking for a clear direction or path to follow that will lead them to their desired destination.
–All leaders, not just pastors, should be constantly seeking God for his direction in their homes, churches, and families.
Prov 3:5-6 (NKJV)5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
–The leader and the leadership board should give heartfelt consideration about the direction of the organization, define it, and communicate it clearly to those who choose to follow them.
–When this happens...the confidence of the people grows while those who are following attribute competence to their leadership.
–The church’s direction must be twofold. First, it consists of the church’s mission–what Christ has called us to accomplish throughout the world. This is what we call the Great Commission–to make and mature believers at home and abroad.
–The second direction must consist of the church’s vision. Vision can be defined as a clear, challenging picture of the future of the church, as leaders believe that it can be and must be.
–The vision is what the Great Commission looks like when it is fleshed out by those who have believed and embraced it.
–The vision communicates not what is but what could be.
–It answers the question, What will it look like around here when our people become passionate about the Great Commission and making disciples.
–Obviously here we believe it will mean growing to one thousand plus and supporting more and more missionaries all around the world.
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