Leadership kindergarten - 2

God-leadership

To lead I must first learn to follow God. Followship precedes leadership. God must be the CEO, controller, supervisor, manager, director, boss, lord, king of my life.

1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Self-leadership

Next, I must lead myself. This may seem strange but it is actually critical to good leadership. How can I lead others where I am not going myself? How can I direct others if my own life is out of control?

Jim Whitaker, who was the first American to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, said “you never conquer a mountain - mountains can’t be conquered; you conquer yourself - your hopes, your fears”

Proverbs 25:28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Timothy 3 talks about the 12 job qualifications of a church leader, and all of them involve the pastor/elder/deacon’s self-leadership of their emotions, passions, relationships and reputation.

People-leadership

Ultimately, when God is leading me and I am leading myself, I can lead other people. After all, as the old saying goes, if no one is following me, then I’m not leading; I’m merely going for a walk alone!

And it is PEOPLE you lead, not systems or resources. “You manage things; you lead people” - Admiral Grace Murray Hopper. There is debate on whether management is leadership, but the truth is you motivate and guide people, and you organize and administrate systems and resources.

[To be continued…]