ENCOURAGING LEADERSHIP
“What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of a person you are.” C.S. Lewis
Leadership’s Greatest Challenge:
- NOT Finances
- NOT Personnel
- NOT Facilities
- NOT People
- NOT Recognition
Leadership’s greatest challenge is “GROWTH LEADERSHIP.” Is growing as a leader.
2 Timothy 2:15 “study to show yourself approved unto God “““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
“The moment you stop learning, you stop leading.” John Maxwell
MINISTRY:
What is the ministry of the church, the leader, and the congregation?
Paul exhorts:
The church is a ministry of reconciliation that invites persons to participate in the new creation in Christ. Such a ministry requires that the church model the Christ way of life.
Ministry is not about building one’s own power, authority and profit.
Ministry is: 2 Corinthians …
- Giving self, in suffering love for others (6: 4-10).
- Emptying self to make life available as a vessel for God’s power (4: 7).
- Carrying forward the ministry of Christ, bearing the marks of Christ (4: 10).
- About trusting God and not our own ability (3: 4-6).
WINNERS vs. LOSERS
The winner is always part of the answer. The loser is always part of the problem.
The winner always has a program. The loser always has an excuse.
The winner says, let me do it for you. The loser says, that’s not my job.
The winner sees an answer in every problem. A loser sees a problem in every answer.
The winner says, it may be difficult, but it’s possible. A loser says, it may be possible, but it’s too difficult.
A winner listens… A loser just waits until it is his turn to talk.
When a winner makes a mistake, he says, I was wrong. When a loser makes a mistake, he says, it wasn’t my fault.
A winner says, “I’m good, but not as good as I could be.” A loser says, “I’m not as bad as a lot of people.”
A winner feels responsible for more than his job. A loser says, “I only work here.”
Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” NIV
There are four essential components to being a winning team.
THE HEAD OF A WINNING TEAM.
Games are won or lost between the ears before any player reaches the field. A team’s performance can rise no higher than the level of its thinking. The mindset of a team sets the ceiling of the team’s achievements. Thoughts are either limiting or liberating, empowering or paralyzing. A team must think like winners to be winners.
THE HEART OF A WINNING TEAM.
Every great achievement is fueled by passion. Passion changes losers into winners. Passion makes possible the impossible. Passion is the energy of the soul, the fire in one’s belly.
THE HABITS OF A WINNING TEAM.
A large portion of your life is automatically run by your habits. It has been estimated by experts that 80% of everything we do from the time we get up until we go to bed is out of habit. A habit helps us to repeat behavior automatically without having to think or to learn all over again. A habit is a thought or action that we have repeated until it has become automatic, and we do it without stopping to decide.
THE HANDS OF A WINNING TEAM.
All of the following must culminate in action:
Theory
Planning
Practice
Prepare
Execute
CONCLUSION:
King David instructed his son Solomon, “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do it.” (1 Chron. 28: 10)
The plans for the temple had been drawn, the material gathered, and the workers assembled. Now it was time for Solomon to “Be strong and do it.”
Take the plow in your hand and go for it. “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 62)
