Do you ever wonder what in the world your leaders are thinking? I often listen to leaders in Washington and I hear what they are saying, but I always assume there’s more going on than what I’m hearing. And that’s true. That’s always true.
Every leader operates with certain suppositions that we have embraced or we are trying to embrace. Every leader is a work in progress, so our suppositions may move around a bit. But whether they are in concrete or still being formed, certain axioms shape our leadership, influence our decision-making, and even help us evaluate progress.
It seems to me that knowing the back-story of a leader helps us understand what we are hearing or what we are seeing or what we are being asked to do.
So let me invite you to look under the hood and see eleven truths that aren’t immediately obvious to the casual observer. God didn’t write these on a tablet, but as I shepherd the souls God brings to me, I think He has written them on my heart. They help me to understand my calling. Perhaps they will help you as you lead and influence the people God brings into your life.
1. Spiritual leadership challenges people to change. And as difficult as change can be, it’s never so devastating as complacency.
2. Spiritual leadership redefines success for people who assume personal happiness is the primary goal.
3. Spiritual leadership calls people to think biblically, and that is a strange way for most of us to think…and an even stranger way for us to live.
4. Spiritual leadership invites people to walk by faith in God rather than by sight on circumstances. That changes the decision-making grid altogether.
5. Spiritual leadership champions the local church. With all of her imperfections, we never outgrow her. And apart from her our soul will surely wither.
6. Spiritual leadership leads people to love each other more than we love ideas, or progress, or movements, or even groups of people. Leadership is at its core very personal.
7. Spiritual leadership loves people who are crushed by their own sin and poor decisions. We speak the truth in love, we call for repentance, but we also walk with others as they pick up the broken pieces.
8. Spiritual leadership cares for people, but pursues only the pleasure of God. We are first worshippers, living and leading for the glory of God rather than for the approval of others.
9. Spiritual leadership gives hope. People need good advice, but without hope in Christ, wisdom is a weight too heavy to bear.
10. Spiritual leadership trusts God when others cry and complain in despair. We are not oblivious to problems, but our optimism is rooted in the certainty of God’s calling, Christ’s indwelling presence, the Word of God, and the power of His Spirit.
11. Spiritual leadership thinks long term…generationally. So our actions steps now are more about tomorrow than they are about today…more about the future than the present.
I’d love to hear the principles that shape your spiritual leadership. Please click below to comment.