- The Responsibility of Leadership
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Over the past few months, I have read a number of outstanding articles in the Harvard Business Review on leadership. These articles address some of the attributes of leaders, as well as outline some challenges and pitfalls of leadership.
I have found it very interesting that much of the guidance and research on leadership mirrors what the Bible says about leadership. (Why do we seem to take more stock of the religious when it comes from a non-religious source?)
One of the challenges of leadership is that as a leader, you do not necessarily have direct control over how things get executed. Better yet, even when you can exercise direct control, it is often more effective to delegate the tasks that need to be performed. But, such delegation involves risks. Even when instructions and training are provided, the work may not be performed exactly as if you had done it yourself (this is not always a bad thing, btw), and the results may not always be as you would have them, but you – the leader – are still responsible for the results.
Jesus is the leader of the church, and He has delegated work to each member, and each congregation.
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
What we do, as members of the body of Christ – particularly those who have leadership within the body of Christ – reflects directly on Jesus, who is the leader of the church. It is He who bears the brunt of our failure to show a Christ-like attitude. It is we who bring disrepute to His name by our misbehavior, not unlike the ill repute that children bring upon their parents when they misbehave.
“Tsk, tsk… Just look at how unruly that child is. Must be poor upbringing. Parents today…”
Likewise, when those who purport to be Christians, who represent to the world that they are followers of Christ, and they succumb to temptation in some public setting, it is not they who bear the brunt of the reproach, but Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 6:4-6
(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
(5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
(6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
When those who call themselves Christians fall into some sin, they give “great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme”, as Nathan told King David after he had sinned so egregiously in the matter of Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 2:14). They cause people to question how God can be all-powerful, but still be seemingly unable to prevent His great name from being misused and misrepresented.
Sometime, as a leader, you just have to deal with the consequences of the people working on your behalf, and in many ways, this is what God does today. But, the time will soon come where His name and His character will be vindicated, and that of every Christian who has given his or her self into God’s care.
Until that time, we need to be vigilant about our responsibilities toward God, and recognize that we need to rely upon Him for strength and wisdom so that we will not bring reproach to ourselves and to His name. We need to be leaders of the same caliber as Jesus is, but we also need to be diligent followers, who provide the right example as disciples and ambassadors until He comes again to straighten out the mess of the enemy.
Revelation 22:10-12
(10) And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
(11) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
(12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Let us be good leaders, but even better followers, bringing only honor and glory to God’s name, and not making His leadership responsibilities any more difficult than they need to be.
- Is Religion a Private Matter?
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Is our religion an issue that should be kept to ourselves? Is it a private matter?
Certainly, as it pertains to Christianity, God deals with us as individuals. The Bible teaches that our salvation is effective for us on a personal level, not as a group or team or club or denomination.
Ezekiel 14:20
(20) Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
Yes, as we enter into a relationship with God, we become a part of the family of God, but that does not mean that our salvation is tied to the group. Our salvation is only in Jesus Christ.
Ezekiel 18:20-22, 24
(20) The soul that sinneth, it shall die. … (21) But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. (22) All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. (24) But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Our choice to believe in God is our own. Our relationship with God is our own. But, as Christians, we are called upon by God to let others know what we know. We cannot convert anyone, but we are called to testify to what we have seen and heard of God.
Matthew 28:18-20
(18) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Ezekiel 3:17-21
(17) Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. (18) When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
(19) Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. (20) Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. (21) Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
We cannot remain silent for a witness who will not testify is a useless witness. We need not be obnoxious or offensive. We need not be belligerent or intrusive, because these are not the ways of Jesus Christ. Jesus ministered with tact, diplomacy and true interest in those He came to save. But He took every opportunity to address the spiritual condition of His followers, and not just their physical condition.
We must be ready to tell of what we have seen and heard:
Acts 4:18-20
(18) And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (19) But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. (20) For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
Just as we are eager to talk about our views on sports and politics, and express great excitement about our possessions and the cool things that we have seen or experienced on a secular level, so we should be excited to tell about the great things that God has done for us, and has promised to us.
Christianity may be personal, but it is hardly private. Without evangelism, there is no Christianity, and evangelism is a very public thing.
Let us take our responsibility as God’s Marketing Department seriously. Yes, we must live in accordance with God’s will. Our lives must be an example to others. Certainly, there will be some who will see our example and enquire about it, BUT, that is not to be our primary vehicle for witnessing.
We are called to be active ambassadors, for we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard…
- The Power of Small Groups
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One of the most common themes in the Bible is the power of small groups. We tend to be impressed by massive gatherings of people, but Jesus makes it plain that “where two or three are gathered together” in His name, He is there in their midst. (Matthew 18:20)
The account of Gideon, as found in Judges 6:11 – 7:25, is a well known example of a relatively small group. After all, the 300 men with which Gideon defeated the Midianites is less than 1% of 32,000 men that he started out with.
A small group with God, is far more effective than a multitude without God. As Jonathan remarked to his armor-bearer: “there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” (1 Samuel 14:6)
God calls each of us to service, and it is far easier to serve in small groups, than in large groups, because it is harder to get lost in the crowd. Ever wonder why Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, and later the seventy disciples in groups of twos? And yet, we try to do His work in larger gatherings that fail to give each person a chance to be engaged in the work of God.
Small groups encourage personal interaction and bonding.
Small groups stimulate participation and undermine anonymity.
Small groups are engaging and invigorating.
Small groups are dynamic, energetic and focused.
Small groups nurture and cultivate natural leaders.
God can use small groups, because small groups are more apt to rely upon God for guidance and strength than to rely on sheer numbers.
If your ministry is struggling to make a difference, and is bogged down with indecision and doubt, consider breaking it up into small groups. You’ll find that far more can be accomplished – particularly in God’s service – when you are part of a small group that is willing to go and do.
So, try it today: divide your big, ineffective team into several smaller groups, each with 2-5 members, and see if God won’t bless your efforts.
While King Saul sat around with over 600 men, accomplishing nothing, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were getting ready to engage in a partnership with God to deal with the Philistine issue. While King Saul was busy exercising his authority over the people, Jonathan was preparing himself to follow God into battle.
God is waiting to perform a miracle for you. Isn’t it time you joined in a small group for the purpose of going God’s will and bringing glory and honor to Him? Go ahead: He’s waiting to bless your efforts in His name.
Luke 9:1-2,6
(1) Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
(2) And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
(6) And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.
Luke 10:1,17
(1) After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
(17) And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
- Busy In Ministry
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This year, I have become more deeply involved in a number of ministries, and I find myself needing a lot of time to get all of it done. In addition to my ongoing duties in Family Ministries and Junior Division Sabbath School at my church, I have accepted a few new committee membership responsibilities at the conference level.
I’ve also accepted a role as one of the moderators of the Sabbath School Network mailing list this year, which has been both challenging and rewarding. (Moderating makes you cautious, even if you aren’t normally so.)
On top of this, I have a special burden for evangelism this year. I would like to see more evangelistic efforts ongoing at my church and in the area surrounding the church. Already for the year, I have been to several training seminars and leadership retreats, including:
- Church Ministry Leadership Training
- School of Evangelism (Year 4 of 4)
- Couple’s Retreat
- Elder’s Retreat
For an idea of other things that are happening in the NJ Conference of Seventh-day Adventists this year, check out the following video:
REPORT #1 - 2009: What's Going On In New Jersey Conference?
My family and I just missed out on the Youth Retreat, due to some miscommunication, but we were able to attend the final message of the Orange SDA Youth Week of Prayer, which was a tremendous blessing.
Other projects for 2009 include the startup of a non-profit organization, Life Rebuilders, Inc. (domain is currently parked) and a vegetarian cooking show that my wife and a friend from church will be hosting. As you can see, we’re going to be quite active.
The key for me is to not lose sight of my responsibilities to family, and to not get so busy serving God, that I don’t spend any time knowing Him. This is the lesson that Jesus had to teach Martha.
Luke 10:38-42 KJV
(38) Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
(39) And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
(40) But Martha was encumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
(41) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
(42) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
While it’s good not to be idle, it is also important to take time for reflection and meditation. That’s the biggest challenge: making sure that the day starts right, so that success is assured. If there is no prayer and Bible study, then there is no power – and I need all the power I can get! :)
- Youth Revival
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This past week, Pastor Paul Graham was the guest speaker at the Church of the Oranges, where they held a Youth Week of Prayer.
It was exciting to see the effectiveness of the Youth Ministry at the church, and it was even better to see how many people committed themselves to God during the appeal on Sabbath morning.
If you would like to see the service, just head on over to the Orange SDA Youth Ministries website.
We need a similar revival everywhere…