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by Laura Chamberlain"Leader" is not a word you will find often in the Bible - just six times does it appear in the King James Version. Much more frequently, we read about the role of a servant, particularly in the teachings of Jesus Christ. "Servant" in any language speaks of lowliness - low honor, low respect. Yet Jesus used this term as a synonym for greatness. What a revolutionary term! Mark 10:43-44 states, "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all."
So, we need to look first at our motive or spirit for leadership. Is it to aspire to prestige or privilege, or is it focused on the service that can be given to God and other people?
Defining spiritual leadership
Spiritual leadership, by definition, requires spiritual power that can never be generated by self. Oswald Sanders, in his book, Spiritual Leadership, states that a "true leader influences others spiritually only because the Spirit works in and through him to a greater degree than in those he leads."
We can lead others only as far down the road as we ourselves have traveled. We can't just point the way and we can't ever stop walking - otherwise, no one can be following. During a debate on the topic of leadership and its qualifications, D.E. Hoste, the general director of the China Inland Mission, said, "It seems to me that perhaps the best test of whether one is qualified to lead, is find out whether anyone is following."
Anyone who is in leadership is a leader in process. Are leaders born or made? I think both. On one hand, leadership is a God-given gift. Yet, on the other hand, leadership skills are widely distributed and need to be cultivated and developed.
So how do we develop ourselves as leaders?
Let us begin with a question: Do I believe that I have growth potential and that I can do something about it?
E. Stanley Jones once said, "…The chief way you and I are disloyal to Christ is when we make small what He intended to make large." The only way we can decide about our growth potential is by doing a personal inventory of our natural talents, spiritual gifts and our training, as well as looking at what our purpose in life really is. When was the last time you took inventory on yourself?
I love springtime, for a lot of reasons: I love the sun and the green and freshness of new growth, and I love to garden. But every spring, I need to get out and take inventory on my garden and shrub beds and evaluate what needs to be done in order to help them grow. If I don't, weeds will overtake the beds, the soil will harden and become resistant to growth and the lack of water and fertilizer will deplete any plants with potential. In the same way, I need to evaluate my personal growth and decide what to do about it.
Make a decision to change
You realize that you do have growth potential, but in order for growth to occur, there are some things in your life that will have to change. In order for you to follow through with any change, you have to first get rid of your excuses. How many times have you delayed or procrastinated on all sorts of things just because we're waiting for something else to happen, just the right conditions, permission or inspiration, for someone else to go first - or whatever.
If I am serious about growing as a leader, I basically have to write off the excuses and say that they are not an option anymore.
Basically, there are two kinds of people:
1. Those who are changing
2. Those who are resisting change
Guess which group leaders fall into?
Great changes that affect my life are the result of conscious decisions I make at specific moments. There may have been a long process of thought preceding that decision, but once the decision is made, I'm only going to grow and change if I move forward.
Let me give you a personal illustration. How many of you have (or have had in the past) difficulty in maintaining a meaningful daily quiet time? For years I struggled with guilt and frustration over how and why and when I would read God's Word and pray for personal growth. Four years ago this month, I was challenged to make a commitment to change. I chose to make a daily appointment with my King. An appointment that He desired even more than I did. I chose to see this as necessary for Him and for me--for fellowship and for growth. I was so serious about this change that I even recruited my husband and children to help me set boundaries and establish this time alone with the King.
Now, I'll admit that I'm not perfect in my quiet time now. But I do have a different attitude and desire because I made a choice to change.I challenge you to take inventory of yourself and see if there is an area of your life that is crying out for your commitment to change:
- Your commitment to being a godly woman
- Your prayer life
- Becoming a person of encouragement
- Your use of time
- Your need to increase knowledge
Whatever it is, make a decision to change.
God's view of the parade
In developing as a spiritual leader, we need to see the big picture. What is the vision of our leadership; what is the purpose of our lives?
We can fall into the trap of being short-sighted or having limited vision. When we do that, the purpose for living (not to mention making any changes in our lives) can seem futile.
I often use this illustration when I teach about our limited vision. I call it "the view of the parade." My view of the parade: standing on the curb, vertically challenged, with three or four rows of people in front of me. I am lucky to catch glimpses of the floats as they pass by. God's view of the parade: He's in a helicopter high above the parade where He can see everything from beginning to end.
In viewing change, we sometimes need to use sanctified imaginations and view what the incorporated change will do in our lives - what it will look like and what it will accomplish. Along these lines of seeing the big picture of change, it's often helpful to look at our own overall purpose in life. Why are you here on earth? What is your purpose in life? Have you ever written out a mission or purpose statement for your life? What is your life focus? Between now and the time you die, what are 10 things that you want to:
- Be?
- Do?
- Have?
Now apply these questions more specifically to your role and calling as a leader. What 10 things do you want to be, do and have as a ministry leader?
A passion to grow in these areas is a great place to start! Now, the next step is to develop a plan to grow.
Read part 2 in this series: A Place to Grow
Part 3 in this series: A Plan to Grow
Laura Chamberlain is a trained physiotherapist with an extensive teaching background. She is a writer and speaker, and has been a university lecturer. She is also a certified prenatal instructor and works part-time as a physician's assistant for her husband, an obstetrician /gynecologist. Click here to e-mail Laura.
