LEADERSHIP LIKE JESUS

I want to present a subject that some may feel is only relevant to a very small portion of society.  I want to talk about leadership.  Many people can’t see that they’re truly leaders.  They don’t see themselves as leading a business with employees or large groups of people in any specific direction so they conclude they are not leadership material.  They don’t take leadership classes or attend leadership seminars because they only see themselves as alone in the journey.  This is however a complete misnomer because someone is always following.

In fact I’ve actually changed the title of our CFC leadership training from Leader to becoming a person of influence.  This is the actual definition of leadership, which seems to be more palatable than the scary word “leader”.  The reality is that all of you present are leading someone in this life.  Someone is looking at you and making choices as to which way to navigate in life based on what you say and do.  How you lead makes a huge difference, so I want to show you about using Jesus as your best role model for leadership.

For me personally, much of my adult life has been spent as a leader of some form or another.  I was the lead student in my college engineering training, having been asked by the professor to guide and instruct my fellow classmates.  I was an elder of the first church I joined as a young adult and the leader of the area Bible distribution organization called the Gideons.  I was asked to be a youth leader, the Men’s ministry leader and the singles ministry leader.  I was even the women’s ministry leader for a short time.  I administrated a Christian school.  I Lead and organized a 12 state summer youth camp and was also the esteemed head janitor of my church.  All this was done before I turned 30.  I’m not trying to impress you with my resume but rather point out that I understand and am passionate about leadership.

I’ve read numerous books on the subject, attended seminars and listened to many hours of instruction.  Leadership isn’t a hobby for me, nor is it an option.  I’m passionate about becoming a more skilled leader, as I age.  I’ve always wanted to sit under a grey haired old sage who can mentor me in the art of leadership.  Its kind of looking like I’m going to be the old geezer instead.

I love the joy of helping someone get where they are going and I’m jazzed when a person demonstrates the wonderful art of following.  It should be noted that I’m aware I have many flaws as a leader.  I’m often unable to understand why someone wouldn’t want to follow a dynamic leader like a Billy Graham or Pastor Bill Hybels.  I wonder why some folks resist different forms of authority because it equals safety and wisdom for me as I follow.  (Get last weeks message to get more insight on this.)

The Apostle Paul declares that there are some for which leadership is not a choice but is identified as a gift given by God to people who can’t do anything but lead.  They’ve been pre-programmed to carry out this function in His body.  But they’ve also been gifted to help others with leadership in their everyday lives.

(Romans 12:4-8) Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

You see we’re often trying to reshape people to act as we think they should act when God Himself has cast His creation in a predetermined fashion to accomplish His will.   So, there are those who can help the rest of the body with the general issue of leadership in their own lives; that’s what I want to coach you in today.

Jesus is the most amazing leader that ever walked the earth.  He had incredible skills to speak to the heart of the issue and the heart of people.  It should be noted that not everybody followed, though He was the best leader ever.  I often miss the target altogether when I lead but He was able to resist the force of rejection when people he loved said He was nothing more than a mere carpenter’s son.

Many of you here have had bad leadership examples.  Teachers that overstepped their role as your teacher or invested little in your life.  But how about those teachers that stuck with you the whole year so you could get that math principle?  Maybe you had a coach who forgot that you were not an Olympic athlete yet and so they kept you on the bench the whole season.  But what about that coach that gave you pointers and took the time to encourage and challenge you along the way.  How about the youth leader that took four years out of their life to get you to read your own Bible?

You might have formed an opinion of a failed leader in your life, but let me ask you how you’re leading those who are around you?  Are you a big brother or sister?  Then someone is depending on you to lead like Jesus.  Are you a parent?  Then your children need you to lead them with your words and actions in such a way that they become completely dependent on God not you.  They need to learn that God hears their prayers and God cares about their lives.

Jesus was not on the earth on His own volition, He was sent by His Father God to lead lost humanity back to God the Father.  He knew the awesome power of obedience and trust in the one who sent Him.  He followed His leader.  Here’s how He taught it.

(Luke 22:24-17) … a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.  Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.  But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.  For (in this world) who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.    

True Christian leadership is about being a servant not about how many people are subject to you.  So how can we serve in this new kingdom we are part of?  Remember the teaching about process and how we each are working toward first seeing others around us.  Then we are engaging those we see and inviting them into a small portion of our world.  After awhile we serve them by inviting them into a safe, enjoyable exposure to the Body of Christ.  This might be a small gathering of friends around a campfire or an invitation to a Christian women’s gathering that addresses issues that real women have.  

Serving doesn’t stop there.  The goal is to invite them into an environment where Jesus is spoken about and worshiped in such clear terms that He becomes more real to them so that someday they might invite Christ into their very heart and lives.  This is Christ-like leadership.  Guiding people for an eternal purpose and not just to boss them around so we feel superior.

The Apostle Paul was a great leader and here is what He stated about the issue.
(1 Corinthians 11:1) Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.     

Who are you following in your life?  Who are you leading?  Every one of us is doing both.

Next week we will have the leader of the Bond Salves motorcycle club here.  “Monk” is a no nonsense individual that is about obeying God’s word with little room for excuses.  That doesn’t mean he isn’t compassionate because I’ve seen this burly biker broken at the sight of a brother who is trapped in sin.

If you sense you may be one of those wired by God to be a leader by gift or you just want to hone your leadership skills then consider this:

Willow Creek Leadership Seminar will be broadcast at the Harbor August 6th and 7th the cost is $100.00 if you’re interested; preregistration required.

The above notes are from Pastor Pasch’s Sunday, July 5, 2009 message.  If you would like a free CD of the complete message, contact Christ’s Family Church @ 651.437.2340.