Formed in the Image of Christ to Lead

_We have recently launched Kingdom League International (KLI) and I have begun a teaching each month to lay the scriptural foundation for the kind of leaders we are looking for.  As a leader, you cannot hold people accountable until you clearly communicate.  I've felt for a long time that we have failed to make disciples.  It seems to me like we keep lowering the bar and making excuses rather than adhering to God's word.   It is my intention in KLI to raise our sites and set them back on Jesus and the word of God as "The Standard."  There were many leaders in the Old Testament whom we learn from.  Many of their very lives such as King David, prophetically pointed to...

_Many of their very lives such as King David, prophetically pointed to Jesus; the ultimate leader, who was, and is, and is to come. 

Leadership seems to be one of the major buzz words today in the body of Christ.  I marvel at how many books have been written on leadership.  I have many of these fine books myself and have been blessed by them.  However, I marvel at God's ability to make things so simple.  In fact, leadership can be summed up in two words that Jesus said.

Confusion in Leadership
In 2011 war broke out in Libya and the United States got involved. Our President, the Commander in Chief, Mr. Obama introduced a foreign policy of "leading from behind."  In response to that .  The Telegraph April 26, 2011 presented an article that illustrates the problem.  It said “Barack Obama’s 'leading from behind' foreign policy: No wonder the US president looks weak and confused.”  The reason they were confused was because "leading from behind" is an oxymoron.  It is impossible to lead from behind because you must be at the front to lead.  Now, I am not bringing your attention to this to criticize the office of the President.  My intention is to illustrate how foundational principles and truths are twisted and undermined.  We need to know what the Bible says because many will just accept the statement because of who said it.  If you say a lie long enough, often others will begin to even believe a lie.  I fear that some Christians will believe that foolishness which, as the article stated, will result in weakness and confusion.

Lesson 1 - Led is a Verb - a simple past tense participle of lead.  It Requires ACTION at the FRONT!
The word "led"is first mentioned in Genesis 24:27 where Abraham's servant said "the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren."  That word led means to bring, govern, guide, or lead forth.  The Lord led Moses and the children of Israel with a cloud of smoke by day and fire by night (Nehemiah 9:12). Leading requires that you go first.

Lesson 2 - Jesus sums up leadership in two words; "Follow Me."

Matthew 4:19  Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." 
Therein lies the beauty of God's simplicity.  "Follow me" places Jesus in the front.  "Follow me" says "do as I do, and not just as I say."  Follow me says "I am not asking you to risk more than I have."  "Follow me" says "I went first."  Paul learned this same lesson and says in 1 Corinthians 11:1  'Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.'
NIV

This is what I say, "follow me, as I follow Christ."

Lesson 3 - Jesus' Style of Leadership is Servant Leadership

• Mark 10:42-45   But …. "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
• John 13:12-16  So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
  
• Philippians 2:8-11 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name... 

Having a desire to lead is not bad, it is good.  In fact, I believe everyone is called to lead someone or something.  But realize that he who desires to be first, must be first to serve.  Another way of saying it is that you have to be "first to follow" and serve another's vision or assignment.   Jesus said  in Luke 16:12  "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?"

Your authority comes from taking responsibility and sacrificing first.  A servant's heart is also the key to teamwork and a critical component of uniting the body of Christ.

• 1 Corinthians 12:25-26  that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
• Philippians 2:2-4 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. NKJV
  

Lesson 4 - You Have to See to Lead Well
Matthew 15:14  Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Leaders can make decisions that hurt people.  They can lead them into a ditch.  King David made a decision to number Israel and it cost the nation 70,000 people (1 Chronicles 21).  King Saul made decisions that got a lot of people killed along with his armor bearer and his three sons (1 Samuel 31:6). 

There are two lessons here.  First, leaders need to see to lead and secondly, if you follow a leader that cannot see, then you may suffer great loss. 

• Isaiah 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed

Lesson 5 - The Key to Seeing is to Walk in the Light

• 1 John 1:5-7 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. NKJV

To walk in the light we must spend time daily developing our relationship with God through prayer and His word.  It is in His presence there is fullness and He will lead us in the right ways.  1 John 3:2 says that when we see Him we will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is.  As we are transformed our character is reformed that we might walk in righteousness.

• Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.
• Psalm 23:3  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 

The final key to seeing is to walk in God's counsel.  He provides counsel in two ways.  First through prayer and the Word of God like was mention previously. 

• Psalm 73:24  You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. 

The second way God's counsel is given is through the counsel of others.  Proverbs 24:3-6 teaches us that there is wisdom in a multitude of counsel and the early apostles and elders made major decisions through counsels (Acts 15).

The 45 minute teaching below is the first in a series of Formed in the Image of Christ to Lead.  Click the arrow and turn up your speakers to listen in now.