_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
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.
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.
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. Comments are closed.
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Tim Taylor
Founder and overseer of KLI, and the spiritual architect of 1Church1Day & Operation Rolling Thunder. Archives
December 2016
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