Building Leaders

A certain leader took on a very promising young man to disciple in the faith. The leader’s reputation was such that if he were to let it be known that he was looking for someone to mentor, most people would drop everything to volunteer for the position. The leader poured heart and soul over that young man, but he was still a tremendous disappointment.

Transformation of a caterpillar into a gorgeous butterfly is biologically amazing. Transforming fishermen, shepherds, and tax collectors into mighty men of faith and leadership was the intentional act of Jesus. The results were obvious, turning the world upside down. Such should be the results of our own discipleship. God freely gives this ability of building leaders to anyone who will answer His call.

Growing up in three countries (South Korea, Canada and United States), I’m fascinated by how culture shapes different leadership styles. Richard D. Lewis charted 24 different leadership styles in his book “When Cultures Collide.” This is a ground-breaking book when it comes to finding clues to understanding of intercultural communication. The following leadership infographic is quite fascinating!

Well, I never thought this would happen, but I have finally found a book about male headship in ministry that I thoroughly agree with, appreciate, and embrace.

Some gaps, like holes in rocky cliffs, cannot be closed. However, gaps in leadership competencies can be closed. Jesus’ model of investing in leaders worked. Sam shares three observations of how leader development tuned toward leaders’ own context increases effectiveness, which makes it an excellent investment.

In the desert with little water and scarce food, it is a struggle to survive, and that can lead to discouragement. God never wanted life for Jewish leaders to be such a struggle when they came back from Babylon, but they were measuring their problems against their own puny strength rather than measuring them against our mighty God. They forgot God is much bigger than any struggle we face.

As Rick James once wrote, “Effective leadership is not simply about skills, qualifications, titles, positions or even responsibilities; it is actually about who we are and how we relate to God and to other people.“ What kind of leader are you?

Burned out and frustrated Christian leaders are now recognizing that they have been absorbed in His work more than in His Person. Our training programs might harness the latest and greatest of human wisdom and methods, but if we do not bring our emerging leaders into face-to-face encounters with the Son of God, lives will not be changed. Healthy leader development must be entirely Christ-centered, Christ-focused, Christ-absorbed. The Son of God is all in all!

German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus devised several experiments to measure how fast we forget. He concluded that the majority of information we hear is forgotten within one hour, and 75% disappears in a week. Are you wasting your time attending leadership conferences?

“Will you equip yourself for yourself or for others?” This question challenged Rita so much that she took two years off work, went abroad, studied hard and returned to her hometown to equip others. That was 27 years ago.

In today’s western church, if you want to grow in Christ, you are typically directed to study more. The only difference between the church and other educational institutions is that nobody graduates from the church. The church needs leaders who don't write and speak and teach for a living to step up and put some action to their faith.

Why I changed my mind … as I saw people change through the power of action and practice.