Leaders

Sorry. Just a small word. But what a big difference it can make.

I want to challenge Christ followers to make unequivocal commitments to stop doing three things that rob us of the full life God created us to live.

Three years ago, the TEF (Tangababwe Evangelical Fellowship) was closed due to resource constraints, weak leadership and lack of clear direction. During one of the workshops, the chair publicly acknowledged his failings and accepted responsibility for many of the errors that had left TEF in such a state. This set the tone for the short biblical devotion that followed. Each participant fell on their knees. Many major church leaders were openly weeping and confessing how they, as TEF, had failed to be an authentic evangelical voice. One participant remarked that, “When the Bishops repented, God showed up.”

The world is your ministry oyster if you’re up for the challenge.

Giving advice is rarely as useful as listening. It’s never as powerful as a great question.

Be intentional about building relationships with parents and caregivers by being open, gracious and discerning as you know, love and serve families in the way of Jesus.

We often think that if we get the public ministry we were called to, then we will be fruitful. But what if the real inward strength of the Spirit is gained while we are in the desert times when there is no fanfare and things don't make sense?

My identity as a child of God is unchanging and it is something that can’t be taken away from me. Being a child of God gives me hope for the future, whatever the future may bring.

Knowing your leaders’ stories, loving your leaders’ passions, and serving your leaders’ ministries is an open handed approach. It’s not always easy to do, but in the end it’s always worth it for the sake of Christ. Your challenge is to build a community of kid-influencers in the way of Jesus so that as many children and youth all over the world will come to know, love, and serve Christ. Are you up for it?

Avail yourself to children. The manner of your presence will mirror the accessibility of God to them as well. As a result of opening yourself up to children and youth, reaching “more kids” for Christ will happen in increasing measure.

Let Christ disrupt you through and through before taking another step. Take in what knowing, loving, and serving Him in return is really all about. Honor God in this way. When the time is right He will send you out on His behalf to know, love, and serve.

As we grow secure in our leadership it can become harder to discern between anointing, depth of respect, loyalty and strength of character. This is the danger zone where we have to be aware of the power we are wielding. Unfortunately, often by this time we are unaware of the danger and no one is willing or able to say NO. Let me illustrate with a YWAM story.