A Diligent Leader

Everyone in the body of Christ is called to lead something. It may be leading your own family, leading in a church, or ministry.

Being a diligent leader is critical so that all those around you will be able to fulfill their calls with success. While there are many facets of leadership I would like to lift out three characteristics of a good leader for us to think about this month.

Be clear in your vision and God’s call for you and your team. I once watched a very charismatic leader who had new visions too frequently. One month he would excitedly tell his team that he had heard from God, or seen a vision, and the whole team would drop everything, change direction and follow their leader. Then, a few months later the leader would come back to the group with another “vision” that was sometimes the antithesis of the previous vision. Soon the followers were worn out, discouraged and distrustful of their leader. Then people started to leave. Truly “where there is no vision the people perish” but also “a double minded man will not receive anything from the Lord.” People following their leader sense this.

Serve your people by making sure they have the authority and tools to do what you have asked them to do. People also like gifts and recognition. Do you recognize the people you lead with gifts? A gift card, donut day, candy? Anything that is special will do to show you appreciate what they do!

Relate to those you lead! Healthy leaders relate to those that they lead on a personal level. The Apostle Paul serves as an example here. He cherished his relationships with the believers in the places he ministered in. We see that many times, like in Philippians 1:3 he says, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you.” In I Timothy he addresses his disciple Timothy as “a true son in the faith” and in II Timothy as “a beloved son.”

Paul was not shy about sharing his heart when he felt his disciples were being led astray either. Galatians 1:6 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to different gospel…”

As a healthy leader Paul has established a partnership with this church. It was based on their common experience together. There are times when leaders must face loneliness, but leadership does not happen in isolation. Healthy leaders resist the temptation to push or pull. Healthy leaders are connected to those they lead!

Jenna, one of CFCI’s missionaries in Costa Rica, invited her father and brother to climb a mountain with her. In the hours leading up to the climb of Cerro Chirripo, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica, Jenna said she felt very confident. But after the first of 14 kilometers she really began to doubt her decision to climb the mountain.

After hours of climbing, sweating and wanting to give up, Jenna and her family made it to the top of the mountain to warmth and food. The view was breathtaking. “There just aren’t words, friends. There just are not,” she said. “It was one of the more beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

On the way back down, Jenna’s dad related the mountain journey to life. His metaphor described the different phases in life and lessons in each phase.

Sometimes life is difficult – like climbing a mountain. People and situations make it impossible for us to see the beauty around us. We are on this beautiful Earth that God created for us, but we often miss the beauty because there’s pain and doubt and confusion in our lives. Our focus is on the ground and the next step.

Jenna shared that in the moments when she felt that she wanted to give up climbing the mountain, she would pray for strength and courage. Prayer gets us through the hardest parts of life. God gives us strength.

In life, we have to keep going and keep pushing and begin our next stage. Jenna said, “The summit might be the climax, but it’s not the end.”

After the climb, there is the way down. Sometimes life is like the way down the mountain, it’s less strenuous so we can keep our eyes on the beauty of God’s creation. The way down also shows us how God has changed us through our hardships.

During Jenna’s journey up the mountain, she was weak and unable to keep going. Her dad told her to drop her pack and keep walking. So she did and he carried it for her. This is what our God does. He sees us when we are in need and hurting and He carries us through. His love for us is amazing and everlasting and all we have to do is trust Him to get us through hard times.

Jenna’s journey is a beautiful reminder of how to love and trust our Lord. Remember to keep praying for Jenna as she continues her mission work in Costa Rica. 

Urban Plunge Update

Since May, we have had 46 groups go on the Urban Plunge in six different cities around the United States. It has been awesome seeing how God has worked through each of these groups. Recently I received a story of how the Urban Plunge affected a participant of the Oak Hill Baptist Church group. This group went on the Des Moines Urban Plunge.

"Gillian made us stop to give a homeless vet walking in the rain the rest of our leftover pizza. Her response to her siblings asking  'how do you know he is homeless', was 'spend a weekend in Des Moines with homeless people and you know.'" Does Urban Plunge move the hearts of our youth? YES!

           

 Check us out at www.urbanplunge.com for more information on how you can get your group involved!