Leaders are Learners! The word “Disciple” means to be a learner.
Everyone wants to be a leader, but no one wants to be a follower.
S. I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, “Are you a leader?”
Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”
If you don’t know how to be a good follower, you can’t be a good leader.
We need an Attitude of Humility
1 Corinthians 16:10 -16
When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. 11 No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.
12 Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
15 You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, 16 to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it.
Timothy
Despite his youth, Timothy quickly gained Paul’s confidence and served as his trusted companion and emissary for 17 years.
Timothy was born in Lystra in Asia Minor to a Greek father and a Jewish mother, Eunice. He, his mother, and grandmother probably became Christians when Paul and Barnabas preached in Lystra during their first missionary journey. When Paul returned a year or so later, he invited Timothy to join him and Silas.
Somehow, he managed to stay out of harm’s way–he was not jailed with Paul and Silas in Philippi, and he avoided the riot in Thessalonica. But when Paul needed a messenger to go back to Thessalonica to encourage the new believers there, he sent young Timothy. Later, Paul sent Timothy as a missionary to Corinth, where he preached for some time.
Paul called Timothy his “beloved and faithful child in the Lord.” When Paul was put in prison in Rome, he asked Timothy to “come before winter” to comfort him.
Eusebius, the fourth century historian, says that after Paul’s death, Timothy became the first bishop of Ephesus, probably at around age 40. He outlived Paul by 30 years, One tradition says that because he protested celebrations honoring Artemis, he was stoned to death in 97. His relics were brought to Constantinople in 356.
We love and need young ministers in the church!
What should our Attitude be toward leaders in the church?
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. Hebrews 13:17
Submission means that we have humility to learn and receive direction from others.
Follow them.
Share good things!
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10
Trust them.
Encourage them.
There’s power in that. If you’ve been a leader you know you need encouragement. All of us need it!
Those who devote their lives to serve the Lord and are faithful in their ministry are to be honored and followed as leaders.
A spirit of Victory!
13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
All five of these verbs are in the present tense; that is, this is the way believers are to live. These things are to be continually done. Not tomorrow, or yesterday, but right here, right now.
Watch!
Be on the lookout for opposition.
There is an enemy who wants to take you out of commission.
Paul “Bear” Bryant is widely considered to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. Bryant’s record in 38 years at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Alabama included 323 wins. He also took 29 teams to bowl games and led 15 of his teams to conference championships. In the 1960s and 1970s, no school won more games than Alabama (193-32-5). As one of his colleagues said, “He wasn’t just a coach; he was the coach.”
John Croyle, an All-American defensive end on the 1973 national championship team, played for the Bear, and was deeply impacted by the man. John recently told me about one of Coach Bryant’s pregame speeches.
Coach Bryant paced in front of his assembled team as the band played for the capacity crowd waiting outside in the stadium. He made eye contact with each player as he spoke the following words:
In this game, there are going to be four or five plays that will determine the outcome of this contest. Four or five plays that will swing the momentum toward us, or away from us. I don’t know which plays these will be. You don’t know which plays these will be. All you can do is go out there and give all that you have on each and every play. If you are doing that on one of those crucial plays, and you catch your opponent giving less, that play will swing things in our direction. And if we rise to the occasion like that, on those four or five plays, we are gonna leave here today a winner.
Stand firm in the faith
Keep holding on to what you know to be true. Keep on trusting God!
Roman Sentinel Stands Guard to the Very End
When the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius destroyed the city [of Pompeii in A.D. 79], many people were buried in the ruins. Some took cover underground, and the place became their burial chamber. Those who chose a high hiding place were also unable to escape destruction. But a Roman sentinel was found at the city gate, his hands still grasping his weapon. That was where he had been placed by the captain. While the earth shook beneath him, while the flood of ashes and cinders overwhelmed him, he stood at his post; and it was there he was found a thousand years later.
Be courageous!!!
Be mature! Not like a child, but like someone who has grown!
We are like Peter Pan, afraid of growing up!!
Courage is not the absence of fear—it’s inspiring others to move beyond it.
Courage is like a muscle. The more we exercise it, the stronger it gets. I sometimes worry that our collective courage is growing weaker from disuse. We don’t demand it from our leaders, and our leaders don’t demand it from us. The courage deficit is both our problem and our fault. As a result, too many leaders in the public and private sectors lack the courage necessary to honor their obligations to others and to uphold the essential values of leadership.
U.S. Senator John McCain
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”
General George Patton
Be strong!
When I am weak, He is strong! 2 Corinthians 12
I am not strong in my own strength, but in the power of His might!
In a recent TED talk, Psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health, and happiness. In this potentially life-changing talk, she challenges a culture that prizes positivity over emotional truth.
Do it all with love!
It all comes down to this one thing!
What can and will you do today out of love?