Barnabas File

Encouraging Words from the Word by Maynard H. Belt

The Demands Of Leadership

Introductory Observations:

  • The purpose of this session is to remind the leadership of the church of their proper role and to provide motivation and ideas for administrative effectiveness in leading the local church.

  • The cry of the church is for spiritual leadership to guide them biblically through the maize of cultural diversity.

  • In order to be leaders of the flock there must be continual personal spiritual growth. God’s leaders for building His church will be servants, godly examples, visionaries and commanders in chief. 

  • Five symptoms of deficient leadership in many churches are: (1) absence of growth, (2) discord, (3) brief pastorates and burnout, (4) spectator religion, and (5) non-ministering churches. (Leadership In Christian Ministry, James E. Means)

  • Church leadership must always keep the bigger picture in mind: (1) Christ is the Head of the church – not us – Eph. 5:23; (2) every facet of ministry must always glorify the Lord – I Cor. 10:31; (3) every believer in the church has a gift(s) that must be exposed and exercised in the Body – I Cor. 12-14; (4) how can our church best be salt & light in our community and around the world – Matt. 5:13-14?

  • Scripture texts: Proverbs 11:14; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11-12; I Corinthians 12:5,8; I Peter 5:2; II Timothy 2.

LEADERS ARE SERVANTS

“Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in

Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons,“

“Ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs

through loving channels to the glory of God.” –Warren Wiersbe

Based on Wiersbe’s definition of ministry Servant Leaders have a four-fold objective:

  1. We are providentially dependent (divine resources)
  2. We are purpose driven (the glory of God)
  3. We are people directed (human needs)
  4. We are personal distributors ( loving channels)

LEADERS ARE GODLY EXAMPLES

“Nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” I Peter 5:3

  • We lead through teaching – II Timothy 2:2
  • We lead through enduring hardship – II Timothy 2:3-4
  • We lead through personal integrity – II Timothy 2:5
  • We lead through hard work – II Timothy 2:6
  • We lead through personal accountability to God – II Timothy 2:15
  • We lead through personal holiness – II Timothy 2:21
  • We lead through our conduct: not quarrelsome, kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, gentle in correcting those in opposition – II Timothy 2:24-25
  • We must have a positive relationship to the Scriptures for they mold us, guide us, encourage us and help us.
  • We must have a personal relationship to others – often our ministry is that of a bridge builder.
  • We must have a private relationship to ourselves – must be a person of strong discipline; accept hard work; be prepared to face adversity and suffering as well as blessing.

LEADERS ARE VISIONARIES

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.” Psalm 62:5

  • Vision is expecting God to do greater things than He has ever done before!
  • You cannot be a visionary without motivating your people. Motivation involves stimulating people to a feeling of dissatisfaction with the status quo.
  • You must define the purpose of your church in a concise, written statement.
  • In light of your purpose discover five greatest areas in the church that need to be improved. List them by importance.
  • Study each area separately listing ways in which to improve. All goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, related to your purpose and timely.
  • The importance of establishing goals: gives purpose to activity; unifies church family; provides direction; helps evaluate progress; keeps church innovative; glorifies God IF you are seeking HIS mind and direction.
  • Guidelines for all goalsetting: Will it help the church’s purpose? Is it a result of church interest? Can it be expressed clearly? Is there a person or group than can achieve it? Can its accomplishments be visualized as a reality? Is it achievable?
  • Always involve as many people as possible in the visionary planning for the church!!!

LEADERS ARE COMMANDERS IN CHIEF

“Remember those who rule over you (your spiritual leaders – Amplified), who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose faith follow….obey those who rule over you (your spiritual leaders – Amplified), and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:7, 17

Chairing Board/Committee Meetings

  • Give proper notification of all meetings and always encourage maximum attendance.
  • Mail/e-mail minutes of previous meeting and upcoming agenda a week before the meeting.
  • Be prepared to lead…..open with Scripture and prayer.
  • A simple agenda to follow: Informational Items (updating them on things they need to be aware of); Study Items (things you would like them to think about, possibly discuss, but no action taken); Action Items (business items that need to be voted upon – occasionally in a meeting study items may become action items). If you have various members or committees reporting, place them under the appropriate section.
  • Set time lines for your meetings and be sure to start on time – ending on time may be another story!
  • If possible, set consistent times for meetings and always announce the next meeting date at the end of the meeting.

Written Job Descriptions

  • Every position in the church, including pastoral staff, should have a written job description. Definition of responsibility is essential to good performance. A job description encourages accountability as well as task description.
  • The best job descriptions are specific, definitive and measurable. Following is an example:
    • Job Title
    • Job Summary
    • Responsible for What
    • Accountable to Whom
    • What is my term of service

The Decision Making Process

  • Decision making is often synonymous with problem solving, therefore:
    • Identify the problem
    • Get all the facts
    • Line up the alternatives (Advantages/Disadvantages)
    • Select the best option
    • Decisions must be based on what’s right not who’s right
  • Guidelines for decision making:
    • Don’t make decisions under stress
    • Don’t make snap decisions
    • Don’t drag your feet
    • Don’t try to anticipate everything
    • Don’t be afraid of making a wrong decision
    • Once the decision is made, go on to something else

J. Oswald Sanders’ Secrets Learned In A Lifetime’s Ministry

(His book, Spiritual Leadership, is must reading!)

  1. Treasure people who will pray for you every day.
  2. Keep up your spiritual reading. Have a filing system for data read.
  3. Trust the sovereignty of God in your life.
  4. Be an early riser and a time miser. Use little gaps to best advantage.
  5. Always have a little more than you can comfortably cope with.
  6. Be willing to step out and do something for which you feel inadequate.
  7. Never lose the desire to grow. On retirement, the Lord has something better. Don’t think of stopping.
  8. Watch your attitude to failure.
  9. Accept the disciplines of God. Suffering tempers us all. Hebrews 5:8
  10. Don’t let finance play a big part in your decisions.
  11. As a pastor, limit your counseling and major on the Word of God and prayer. Keep up your study of the Word. Don’t neglect the Old Testament.
  12. Minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. The secret of the fullness of the Holy Spirit is a yielded life. Acts 5:32

Notes by Maynard H. Belt

Also In This Series

  1. What Is A Servant Leader?
  2. The Demands Of Leadership
  3. Conflict and the Servant Leader

Bibliography

Borden, Paul D., Hit The Bullseye, Abingdon Press (Recommended by GARBC Resource Center)

Biehl, Bob, Increasing Your Leadership Confidence, Questar Publishers, Inc.

Covey, Stephen R., The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Simon & Schuster

Dayton, Edward R., Tools For Time Management, Zondervan Publishing House

Eims, Leroy, Be The Leader You Were Meant To Be, Victor Books

Engstrom, Ted W. & Mackenzie, R.A., Managing Your Time, Zondervan Publishing House

Engstrom, Ted W. & Larson, Robert C., Seizing The Torch, Regal Books

—————— The Pursuit of Excellence, Zondervan Publishing House

—————— The Making of a Christian Leader, Zondervan Publishing House

Gangel, Kenneth O., Competent to Lead, Moody Press

Hendrix, Olan, Management for the Christian Worker, Quill Publications

Jones, Bruce, Ministerial Leadership in a Managerial World, Tyndale

Malphurs, Aubrey, Developing a Vision for Ministry in the 21st Century, Baker Book House

___________ Being Leaders, The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership, Baker Book House

Martin, G. & McIntosh, G., The Issachar Factor, Broadman & Holman Publishers

Maxwell, John C., Developing The Leader Within You, Nelson Publishers

___________The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Nelson Publishers

Mears, James E., Leadership in Christian Ministry, Baker Book House

Michael, Larry J., Spurgeon on Leadership, Kregel

Moskowitz, Robert, How To Organize Your Work & Your Life, Doubleday

Sanders, J. Oswald, Spiritual Leadership, Moody Press

Stowell, Joseph M., Shepherding the Church into the 21st Century, Victor Books

Youssef, Michael, The Leadership Style of Jesus, Victor Books