My Leadership Philosophy

From Concept to Sermon, in part two of “The Art of Preaching Old Testament,” I glean the exegesis of the author’s intended meaning is easy but, how one delivers it is the hardest part (Mathewson 94). However, I feel once the author’s meaning is found, through much prayer, God will give one the strategies as one delivers the message He want for the people. Throughout my sermon preparations, I pray about what God wants me to say, how he wants me to say it. Nevertheless, sometimes God will take me in another direction from what I have studied.

Atkinson (2014) believes effective leadership displays, “No person is less divine than another, and therefore no person is less than another” (p. 145). Throughout the bible, there are many people in scripture that God placed in leadership roles. Jesus, David, Moses, Paul, Peter, Abraham and many others are some of those leaders. There are core attributes discussed in the lecture that personally reflect my opinion of what an effective leader of Christ needs such as, a shared vision, model of the way, empowerment of others, challenge of the process, and encouragement of the heart.

Robert Banks and Bernice M. Ledbetter believe the subject of leadership to be one worth exploring, and they do so in their book much to our profit. In this short book, Banks and Ledbetter begin by presenting the overall question they want to answer: Do Christians' core convictions shape their views and practices of leadership or are they affected by wider cultural assumptions? [1]The book begins by exploring the many reasons for the increased interest in leadership today. The authors offer a plethora

Discusses the pitfalls of using secular models of leadership to guide the church. The author is interested in what the Bible says about leadership within the church. Leadership authority as the New Testament presents to issue. The author first takes the time to define authority, power, and rule in order to properly understand what the Bible teaches and how one can lead with biblical authority and not use their authority to lord it over others or to use their authority to promote themselves. Another area addressed is that of submission and obedience. When authority is mentioned submission must also be discussed. This article

“This book is a call to leadership by the Book, that, is the Bible.” The essential elements of biblical leadership are discussed in detail in the book, the most indispensable being “teaching the Word of God as the life-changing power of God.” The crucial function of the biblical leader is teaching God’s Word clearly, in context to those willing to receive it. In doing this, the ideas of business leadership, will not always be the best model to use (Bredfeldt 2006,15). In the first chapter, Bredfeldt, discusses the basic principles of great biblical leadership, these principles find application in almost any leadership role. If one wishes to be an effective leader, the maximum leadership principles of influence, bringing great change, and

Ed Stetzer and Mike Dodson, declare that a biblical leader is a person engaged in influencing and developing people in accomplishing a purpose by means of supernatural power.106 J. Oswald Sanders points out that spiritual leaders influence others because they are illuminated, likewise they are saturated with the power of the Holy Spirit. For instance, when the leader comes under the control of the Holy Spirit, the spirit’s power flows through him to others.107 Sanders further verifies that spiritual leaders can only lead others down the road in which they have already travelled. It’s not enough to point out the way, a godly leader must walk in a way that others can follow.108 Geoffrey V. Guns articulates brilliantly how Jesus modeled leadership

Baxter suggested several ways pastors can ensure their doctrine does not become stumbling block and render the Word of God worthless. First, pastors should serve God with deeds as well as words; they should live what they preach. Second, pastors “must study as hard how to live well, as how to preach well”. In other words, in order for pastors to be beneficial to the Kingdom of God they must, maintain innocence, be charitable to others, and condemn sin. Additionally, pastors must be mindful of the qualifications for pastoral work. Baxter stated, “He must not be himself a babe in knowledge that will teach men all those mysterious things which must be known in order to salvation”. Pastors must be well informed on the basic religious principles, they must be preachers, counselors, and teachers and the must understand Scripture. The qualifications for the work of pastor requires studying the word, praying, discussing the word and practicing. Pastors must take heed that they are not negligent in their qualifications for ministry. Baxter believed that pastors grow weak through negligence and their weakness hinders the work of

Effective leadership approaches from a biblical perspective consist of God’s nature in his manifested character. Christian leaders are willing to pay the price to lead in Christ’s affliction. Paul said there is a price to pay in order to lead and Jesus reminded us, “Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master. ' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also” (John 15:20, New International Version). Christian leaders need core attributes of God’s styles and approaches, support and linkage from scriptures, and knowledge of his leadership models of truth for effective leadership. However, these perspectives will gave me a better appreciation and insight of who God is and who I can be with his guidance.

In addition, a preacher ought to know that he really possesses the Spirit of God, and that when he speaks there is an influence upon him that enables him to speak as God would have him, otherwise out of the pulpit he should go directly; he has no right to be there, he has not been called to preach God’s truth

Authors Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges are two great friends who had a hope of getting others to experience Jesus in a whole new way, growing and trusting Him as the one to ultimately seek as the perfect one to lead others. I believe the two said it best when they defined leadership as “a process of influence. Anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people in their person or professional lives, you are taking on the role of a leader.” (pg.18) Leadership is an entire process of influence. It was easy to start reading this book with presuppositions that it would be another Sunday school lesson about Jesus being the one we need to ask for directions and how we are called to live like Him daily. What I was not expecting when I started this book was that I would self-evaluate myself in everyday situations and reflect on how I could better myself as a leader and lead others to the Lord through my daily conversations and eventually my future career. This book serves as a text to inform you on leadership qualities in the business world, personal relationships and in having a more personal relationship with God. At the beginning of the book, Blanchard and Hodges encourage you to do seven things before reading; “begin in prayer, skim through the entire book, read each chapter and underline key thoughts, take time to pause and reflect, summarize you ideas and reflections, share with others what you have learned and periodically review

The most important thing I have learned in my ministry is that people simply won 't hear the truth if you don 't speak the truth. "How shall they hear without a preacher?" They won 't hear the truth about race if we don 't speak it. They won 't hear the truth about poverty if we don 't speak it. They won 't hear the truth about war if we don 't speak it. Telling the truth is our moral responsibility. We cannot tell the truth that we do not know. And yet many of us in ministry know only the truth that we knew the day we were called. We have been too frightened of losing our place in the world to let God teach us anything new.

Jesus lays out the paradigm how pastors should also be shepherds to their sheep, and are willing to do all that is necessary to save their flock.

Leaders provide the catalyst for health within a local body of Christ. As a shepherd under the leadership of Christ, a spiritual leader must develop character. Stanley points out leaders can have a following without character. However, “character is what makes a leader worth following.” Therefore, the foundational element of a church leader must be character refined through a walk with God. Character in a leader is not void of weakness. Every leader has blind spots that pose a grave threat to the opportunities ahead. “The mark of true spiritual maturity, however, is what we do about our weaknesses.” A leader, therefore, recognizes the imperfections within and takes steps to prevent the weaknesses from overshadowing the ability to lead. He also seeks ways to enhance those strengths that are tools afforded to the individual by God.

God made it clear to me as I began ministry that the main calling upon my life is to use me to bring others to be who he created them to be (Rom 12:5, 10). This means speaking life into them and calling out the gifts and characteristics God has blessed them with. The Holy Spirit shapes our new identity (Rom 8:29, 12:2) to who he created us to be. The pastor as servant leader should raise up others according to the concept of the universal priesthood of all believers in 1 Peter 2:5-10 through teaching and example. This is the leadership style of Jesus. Growing in spiritual gifts has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life and it is my desire to keep doing so with other believers (Rom 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:8-10, Mark 16:16-18).

In every area of human existence, good leaders are needed. We need leadership at home, in the workplace, in the education system, in the legal system, the medical fields, in churches, in all areas of social development good leadership is vital. As we look at godly leadership within the church there are many qualities that come to mind that is a necessity: faithfulness, wisdom, a servant?s heart, a life filled with prayer, a love for the word of God, a visionary, courage, boldness, and an inspiring character. The Apostle Paul told the Christian?s at Corinth, ?Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.? (I Corinthians 11:1 )