Disciple making is the buzz in most churches that I have consulted. Recently I heard Larry Osborne shed some simple light on the whole matter of what a disciple is. Since I wholeheartedly agree with him I want to pass what he shared along to you.
The simple and Biblical definition of a disciple is to be a follower of Christ. Unfortunately the church has confused a follower with a leader. We have defined a disciple to be someone who is totally sold out to Christ who will be actively leading others and/or multiplying themselves. However there are many followers of Christ who wouldn't measure up to these qualifications. There are some followers who may be at the head of the line and there may be some who are at the end of the line. Nevertheless they are followers. Certainly some followers will excel at leading but we must not expect all followers to be leadership material. We shouldn't make people into second class citizens in the kingdom just because they aren't in full time ministry, leading a Bible study, or measuring up to other behavioral qualifications we put on mature Christianity.
The Great Commission commands the church to make disciples and teach followers to obey all that He has commanded them to do. So every disciple, as a follower, should be on a journey to learn and obey.
That simply is what qualifies a disciple nothing more and nothing less. Every journey looks different with its own highs and lows.
As long as the church is teaching those in their care to obey, perhaps we are doing a better job of making disciples then we think we are?
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
SELF AWARENESS
There are lots of factors that go into successful ministry; or for that matter successful leadership, successful living, and successful relationships.
All of us want to hear these words from the Lord when we see him face to face, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."
By these words, being faithful is the critical component to a successful life. But being faithful to what? Most of us want to be faithful in the tasks that are set before us; such as parenting, leading, working hard, handling our finances, etc. But what about being faithful to ourselves?
What does that look like? Is our faithfulness connected to the way God has hard-wired us?
We can be faithful to the tasks set before us but if the task doesn't jive with our gifting, passion, and personality, all we are doing is spinning our wheels.
Unfortunately I know too many pastors and leaders who are busy being faithful, but have such a low self awareness that the fruit of their faithfulness is waning. Why? They have not really understood, accepted, are clueless, or in denial of their strengths and weaknesses.
Certainly self awareness is a life long journey. That journey is an inward one. There are plenty of diagnostic tools on the market today to help us more clearly define who we are. I trust good leaders will take that journey seriously.
All of us want to hear these words from the Lord when we see him face to face, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."
By these words, being faithful is the critical component to a successful life. But being faithful to what? Most of us want to be faithful in the tasks that are set before us; such as parenting, leading, working hard, handling our finances, etc. But what about being faithful to ourselves?
What does that look like? Is our faithfulness connected to the way God has hard-wired us?
We can be faithful to the tasks set before us but if the task doesn't jive with our gifting, passion, and personality, all we are doing is spinning our wheels.
Unfortunately I know too many pastors and leaders who are busy being faithful, but have such a low self awareness that the fruit of their faithfulness is waning. Why? They have not really understood, accepted, are clueless, or in denial of their strengths and weaknesses.
Certainly self awareness is a life long journey. That journey is an inward one. There are plenty of diagnostic tools on the market today to help us more clearly define who we are. I trust good leaders will take that journey seriously.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
ADAPTABILITY
The apostle Paul made it clear in Romans that he had "a great sense of obligation to the people in our culture, and to people in other cultures" (1:14). In other words, he wanted to be culturally relevant. Fort this reason, he was always willing to make whatever adjustments he needed to so that he could effectively reach peoples' hearts and minds for Christ.. Paul said, "I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more...I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel's sake: (I Cor. 9:19,22-23)
Too many leaders are unwilling to adapt to the changes that are constantly taking place in our culture affecting the life and health of the local church.
I have said that healthy things grow and growing things change. Change is really hard for some leaders. Someone has said that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and expecting a different result.
Good leaders are in touch with the culture and the dynamics that affect their ministry.
Change may require a fresh vision, becoming more relational, more creative, or empowering more. It may even mean getting out of the way and bringing in fresh leadership.
Samuel Johnson, the great English author, wrote, "He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition, will waste his life in fruitless efforts and multiply the grief which he purposes to remove."
Too many leaders are unwilling to adapt to the changes that are constantly taking place in our culture affecting the life and health of the local church.
I have said that healthy things grow and growing things change. Change is really hard for some leaders. Someone has said that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and expecting a different result.
Good leaders are in touch with the culture and the dynamics that affect their ministry.
Change may require a fresh vision, becoming more relational, more creative, or empowering more. It may even mean getting out of the way and bringing in fresh leadership.
Samuel Johnson, the great English author, wrote, "He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition, will waste his life in fruitless efforts and multiply the grief which he purposes to remove."
Saturday, January 12, 2013
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP part 4
So far we have described spiritual leadership with three components:
1. LOVING God with all your heart soul and strength (all in)
2. LIFE- LONG LEARNING (intellectually and emotionally)
3. LIVING an integrated Christian life (consistent and cohesive)
The fourth and final component Moses describes is LEAVING A LEGACY.
Verse 1-2 of Deuteronomy 6 tells us "These are all the commands, laws, and regulations that the Lord your God told me to teach you so you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and so you and your children and grandchildren might fear the Lord your God as long as you live."
We must understand that we will leave a legacy to those whom we influence. It can be a great legacy or not so great.
Great spiritual leaders are consistently and intentionally building into the lives they influence. So when the baton is passed it leaves no doubt to the longevity and productivity of the fruit that follows.
Remember: Leadership is a person who knows with greater than average strength of conviction what he wants to get done and where he wants to go. So let's get it done!
1. LOVING God with all your heart soul and strength (all in)
2. LIFE- LONG LEARNING (intellectually and emotionally)
3. LIVING an integrated Christian life (consistent and cohesive)
The fourth and final component Moses describes is LEAVING A LEGACY.
Verse 1-2 of Deuteronomy 6 tells us "These are all the commands, laws, and regulations that the Lord your God told me to teach you so you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and so you and your children and grandchildren might fear the Lord your God as long as you live."
We must understand that we will leave a legacy to those whom we influence. It can be a great legacy or not so great.
Great spiritual leaders are consistently and intentionally building into the lives they influence. So when the baton is passed it leaves no doubt to the longevity and productivity of the fruit that follows.
Remember: Leadership is a person who knows with greater than average strength of conviction what he wants to get done and where he wants to go. So let's get it done!
Monday, December 31, 2012
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP part 3
So far I have identified 2 critical components to spiritual leadership. The first was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second was to be a life long learner so that you can stay fresh with what you are teaching to those whom you influence. The third component that Moses implies in the Deuteronomy 6 passage is that of living an integrated life.
What does this mean? Moses tells his leaders to make sure that when you sit down, walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you get up you are teaching by example. It is clear that Moses knows that learning is at its best when caught than just taught.
It is obvious that those we influence are consistently watching our lifestyle and behavior. If our walk doesn't match our talk we nullify our ability to lead. Followers must see a cohesive message being sent by those who lead. That is what I mean by an integrated life.
So the question is this. Who is looking into your glass house? All of us live in a glass house to those whom we lead. What do they see?
So far we see 3 components to spiritual leadership: Loving, Learning, and Living an integrated life.
Until next time......
What does this mean? Moses tells his leaders to make sure that when you sit down, walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you get up you are teaching by example. It is clear that Moses knows that learning is at its best when caught than just taught.
It is obvious that those we influence are consistently watching our lifestyle and behavior. If our walk doesn't match our talk we nullify our ability to lead. Followers must see a cohesive message being sent by those who lead. That is what I mean by an integrated life.
So the question is this. Who is looking into your glass house? All of us live in a glass house to those whom we lead. What do they see?
So far we see 3 components to spiritual leadership: Loving, Learning, and Living an integrated life.
Until next time......
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP Part 2
Loving God with all our heart soul, mind and strength sets spiritual leadership apart from any other kind of leadership. We will have the greatest influence in the lives of others if we just start there. However the second component of spiritual leadership Moses tells the people of Israel is to impress upon the hearts of their children the commandments that were given. (Deuteronomy 6:7)
The word impress means to sharpen their children. Leaders are to be like whetstones that hone those under their influence. Just like sand paper, there are certain grades of whetstones. The finer the stone the sharper the blade.
What does this imply? Spiritual leaders should continually be learning and sharpening their own skills so they can "impress" those under their influence. Life-long learning is critical. A leader can't take those they lead any further than they have been.
This kind of learning doesn't stop with academics. It must include learning about ourselves; our strengths and weaknesses and becoming emotionally mature.
The bottom line is this. Besides loving God with all our heart soul mind and strength there needs to be a continual learning curve that never stops until we meet Jesus face to face.
The word impress means to sharpen their children. Leaders are to be like whetstones that hone those under their influence. Just like sand paper, there are certain grades of whetstones. The finer the stone the sharper the blade.
What does this imply? Spiritual leaders should continually be learning and sharpening their own skills so they can "impress" those under their influence. Life-long learning is critical. A leader can't take those they lead any further than they have been.
This kind of learning doesn't stop with academics. It must include learning about ourselves; our strengths and weaknesses and becoming emotionally mature.
The bottom line is this. Besides loving God with all our heart soul mind and strength there needs to be a continual learning curve that never stops until we meet Jesus face to face.
Monday, December 10, 2012
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP part 1
For many years I have heard many women in the church say they wished they had more of a spiritual leader for a husband. In response to that I have had many men ask me over the years what does a spiritual leader look like? In the next several blogs I want to address this subject.
First of all, the simplest definition of a leader is "influence". All of us have a realm of influence. If we are a father, mother, boss, supervisor, small group leader, teacher, student, all have someone who are watching us and being influenced by us. So spiritual leadership is not isolated to just men. We all have to own the message of spiritual leadership.
So what does scripture say to us regarding spiritual leadership? Moses writes to those who lead, in Deuteronomy 6, that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart soul mind and strength. It is easy for some of us to love God partially. We can love God with our head or we can even perform for God with our strength but if our heart and soul are not in it then it is empty obedience.
The church at Ephesus was at risk of losing their influence for the kingdom because they had lost their first love. They had their theological thinking in the right place and certainly put their effort into working hard, but they lost their passionate unconditional love for God.
The point is this. What separates spiritual leadership from any other kind of leadership is the need to be "all in". There must be a holistic approach to loving God or our spiritual leadership becomes weakened and ineffective.
So when is the last time you told God how much you love Him? Where has your passion gone? Has it been stripped away by unconfessed sin. Has it become calloused and taken for granted because you have known God for a long time? Is it time to repent and do the things you did when you were first in love.
First of all, the simplest definition of a leader is "influence". All of us have a realm of influence. If we are a father, mother, boss, supervisor, small group leader, teacher, student, all have someone who are watching us and being influenced by us. So spiritual leadership is not isolated to just men. We all have to own the message of spiritual leadership.
So what does scripture say to us regarding spiritual leadership? Moses writes to those who lead, in Deuteronomy 6, that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart soul mind and strength. It is easy for some of us to love God partially. We can love God with our head or we can even perform for God with our strength but if our heart and soul are not in it then it is empty obedience.
The church at Ephesus was at risk of losing their influence for the kingdom because they had lost their first love. They had their theological thinking in the right place and certainly put their effort into working hard, but they lost their passionate unconditional love for God.
The point is this. What separates spiritual leadership from any other kind of leadership is the need to be "all in". There must be a holistic approach to loving God or our spiritual leadership becomes weakened and ineffective.
So when is the last time you told God how much you love Him? Where has your passion gone? Has it been stripped away by unconfessed sin. Has it become calloused and taken for granted because you have known God for a long time? Is it time to repent and do the things you did when you were first in love.
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