Spiritual Leadership - Chapters 4-7

Spiritual Leadership

OUTLINE (Chapters 4-7)

CHAPTER 4: Natural and Spiritual Leadership

 

QUOTES: (p. 28, 29, 32)

“Spiritual leadership blends natural and spiritual qualities. Yet even the natural qualities are supernatural gifts, since all good things come from God…. Both natural and spiritual qualities reach their greatest effectiveness when employed in the service of God and for His glory.”

BORN OR MADE?

“Are leaders born or made? Surely, both. on the one hand, leadership is an “elusive and electric quality” that comes directly from God. On the other, leadership skills are distributed widely among every community and should be cultivated and developed. Often our skills lie dormant until a crisis arises.”

“…Spiritual goals can be achieved only by spiritual people who use spiritual methods. How our churches and mission agencies would change if leaders were Spirit-filled! The secular mind and heart, however gifted and personally charming, has no place in the leadership of the church.”

 

NATURAL SPIRITUAL

Self-confident Confident in God

Knows men Also knows God

Makes own decisions Seeks God’s will

Ambitious Humble

Creates methods Follows God’s example

Enjoys command Delights in obedience to God

Seeks personal reward Loves God and others

Independent Depends on God

CHAPTER 5: Can You Become a Leader?

CHAPTER 6: Insights on Leadership from Paul

Ø SOCIAL QUALIFICATIONS

o “With respect to relationships within the church, the leaders is to be above reproach… With respect to relationships outside the church, the spiritual leader is to enjoy a good reputation.”

Ø MORAL QUALIFICATIONS

o “Moral principles common to the Christian life are under constant, subtle attack, and none more so than sexual faithfulness… The spiritual leader should be a man of unchallengeable morality.”

Ø MENTAL QUALIFICATIONS

o “A well-ordered life is the fruit of a well-ordered mind. The life of the leader should reflect the beauty and orderliness of God.”

Ø PERSONALITY QUALIFICATIONS

o “The Christian leader must be genial and gentle, not a lover of controversy… The leader must be actively considerate, not merely passive and certainly not withdrawn, but irenic in disposition, always seeking a peaceful solution, and able to diffuse an explosive situation.”

Ø DOMESTIC QUALIFICATIONS

o “The Christian leader who is married must demonstrate the ability to “manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect” (1 Timothy 3:4)… While a leader is caring for church and mission, he must not neglect the family, which is his primary and personal responsibility.”

Ø MATURITY

CHAPTER 7: Insights on Leadership from Peter

 

QUOTES: (p. 47-50)

“Peter was the natural leader of the apostolic band. What Peter did, the others did; where he went, the others went. His mistakes, which sprang from his impetuous personality, were many, but his influence and leadership were without equal…”

“First, Peter deals with a leader’s motivation. The spiritual leader is to approach the work willingly, not by coercion….”

“The spiritual leader cannot have money in his eyes when service beckons…”

“The Christian leader must not be dictatorial…”

“A leader must be a worthy example for the people…”

“The leader must be clothed ‘with humility’ (1 Peter 5:5)…”

“…The Christian leader need not fear that the care of the flock of God will be too heavy a burden. By God’s invitation, the leader can transfer the weight of spiritual burdens onto shoulders bigger, stronger, broader, and more durable. God cares for you. Let worries go!”