www.ligonier.org  has videos of the 2006 Together for the Gospel Conference.  Take a look.  You can find the videos at their homepage or check their archives (Jan. 28, 2008 - ).

Here’s an amazing story that was broadcast on ESPN about a Patrick Hughes who plays on the University of Louisville marching band.

A few weeks ago my wife and I made our first ever political contribution. It was for Mike Huckabee. This blog is not a political blog but I wanted to encourage you, as an individual citizen, to look into this candidate for president. I have never been so positive about a politician before.

Huckabee on Nightline on Dec. 3, 2007.

Huckabee on “What is the most pressing moral issue in America today?”

I just registered to go to the Together for the Gospel (T4G) Conference on April 15-17, 2008 in Lexington, KY. I went in 2006 and thought it was one of the best conferences I have been to. I hope some of you would consider going as well. There aren’t many Asian Americans in Kentucky but I’m hoping that in the middle of April of 2008, there will be a lot more AAs at the Together for the Gospel Conference. Click on the picture above to go the early registration. Let me know if you sign up to go.

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!”

I have been going through the book, Spiritual Leadership, with the elders in our church. It’s been a helpful study on Spiritual Leadership as the title might suggest. I’ll share the outline that I have been putting together a few chapters at a time.  I recommend the book to you, though the book is more proverbial wisdom with many insights that sometimes doesn’t seemed linked in a cohesive outline.   This book is not from a reformed perspective, so I did find things that I did not agree with the author, however, this book was very challenging and helpful to me in many ways.  Charles Colson says, “This is the best book on Christian leadership I’ve read.” I hope you read it, or at least read the outline presented here.

Spiritual Leadership  OUTLINE (Chapters 1-3)

CHAPTER 1: An Honorable Ambition

QUOTES:

“All Christians are called to develop God-given talents, to make the most of their lives, to develop to the fullest their God-given powers and capacities. But Jesus taught that ambition that centers on the self is wrong…”

“Ambition that centers on the glory of God and welfare of the church is a mighty force for good.”

“…True greatness, true leadership, is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you. True service is never without cost. Often it comes with a painful baptism of suffering. But the true spiritual leader is focused on the service he or she can render to God and other people, not on the residuals and perks of high office or holy title. We must aim to put more into life than we take out.”

CHAPTER 2: The Search for Leaders
QUOTES: (p. 1

“If the world is to hear the church’s voice today, leaders are needed who are authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial. Authoritative, because people desire leaders who know where they are going and confident of getting there. Spiritual, because without a strong relationship to God, even the most attractive and competent person cannot lead people to God. Sacrificial, because this follows the model of Jesus, who gave himself for the whole world and who calls us to follow in His steps.”

CHAPTER 3: The Master’s Master Plan

Ø Two principles of Leadership

o The sovereignty of spiritual leadership

o The suffering of spiritual leadership

Ø THE SPIRIT OF SERVANTHOOD

o Dependence

o Approval

o Modesty

o Empathy

o Optimism

o Anointing

QUOTES: (p. 25)

“Pessimism and leadership are at opposite ends of life’s attitudes. Hope and optimism are essential qualities for the servant of God who battles with the powers of darkness over the souls of men and women…”

“…None of these leadership qualities - dependence, modesty, empathy, or optimism - are sufficient for the task. Without the touch of the supernatural, these qualities are dry as dust.”

Eugene Cho has been providing a great service to the church and to the internet community by giving detailed updates about the Afghanistan hostage situation on his blog (www.eugenecho.com). Please check it out, I get better information there than from checking CNN.