Purposeful Leadership
If you know how, you will likely have a job, but you will work for the one who knows why. Why we are here and why are we doing what we are doing? Those are the most basic questions in life. Every Christian should have a sense of purpose in life and a reason for doing what they are doing. Our purpose is to glorify God by manifesting His presence in this world, and then do all to the glory of God. We are to know Him and make Him known by fulfilling the great commission. All this is to be done in keeping with the great commandment, to love God with all our being and love one another in the same way we have been loved by God.
The descendants of Noah decided that they were going to build a tower that reaches to heaven. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them” (Gen. 11:6). What did God observe about these people that led Him to make such a statement? There are four key ingredients that are essential for the success of any Christian ministry. These people had the first three. First, they had a common objective. A well-defined purpose or mission statement keeps people moving in the same direction. Second, there was unity among the people. They were one people. Leadership is the ability to gain consensus and commitment to common objectives that are obtained with the experience of contribution and satisfaction on the part of the whole church.
Third, they had an effective communication system. They were one people speaking the same language. Very little will be accomplished if the work force cannot walk in the light and speak the truth in love with one another. Fulfilling our purpose in our homes, and churches requires us to keep the communication lines open. Building consensus requires good communication skills. People need to be heard, not just told. It is hard to get a commitment from people to do your will, but it is easy to get a commitment from others to do their will. People are already committed to do what they think is right. If they are heard and sense that they have contributed to the plans, they will get behind the leaders and support them. To disrupt their plans to build the tower, all God had to do was destroy their communication system. When they couldn’t speak to each other they scattered.
The fourth ingredient is the desire to do God’s will. They never completed their task, because they had never consulted God. Building a tower and making a name for themselves was their idea. If we collectively discern the will of God resulting in a common objective, have an effective communication system and unity among the people then there is nothing we purpose to do that will be impossible.
Dr. Neil
For Spanish, see http://www.ficmm.org/blog
