The Bridge: Leadership character

The
Christological
World View of a
Leader
Saturday, 17 August 13

Leadership like
Christ
The Call of God
The Character of a Leader
The Characteristics of a Leader
Servanthood
Vision and leadership
Team ministry

Richard
Chamberlain

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richard.ltci@gmail.com
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Which biblical references
do you think are most
important for us in
understanding the nature
of leadership and how best
to exercise leadership in the
modern church?

1 Timothy 3:1-13
1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets
his heart on being an overseer, he desires a
noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above
reproach, the husband of but one wife,
temperate, self-controlled, respectable,
hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to
drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

4He must manage his own family well and
see that his children obey him with proper
respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to
manage his own family, how can he take care
of God's church?) 6He must not be a recent
convert, or he may become conceited and fall
under the same judgment as the devil. 7He
must also have a good reputation with
outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace
and into the devil's trap.

8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of
respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine,
and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must
keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a
clear conscience. 10They must ﬁrst be tested;
and then if there is nothing against them, let
them serve as deacons.

11In the same way, their wives are to be
women worthy of respect, not malicious
talkers but temperate and trustworthy in
everything.
12A deacon must be the husband of but one
wife and must manage his children and his
household well. 13Those who have served
well gain an excellent standing and great
assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Using the biblical
references as a basis for
your answer:
Formulate (write) your
own (brief) definition of
leadership

Worth noting and asking,
“why is this interesting?”
There are many diverse definitions
of leadership: Burt Nanus and
Warren Bennis report some three
hundred and fifty definitions of
"leadership" that leadership
researchers have generated over the
last thirty years

J Oswald Sanders,
“If those who hold inﬂuence
over others fail to lead
towards the spiritual
uplands, then surely the
path to the lowlands will
be well worn. People travel
together; no one lives
detached and alone. We
dare not take lightly God’s
call to leadership in our
lives.”

Who
is
this?

William Carey
laboured for 7
years before his
ﬁrst convert in
India.

•For six years, the Careys moved from one
place to another, seeking employment and
a place to get established. The list of
obstacles they encountered is staggering:
•The lack of funds - They nearly starved.
•The difﬁculty of the Bengali language.

•The defection of Ram Basu, a convert
from Thomas’ former time of ministry,
who at ﬁrst had been a great help to them
•Opposition of the East India Company,
the dominant political force
•A ﬂood
•A drought
•The death of their son, Peter

•Six years, without an Indian coming to
Jesus after faithful preaching
•Criticism of the Home Committee. “Why
aren’t you seeing more fruit?” “Why are
you wasting your time in economic
employment?”
•Two new missionaries who came to help,
died soon after they arrived

Dorothy, William’s wife, couldn’t take the
strain. She hadn’t wanted to come in the
ﬁrst place. Culture shock gripped her. Her
sister married an English planter and left
their home. But the death of her son, Peter,
was the last straw. She sank into mental
illness, and never recovered.

William Carey is considered the father
of modern missions - his inﬂuence lives
on -what we do in church planting and
teaching and training at least in part
comes out of his obedience in following
the great commission.
1793 Appointed
missionary to India, 10
January; Arrived in
Calcutta, 11
November.

Paul to the Corinthian church...
We are afﬂicted in every way...
For we who live are always being given
over to death for Jesus’ sake so that the life
of Jesus also may be manifested in our
mortal ﬂesh
2 Corinthians 4:7ff

“Everything
rises and
falls on
leadership”
John Maxwell

What leadership is not
Adapted from an original idea from Greg Morris

• Often the church has taken the
world's deﬁnition of leadership -
position, prestige, perks and
privileges - and applied it to
Christian leadership - the result is a
wrong leadership model and practice
• Christian leadership begins and
ends in a passionate relationship
with Jesus Christ!

1. Leadership is not a position
or a title
Reverend, doctor, pastor, evangelist....
Leadership is more than a title or name.
You live it every day
Christian leaders should be certain that
their goal is to serve God and others, not to
receive the title or honour that comes with
leadership.
Rehoboam 1Kings 12:6,7,10,16,17

2. Leadership is not building a
personality cult (personal
following)
Leaders does not get people to follow them,
instead they encourage them to walk more
closely with the Lord Jesus Christ
Absalom 2 Samuel 15

3. Leadership is not being
indispensable
Some leaders build followers, while others
build leaders.
A true leader is seen in the fact that the things
must and can go on without him or her.
Jesus spent his time training the 12 - when
Jesus ascended to heaven then the church
exploded
Paul trained Timothy his ‘true son’ 1Ti 1:2,
2Tim 1:2

4. Leadership is not about
blaming others
Leadership is ﬁrst and foremost being
honest and responsible for the decisions
you make or fail to make. And often taking
responsibility for mistakes of others you
have trained.
Adam and Eve in Eden – both looking to
blame “someone else” for their failings

privileges
Many “leaders” are seen using their
position for personal or ﬁnancial gain.
Leaders will not use their position for their
own advantage or comfort and should not
ask others to do what they are unwilling to
do themselves.
David with Uriah 2 Samuel 11

privileges
Many “leaders” are seen using their
position for personal or ﬁnancial gain.
Leaders will not use their position for their
own advantage or comfort and should not
ask others to do what they are unwilling to
do themselves.
David with Uriah 2 Samuel 11
a special right, advantage
available only to a particular
person or group

Only through modelling Christ's example
of servanthood will our leadership
effectively and strategically shape the
future.
The best leaders see themselves as servants

What are the most
important
leadership tasks a
Christian (church)
leader performs?

How would you
choose a church
pastor (leader) -
what criteria,
skills or other
factors would be
important?

Anointing
Ability
Wisdom
Commitment
Faith
Bob Gordon

The Danger of the
world
“Whenever I meet a Buddhist leader, I
meet a holy man. Whenever I meet a
Christian leader, I meet a manager.”
Japanese Businessman to a visiting
Australian
As quoted in 9 Marks of a Healthy Church page 231

Christian congregations and church
authorities repeatedly choose leaders based
on their occupations, personalities or
professional achievements rather than
biblical qualiﬁcations for leadership. The
result? Church congregations remain
spiritually immature. False doctrine is
taught. Biblical truth is neglected. Pastors
are dismissed. Churches split apart...
The Leadership Dynamic page 53

Instead of searching for leaders with
secular qualiﬁcations, we are to search for
people of character, reputation, ability to
handle the Word, and who display the fruit
of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Those are
the kind of people we should...commit the
responsibility of leading a congregation.
9 Marks of a Healthy Church, Page 231-232

Titus 1:5-9
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you
might put what remained into order, and
appoint elders in every town as I directed
you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the
husband of one wife, and his children are
believers and not open to the charge of
debauchery or insubordination. 7For an
overseer, as God’s steward, must be above
reproach.

He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered
or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-
controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
9He must hold ﬁrm to the trustworthy word
as taught, so that he may be able to give
instruction in sound doctrine and also to
rebuke those who contradict it.

The Character of a
Leader

Preliminary
Questions

•Do you keep your word?
•Can people trust you?
•Do you ﬁnish something you
promise to ﬁnish and do you do it on
time?
•If you are told some gossip, what do
you do with it?
•Matt 12:36

•Have you ever found
it difﬁcult under the
leadership of another
person?
•Do you willingly
submit to authority? If
not, why not?
•Eph 5:18-21
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/
watchman-on-the-wall/40613-was-money-at-the-
root-of-sam-hinn-s-rapid-ﬁre-restoration

•Have you ever found
it difﬁcult under the
leadership of another
person?
•Do you willingly
submit to authority? If
not, why not?
•Eph 5:18-21
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/
watchman-on-the-wall/40613-was-money-at-the-
root-of-sam-hinn-s-rapid-ﬁre-restoration
Sam Hinn was the pastor of The
Gathering Place in Sanford, FL
He issued a letter to his church
about an indiscretion (4 year
affair) and resigned
He submitted to a process of
restoration led by pastor Ron
Johnson who laid out a 2-year
process for him
He did not accept this and was
recently “re-ordained” by
another group of bishops

The things that captivate
our hearts will
dominate our thoughts,
and our thoughts will
dominate our lives.
What is your heart
captivated by?
Matt 6:21

•Are there any people
you have not forgiven or
you feel you cannot
forgive? Why? Matt
6:14-15
•Do you ﬁnd it easy to
admit that you are
wrong? (What does this
reveal about yourself?)
Matthew 5:21-26

•How do you react
when confronted with
an ungodly situations
or something that
appeals to the lust of
the ﬂesh, the lust of
the eyes or the pride
of life? 2 Timothy
2:22

35 The good man brings good things out of
the good stored up in him, and the evil man
brings evil things out of the evil stored up
in him. 36But I tell you that men will have
to give account on the day of judgment for
every careless word they have spoken.
37For by your words you will be acquitted,
and by your words you will be
condemned."
Matthew 12:35-38

2There is nothing concealed that will not be
disclosed, or hidden that will not be made
known. 3What you have said in the dark
will be heard in the daylight, and what you
have whispered in the ear in the inner
rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Luke 12:2-4

"The main ingredient of good
leadership is good character. This is
because leadership involves
conduct and conduct is determined
by values."
Norman Schwarzkopf

• Godliness is more important than
giftedness
• Many people have been gifted but have
led people into destruction
• God develops the heart of a leader
producing godly character

“Possession of godly
character, alone, assures
true fruit, lasting
inﬂuence and durable
leadership. No amount of
‘fancy footwork’ or ‘bells
and whistles’, ever
produce a genuine, godly
leader

…Although I have no
suspicion or criticism to
make of any zealous
leader’s efforts to seek
help from leadership
methods or systems, true
leadership ultimately is
found only at Jesus’ feet
and is shaped and kept
only in the heart”
Jack Hayford

Define character:
what words might you
use to describe it?

Character
Greek word charakter
derived from a word
which was used for an
embosser or a stamp for
making coins. Heb. 1:3 –
of Jesus, stamped with
the divine nature or
character

• Character is the
action of an
individual under
pressure.
seat of one’s moral
being
inner life of a man

Circumstances do not determine
your character, they reveal it, and
become the occasion to reﬁne it.
Leadership Dynamic p81

According to Scripture, virtually
everything that truly qualiﬁes a person
for leadership is directly related to
character. It's not about style, status,
personal charisma, clout, or worldly
measurements of success. Integrity is
the main issue that makes the difference
between a good leader and a bad one.
John MacArthur

The following section is adapted from
an original by John C. Maxwell

1. Character is about more than
just devotion, it involves
transformation of / in your life,
not simply inspiration

"Nearly all men can stand adversity,
but if you want to test a man's
character, give him power.“
Abraham Lincoln

2. Character is not what we
will be in the future – it is
what you are now

Character is more than talk
• What you do reveals who you are
• So your actions and intentions need
to be one
• The development of leadership
character takes is about God shaping
your heart (not just your habits)

3. Character
involves how
we think, our
motives and
attitudes, and
ultimately our
choices - God
looks on the
heart

Character is a choice
Many things you do not choose in life –
family, upbringing etc
We do create our character each time
we make a choice or take a decision

"In the last analysis, what we are
communicates far more eloquently
than anything we say or do."
Stephen Covey

"You cannot dream yourself into a
character; you must hammer and
forge yourself one.“
James A. Froude

4. Character is
revealed under
pressure – how
do you act and
respond when
the heat is on?

How a leader deals with
circumstances (or a crisis) reveals his
character
Consider Saul’s actions in 1Samuel
13:13

5. Character is not simply
knowing how to act.
We might know the Bible – we
have to live out the principles

Character goes beyond
obedience to rules.
For us it involves the
Holy Spirit speaking to
our inner man, leading
and guiding us

6. Character involves all people
whether in or out of the KOG.
This includes our families, the
church and all people outside
of the church that we
encounter

Character involves
transparency before,
and accountability to
other people. It is not
merely a private
quest for purity; it is
not solely a man-to-
his-God humility

7. Character brings
lasting success with
people
Followers trust
people with good
character – if it is
ﬂawed people will
not continue to
follow you

8. Leaders
cannot rise
above the
character
limitations
that they have!

e.g. King Saul
Sometime you see successful people fall
apart – why? Their character is not good
enough to support their success. Character
will sustain you through the stress which
comes with success
Be sure your sins will ﬁnd you out!

The Importance of
Integrity
1. I will practice what I preach
2. I will live what I teach
3. I will be honest with others
4. I will put what is best for others
ahead of what is best for me
5. I will be transparent, authentic and
vulnerable
Adapted from Leadership Dynamics Newsletter

The Importance of
Integrity
1. I will practice what I preach
2. I will live what I teach
3. I will be honest with others
4. I will put what is best for others
ahead of what is best for me
5. I will be transparent, authentic and
vulnerable
Adapted from Leadership Dynamics Newsletter
the quality of being honest and having strong
moral principles - the state of being whole and
undivided

Actions determine your emotions:
you don't do what you do
because you feel the way you
feel,
you feel the way you feel
because you do what you do!

bad character
disables the
man of God

Think of Biblical
examples of how poor
character inhibited a
man / woman of God

The following examples are
of men of God from the Bible
– yet all sinned and so fell
short of all the Lord
desired for them, or the
people under their
leadership - because of poor
or flawed character

Saul
1 Samuel 10" "
Anointed king" "
Strong and mighty"
Great Warrior" "
Excellent leader""
Humble" " "

1 Samuel 10" " 1 Samuel 31
Anointed king" " Stripped of the "
"(God chose)" Kingdom
Strong and mighty" Tried to murder David
Great Warrior" " Consulted mediums
Excellent leader" " Disloyal to his
"" " " own son
Humble" " " Committed suicide
Major sin – an independent spirit

David
1 Samuel 17" "
Anointed king" "
Mighty warrior" "
Great worshipper"
Faithful and loyal"
Great leader" "

Anointed king" " Disloyal to his men
Mighty warrior" " Committed adultery
Great worshipper" Committed murder
Faithful and loyal" Tried to hide his sin
Great leader" " Caused judgement to
"" " " come on his family
Major sin – lust

Anointed king" " Disloyal to his men
Mighty warrior" " Committed adultery
Great worshipper" Committed murder
Faithful and loyal" Tried to hide his sin
Great leader" " Caused judgement to
"" " " come on his family
Major sin – lust
“...he [God] raised up David
to be their king, of whom he
testiﬁed and said,‘I have
found in David the son of
Jesse a man after my heart,
who will do all my will.’”

Solomon
2 Chron. 1:7-12 "
Anointed king" "
Humble and " "
prayerful"
Temple builder" "
Greatest kingdom" "
Great wealth &" "
wisdom " " "

2 Chron. 1:7-12 " 1 Kings 11 – Ecc. 1
Anointed king" " Turned his heart from God
Humble and " " Worshipped idols
prayerful"
Temple builder" " Did evil in God’s sight
Greatest kingdom" " Kingdom was torn from him
Great wealth &" " Became vain and
wisdom " " " philosophical
Major sin – pride, greed, self confidence, wrong values

…and in the New Testament
Peter
• Matthew 16
• “You are the Christ…” (16)
• “Never Lord…” (22)
• Matthew 26
• “Even if all fall away…” (33)
• “I don’t know the man” (74)

Key Thought
‘Sow a thought, reap an act;
sow an act, reap a habit; sow a
habit, reap a character; sow a
character, reap a destiny.’"
Charles Swindoll

In terms of character
our aim is The Fruit of
the Spirit
• The character qualities which the
Holy Spirit seeks to develop in our
lives Gal. 5:22,23
• You will not be perfect but should
be a good example so people see
God in you

• Character is shaped by the process of
transformation that takes place in you
- God will use many different ways
and means to shape your character
• So for character formation we need to
know:
• what the Bible says, and,
• allow the Holy Spirit to apply those
values in your life

Simple Principles
for developing
good character
as a man of god how do you develop godly
character?

i) The In-Out Principle

ii) The Transparency Principle - No
Hiding Place

iii) The Principle
of Testing

iv) The Reflective Principle

God’s leaders are only as
effective as the quality of
their relationship with
Him

The challenges involved in
Christian leadership are powerful.
All areas of your life become
exposed and are open for the
enemy to attack.

You are in a Fishbowl

You are in a Fishbowl
People inspect every area of
your life - they see everything
that is in the bowl

• People will constantly be
watching you
• Jesus exempliﬁed
godliness and holiness to
His disciples - his
enemies (and disciples)
could ﬁnd no sin in him
• Is there hidden sin in
your life?
Does the Gospel
work in your life?

• People will constantly be
watching you
• Jesus exempliﬁed
godliness and holiness to
His disciples - his
enemies (and disciples)
could ﬁnd no sin in him
• Is there hidden sin in
your life?

• Our first tastes of leadership are
important – making sure we keep our
eyes on the Lord and not on the praise
and affirmation of the people
• Success may seem to negate the need
for obeying God and being dependent
on Him - Success is a difficult test to
negotiate

Make sure you Walk the
Way of Holiness
• All leaders need to
work towards the
place where they do
not love the world
or anything in it
• God and his will
should be the prime
concern of their lives
• 1 John 2:15–17

What are the greatest
temptations in society
today?
Are the temptations faced by
leaders different to those of the
people they serve in the
church?

Do not Love the World
• Leaders should live a life
where the things of the
world cannot get a hold of
our lives
• Money, Sex and Power…
• This often takes a great deal
of preparation of life - it
involves leaving our way
and going God’s way

• Our relationship with
God should take priority
over everything else
• Essential in order to be
able to distinguish good
from evil
• Hebrews 5:14; Matthew
5:48; Ephesians 1:4; 1
Timothy 6:11

Control your
environment
• A bad environment does
not necessarily hinder a
person’s spiritual growth
in God.
• Evil can become a
catalyst for seeking the
Lord and developing a
godly character

• Most environments
today have much that is
sinful within them.
• Leaders need to set the
example of how to live
in such a world and yet
not sin.
• 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4,5

• Most environments
today have much that is
sinful within them.
• Leaders need to set the
example of how to live
in such a world and yet
not sin.
• 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4,5
4 Little children, you are from
God and have overcome
them, for he who is in you is
greater than he who is in the
world...
4 For everyone who has been
born of God overcomes the
world. And this is the victory
that has overcome the world
—our faith. 5 Who is it that
overcomes the world except
the one who believes that
Jesus is the Son of God?

Resist Sin
• The more you resist
sin and choose to go
God’s way, the more
the fruit of the Spirit
will be evident in
your life
• Heb 12:4

Tests,
Trials and
Temptations

• Are designed by God to improve
the quality and genuineness of
our walk with Him – Joseph, can
you walk with God in the ‘darkness’
• They humble, teach and discipline
• They reﬁne us

• Throw us on the Lord and teach
us to be dependent on Him –
Abraham having Isaac
• They develop perseverance/
overcomer spirit in us
• They strengthen our faith

• Reﬁne or purify us spiritually –
Samuel walked with the Lord in a
corrupt situation
• Tests establish the pattern of our
future decisions

• Show us what is real and what is
not – Peter happy to confess Jesus,
follow anywhere, then comes
denial!
• The foundation was tested and
what could be shaken taken
away

• Show us what is of God and what
is not – Elijah facing Ahab & Jezebel,
discouragement brought unreality
1Kings 19:10

• Assess and examine our inner
attitudes and sources of motivation
– fear of man Pr 29:25

• Reveal to us our weaknesses and
limitations so that we can depend
on God more – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
• Tests show us what we are really
like

Tests are part of God’s work in
preparing our lives to receive the good
things God desires to give us
Through tests God works into the
leaders certain necessary experiences
of life which will enable them to
understand and help other people in
ministry
• 2 Corinthians 1:4, Hebrews 4:15

• Leaders need strong, godly character in
order to withstand trials, persecutions
and temptation
• Gifts and abilities are not enough to
make any ministry ultimately successful
• But remember that simply having good
character does not mean a person should
be a leader.

‘Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face
trials of many kinds, because you
know that the testing of your
faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must ﬁnish its work
so that you may be mature and
complete, not lacking anything.’
James 1:2–4

Specific Tests of
Leadership
adapted from original work by Frank
Damazio

The Time Test
…the portion of a leader’s ministry
in which God does not seem, at least
by all outward appearances, to be
fulﬁlling the word that was given to
a leader in the past.

The Time Test
…the portion of a leader’s ministry
in which God does not seem, at least
by all outward appearances, to be
fulﬁlling the word that was given to
a leader in the past.
Do you know how to pray in faith
for something God has said - and
then to wait upon God for his
time, and his way, of fulﬁllment?

•Purpose
–Opportunity to grow in faith
–Puriﬁcation of the leader’s motives and
attitudes
–God to prove Himself to be a miracle-
working and faithful God

•Example
–Abraham
–75 when left Haran
Gen 12:1-9
–100 when promise
fulﬁlled Gen 17:1;
18:10

The Word Test
…the experience of contradictory
circumstances in relation to the written
or quickened Word of God to a leader
Not being able to understand how the
known will of the Lord is presently
coming to pass in his life, God
purposely allows contrary situations in
a leader’s life and ministry

The Word Test
…the experience of contradictory
circumstances in relation to the written
or quickened Word of God to a leader
Not being able to understand how the
known will of the Lord is presently
coming to pass in his life, God
purposely allows contrary situations in
a leader’s life and ministry
How do you respond when things
are “going wrong” - do you doubt
God’s word to you?

•Joseph - favourite son of
Jacob
–At 17 years of age, he
received a word from the
Lord in the form of two
dreams (37:5-11)
–The events that followed:
•Sold
•Seduced
•Hopes dashed

•Purpose
• Cause the leader not
to depend upon his
own resources
• Motivate a leader to
depend solely on
God’s strength
• Brings a greater
inﬂuence upon more
people at the end of
the experience

The Character Test
…when a leader is surrounded by
ungodliness that attempts to pull him
in its direction
And, also when a leader is tempted to
sin in the lust of the ﬂesh, the lust of
the eyes, or the pride of life

The Character Test
…when a leader is surrounded by
ungodliness that attempts to pull him
in its direction
And, also when a leader is tempted to
sin in the lust of the ﬂesh, the lust of
the eyes, or the pride of life
Do you give in to temptation?
Are you a ‘different person’
when talking to non-believers,
to poor people, to pastors...?

•Samuel
• born into a corrupt situation
• Eli was a corrupt high priest and
did not discipline his sons
• Samuel was a very young boy in the
midst of a corrupt priesthood yet he
worshipped God and kept himself
from sin

•Purpose
–In order to develop positive character
qualities (e.g. fruit of HS), God puts His
leaders in difﬁcult places so that they will
stand strong in Him
–Show the leader the different areas of
weakness
–Motivate a leader to stand up boldly
against the powers of darkness around
him

The Motivation Test
…a heavenly examination during
which God exposes to the leader what
are the real inward and outward
forces that are controlling the making
of his decisions

The Motivation Test
…a heavenly examination during
which God exposes to the leader what
are the real inward and outward
forces that are controlling the making
of his decisions
In using your gifts how often
do you get some of the glory -
do your illustrations make you
look good to others?

Balaam - Num 22-24
Balak the king of Moab,
had seen how Israel had
defeated all of her
enemies in the land, and,
feared that his nation
would also be destroyed
Asked the prophet to
curse the Israelite nation -
Incentive / motivation -
Money

Balaam told Balak that the Lord had told
him not to go with his elders nor to
curse the people of Israel
Balak kept on pressing: more
distinguished representatives - the bribe
seems to keep increasing 22:7; 15; 17
Balaam said he could only speak what
the Lord told him to
Balaam failed this test

Purpose
To purify desires and
intentions God
arranges situations in
order that a leader’s
true priorities are
revealed
What motivates him on
the inside may be
different than what
seems to motivate him
on the outside

The Servant Test
…when a man is asked to do menial
tasks that seem below his high calling
in God
The servant test reveals whether a
ministers motivation is to help and to
serve, or whether it is to be in the
public’s eye and to be served

The Servant Test
…when a man is asked to do menial
tasks that seem below his high calling
in God
The servant test reveals whether a
ministers motivation is to help and to
serve, or whether it is to be in the
public’s eye and to be served
Do you only do the servant job
when you know it will be
noticed?

Elisha
When Elijah found Elisha he was ploughing
in the ﬁeld with 12 yoke of oxen (1 Kings
19:21)
Was that the proper place for a man called
to be a prophet over all of Israel?
2 Kings 3:11 “Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is
here, who used to pour water on the hands
of Elijah”

Purpose
To reveal true motivation for service
To teach those that may be called by
God what it feels like to do different
jobs in the local church

Maintain A Clear
Conscience
• Our conscience is God’s
alarm bell which goes off
when we cross some
boundary that we know
we shouldn’t
• Our conscience needs to
be trained by God’s Word

Maintain A Clear
Conscience
• Our conscience is God’s
alarm bell which goes off
when we cross some
boundary that we know
we shouldn’t
• Our conscience needs to
be trained by God’s Word
a person's moral sense of right
and wrong, seen to act as a
guide to one's behaviour

• If your conscience is
troubling you, seek God
and put it right asap
(repent/confession 1Jn
1:7–9)
• A leader must maintain
a clear conscience
towards others by
ridding himself of all
hatred, anger, jealousy,
bitterness, and
unforgiveness

Every day you should
Deny your Self
• Leaders need to learn to live out Luke 9:23
• Establish and live according to the
priorities the Lord has given you (do not
live out someone else's ministry)
• This does not mean running around after
people and never having time with family
or with the Lord.

“The ﬁrst lesson in
Christ's school is
self-denial.”
Matthew Henry

I have now
concentrated all my
prayers into one,
and that one prayer
is this, that I may
die to self, and live
wholly to Him.
CH Spurgeon

• Leaders need to conquer
their self-will, and trust God
and do whatever He asks
them to do (hard as leaders
are often go-getters /
achievers)
• God will ask us, at times, to
give up good things like
natural abilities or promises
• Self-discipline is especially
important for your mind.
Rom 12:1,2; Eph 4:22–24

Keep on going - Remain
Faithful, persevere
Rev 2:7, to the one who conquers I will
grant to eat of the tree of life
2:11 ...will not be hurt by the second death
2:17 ...I will give some of the hidden
manna
2:26...i will give authority over nations

Think of:
Biblical or historical examples
of people who remained faithful,
and who persevered in the face
of difficulty or adversity
Is there something you see in
their life that helped them
overcome?

John Paton and his wife Mary arrived in the
New Hebrides on November 5th 1858.
The people were as ﬁerce as he had been told.
Cannibal celebrations took place in sight of the
Patons' home and human blood fouled the drinking
water. The natives frightened Joseph Copeland so
much that he lost his wits and died; they continually
threatened John. Time and again they lifted their
guns to shoot him, or raised their axes to bash him in
the head, but always they held back as if restrained by
a greater power.

Early the next year, Mary bore a
son. Both mother and child came
down with fevers and died. With a
breaking heart, John dug their grave
and laid them in it. Later he said,
"But for Jesus, and the
fellowship He vouchsafed me
there, I must have gone mad and
died beside that lonely grave!"

One of the gifts that Jesus had given him
to sustain him in those days were the
words his wife spoke shortly before here
death…She did not murmur against God,
or resent her husband bringing her there.
Rather she spoke these incredible words—
and you find them again and again where
the Bible has sunk into the heart—"I do not
regret leaving home and friends. If I had it
to do over, I would do it with more
pleasure, yes, with all my heart"

The ﬁrst Protestant missionary set foot
on Chinese soil on September 7, 1807.
His name was Robert Morrison. He
was a Scottish Presbyterian, and except
for one furlough, he spent the next 27
years in China.

Persevering against the hostility of
official opposition and the resistance of
foreign merchants, Morrison baptized
the first Chinese Protestant Christian,
Cai Gao, on July 16, 1814. After the
baptism of Cai Gao, Morrison wrote
prophetically in his journal, “May he be
the first-fruits of a great harvest, one of
millions who shall come and be saved
on the day of wrath to come."

In 2007 it was reported:
At the time of the Communist takeover in
1949, there were roughly 900,000
Protestants. Today, the Center for the
Study of Global Christianity... says there
are 111 million Christians in China,
roughly 90% Protestant and mostly
Pentecostal. That would make China the
third-largest Christian country on earth,
following only the USAand Brazil.

• Sometimes, the going will get tough -
whatever our circumstances, God wants
us to remain faithful to our calling.
• Faithfulness comes as a result of knowing
God, who is always faithful, Heb. 13:8,
Isaiah 55:11

• Do you trust God, even
if the circumstances, for
a time, seem to
contradict His word?
• Faith is believing God,
rather than what we see
or feel Hebrews 11:1,6

Many Spirit-ﬁlled leaders expect never
to experience times of darkness or
confusion in which they cannot
discover God’s will, unless they fall
into sin. God, on occasions,
purposefully allows us to go through
tough times.
Bob Gordon

Leaders should not rely on yesterday’s
bread. They need continually to be
coming to God in order to get fresh
material for their own delighting in God
- and for those they lead

Be still before the Lord and wait
patiently for him
Psalm 37:7

Be still and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10

After removing Saul, he made David
their king. He testiﬁed concerning him:
‘I have found David son of Jesse a man
after my own heart; he will do
everything I want him to do.’
Acts 13:22

• Exodus 33:7ff
• Isa 40: 27-31
• Psalm 42:1-11
• Mark 1:35ff
• Luke 6:12f

The Need
• Spiritual leadership begins and ends with a
full dependence on God
• Often Christians relegate waiting on God to
times of stress and difficulty
• Others try everything but waiting on God
in order to find fulfillment, success and
purpose in life
• God wants us to be available to hear his
voice

• All God’s leaders should be people who
meet with God regularly
• Waiting on God is not a one-off thing—it
needs to be a daily discipline
• Many Christian leaders feel that their lives
are too busy to do this

• God has made a way for us to come into
His very presence through Jesus: Ephesians
3:12; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:19–22; 1
John 3:21,22
• God wants us to come to Him and to
develop our relationship with Him.
• ‘Come near to God and he will come near to
you.’ James 4:8

What’s important to you?
• Christianity will not seem to work unless
our inner spiritual life is in order.
Therefore, waiting on God needs to be our
ﬁrst priority of life as a Christian
• Most people spend most time and energy
attaining possessions, position, friends, a
good family life etc.
• The greatest commandment - Luke 10:27

• What do you think God’s priority for your
use of time is?
• Jesus told Martha (who was very busy
serving Him and complaining that her
sister Mary was doing nothing to help) that
Mary chose the better thing because she sat
at His feet and was listening to Him (Luke
10:38–42).

• ‘Waiting on God is not optional, it is an
essential part of every leaders life.
• Seeking God in solitude and silence is not a
lazy alternative to doing something more
fruitful for God nor is it unproductive, it is
the foundation upon which we should
build our lives and our service for God

Farewell, until we meet again...

The Bridge: Leadership character

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The Bridge: Leadership character