teaching notes from ltci, siliguri - based on j oswald sanders book, spiritual leadership

1. Section 4
The
Leader’s
Vision
Study chapter 4 in Blackaby
Study chapters 7-8 in Sanders
Date

2. Chapter 7
Insights on leadership from Peter

3. 1 Peter 5:1-7 So I exhort the
elders among you, as a fellow elder
and a witness of the sufferings of
Christ, as well as a partaker in the
glory that is going to be revealed:
shepherd the flock of God that is
among you, exercising oversight,
not under compulsion, but
willingly, as God would have you;
not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
not domineering over those in
your charge, but being examples
to the flock.

4. And when the chief Shepherd appears,
you will receive the unfading crown of
glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be
subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves,
all of you, with humility toward one
another, for "God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the humble."
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the
mighty hand of God so that at the proper
time he may exalt you, casting all your
anxieties on him, because he cares for
you.

5. Peter was a natural leader of the band
of apostles - his influence was
immense and unmistakable. He made
mistakes due to his impetuous
personality. In his later years he wrote
1 and 2 Peter. His advice is worth
listening to.
Care for the flock of God (v2)- a
primary responsibility. This takes us
back to John 21:15-22 and also
reminds us of his care for strangers in
the world (1:1). Peter felt for, and
cared for, people and that resonates in
his writing.

6. Peter writes to elders (leaders) as:
- a fellow elder
- a witness of Christ’s sufferings
- one who has failed and been
broken
- one who has been restored by
Christ’s love
- one who bears similar burdens
Motivation
An elder must be willing - in the
face of great challenges a leader
must not run or retreat, and must do
this out of love not duty. This work
must be done “as God wants”

7. “Peter says to the leaders,
“Shepherd your people like
God.” Our whole attitude to
the people we serve must be
the attitude of God. What a
vision opens out! It is our
task to show people the
forbearance of God, the
forgiveness of God, the
seeking love of God, the
limitless service of God.”
William Barclay

8. When called we cannot claim
inadequacy - no one is worthy of
such a call - when Moses said this
God was angry, Ex 4:14
Then the LORD’s anger burned
against Moses and he said, “What
about your brother, Aaron the Levite?
I know he can speak well. He is
already on his way to meet you, and
he will be glad to see you.
We cannot pass the buck of
leadership or claim to be incapable

9. We cannot be thinking about
money in our service of the Lord.
1 Peter 5;2
Maybe Peter remembered Judas
Iscariot?
Leaders deal with budgets,
priorities, set policies - you cannot
do that whilst thinking about your
own financial or personal gain.
Such greed also includes fame and
prestige - such have no place
along side Godly leadership.

10. “I am not sure which of
the two occupies the
lower sphere, he who
hungers for money or he
who thirsts for
applause...It destroys
perception of the needs
and perils of the sheep”
J. H. Jowett

11. A Christian leader must not be
dictatorial - 1 Peter 5:3 -
domineering manner, tyrants talk
etc. are all inappropriate and unfit
for a servant of God.
A leader should be an example - 1
Peter 5:3 - see 1 Tim 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you
because you are young, but set an
example for the believers in speech, in
conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
Remember Jesus is the chief
shepherd, we simply assist him
working under his authority.

12. This includes intercessory prayer
for those we are leading - Bishop
Azariah of India said he prayed
every day by name for each leader
in his diocese - the result was in 30
years a tripling of membership
and greatly increased spiritual
effectiveness.
1 Peter 5:5 - leaders are clothed
with humility - this refers to a
servant tying on their apron, ready
for service - was Peter
remembering refusing to wash
Jesus’ feet?

13. God opposes and obstructs proud
men who claim to serve him. If an
undershepherd is humble and lowly
in heart God will give them grace.
Notably Peter tells us to be humble
under God’s discipline - God will
remember and lift us up at his time.
There is a reward - 1 Peter 5:4 - one
that will not fade, or rust.
Finally Peter tells us that God is
with us in this - 1Pet 5:7 - we are not
alone - and God will allow us to
transfer the burdens (which we
should not carry) to Him

14. Do you ever think you are
incapable of leadership?
Do you share Peters’ ability
to use negative situations
and circumstances (Judas
Iscariot, denial) as a stimulus
in your leadership?
How much does your fear of
being alone or isolated, shape
your attitude towards
leadership?

15. Chapter 8
Essential qualities of leadership

16. 1 Tim 3:2-7
2 Now the overseer is to be above
reproach, faithful to his wife,
temperate, self-controlled,
respectable, hospitable, able to
teach, 3 not given to drunkenness,
not violent but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
4 He must manage his own family
well and see that his children obey
him, and he must do so in a
manner worthy of full respect.

17. 5 (If anyone does not know how to
manage his own family, how can
he take care of God’s church?) 6 He
must not be a recent convert, or he
may become conceited and fall
under the same judgment as the
devil. 7 He must also have a good
reputation with outsiders, so that
he will not fall into disgrace and
into the devil’s trap.

18. Jesus trained his disciples:
- Example
- Words (precepts)
- In daily life situations
- internships (Lk 10:17-24)
- through failure and success (Mk
9:14-29)
- delegating authority and
responsibility
- John 13-16 is their graduation address
God prepares leaders for the task he
has in mind - methods, mission,
spiritual and natural gifts all have a
clear purpose in his plan

19. Adoniram Judson
(Missionary to Burma) - God
gave remarkable gifts of
leadership for the task - self
reliance balanced with
humility, energy with
prudence, self forgetfulness,
courage and a passion for
souls.

20. Martin Luther - an easy man
to approach, no personal
vanity, plain tastes (which
helped him find pleasure
with very little money),
common sense, good humor,
sincerity and honesty -
courage, conviction and
passion for Christ - a man
who inspired loyalty that
had the strength of steel

21. Martin Luther - an easy man
to approach, no personal
vanity, plain tastes (which
helped him find pleasure
with very little money),
common sense, good humor,
sincerity and honesty -
courage, conviction and
passion for Christ - a man
who inspired loyalty that
had the strength of steel

22. Hudson Taylor - G. Werneck said
of him, “A man full of faith and
the Holy Ghost, of entire
surrender to God and his call, of
great self denial, heartfelt
compassion, rare poser in prayer,
marvelous organising faculty,
indefatigable in perseverance,
and of astounding influence with
men, and withal of childlike
simplicity himself.”

23. “God gave these
leaders gifts and talents
that fit the mission to
which they were called.
What raised these men
above their fellows was
the degree to which
they developed those
gifts through devotion
and discipline”

24. Discipline
Without this essential all
other gifts cannot grow!
Before we conquer the
world, we must conquer
ourselves.
A leader learns discipline
from without and
imposes a stronger
discipline from within.

25. People who rebel against
authority and self discipline find it
hard to lead - hard work and
sacrifice are essential.
“Many who drop out of ministry
are sufficiently gifted but have
large areas of life floating free
from Holy Spirit’s control. Lazy
and disorganised people never rise
to true leadership”
Many who want to lead fail
because they never learn to be led,
to follow.

26. It was noted that of the 40,000 people
listed in Who’s who in America half
were under 28 years old. They had
learned discipline and the need to
make sacrifices early in life - this
preparation paved the way for them
to achieve great things.
As a young person do you:
Work when others play?
Overcome slobby habits - in dress,
thought and deed?
Are you always ready, alert for
action?

27. Do you undertake the tasks others
recoil from?
Do you handle difficult situations
and kindly and courageously offer
a rebuke if required?
Do you get on with hard tasks and
not procrastinate?
Do you pray like this?:
God harden me against myself, the
coward with pathetic voice, who
craves for ease and rest and joy.
Myself, arch traitor to myself, my
hollowest friend, my deadliest foe,
my clog, whatever road I go

28. Do you undertake the tasks others
recoil from?
The poem was written by Amy
Do you handle difficult situations
Carmichael courageously offer
and kindly and - a missionary
from Ireland to india - worked
a rebuke if required?
Dowithget on with and abused
you neglected hard tasks and
not procrastinate? years with no
children for 56
Do you pray likewrote 35 books
furlough. She this?:
God harden me against myself, the
and was the first woman to be
coward withas a missionary by
supported pathetic voice, who
craves for ease and Missions
the Keswick rest and joy.
Myself, arch traitor to myself, my
Committee.
hollowest friend, my deadliest foe,
my clog, whatever road I go

29. Sanders cites the example of Fred
Mitchell (a leading figure in a
Christian NGO in England) in
giving correction or rebuke.
He was a sensitive and
affectionate man who did not like
to rebuke - but did not recoil from
it, even though it lost him friends
at times. He spoke in love and
after much prayer. If he had to
discipline he would write a letter
and keep it for a few days, reread
it and then decide if he would
send it or tear it up.

30. Samuel Chadwick, Methodist preacher and Bible
school leader:
He rose at 0600 each day and took a cold bath
(whether in summer or winter) - his study light was
usually not out until 0200 - a rigorous lifestyle
revealing strong inner discipline.
George Whitfield rose at 0400 and was in bed by 2200.

31. “Barclay Buxton of Japan would
urge Christians to live disciplined
lives whether they were in
business or evangelistic work. This
included disciplined bible study
and prayer, tithing, use of time,
keeping healthy with proper diet,
sleep and exercise. It included the
rigor of disciplined fellowship
among Christians who differed
from one another in many ways.”
If a leader shows discipline in their
life others will follow their
example.

32. Discipline also includes receiving
from others - often we are happy
to give but not as comfortable to
receive. For a leader the value of
such gestures from others is
important - Jesus did this with
Martha and Mary’s hospitality,
borrowing the colt etc.
Such receiving can be important
and can make for good
friendships.

33. Vision
People who have been used
powerfully and permanently have
always been “seers” - they see
more and see further, they are
people of faith (which is essential
for vision).
Elisha’s servant saw the problem -
by faith Elisha saw the vast
invisible host of heaven.

34. Powhatten James said this in his biography of George W
Truett:
“The man of God must have insight into things spiritual.
He must be able to see the mountains filled with the
horses and chariots of fire; he must be able to interpret
that which is written by the finger of God upon the walls
of conscience; he must be able to translate the signs of the
times into terms of their spiritual meaning;

35. ...he must be able to draw
aside, now and then, the
curtain of things material and
let mortals glimpse the
spiritual glories which crown
the mercy seat of God. The
man of God must declare the
pattern that was shown him
on the mount; he must utter
the vision granted to him
upon the isle of revelation...
None of these can he do
without spiritual insight.”

36. Vision also requires foresight - an
ability to see or hear what is coming, or
what will come as a result of your
decisions.
Carey saw the whole globe as a
mission field whilst people told him to
be quiet - Henry Martyn saw India,
Persia and Arabia (the Muslim world),
whilst people at home squabbled over
theological differences - it was said of
AB Simpson, “His lifework seemed to
be to push on alone, where his fellows
had seen nothing to explore.”

37. Henry Martyn arrived in India in April
Vision also requires foresight - an
1806, where he preached and occupied
ability to see or hear what is coming, or
himself in the study of linguistics. He
what will come as a result New
translated the whole of the of your
decisions. into Urdu, Persian and
Testament
Judaeo-Persic. whole translated
Carey saw theHe also globe as a the
Psalms field whilst people told of
missioninto Persian and the Bookhim to
Common-Prayer into Urdu. On India,
be quiet Henry Martyn saw 16
October 1812 he died. He was
Persia and Arabia (the Muslim world),
remembered for his courage, selflessness
whilst people at home squabbled over
and his religious devotion. was said of
theological differences - it
A.B.Simpson was a Canadian seemed to
AB Simpson, “His lifework preacher,
theologian,on alone, where his of the
be to push author, and founder fellows
Christian nothing to explore.”
had seen and Missionary Alliance
(C&MA), a denomination with an

38. Vision is necessary to most men of
God, it develops a largeness to their
thinking and acting.
When the Pharisees saw Peter they saw
an unschooled ordinary man - Jesus
saw a prophet, a preacher, one who
would turn the world upside down.
Vision brings optimism and hope -
pessimism flees as you see the
opportunity in every situation.
Pessimism hold you back and ties you
down in the past.
Vision leads to action - taking steps of
faith - seeing new horizons and going
for them

39. “It is easier to serve God without a vision,
easier to work for God without a call, because
then you are not bothered by what God
requires; common sense is your guide,
veneered over with Christian sentiment. You
will be more successful, more leisure-hearted,
if you never realise the call of God. But if once
you receive a commission in Jesus Christ, the
memory of what God wants will always come
like a goad; you will no longer be able to work
for Him on the common sense basis.”
Oswald Chambers

40. "When God gives a vision by His
Spirit - of what He wants, and
your mind and sould thrill to it,
if you do not walk in the light of
the vision, you will sink into
servitude to a point of view our
Lord never had - you can never be
the same after the unveiling of a
truth. That moment marks you
for going on as a more true
disciple of Jesus Christ, or for
going back as a deserter."
Oswald Chambers

41. Sanders,
“Leaders take lessons from the past
but never sacrifice the future for the
sake of mere continuity. People of
vision gauge decisions on the
future; the story of the past cannot
be rewritten.”
“A vision without a task makes a
visionary. A task without a vision
is a drudgery. A vision with a task
makes a missionary.” Dunning

42. Wisdom
If knowledge = accumulation of
facts, intelligence, development of
reason, then wisdom involves
heavenly discernment.
Wisdom is the right application of
knowledge in moral and spiritual
matters, in handling dilemmas and
in negotiating complex
relationships.
Theodore Roosevelt said, “wisdom
is nine-tenths a matter of being
wise in time.”

43. Most people specialise in being
wise after the event.
Wisdom gives a leader balance -
avoiding eccentricity and
extravagance.
Knowledge comes by study -
wisdom by filling of the Holy
Spirit - see Acts 6:3.
Col 1:9 - We continually ask God to
fill you with the knowledge of his
will through all the wisdom and
understanding that the Spirit gives

44. Knowledge and Wisdom, far
from being one, Have oft-
times no connexion.
Knowledge dwells In heads
replete with thoughts of
other men; Wisdom in minds
attentive to their own.
Knowledge is proud that he
has learned so much;
Wisdom is humble that he
knows no more.

45. “D. E. Hoste knew the importance
of wisdom for leaders:
‘When a person in authority
demands obedience of another,
irrespective of the latter’s reason
and conscience, this is tyranny.
On the other hand, when, by the
exercise of tact and sympathy,
prayer, spiritual power and sound
wisdom, one is able to influence
and enlighten another, so that a
life course is changed, that is
spiritual leadership.’”

46. Decision
With the facts in a clear and swift
decision should mark leaders.
Visionaries see but leaders decide -
they weigh the evidence and make
a decision on a sound basis.
A leader once they know the will of
God does not decide based upon
the consequences - they commit to
what God has revealed, and if
failure comes they do not blame
anyone else.

47. Abraham with the rescue of Lot -
Gen 14 - in Gen 13 Abraham had
shown the passive side of
leadership allowing Lot to choose
pasturelands.
Moses became a great leader only
after he abandoned the riches and
power of Egypt and identified
with his own people.
Paul after conversion asked,
“What shall I do Lord?”
Hebrews 11 is a list of people who
saw vision, counted the cost, made
decisions and went into action.

48. A leader will not
procrastinate when
facing a decision nor
vacillate after taking
one - postponing a
decision says you are
happy to let things
remain as they are, a
sincere but wrong
decision is better than
inaction or
indecisiveness. In all
decisions we have to
live with the results!

49. Courage
Leaders require moral and
physical courage - courage is
the quality of mind that
enables you to encounter
danger or difficulty, firmly,
without fear or
discouragement.
Paul admitted fear - but was
not stopped by it - 1 Cor 2:3,
but note that he still came! 1
Cor 7:5 - but still he worked
for the Lord

50. Sanders suggests that Martin Luther
was one of the most fearless men that
ever lived:
When he set out on his momentous
journey to Worms he said, “You can
expect from me everything save fear
or recantation. I shall not flee, much
less recant.” His friends, warning him
of the grave dangers, sought to
dissuade him. But Luther would not
be dissuaded. “Not go to Worms!” he
said. “I shall go to Worms though
there were as many devils as tiles on
the roofs.

51. When Luther appeared before the emperor, he was called
on to recant. They insisted that he should say in a word
whether he would recant or no. “Unless convinced by the
Holy Scripture, or by clear reasons from other sources, I
cannot recant,” he declared. “To Councils or Pope I
cannot defer, for they have often erred. My conscience is a
prisoner to God’s Word.”

52. When again given an
opportunity to recant, he
folded his hands: “Here I
stand, I can do no other.
God help me.” A few days
before his death, recalling
this incident, Luther
described his feelings: “I
was afraid of nothing;
God can make one so
desperately bold. I know
not whether I could be so
cheerful now.”

53. Not all leaders are courageous
by nature - the highest degree
of courage is seen in the person
who is most fearful but refuses
to give in to it. God’s leaders
have been commanded to be
courageous - if they had no
fear, the command would have
been pointless.
The responsibility for his own
courage is placed on the leader
himself, for he is indwelt by the
Spirit of power.

54. Contrast John 20:19 and Acts
4:13 - same disciples
confronted by the same Jews at
an interval of only a short time
- the difference, “They were all
filled with the Holy Spirit.” He
imparts “not the spirit of fear,
but of power…” (2 Tim. 1:7).

55. The courage of a leader is
demonstrated in his being willing to
face unpleasant and even devastating
facts and conditions with calm
composure, and then act with
firmness in the light of them, even
though it means incurring personal
unpopularity. Human inertia and
opposition do not deter him. His
courage is not a thing of the moment,
but continues until the task is fully
done.

56. Leaders need to be calm and
courageous in a crisis ,
strengthening their people in all
circumstances.
2 Chron 32:7,8 - Hezekiah
encourages his people
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be
afraid or discouraged because of the king
of Assyria and the vast army with him,
for there is a greater power with us than
with him. With him is only the arm of
flesh, but with us is the LORD our God
to help us and to fight our battles.” And
the people gained confidence from what
Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

57. Humility
Not a popular quality - but highly
recommended by Jesus - Matt
20:20ff - we are required to look for
sacrificial service and the approval
of the Lord.
JTB, said many strong and
challenging things - perhaps his
greatest statement, Jn 3:30 He must
become greater; I must become less.”
Paul showed his humility in
stating- 1 Cor 15:9, Eph 3:8, 1 Tim
1:15

58. William Law, in A Serious Call to a
Devout and Holy life, says,
Let every day be a day of humility;
condescend to all the weaknesses and
infirmities of your fellow-creatures,
cover their frailties, love their
excellences, encourage their virtues,
relieve their wants, rejoice in their
prosperities, compassionate over their
distress, receive their friendship,
overlook their unkindness, forgive
their malice, be a servant of servants,
and condescend to do the lowliest of
offices to the lowest of mankind.

59. Robert Morrison (missionary
to China), said,
“The great fault in our
missions is that no one likes
to be second”
Are you happy to take the role
of assistant or associate - to
have no title in order to
serve?

60. Integrity and Sincerity
Paul spoke openly of success
and failures - he always
claimed to walk and talk in
sincerity, 2 Cor 2:17
Dt 18:13 - You must be
blameless before the LORD
your God.
Sanders suggests that
integrity is an essential
quality of a leader in the
Kingdom of God.

61. The 8 qualities listed are
required in the life of leader -
which do you need to work
hardest on at this time?
How disciplined are you - how
will a lack of discipline affect
you in fulfilling all the Lord
has called you to?
What is the difference between
integrity and sincerity?