Titus Email November 2018

WISE INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

TITUS EMAIL

Volume 12, Number 11– NOVEMBER, 2018

         

Jaimasi!  Greetings from Nepal.  I am currently in Nepal, having met with the WILD Nepal team last night and in the midst of a two day training with 20 trainees involved with Sports Management.  In a few days, Ram Prasad Shrestha and I will travel to India to provide WILD training to young people in the northern region of India and, also meet with several leaders to discuss the opening of a WILD ministry in India.  Thank you for praying.    Thanks.  Mike

 

IDOL OF APPROVAL – PART 2

          Oh to be liked.  This desire can keep up from making decisions in our organization that may not be popular but are the right ones to make, what is best for all involved.  Another area this idol of leadership shows up is when people are not willing to mentor and develop others because if the mentored person begins to perform or carry out the responsibilities you are grooming them for, people will follow them and not you. 

          Your feelings will get hurt.  You will not be as popular as someone else and you cannot handle that.  You may not feel as needed as you once where. If you need people’s acceptance of you and you are not carrying out your spiritual leadership responsibility of developing and empowering another because of that, you have an idol problem and you are that idol.  If a popularity contest is more important than following biblical responsibilities of training others, your ministry will not be far reaching.

          The apostles also had an issue with desiring popularity or the attitude that if someone else is doing ministry, people would possibly flock to that person instead of Jesus.  “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:49-50).  Contrast that to a different John, (the Baptist) when people were wondering if he was the Messiah, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16).

          You may say that John the Baptist would have said that because after all, that was Jesus he was talking about.  How often do we get excited about the new pastor or youth leader who comes into our territory and people start talking about that person?  You know that they are considering checking out the “new kid (pastor/leader) on the block”.  Do you and I say that there is a good chance the new person has something good to say and could very well be positive for the Kingdom and perhaps it is a good idea to go check out the person?   Or do we downplay them and say something or make a face that indicates that we are not impressed at all? 

          Very few of us are willing to play what is called second chair in an orchestra.  We want the top billing, the one who is featured as the soloist. Conductors have indicated it is difficult to find people willing to play in the shadows of someone else, in the second chair.  If you and I need affection and approval from others causing us to be reluctant to develop and deploy other leaders because the fear is the affection and approval of others could be divided or taken from us, we are hurting ourselves and the people we lead. 

          We are then definitely struggling with the idol of approval.  It impacts the Kingdom but thankfully the sovereignty of God is greater than our feelings and lack of leadership.  God will accomplish what He wills; we simply lose out on blessings that were being offered to us. 

          Our thirst for approval can keep us from being instrumental in the next generations of spiritual leaders.  Our legacy will end when we die.  It will not impact the second, third and fourth generations for God’s glory.  How sad for our narrow view of how God sees us. 

 

YOUTH MINISTRY – DEBORAH, CUTTING ACROSS CULTURAL LINES

Deborah, mild manner wife at home, one focused lady leader as a judge of Israel.  Though we do not know whether Deborah was mild-mannered at home, we do know from Judges 4 & 5, that she was one leader who rose to the occasion.  Deborah was a prophet meaning her main job was to encourage the people of Israel to obey God.  Yet when the opportunity arose to be judge and leader in Israel, she took hold of that challenge.    A judge was either a military or civil leader ruling during the time after Joshua’s death and could either rule or part of or all of Israel. 

Here was one gifted lady, who ended up to become the only female judge Israel ever had.  She was able to plan, direct and delegate plus was a good advisor.  Her gifts were used.  In fact when Israel needed a person to step up and lead Israel to battle their Canaanite enemies led by Sisera, Deborah did.  She told Barak who was to lead the Israelites into battle that God had given them the victory.  Yet Barak was afraid, to the point that he would only go into battle if Deborah would go along (Judges 4:4-9).   

Deborah marched with the army because she had courage and believed God at His word.  Israel routed the enemy and Deborah was very careful to give God the credit and glory for this victory as noted in Judges 5.  She influenced the Israelites to live for God.

She was not power hungry.  When the occasion arose to serve God in a certain capacity, she followed through and believed God totally.  Yes, she was a woman and wife but knew that when God called her to serve, she did not let her culture keep her from her responsibility for this was not the norm in the Israelite culture. 

God chooses leaders by His standards. We cannot let our prejudices get in the way of those God has chosen to lead.  God will use the person who is willing to be obedient to Him and used by Him.

She used her gift for God’s service.  Do you know how you are gifted, what your talents are, how you are made personality-wise?  If you are a Christian, you have been given at least one spiritual gift.  When you put your giftedness, talents, abilities, personality and experiences together, you begin to discover the real you.  God did not by chance give you your gifts and talents. He gave them to you for a purpose.  It is your responsibility to understand how you have been created by Him and then, use the way you are made up for service to Him.  Christians make up the Body of Christ and each of us has a role we were created for. 

What activities do you love to do?  What gets you excited and motivated?  Would you rather hang around people or do something?  If you could do anything, what would you love to do?  These are questions that as a young person you need to ask yourself to begin discovering how God created you.  Deborah was created to lead, direct and be a prophet, along with being a wife.  She listened to God and obeyed His Word and God used her in a mighty way.  God wants to use you in a great way if you listen, obey and serve Him.