Titus Connection Volume 20, Number 10- October, 2026
WISE INTENTIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
TITUS CONNECTION
Volume 20, Number 10 – October, 2026
Intentionally Developing Multi generational Leaders
Throughout The World
These two articles spoke to me as I wrote them. Thank you Jesus for the Holy Spirit speaking to me. It was amazing to be a part of the story shared in the Youth Lesson and to be experiencing the paradox revealed in this first article. May the Spirit impact you also as you read these articles. Mike
Leadership Paradox – Urgency versus Patience
In a motor vehicle, we have the gas pedal and the brake. They both have specific purposes while driving a vehicle. Having traveled with many people in my years of being a passenger in the vehicle, some people feel the brake is optional. HA!
The leadership paradox of being urgent and yet patient seem to appropriately fit the use of the gas pedal and brake illustration. You want to have caution when moving forward but really, you want to get to your destination as quickly as possible. The temptation is to move at high speeds, figuratively knocking over people as you go along, not braking if those people or circumstances are in the way, but apologizing as you knock them over.
Urgency is important for several reasons. I have often read that timing is everything as if you do not do something at the right time, the results will highly be likely a disaster. Yet if you do something at the wrong time, you will not get the results or effort you wanted. Accelerating or braking at the right times is vital.
If you are a leader, an influencer, you have a propensity to action, to get things done. That is what leaders do, right? The reality is that we do not always get things right.
Rarely does a person decide having all the facts, in the right order and can fore see the positive and negative consequences of the decision. Having a good understanding and handle on the previous paradox of holding to high standards and being forgiving ties in well here.
Forward thinking includes making mistakes, some trial and error because there is urgency in the timing and opportunities that are available. Craig Groeschel has said, “Action closes the gap between what you have and what you want – and small wrong actions often precede the right big ones”.
What you need as you are contemplating a decision is patience too. Patience is found in the time of decisions, where you do not act too abruptly or when you never pull the trigger. Spiritual wisdom is needed here.
James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him.” Be focused on the Lord and interact with Him as you are processing the potential decision. Paul prayed this often and in Ephesians 1:17-18, specifically for that church.
Be patient as you are mentoring and discipling others. You urgently want someone to grow and develop, but it takes time. Let the Holy Spirit be the determinator of time for that person you are working with. Remember we want patience shown to us as we grow and mature.
Knowing when to speak and when to be quiet is another application of this paradox. Too often we want to say something before really working through what we heard or need to hear from the other person. In James, verses 1:19-20,”My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”
Pray for the right time to say what needs to be said and for the wisdom of when to be quiet and not say anything. Being quiet can often keep us out of trouble.
Large crowds were coming to see Jesus as His reputation spread across the Israeli region. I feel He used this paradox when speaking about the cost of following Him. There was urgency in following Him as He pointed out in Matthew 8:18-22. Jesus told someone to follow Him but the guy said he had to go bury his father first and Jesus said to let the dead bury the dead.
Yet in Luke 14:26-35 we read that we were to count the cost of following Him, that patience of weighing out our decision. Realize there is a cost to follow Jesus, carrying your cross, but you do not know a whole lot of what the cost will be until you begin following. What does giving up everything to be His disciple really mean until you have walked your spiritual lifetime journey with Him?
Wrestle through your faith-filled leadership journey knowing that there is both an urgency in decisions you make along the way and a patience needed to make the best possible decision you can. God is ready to lead each of us. Trust Him to do so.
Youth Ministry Insight – Are you ready to speak for Jesus?
Recently as a coach, I was at a sporting event for young people (secondary school age) where at the end of the contest, an amazing event occurred. This contest was between two rivals so the emotions were high throughout the contest, and the loser of the game would be knocked out of the playoffs.
Both teams played hard during the game, with the score of who was leading was back and forth. Additionally, the rivalry game occurs every year. Parents and adults get excited for the contest and unfortunately at the end of this year’s contest, there was a lot of comments thrown at each other. Thus, bragging rights and superior feelings fueled the contest.
As the game was ending, the players on the field were as we say, chippy with each other. Things were said and the referees had to penalized players from both sides. This all combined to have emotions running very high.
The game ended and both teams lined up to shake hands and for the one time to celebrate but for the other team, to feel the emotion of the loss. Coaches on both teams carefully watched and in once possible incidence, kept the winning players from provoking anger by thwarting an action that would have caused potential fighting.
The winning team then proceeded to leave the field. Shortly thereafter, they returned and all of a sudden, one of the players from the losing team was motioning the winning squad to join some of his teammates at midfield. Curiously and carefully, we coaches watched as the winning squad walked up to the losing team and the player on the losing team inviting the winning team to join the losing team to make a circle, wrap arms around each others’ waists, kneel down and pray together.
Wow! I quickly joined the circle and the player who invited the winning team to pray together said he would start and anyone could pray after he finished. Remember this is in the United States where some school districts have told students they cannot publicly pray together, where teachers and administrators have to be ever so careful with what they say about Jesus.
As this young man prayed, he thanked Jesus for a safe activity, prayed the winning team would do well as they continued in the playoffs and then shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ as he prayed. His message as he prayed was clear and concise regarding what Jesus did on the cross and that anyone of the players from either team was invited to received Jesus as Savior.
No one else prayed (nothing needed to be added after that) and the players got up and hugged each other. The atmosphere and attitude was direct opposite of what it was a few minutes earlier. I walked up to the young man and congratulated him on his courage and heart for Jesus. He is part of a church youth ministry I am very familiar with in his community.
What a joy! What a movement of obedience by this young man who unashamedly stood up for Jesus and invited others to pray together and also hear the gospel. Coaches, teachers and administrators are exhorted to not talk about the Gospel otherwise you can be fired or even sued. BUT young people can freely express their faith. This is why I coach – to come along side young people to encourage, equipping you to do the work of the ministry of Jesus.
Daniel 1 speaks of Daniel and his three good friends who stood for the biblical truth they knew at that time in history. They could have died for their stance but God chose to bless them and they rocked their world for Jesus. They stood for God’s truth and were used to impact a few world kingdoms.
Most of us will not impact world governments but you never know. Be faithful where you are right now. How does Jesus want you to be obedient today? That is where it starts; not when fireworks happen and social media covers what you do, proclaiming you are the next great world spokesperson for Jesus. Do not wait for that moment when you are not being faithful to Jesus right now, right where you are.
This young man at his sporting event took advantage of Jesus prompting him to bring together players from apposing squads to pray together and hear the truth of the Gospel in a very unexpected moment. When the opportunity to represent Jesus occurs for you, are you ready to be obedient?
Consider praying this for your life. “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” Colossians 4:2-6.