World Christian Leadership And Training Ministry

"Leadership is the ability to interact with people in such a way that they align with you for a common purpose"

All leadership authority comes from God (Romans 13:1-2). God set in place all world leaders, corporate leaders, military leaders, business leaders, as well as, the leaders of His Church congregations. If they choose to abuse the power and authority that has been given to them, then God will remove them. God does not send an angel with a flaming sword, but He does inspire the oppressed people to rise up and remove the person in-charge. He may use other Nations, and often does, to remove evil rulers.

God is patient, but He is not intolerant of evil in any form. Leadership is either vision based or fear based. Vision based leadership is for leading other people. Leadership requires Relationshipss with other people. People often say, "It's lonely at the top" and they are right when the leadership is fear based. Vision based leaders are never lonely. They are often trying to get away from people so they can rest because people follow them everywhere. People want to be near them, spend time with them, and want to get to know them better. People want to emulate them. Vision based leaders pursue victory while fear based leaders try to avoid defeat.

Leaders have an inner circle of subordinate leaders. They create this "team" through building Relationships with them. They know intimate details about their team members and just as important, they know the families of their team by name. They teach and mentor their team to do the same with their own inner circle of leaders. They build structured, organized groups of people with clearly defined purposes. Jesus said, "put them into groups of 50's and 100's" (Mark 6:39 -40). Jesus even organized the masses before He fed them.

Leaders are born , predestined, and called to do and complete an assignment from God. Their personal pursuit of God's Word makes them ready to lead. They stand on the truth and cannot be moved, set like a flint in their walk. They pursue holiness. They seek excellence not perfection. They would never position themselves to defend their weaknesses or cover up their mistakes. They are identified best by their love for the people they are assigned to and by their ability to build Relationshipss.

A leader fully understands that responsibility can never be delegated, only authority is delegated. Too often, people in positions of leadership place the responsibility for everything that happens on subordinates. The subordinate assumes the responsibility for fear of losing their jobs or being demoted. They begin to "cover up" for the person in-charge as if that is now part of their job. They will even lie for the "boss" if needed. They may think they are secure in their position. However, since they do not have a real Relationships with the "boss" they are always one mistake away from being fired, or as some organizations like to call it, let go.

The common factor in these leaderless organizations is fear. Until the basis for fear is removed, these organizations will struggle to sustain growth and keep qualified workers. Their best technicians will leave, even for a lower paying job in order to move away from the termoil. These organizations will often end up spending their profits on attorney fees, fighting law suits, downsizing, and constantly reorganizing trying to find the answers. They will do everything except deal directly with the problem, which is a lack of leadership.

There is a great difference between a vision based leader and fear based leader or someone who is "in-charge." Anyone can be in-charge. They are focused on the goal, on the project, on the mission, but only to extent that it makes them look good. Nothing is more important to a person who is in-charge than how they look to those above them. They will sacrifice anyone and anything that makes them look bad. People are never a priority, let alone, the well being of the people assigned to them.

Those in-charge, lead by fear and intimidation, do as I say, but not as I do. Even if their orders are followed to the letter, they will find someone to blame when things don't work out as they planned. They are often blessed with talent, they are gifted, and intelligent. They have to live off of these traits because they lack wisdom, humility, integrity, character, and honor. They are seldom qualified for the job, but someone like them put them in their position as an attempt to deflect attention away from their own short comings. Fortunately for everyone around them, in time, they will be exposed and fall like dominos.

People who are in-charge are often micro-managers because they are afraid of being found out for the incompetent tyrants that they are. They have people waste time doing menial tasks while they try to figure what to do. What they usually do not realize is that everyone knows what to do except them. These people are truly lonely at the top because they cannot trust anyone. They cannot let anyone get to close and therefore, seldom have any healthy Relationshipss. The people they say are close to them are usually hundreds or even thousands of miles away, so there

I believe it was necessary to point out the differences because Christianity can't afford to continue to have "fear based" leadership or people who are in-charge of congregations. Leadership within the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is given to those who are "Called" into ministry by God. It cannot be given or delegated by a Board of Directors or Deacons or anyone else because it is a position of "responsibility."

I am talking about the position of the Pastor. A person can be hired into the position, but once they are in the position, they must assume the "office" or calling of the pastor. They now work for God, not the Board. Pastor is a position of servant hood not lordship. Pastor is the title of a Shepherd assigned to a flock of the people that belongs to the Lord of lords and King of kings. The church congregation belongs to God not to a man or woman who, quote unquote, "built the church." A Shepherd does not own the sheep (people). The Shepherd is the caregiver, protector, and feeder of the people in accordance with God's commands. God "anoints" them to pastor and without the anointing, they are just another CEO.

God's calling is to men and women who have matured (in Christ). They have surrendered their hearts (given up their wants) and have believed on Jesus, to do His will. They are men and women of wisdom, humility, integrity, character, and honor. They are called to serve the Lord, not perform for the people. You can tell they are serving God because they are often seen serving God's people. They are not trying to promote their own agenda, gifting, talents, or skills. They are known for what they are seen doing for people, not for what people are always doing to please them and to make them happy.

Those called by God, often hear their names mentioned with one or more of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, meek, faithful, and self-disciplined). They are spoken of as Christ like, strong, decisive, powerful, speaks with authority, uncompromising, just, trustworthy, dependable, there for you, and respected. You never hear their name mentioned with fear or people being afraid of them, unapproachable, above everyone else, better than everyone else, special, too anointed to be touched by the congregation, etc. People called by God are called into full leadership.

Leadership is for and about people. Lead people and manage things . Managers are often unqualified to lead because they have been trained to relate to assets and not to people. (I have been a consultant to businesses, organizations, military commands, and churches since 1993) People are not assets or resources on some business ledger. I know companies do think that way. People are the company! If you do not believe that, then prepare to constantly reorganize and/or downsize in an often futile attempt to survive. It is the people that have the ideas and carry out the vision, not just the leader. People grow organizations, organizations do not grow people and strong leadership is the catalyst.

The #1 rule of leadership is: "Take care of your people." A leader must know who the people are on a personal basis. They must know the families and visit them in their homes, and invite them to their home. I am not talking about everybody, but the people assigned as their inner circle of leaders. To do this requires people skills. You'll have to give up all selfish ambition and self-serving plans. If you do this you will find that it is not, so lonely at the top, as you once thought.

Again, leaders are born not made. Can you think of a leader that was not born? It is the inborn skills that require honing or making in order to be an effective leader. A course of study will not make you a leader. A book on leadership will not make you a leader. An assignment to lead will not make you a leader, but it will make you in-charge. Only the development of your personal people skills in pursuit of building Relationshipss with people will make you a leader. As a Christian, the ability to lead is already in you. It is your responsibility to let it out.

This is only the tip of the iceberg for leadership. There is, of course, much more to state, but not here at this time. There is one exception. Everyone is not called to lead entire organizations. However, everyone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior is called to be a leader on a daily basis. We can all do that in our words or in our behavior. All Christians are called to be leaders. God does not have or want closet Christians. Be a leader everyday and let someone experience the Jesus in you.