Welcome to The Online School of Leadership session on servant-leadership. Two days ago the first lesson defined leadership from a biblical perspective. Jesus’ servant leader model continues to work thousands of years later while producing billions of Christians worldwide. If you did not get a chance to read it, you can CLICK HERE.
Let’s begin today’s session with this question:
How can a Leader be a Servant at the same time?
Let’s start with this premise: Most who lead desire to lead effectively – especially if you’re a new leader or haven’t developed your leadership philosophy. Seminaries, colleges, and university leadership programs don’t have a monopoly on advanced leadership skills. With time, you can teach yourself many leadership principles and skills by attending this Online School of Leadership.
This Online School of Leadership is an experiment which features the Bible, the very best leadership books available, and is based on thousands of hours of research. If you don’t have the time to drop everything, accumulate student loan debt, and attend college or seminary, tune in for the next few weeks and you’ll learn more about leadership that you can possibly imagine.
Check Out The Leadership Curriculum…
In 2005, Ice Cube (Nick) and Nia Long (Suzanne) starred in the hit comedy movie, “Are We There Yet?” Nick’s attracted to Suzanne and offers to drive her two very annoying children from Portland to Vancouver. The trip’s a disaster from the outset as the three face numerous mishaps while entertaining the nagging question, “Are we there yet?” As a parent who’s gone on numerous road trips with children, they have trouble understanding distance and how much time it takes to actually get ‘there.’
In his book, “Maximize The Moment,” Bishop T.D. Jakes references a “place called there.” It’s not a neighborhood. You can’t find it on a map. Money, education, or influence can’t get you there. There is the place God intended for us to be spiritually, relationally, financially, etc. It’s God’s destiny for us and once you’ve been touched by destiny, your relentless pursuit begins.
Quick! How many have heard this phrase:
Bloom where you’re planted.
I heard this heard statement before and it’s about making the most of what you have and being content with your life. Although I could not find the actual verse that bears directly on this statement, 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 suggest the idea of contentment.
Paul had been giving instruction in Chapter 7 regarding marital status. Apparently there was some level of discontent among the believers where there was an inordinate desire to change their state from single to married or from married to single.
Maybe those who were in mixed marriages were envious of those who were in Christian unions. Maybe those who were married wished that they were single so that they could serve the Lord more devotedly. In any case, Paul feels a need to pause and address the wider problem of contentment with your assigned role in life.
I am amazed at all God did @ Mars Hill yesterday. It officially goes down in history as one of my favorite Sunday’s of ALL TIME. Why? Spirit-filled men ignited praise that spontaneously spread throughout our congregation & in our overflow (on video). Spiritually, God’s doing something ‘new’ and ‘powerful’ at our church and it blows my mind each Sunday. I’m trying to wrap my head around and rationalize what God’s doing, but it’s difficult to explain an authentic “move of God.”
I want to begin 2011 not by reflecting on the past, but looking towards the future of life as I see it. You’ve probably noticed I’m a technically progressive pastor/leader who keeps his ear to the ground. It’s my job to be a modern day Son of Issachar – one who “discerns the times & knows what to do.” (1 Chronicles 12:32)
Whenever we go through a major change in our culture, it seems we have to adjust to ‘the new normal.’ And today is no exception — as the U.S. economy struggles to recover from the financial crisis, Americans are being forced to reckon with more ‘new normals’ than we’d like.
Here are some of my predictions for 2011 and years to come:
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