“Demands” of Church Leadership

“Demands” of church leadership

Church leadership is:

1. Volunteer driven – Volunteers must be:

–       Valued
–       Attracted
–       Inspired
–       Trained
–       Directed
–       Renewed

        2.  A calling

–      Hebrews 5:1-4

Church leadership demands:

1. A servant spirit

–       Mark 10:42-45

        2.  Different types of power

–       Coercion – power influence – leaders who use fear are themselves afraid
–       Commerce – people follow you because of what you can do for them
–       Legitimate Power
–       Teamwork – we need to be willing to delegate

         3.  Focused

–       A leader knows what needs to be done next, why it needs to be done, what resources need to be used and how to utilize them
–       Effective leaders generate a vision
–       Vision = energy, and energy is contagious

          4.  Personal Growth (We’re not talking numbers)

–       Luke 2:52
–       All leaders are learners
–       “It’s what you learn after you know it all that really matter.”

           5.  Action

–       Wherever I am in my growth process, satan will do all he can to get me to remain there
–       A vision without a plan = frustration
–       (Book = “Visioneering” by Andy Stanley – northpointchurch.com)
–       Three factors for all achievements

1. The adoption of a definite purpose
2. A definite plan for it’s attainment
3. Appropriate action

–       Three clear steps to action

1. Where do I want to go? (this speaks of goals)

• Do we know what we want?
• Do we know where we are really headed?
• Would we know when we arrived there?

2.  Where am I now? (this speaks of honesty)

–       Where I want to go
–       Where others think I am
–       Where I really am

                                    3.  What is my next step?

6.  An eternal approach

–       Col 3:2 and II Cor. 4:16-18

Leader Attitude

Attitudes that Determine Altitude

             1.    My attitude at the beginning of a task will affect it’s outcome

–       Most people that we lead will live up to our expectations of them

              2.    My attitude is the major different between success or failure

–       Resources minus a right attitude equals defeat
–       Right attitude minus resources could equal victor

               3.    My attitude can turn problems into blessings

–       My problem is NEVER my problem

               4.    My attitude can give me uncommon perspective

–       “Some people look at things as they are and say ‘why?’ I look at things as they can be and say, ‘why not.”
–       You’re always going to find what you’re looking for. If you go to church looking for hypocrites, you’re going to find them. We need to be good finders.
–       We should always believe the best until forced by proof to believe the wrong.

               5.    My attitude, not my achievements, will being me happiness

–       The thoughts in your mind are more important than the things in your life
–       Take “God” and add an “O” for “obedience” and the result is “good.”
–       Luke 12:15
~     Don’t confuse standard of living with quality of life
–       “Happiness is not based on money, and the greatest proof of the is my family.” – Christina Onassis
~     Too many people have:
–       “Destination Disease” – “If only I could live there, I’d be happy.”
–       “Someone-else Disease” – “If only I could be him or her, I’d be happy.”
–       “Backslider Blues” – “If only I hadn’t done that, I’d be happy.”
–       Your past is the only thing that can separate you from the love of God. We need to get free from our past.
–       We tend to go in the direction we’re most focused on. (Like driving a car, you go where you look.) We need to focus on the future, not our past. You’ve got to release and let go.
–       God can’t forgive unforgiveness. “Except a man forgive those who have trespassed against him, he cannot be forgiven.” – “blaspheming against the Holy Ghost”  – the Holy Ghost is the power to forgive, so that’s blaspheming against the Holy Ghost.

               6.    My attitude will change when I want it to

–       Nobody else controls your attitude
–       We cannot tailor-make the situations in our life; but we can tailor-make the attitudes to fit them before they arrive.
–       It’s the storms of life that are going to reveal you, not make or break you.

• How to “Tailor-Make” Your Attitude

1. Understand the importance of attitude
2. Quit blaming others and things for your attitude
3. Develop a plan and commit to improvement

              7.    My attitude needs continuous adjustment

• Attitude Adjustment Indicators

1. Not enough time for God
2. Family tells me
3. Relationship with staff strains
4. View of others lowered

• Attitude Adjustment Remedies

1. Say the right words
2. Read the right books
3. Listen to the right things
4. See the right people
5. Do the right things

              8.    My attitude is contagious

–       People catch our attitudes just like they catch our colds – by getting close to us.

by Tim Pruitt

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