Tag: influence

Who Disciples You The Most?

Note:
This is NOT a political post!

This is a quote from a sermon by guest speaker Yemi Mobolade while we were visiting our former church in Colorado Springs recently.

yemi

His message was actually on the issue of race and how we wrestle with it in the Church today. But I took it more broadly. When I heard him say the words above (in the first service) you could hear a pin drop in that large auditorium. That told me something.

Yemi had just gone to a place of discomfort and social unrest among the people of God.

And it got me really thinking. More than the political LEFT & RIGHT in popular news media, what other INFLUENCES & VOICES do you and I allow to DISCIPLE us more than Jesus?

Is our worldview concerning race, sexual orientation, environmental issues, human trafficking, wealth, abortion, marriage, etc, etc, etc. MORE shaped by the voices, books, and media in our society OR by the Word of God?

For those of us who call ourselves disciples of Jesus, it SHOULD be the later.

Then, why is it NOT the case so often?

Hey, I struggle with filtering my influences like most of us. I guess I just wanted to share this quote to stir up some challenge and thinking. This quote did that for me.

Great message, Yemi!

Join the discussion and LEAVE A COMMENT below or connect with me on INSTAGRAM.

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The Fruit of the Spirit in Leadership Pt. 1

photo by: believe-stock.deviantart.com
photo by: believe-stock.deviantart.com

This is the first of nine posts I’ll be doing on a series based on how the Fruit of the Spirit should drive our leadership.

So, to start us off in the right direction….how well do you love?

Love is the greatest virtue, so doesn’t it make sense that it should be our primary driving force in leadership?

It should be evident in…

…how we make decisions.

…how we correct others.

…how we handle stress.

The ‘Love‘ chapter in 1 Corinthians tells us this about love.

Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  or rude. It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Does this depict your leadership?  Maybe the better way to react to this passage is to ask, “Do those I lead see this in me?”

I’m taking time today to personally reflect on this in my own approach to leadership.  And may all of us be consistant in reflecting the love of Jesus to those around us this week.

Leave me a comment below or a personal voicemessage.

Leadership lesson from ‘Gangnam Style’

photo by: kpopstarz.com
photo by: kpopstarz.com

Ok, I’m just gonna be really honest with you.  My wife and I have recently begun quite a persistent workout routine at a local gym.  And when I say ‘persistent,’ I mean we are really driven.  It’s an adrenaline rush for both of us.  Each day we can’t wait to get to our ‘workout’ date.  It’s great!

Well, the other day I  was moments from completing my workout when ‘Gangnam Style’ came on my Pandora channel. I was working on the leg-press at the time and my thighs were really burning when this very familiar intro began dancing through my earbuds.  You know what I’m talking about.  The song starts, your head starts bobbing and foot is now tapping….right?  And regardless of how bad my legs were aching at that moment, from nowhere came a burst of strength that enabled me to get two more sets of 15 in!  (I knew I’d have to blog about this.)

This event made me realize something, though.  I tend to be inspired by certain things more than others.  And I would argue you are the same.  This is mainly the reason my wife and I decided to join a gym to get healthy.  Neither of us has the natural discipline to get that level of exercise at home on a daily schedule.  We just don’t.  But…put us in a large building filled with people who are working and sweating for the same goals and we are ALL IN!

So here’s the leadership piece.  Well, actually more specifically ‘self-leadership.’  1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us that “bad company corrupts good character.”  I also believe the converse is true.  Good company promotes positive character.  It really is true.  To become a better leader, one of the most effective things we can do is to simply place ourselves in environments around other leaders who are further along than we are.  When we observe another leader handle a difficult situation beautifully or hear them quote mind-blowing words of wisdom, we will grow by exposure.  This is what the disciples had with Jesus.  It’s what I have in my current position and the staff I get to work with.  And it’s why many invest time and money into attending seminars and conferences like Catalyst.  This is also why I chose to participate in a mentoring program called  infuse.

For most of us, however, this doesn’t happen naturally.  We have to be intensional about placing ourselves in and around these people.

So, who are you learning from right now?  Leave a comment and share how you are inspired by others.